ten lines, at the third and the feventh. And it must be confeft that this exactnefs renders them much more mufical and harmonious; though they have not always been fo religious in obferving the latter rule as the former. But I am engaged in a very vain, or a very foolish defign: thofe who are critics, it would be a prefumption in me to pretend I could instruct; and to inftruct those who are not, at the fame time I write myself, is (if I may be allowed to apply another man's fimile) like felling arms to an enemy in time of war: though there ought, perhaps, to be more indulgence fhewn to things of love and gallantry than any others, because they are generally written when people are young, and intended for ladies who are not supposed to be very old; and all young people, especially of the fair fex, are more taken with the liveliness of fancy, than the correctnefs of judgment. It may be alfo obferved, that to write of love well, a man must be really in love; and to correct his writings well, he must be out of love again. I am well enough fatisfied I may be in circumstances of writing of love, but I am almost in despair of ever being in circumstances of correcting it. This I hope may be a reafon for the fair and the young to pafs over fome of the faults; and as for the grave and wife, all the favour I fhall beg of them is, that they would not read them. Things of this nature are calculated only for the former. If love-verses work upon the ladies, a man will not trouble himfelf with what the critics fay of them: and if they do not, all the commendations the critics can give him will makė but very little amends. All I fhall fay for these trifles ́ is, that I pretend not to vie with any man whatsoever. I doubt not but there are several now living who are able to write better on all fubjects than I am upon any one but I will take the boldnefs to fay, that there is no one man among them all who fhall be readier to acknowledge his own faults, or to do juftice to the merits of other people. POEMS Go, little book, and to the world impart The faithful image of an amorous heart: Those who love's dear deluding pains have known Those who have liv'd from all its torments free, X 3 Who Who with fuch lucky ftars begins his love, Let the loud Lawyer break his brains, and be ait: EPIGRAM. Written in a Lady's Table-Book. WITH what ftrange raptures would my foul be bleft, Were but her book an emblem of her breast! And, uncontrol'd, put new ones in their place; WHILE thofe bright eyes fubdue where-e'er you will, And, as you please, can either fave or kill; What youth fo bold the conqueft to design? What wealth fo great to purchase hearts like thine ? None but the Mufe that privilege can claim, |