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tion of their talents-frequently, like the rose in the wilderness, they just bloom, and wither away in obfcurity; and fometimes, alas! the iron-hand of DEATH cuts them SUDDENLY off, as their beauties are just budding forth into existence, and leaves but the FAIR PROMISES of FUTURE EXCELLENCIES” ****

FURTHER his pen went not-What a dreadful blank clofes the foregoing sentence, and how truly prophetic of his own fate? HE DIED in his TWENTY-SIXTH Year-He was my PUPIL, and truly dear and affectionate to me in his whole demeanor-If I had not the original, in his own hand to produce, I should have been afraid to publish this Preface, as his, left it should be fufpected to have been written after his death, and accommodated to that event.

How far bis Poems will anfver the idea he had formed of poetic eminence, must be left for his readers to judge. Many of them are fragments, and unfinished; and but few of them were revised by himfelf, with a view of being publifhed. Some corrections have, therefore, been made, where there appeared any thing materially faulty in respect to Grammar, the exactness of the rhymes, &c. But in thefe the Publisher has been sparing, and has taken care that the Author's fenfe fhould in no cafe be deviated from--

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The task he left to be performed was a mournful one; but it has been executed with that fidelity, which the writer of this would wish might be extended to any performance of his own, that may be thought worthy of the public eye, by that true friend into whofe hands it may fall, when he himself fhall be no more!

WILLIAM SMITH.

PHILADELPHIA,
August 1, 1772.

LIST

Philadelphia 31st. May 1765. "These are to certify that the Bearer Mr. Nathaniel Evans was born in this City of refutable and religious parents; that he was educated in the College of Philadelphia, in which he has beew honourd with the Degree of Master of Arts; that he is now in the Twenty fourth Year of his Age, And from his known Prudence, Leal for Religion, Affection to his sacred Majesty's Person & Government, & bonformity to the Doctrine & Discipline of the Church of England, as well as from the many Specimens of Genius which he has already shown; We have the utmost Reason to hope that he will be led by Principle 4 the Goodness of his own Heart, to exert himself thro' Life in the sacred Office for which he offers himself a bandidate.

We beg • Leave then most heartily & affectionately to recommend him for holy Orders in our bhurch..

Charles Inglis
Alexr Murray p

Jacob Duché

William Smith
Will Currie

Um Sturgeon
Tho. Bartow.

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The Rev. Nathaniel Evans was ordained
Deacon, by the Rt. Rev. Richard Serrick,
Bishop of Londow, at a special ordination,
Saturday September 21st 1765, being the
Feast of St Matthew the Apoette, in the Parish
Church
of Fulham in the bounty of
Middlesex, and Priest, by the same
Prelate, at a general ordination,

on

Sunz

day, September 22nd, 1765, in the Chapel Royal at Saint James's Palace in West

minster.

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