who had business enough upon his hands, and was only a poet by accident. I own myself much obliged to Mrs. Singer, who has given me leave to print a pastoral of her writing; that poem having produced the verfes immediately following it. I wish the might be prevailed with to publish some other pieces of that kind, in which the foftness of her fex, and the fineness of her genius, confpire to give her a very diftinguishing character.. POST POST SCRIP T. MUST help my preface by a poftfcript, to tell the reader that there is ten years distance between my writing one and the other; and that (whatever I thought then, and have fomewhere faid, that I would publish no more poetry) he will find several copies of verfes feattered through this edition, which were not printed in the first Thofe relating to the publick fand in the order they did before, according to the feveral years in which they were written; however the difpofition of our national affairs, the actions or the fortunes of fome men, and the opinions of others, may have changed. Profe and other human things may take what turn they can; but poetry, which pretends to have fomething of divinity in it, is to be more permanent. Odes once printed cannot well be altered, when the author has already faid that he expects his works fhould live for ever and it had been very foolish in my friend Horace, if, fome years after his "Exegi Monumentum," he should have defired to fee his building taken down again. The Dedication likewife is re-printed, to the earl of Dorset, in the foregoing leaves, without any alteration; though I had the fairest opportunity, and the strongest inclination, to have added a great deal to it. The blooming hopes, which I faid the world expected from my then very young patron, have been confirmed by VOL. I. most most noble and distinguished first-fruits; and his life is going on towards a plentiful harvest of all accumulated virtues. He has, in fact, exceeded whatever the fondnefs of my wifhes could invent in his favour: his equally good and beautiful lady enjoys in him an indulgent and obliging husband; his children, a kind and careful father; and his acquaintance, a faithful, generous, and polite friend. His fellow-peers have attended *to the perfuafion of his eloquence; and have been con. vinced by the folidity of his reafoning. He has, long fince, deferved and attained the honour of the. garter. He has managed fome of the greatest charges of the kingdom with known ability; and laid them down with entire difintereffment. And as he continues the exercifes of thefe eminent virtues (which that he may to a very old age, fhall be my perpetual wifh), he may be one of the greatest men that our age, or poffibly our nation, haš bred; and leave materials for a panegyrick, not unworthy the pen of fome future Pliny. : From fo noble a fubject as the earl of Dorset, to fo mean a one as myself, is (I confefs) a very pindaric tranfition: I fhall only fay one word, and trouble the reader no further. I published my poems formerly, as Monfieur Jourdain fold his filk he would not be thought a tradefman; but ordered fome pieces to be measured out to his particular friends. Now I give up my fhop, and difpofe of all my poetical goods at once: I must therefore defire, that the publick would please to take them in the grofs; and that every body would turn over what he does not like.. POEMS POE By MR. PRIÓ R. On Exodus iii. 14. "I am that I am." AN OD E. Written 1688, as an Exercife at St. John's College, Cambridge. I. M AN! foolish man! Scarce know'st thou how thyfelf began; Scarce haft thou thought enough to prove thou art; Mortify thy learned luft. Vain are thy thoughts, while thou thyself art duft. II. Let wit her fails, her oars let wisdom lend; Yet ceafe to hope thy short-liv'd bark shall ride Still 'tis farther from its end; And, in the bofom of that boundless sea, With daring pride and infolent delight, Your doubts refolv'd you boast, your labours crown'd; And, “ETPHKA! your God, forfooth, is found. Incomprehenfible and infinite. But is he therefore found? Vain fearcher! no: Let your imperfect definition fhow, That nothing you, the weak definer, know. IV. Say, why should the collected main Itself within itself contain? Why to its caverns should it fometimes creep, And with delighted filence fleep On the loy'd bofom of its parent deep? Why fhould its numerous waters stay In comely difcipline, and fair array, Till winds and tides exert their high command ! Why do the rifing furges spread Their opening ranks o'er earth's fubmiffive head, Marching through different paths to different lands? V. Why |