By Mr. ADRIAN DRIFT, His Executor. The SECOND EDITION. | LONDON: | Printed for the EDITOR, MDCCXL.' I have not reprinted the second volume of that compilation, containing THE HISTORY OF His Own Time, because there appears to be doubt as to how much might fairly be regarded as Prior's; also, because the thorough examination of Prior's historical papers is, I understand, in the hands of the capable editors of the Historical MSS Commission. From p. 153 to p. 175 I have followed the text of the excellent edition that usually goes by the name of T. Evans, 1779. I have not been able to obtain much corroborative evidence that all the additional poems in Evans are by Prior, but, in the case of the Songs, I have been fortunate enough to find in the library of St John's College, Cambridge, a copy of the very rare music-book in which the songs were first published, and one verse is reprinted from it for the first time. On p. 364, are printed a few fugitive items collected by previous editors: others, which seemed unsupported by sufficient testimony or which rested on recollection only, have been omitted. The Appendix of poems attributed to Prior has caused some trouble. Through the kindness of Mr T. J. Wise, who is always willing to place his unrivalled library of first editions at the service of students, I have had an opportunity of reading many rare 18th century poems, published separately in folio, quarto and octavo and attributed to Prior. There is practically nothing but internal evidence on which to rely, and I have not been able to persuade myself that more than a few of these can safely be attributed to Prior. Two are printed from rare copies in the possession of Mr Wise, and I wish to thank him for CONTENTS. MISCELLANEOUS POEMS, ETC., FROM THE Collection of Drift 147 |