THO' I make bold to Prefix your Name to this hasty Product of a Loy­al Muse; I do not presume to Impose it on your Generous Nature in the formal way of a Dedication. I do it chiefly to acknowledge Obligations which my Poetical Circumstances will not suffer me to return as I Wish. Too Happy, if I be not thought one of those designing Debtors who come to own a Debt to have an opportunity of Enlarging it. Your Zeal for his Majesty and the Publick good has justly distinguished you among the best and most useful of his Subjects; and as it has byass'd you to think Favourably of the following Pieces in Manuscript, I hope it will incline you to Honour them with your kind Acceptance now they appear in Print. Had I been the Master of Leisure sufficient to have undertaken a Poem more worthy this great Occasion, I wou'd then have been Proud of Devoting it to your Patronage. But as these Lines are, I wholly leave them to their Fate; nor am I without Hopes of redeeming the Esteem of the Ingenious, by something more valuable on this or some such Noble Theme. 'Tis what I am most Ambitious of Attempting and what▪ I might doubtless compass, cou'd I but Cloath in Robes of Poetry some of those admirable Ideas which you have sometimes Communicated to me on that great Subject. But Rich and set Dresses are expensive and not so soon nor easily put on. Thus I must be content to let my Muse appear in a loose Deshabillé; perhaps, as well as other Females, she'll be lik'd ne're the worse for't, chiefly when Grac'd with her Singing and Dancing Atten­dants. 'Tis for their sakes she goes a Revelling; and after all, if she helps but to set 'em off on the Stage and make 'em Please, she may be said to have done what the most topping Muse often endeavours in vain. So hard it is to be Merry and Wise, if I may use the Expression. Those who know me well are sensible that tis not for want of good Will that I give not now something of more Moment; and others may consider that Poetry has its Curses, as well [Page] as Blessings. Poets like Misers starve themselves for the meager satisfaction of leaving behind them what may Divert others, the one Toyling for the bare Fame of Wit, and the other for the Reputation of Wealth; where both shou'd be put to a better use. We shou'd study to reconcile those two Be­nefits; and in that follow your Prudent Example. But few can be so happy as to be Masters of your moderation in a flourishing Youth, and a Plentiful Fortune, or blest like you with a sprightly Wit guided by a solid Wisdom, at once to use and Improve it. You ever were a Friend to Ingenious Recreations, but your Ap­plication to important Affairs, is always Predominant over the allurement of Pleasure when it interferes with them. Even many of the Moments which you have retriev'd from your own private Concerns, have been devoted to Discoveries useful to the Publick; while I have been condemn'd to Drudge on Laborious Trifles, and Till the barren Fields of Poetry for the precari­ous hopes of a slender Crop. Yet give me leave, Sir, to do my self the Justice of putting you and others in mind that my Application to this ungrateful Study was at First the Fruits of an involuntary Idleness; being Depriv'd of a hand­some Patrimony in France before the War, and since that of the small Corre­spondence I had there, which is now wholly lost. Thus I am Doom'd to Write on, having nothing to trust to below but my Pen, and the reviving Smiles of some generous Noblemen, among whom I make bold with all due Veneration to mention the Great Mr. Montague; that vast and most Happy Genius, whose profound Sagacity, Indefatigable Care, and Admirable Conduct, have been so highly instrumental in Reforming the Coin, and restoring the Credit of the Nation: Sudden and amazing Wonders, which being effected in War, defeat­ed the Hopes of the King's Enemies at home and abroad, and mightily conduc'd to the Establishment of this glorious Peace. While the Muses are blest with such Patrons, we have reasonable Hopes of sharing the sweets of that Ʋniver­sal Good, and of being more effectually inspir'd to sing the Praises of those, to whom the World owes such mighty Blessings. As for my Humble Muse, 'tis what she most earnestly desires, the rather since it may enable me to give you some more Authentick Marks of the deep Respect, with which I subscribe my self,