freely anfwer, that it profeffes nothing more than (what is evident at firft fight) to be a larger Collection of English Verse, FOR THE USE OF SCHOOLS, than has ever yet been publifhed IN ONE VOLUME. The original intention was to comprife in it a great number and variety of fuch pieces as were already in ufe in schools, or which feemed proper for the use of them; fuch a number and vari ety as might furnish something satisfactory to every taste, and ferve as a little Poetical Library for fchool-boys, precluding the inconvenience and expence of a multitude of volumes.

Such was the defign of the Publication. The Editor can claim no praife beyond that of the defign. The praise of ingenuity is all due to the Poets whofe works have fupplied the materials. What merit can there be in directing a famous and popular paffage to be inferted from Shakspeare, Milton, Pope, Gray, and many others of lefs fame, indeed, but in great esteem, and of allowed genius? Their own luftre pointed them out, like ftars of the first magnitude in the heavens. There was no occafion for fingular acuteness of vision, or for optical glaffes, to difcover a brightnefs which obtruded itself on the eye. The best pieces are usually the most popular. They are loudly recommended by the voice of Fame; and her eulogy, when long continued, becomes an infallible guidance.

Utility and innocent entertainment are the fole defigns of the Editori and if they are accomplished, he is fatisfied, and cheerfully falls back into the fhade of obfcurity. He is confident that the Book cannot but be useful and entertaining; but he is at the fame time fo little inclined to boaft of his work, that he is ready to confefs, that almost any man willing to incur a confiderable expence, and undergo a little trouble, might have furnished as good a collection.

As tafte will for ever differ, fome may wish to have feen in it paffages from fome favourite, yet obfcure poet, and fome alfo from their own works; but it was the bufinefs of the Editor of a fchool-book like this, not to infert scarce and curious works, fuch as please virtuefo readers, chiefly from their rarity, but to collect fuch as were publicly known and univerfally celebrated. The more known, the more celebrated, the better they were adapted to this Collection; which is not designed, like the leflons of fome dancing-mafters, for grown gentlemen, but for young learners only; and it will readily occur to every one, that what is old to men and women, may be, and for the most part must be, NE w to bays and girls receiving their education. Private judgment, in a work like this, must often give way to public. Some things are inferted in this Volume, entirely in fubmiffive deference to public opinion; which, when general and long continued,

1

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is the leaft fallible teft of merit in the fine arts, and particularly in Poetry. Whatever was found in previous collections, which experience had pronounced proper for schools, has been freely taken and admitted: the ftamp of experience gave it currency. The freedom of borrowing, it is hoped, will be pardoned, as the collectors, with whom it has been used, first fet the example of it.

It is unneceffary, and perhaps might be deemed impertinent, to point out the mode of using the Collection to the best advantage. It is evident that it may be used in schools either in recitation, transcription, the exercise of the memory, or in imitation. It furnishes an abundance of models, which are the best means of exciting genius. Such Arts of Poetry as those of Gildon, Bysfhe, Newbery, and their imitators, effect but little in the dry method of technical precept; and the young Poet, like the Sculptor, will improve moft by working after a model. It is evident that this Collection may be usefully read at ENGLISH SCHOOLS, in the claffes, just as the Latin and Greek authors are read at the grammar-schools, by explaining every thing grammatically, hiftorically, metrically, and critically; and then giving a portion to be learned by memory. The Book, it is hoped, will be particularly agreeable and useful in the private studies of the amiable young ftudent, whofe first love is the love of the Mufe, and who courts her in his fummer's walk, and in the folitude of his winter retreat, or at the focial domeftic fire-fide.

In the latter part many little pieces are admitted, mere lufus poetici, chiefly for the diverfion of the ftudent. They are, it must be confeffed, no more than flowerets at the bottom of Parnaffus; but it is hoped, that their admiffion will be approved, as they may gradually lead the scholar to afcend higher up the hill, who might have been deterred from approaching it if he had feon nothing in the first profpect, but the fublime, the folemn, and the fombrous.

'The reader will have no cause to complain, if instead of Extracts, he often finds whole poems inferted. This has been done whenever it feemed confiftent with the defign, and could be done without injustice. In this matter, the opinion of those who must be fuppofed beft qualified to give it, was asked and followed. The wifh was to take nothing but what feemed to lie on the common, relinquished or neglected by the lord of the manor.

Though the Book is divided into Four Parts, yet the formality of regular and fyftematical arrangement of the component pieces, has not been ftrictly obferved. Such compilations as thefe have not unfrequently been called garlands and nofegays: but in a garland or nosegay, who would place the tulips, the lilies, the pinks, and the roles in feparate compartments? In so artificial a difpofition, their beauty and fragrance would be lefs pleafing than if they were carelessly A 4

mingled

mingled with all the ease and wildness of natural variety. I hope the analogy
will hold: if not, I must throw myself in this, as I do in all other circumstances
of this Publication, upon my Reader's indulgence. I expect not praise; but I
confide in receiving pardon.

Perhaps the Reader will be the more inclined to extend it towards me, if I do
not weary him with apologies. I will then conclude my preface with the ideas
of Montaigne:-" I have here only made a nofegay of culled flowers, and have brought
"nothing of my own but the thread that ties them."

In every fucceeding Edition a great variety of long and valuable Poems have been
added, and the volume is confequently much enlarged. If some mistakes have infinuated
themselves, in confequence of the Editor's distance from the prefs, it is hoped they will
be confidered with candour, as they are certainly but trivial, and may be corrected by
the Reader's own fagacity.

ADVERTISEMENT

TO THE

IMPROVED EDITION.

To the above general Preface the Editor has only to add, that in this new Im-

preffion he has made very confiderable Improvements and Additions: particularly,
by a new and copious Selection from Young's Night Thoughts, with appropriate Titles
prefixed to each Extruct; by the infertion of Poems and Extracts from Churchill, Soame
Jenyns, Langhorne, Akenfide, and several recent Authors of distinguished merit; and
by the introduction of many ludicrous and ingenious Pieces of the Lyric and Epigram-
matic kind, defigned to add to the Amusement of the Young Reader, after the Study of
graver, longer, and more finished Compofitions.

The favourable Reception and long continued Approbation of this Collection cannot but
give Satisfaction to the Editor, who, while he fees it placed, as it is, in the hands of
ingenuous Youth, of both Sexes, throughout this extended Empire, has the happiness to
reflect that he has been humbly inftrumental in sowing, in the vernal feason, the Seeds
of Tafte, Knowledge and Virtue, wherever the English Language is cultivated.

He hopes alfo that he has contributed to mingle Rofes with the Thorns of Life, and
to fweeten the Bitterness of the Cup, by infufing into it the Sweets of Poefy.

CONTENTS.

Man infenfible of his own Mortality

104 Night II. Avarice of Time recommended

The Painter who pleated nobody and every body 109 Night III. Picture of Narciffa, Description of her

ITO Night IV. Death not to be dreaded