Sicut aquæ tremulum labris ubi lumen ahenis
Sole repercussum, aut radiantis imagine lunæ,
Omnia pervolitat late loca, jamque sub auras
Erigitur, summique ferit laquearia tecti.

VIRG. Æn. viji.
So water, trembling in a polished vase,
Reflects the beam that plays upon its face;
The sportive light, uncertain where it falls,
Now strikes the roof, now flashes on the walls.

A NEW EDITION. ..

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR J. JOHNSON, IN ST. PAUL'S CHURCH YARD,

BY T. BENSLEY, BOLT COURT, FLEET STREET.

1806.

PRE FACE

TO THE

FIRST VOLUME.

When an Author, by appearing in print, requests an audience of the Public, and is upon the point of speaking for himself, whoever presumes to step before him with a preface, and to say, “ Nay, but hear me first," should have something worthy of attention to offer, or he will justly be deemed officious and impertinent. The judicious reader has probably, upon other occasions, been before-hand with me in this reflection: and I am not very willing it should now be

applied to me, however I may seem to expose myself to the danger of it. But the thought of having my own name perpetuated in connexion with the name in the

title page, is so pleasing and flattering to the feelings of my heart, that I am content to risk something for the gratification.

This preface is not designed to commend the Poems to which it is prefixed. My testimony would be insufficient for those who are not qualified to judge properly for themselves, and unnecessary to those, who are. Besides, the reasons which render it improper and unseemly for a man to celebrate his own performances, or those of his nearest relatives, will have some influence in suppressing much of what he might otherwise