important and heroic action. The ODE to celebrate the exploits of great men, in order to excite a general imitation in others. TRAGEDY, to inspire us with a deteftation of guilt, by painting the fatal confequences that follow it; and with a veneration for virtue, by reprefenting the rewards and just praises that attend it. COMEDY and SATIRE, to correct whilst they divert us, and wage implacable war with vice and folly. ELEGY, to weep over the tombs of fuch as deferve to be lamented; and PASTORAL, to fing the inno cence and pleasures of rural life. To promote fuch defirable ends, the study of Poetry has ever met with the fanction and encouragement of men the most eminent for their wisdom and virtue: and it is much to be feared that those whofe imaginations are not enlivened by the charms of Poetry, must either have their affections depraved, or be naturally infenfible of the exquifite pleasure refulting from the proper exercife of them. To allure those who are inattentive to the excellence of virtue, and direct their thoughts to the nobleft qualifications, induced the Editor of this fmall volume to felect fuch poems as have been univerfally esteemed the first ornaments of our language, and admired, not only for purity of fentiment, but for beauty and harmony of numbers. |