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PRINTED BY H. BALDWIN AND SON, NEW BRIDGE-STREET,

FOR T. CADELL, JUN. AND W. DAVIES, IN THE STRAND.

M, DCCC.

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PREFACE

TO

THE TRANSLATION

OF

OVID'S EPISTLES.'

THE Life of Ovid being already written in our language, before the translation of his

'This translation, which was made by several persons, was first published in 8vo. in 1680. Our author translated two epistles; Canace to Macareus, and Dido to Æneas. Helen to Paris was translated by him and the Earl of Mulgrave. Another translation of the Epiftle of Dido was subjoined to our author's, which was the production of Mr. Somers, then a young man; afterwards the celebrated Lord Somers.

"In 1680, the epistles of Ovid being translated by the poets of the time, it was necessary (says Dr. Johnson) to introduce them by a preface; and Dryden, who on such occasions was regularly summoned, prefixed a discourse upon translation, which was then struggling for the liberty it now enjoys. Why it should find any difficulty in breaking the shackles of verbal interpretation, which must for ever debar it from elegance, it would be difficult to conjecture, were not the power of prejudice every day observed. The authority of Jonson, Sandys, and

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