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truth of what he afferts. And the author who would perfuade that we should bear the ills of life patiently, merely because Solomon felt the fame, has a better argument than Lucretius had, when, in his imperious way, he at once convinces and commands, that we ought to submit to Death without repining, because Epicurus died.

The whole Poem is a foliloquy: Solomon is the person that speaks: he is at once the Hero and the Author, but he tells us very often what others fay to him. Thofe chiefly introduced are his rabbies and philofophers in the first book; and his women and their attendants in the second: with these the sacred history mentions him to have conversed; as likewife with the Angel brought down in the third book, to help him out of his difficulties, or at least to teach him how to overcome them.

"Nec Deus interfit nifi dignus vindice nodus—”

I prefume this poetical liberty may be very juftly allowed me on fo folemn an occafion.

In my defcription I have endeavoured to keep to the notions and manners of the Jewish nation at the time when Solomon lived: and, where I allude to the customs of the Greeks, I believe I may be juftified by the strictest chronology; though a Poet is not obliged to the rules that confine an Hiftorian. Virgil has anticipated two hundred years; or the Trojan Hero and Carthaginian Queen could not have been brought together and without the fame anachronism several of

the

the finest parts of his Aneis must have been omitted. Our countryman Milton goes yet further. He takes up many of his material images fome thousands of years after the fall of man: nor could he otherwife have written, or we read, one of the fublimeft pieces of invention that was ever yet produced. This likewise takes off the objection, that fome names of countries, terms of art, and notions in natural philofophy, are otherwife expreffed than can be warranted by the geography or aftronomy of Solomon's time.

Poets

are allowed the fame liberty in their descriptions and comparisons, as painters in their draperies and ornaments their perfonages may be dressed, not exactly in the fame habits which they wore, but in fuch as make them appear moft graceful. In this cafe probability must atone for the want of truth. This liberty has indeed been abused by eminent masters in either fcience. Raphael and Taffo have fhewn their difcretion, where Paul Veronefe and Ariofto are to answer for their extravagances. It is the excess, not the thing itself, that is blameable.

I would fay one word of the measure in which this and most Poems of the age are written. Heroic with continued rhyme, as Donne and his contemporaries ufed it, carrying the sense of one verfe moft commonly into another, was found too diffolute and wild, and 'came very often too near profe. As Davenant and Waller corrected, and Dryden perfected it, it is too confined: it cuts off the fenfe at the end of every first line, which must always rhyme to the next following;

and

and confequently produces too frequent an identity in the found, and brings every couplet to the point of an epigram. It is indeed too broken and weak, to convey the fentiments and reprefent the images proper for Epic. And, as it tires the writer while he composes, it must do the fame to the reader while he repeats; efpecially in a Poem of any confiderable length.

If ftriking out into Blank Verfe, as Milton did (and in this kind Mr. Philips, had he lived, would have excelled); or running the thought into Alternate and Stanza, which allows a greater variety, and still preferves the dignity of the verfe, as Spenfer and Fairfax have done; if either of these, I say, be a proper remedy for my poetical complaint, or if any other may be found, I dare not determine: I am only inquiring in order to be better informed, without presuming to direct the judgment of others. And, while I am speaking of the verse itself, I give all just praise to many of my friends now living, who have in Epic carried the harmony of their numbers as far as the nature of this measure will permit. But, once more: he, that writes in rhymes, dances in fetters; and, as his chain is more extended, he may certainly take larger steps.

I need make no apology for the fhort digreffive panegyrick upon Great Britain in the First Book. I am glad to have it obferved, that there appears throughout

all

my verfes a zeal for the honour of my country: and I had rather be thought a good Englishman, than the belt Poet, or the greatest Scholar that ever wrote.

And now as to the publishing of this piece, though I have in a literal fenfe obferved Horace's "Nonum 66 prematur in annum ;" yet have I by no means obeyed our poetical Lawgiver, according to the spirit of the precept. The Poem has indeed been written and laid afide much longer than the term prescribed; but in the meantime I had little leifure, and lefs inclination, to revife or print it. The frequent interruptions I have met with in my private studies, and great variety of public life in which I have been employed, my thoughts (fuch as they are) having generally been expreffed in foreign language, and even formed by a habitude very different from what the beauty and elegance of English Poetry requires: all thefe, and fome other circumstances which we had as good pass by at present, do justly contribute to make my excuse in this behalf very plaufible. Far indeed from defigning to print, I had locked up thefe papers in my fcritoire, there to lie in peace till my executors might have taken them What altered this defign, or how my fcritoire came to be unlocked before my coffin was nailed, is the queftion. The true reason I take to be the best: many of my friends of the first quality, fineft learning, and greatest understanding, have wrefted the key from my hands by a very kind and irresistible violence: and the poem is published, not without my confent indeed, but a little against my opinion; and with an implicit fubmiffion to the partiality of their judgment. As I give up here the fruits of many of my vacant hours to their amusement and pleasure, I fhall always think

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VOL

myself happy, if I may dedicate my moft ferious endeavours to their interest and service. And I am proud to finish this preface by faying, that the violence of many enemies, whom I never justly offended, is abundantly recompenfed by the goodness of more friends, whom I can never fufficiently oblige. And if I here affume the liberty of mentioning my Lord Harley and Lord Bathurst as the authors of this amicable confederacy, among all those whose names do me great honour at the beginning of my book*; these two only ought to be angry with me: for I difobey their pofitive order, whilst I make even this small acknowledgment of their particular kindness.

*As fubfcribers to the edition in folio, 1718.

VOL. XXXIII.

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TEXTS

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