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ON SEVERAL

OCCASIONS.

BY

SAMUEL WESLEY, A. M.
MASTER of Blundell's School at Tiverton, Devon.
Sometime STUDENT of Chrift-Church, Oxford; and near
Twenty Years USHER in Westminfter-School.

Afperius fi

Dixero quid, fi fortè jocofius, hoc mihi juris
Cum venia dabis, infuevit pater optimus hoc me,
Ut fugerem exemplis vitiorum quæque notando.

HOR.

LONDON:

Printed for the AUTHOR by E. SAY in Warwick Lane,
and fold by S. BIRT at the Bible in Ave-mary Lane.

T

HE invariable FAVOUR which YOUR
LORDSHIP has expreffed for Weftminster-
School, a Place no Power can hinder me from
loving, would have determined me to defire the
Honour of the fame Patronage, even though I

had not been influenced by fuperior Confiderations, fuch as I fhall never be afraid to glory in, while I retain any Memory of Duty towards one of the best Sovereigns, or of Efteem for one of the greatest Ministers our Nation ever enjoyed; a Minifter, who extorted publick Applaufe from his bittereft Enemies, and who, in his lowest Ebb of Fortune, feared the mightiest Thirsters for his Blood much less than he was feared by them.

The hereditary Regard for Learning, and the Seats and Profeffors of it, which defcends to Your LORDSHIP from fo excellent a Father, makes me hope even the following POEMS will not be altogether unacceptable; efpecially fince they are chiefly calculated to promote the trueft Interests of Mankind, Religion and Virtue: for that is a Merit I shall never give up, as I fhall never claim any other: As far as the Intention reaches, they are not quite undeserving the noblest Patron.

"Tis with Reluctance I wave the Mention of many Personal Obligations received from Your LORDSHIP; but I can by no means refift this Opportunity of returning my Acknowledgments on my Father's Account, who is past expreffing his own Gratitude on Earth, being now happy in that World which alone is worthy of Him. Neither Obscurity of Condition, nor Distance of Place, could prevent Your LORDSHIP from diftinguishing and encouraging a worthy Clergyman in his indefatigable Searches after Truth, and his unfashionable Studies in Divinity; which perhaps might have been left unfinished without that Encouragement: And it will be no fmall Recommendation of the Work itself, that its AUTHOR was favoured and approved by an EARL of OXFORD.

That Your LORDSHIP may continue a Bleffing and Ornament to Your Country, eminent

for

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