I Should have thought it unnecessary to have troubled the Reader with an account of a Paper of Verses, which I fear he will but too soon give his judgment of; had I not perceived my self ly­able to be censured for two faults (amongst the many other) which People are but too ready to take for granted. The first which I am like to be tax'd with, is speaking too much of my Heroe: The second, speaking too much of my Self. Both are so unpardonable and apt to give offence, that I am unwilling either amongst the Re­ligious to be taken for a Libertine, or amongst the Profane (I mean the Poets) for one that is arrogant or presumputous. Therefore when I call upon Heaven to take care of its Defender, it is not to be re­ceived in so strict a Sense, as if Heaven could not Subsist without him, but that he fights its Battles, and defends its Cause, which is no more than our very Prayers say of him. As for the last crime I am like to be arraign'd for (viz.) my imitation of Virgil's For­tunati ambo siquid mea carmina possunt; my meaning is so far from the vanity which the Criticks falsely ascribe to the Original, that it is Thus, if my poor endeavours can add any thing to the perpetuation of their Fame, the remembrance of 'em shall be Eternal. Now as I take this to be the sense of this Prince of Poets, I know no reason why I have not the priviledge of a Subject to quote him. For his meaning cannot be otherwise, if we observe what cautious modesty runs through his whole Writings, and how industriously he avoids the mentioning of himself, even when he has so many opportunities of doing it to his own advantage. Nor are we to suppose that he who in his Eclogues, says, Me quo­que vatem — dicunt Pastores, sed non ego credulus illis, should in his AEneids run into such high Raptures, and Excursions about himself, as to say, Nisus and Euryalus were happy, because such an excellent Poet as himself had the recital of their Story. As it is absurd to believe these things of our Authour; so I hope the Reader (especially the judicious) will acquit the copyst: As for [Page] the conduct of the Poem, since I can't excuse the faults it abounds with, I shall say but little about it. My intention at first was to have spoken more particularly of the brave Assailants, especi­aly those of our own Nation; but that design requiring more time than I have to lay out on Poetry, and more pains than I can be at present perswaded to take, I laid it aside. Being con­tented with the mentioning of his Grace the Duke of Ormond, whom I think my self oblig'd to name in a double respect, both as Chancellour of the University of Oxford, and as one whose ex­traordinary Quality and performances in the Siege deserv'd the next place to His Majesty and his Highness the Elector of Bavaria. Others extremely signaliz'd themselves, and I hope some Abler Pen will do them Justice: All that I have to say is — ab uno — disce omnes. As for my taking notice of Mr. C—'s Ode, I have this to say for my self, that as every Man is Master of his own Sentiments, so he may vent 'em when they are agreeable to truth and good-manners. And I can't see why Mr. C— should take it amiss, that he is not counted the best pindarick Writer, when he has so large a share of Reputation in Pastoral. A stander­by often see's things a Gamester himself does not perceive, and I may tell him his faults, when perhaps I am so fond of my self as not to discern my own. I am so far from using a Gen­tleman of his Character ungenteely, that tho I can't say of his Ode, as Mr. Norris said of Mr. Lock's Humane Understanding, (viz.) that he would not after all its faults part with it for a Vatican; yet I can't but tell the World I have an extraordi­nary value for it. I can't see why the same liberty may not be taken with a Gentleman of Will's, as those Gentlemen took with Dr. Blackmore, and that they who would have christned a cer­tain Poem Arthur of Bradly, should have their own examin'd by the Friends of Prince Arthur. If I have misinterpreted any of his Beauties, I beg his pardon, but if I have found out his faults I think I may have the liberty to show them. Dr. Sherlock says, he that writes, lies down, which (if I may be the Reve­verend Deans Expositor) is, every one that comes en passant, may make him exercise his faculty of feeling; and if a Man finds out Bays's Similies at any time, I see no reason why they should not lye under Bays's Correction. I have nothing more than to beg my Friend Mr. Tate's pardon for publishing an Epistle design'd only for his perusal, and for making use of his name no better, when I had so fair a field to have wrought in.