POST SCRIPT. I MUST help my preface by a postscript, to tell the reader, that there are ten years diftance between my writing the one and the other; and that (whatever I thought then, and have somewhere faid, that I would publifh no more poetry) · he will find several copies of verses scattered through this edition, which were not printed in the first. Those relating to the publick ftand in the order they did before, and 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, I tered, when the author has already faid, that he expects his works fhould live forever. And it had been very foolish in my friend Horace, if fome years after his Exegi Monumentum, he fhould have defired to fee his building taken. down again. The dedication likewife is reprinted to the Earl of Dorfet, in the foregoing leaves, without any alteration; though I had the fairest oppor tunity, and the ftrongest inclination to have added a great deal to it. deal to it. The blooming hopes, which I faid the world expected from my then very young patron, have been confirmed by moft noble and diftinguished firft-fruits; and his life is going on towards a plentiful harvest of all accumulated virtues. He has in fact exceeded whatever the fondness of my wishes could invent in his favour: his equally good and beautiful lady enjoys in him an indulgent, and obliging hufband; 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 convinced by the folidity of his reafoning. He has long fince deferved and attained the honour of the garter. He has managed some of the greatest charges of the kingdom with known ability; Exviii POST SCRIPT. ability; and laid them down with entire difintereftment. And as he continues the exercises of these eminent virtues (which that he may do to a very old age, fhall be my perpetual with, he may be one of the greatest men that our age, or poffibly our nation has bred; and leave materials for a panegyric, not unworthy the pen of fome future Pliny. From fo noble a fubject as the Earl of Dorset, to so mean a one as myself, is (I confefs) a very pindaric tranfition. I fhall only fay one word, and trouble the reader no farther. 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 shop, and difpofe of all my poetical goods at once: I muft. therefore defire, that the public would please to take them in the grofs; and that every body. would turn over what he does not like. THE ON EXOD. III, 14.—I AM THAT I AM, WRITTEN IN 1688, AS AN EXERCISE AT ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE. Scarce know'st thou how thyself began; Scarce haft thou thought enough to prove thou art; Yet fteel'd with study'd boldness, thou dar'st try To fend thy doubting reason's dazzled eye Through the myfterious gulph of vaft immensity. Much thou canft there discern, much thence impart. Vain Vain wretch! fupprefs thy knowing pride; Mortify thy learned luft! Vain are thy thoughts, while thou thyself art duft. Let Wit her fails, her oars let Wisdom lend; Yet cease to hope thy fhort-liv'd bark fhall ride Still 'tis farther from its end; And, in the bosom of that boundless sea, III. With daring pride and infolent delight Your doubts refolv'd you boast, your labours crown'd; And "EYPHKA! your god, forfooth is found Incomprehenfible and infinite. But is he therefore found? vain fearcher! no: Let your imperfect definition show, That nothing you, the weak definer, know. IV. Say, why fhould the collected main Itfelf within itself contain ? Why to its caverns should it sometimes creep, On the lov'd bofom of it's parent deep? In comely discipline, and fair array, Till winds and tides exert their high command ? Then |