The plan of this edition, fo happily conceived, was more ample than the execution. Instead of comprehending" all the English poets of reputation from Chaucer to the present time," it was unaccountably limited to a list of fifty-three authors, beginning with Cowley and ending with Lyttleton; all of whom appear in Mr. Bell's edition, except Rochester, Otway, Dorfet, Stepney, Walsh, Duke, Sprat, Halifax, and Blackmore; who are difplaced, to make room for Chaucer, Spenfer, Donne, Armstrong, R. West, Cunningham, and Churchill.

The managers of this edition are liable to fome cenfure, for admitting fo few of our older claffics in a work which bore so close a relation to the honour of the nation, and which, from its elegance and magnitude, afforded the happiest opportunity of uniting our poets, both ancient and modern, in one comprehenfive view, and of combining their refpective excellencies in one common interest. Ancient poetry, in thus being exhibited to the public eye, would foon have made good her claims to notice, and of herself recovered the long-loft verdure of her bays; whilft the justice of that latitude which is commonly affigned to later improvements, from a fair opportunity of a comparative examination, might have been more strictly ascertained.

It is well known, that the oftenfible editor was ever glad to escape the cenfure which the work had fallen under, by alleging, that, with the exception of Pomfret, Valden, Blackmore, and Watts, he had nothing to do with the felection; he had engaged himself only to furnish a set of Lives to fuch a lift as the booksellers, who were the refponfible publishers of the work, should think proper.

Dr. Johnson gave up his life to the literature of his country; a portion of it would not have been thrown away, had it been dedicated to the completion of fuch an undertaking. In the esteem of the booksellers, he stood very high, perhaps higher than any man of his age, and there cannot be a doubt, but that the management of the work, on the leaft defire intimated by him, would have been vested in his hands, with the utmost gratitude and confidence.

As the matter ftands, it is difficult to guess the reason why the managers of this edition admitted fome authors, while others of fimilar character were rejected. In an edition of poetry, where fome of the "wits of Charles's days, the mob of gentlemen who wrote with cafe," and the heroes of the "Dunciad," are to be found, we rather wonder at not finding others; where Rochester, Rofcommon, Sprat, Halifax, Stepney, and Duke, were received, why Carew, Sedley, Hopkins, Marvell, and Oldham, were refufed, one is puzzled to guefs; and where Pomfret, Yalden, and Blackmore, are preferred to Eufden, Welfted, and Hill, it is not eafy to account for the preference. When the publication was undertaken, Armstrong and Langhorne, poets of fuperior rank, were living; their works, confequently, could not be properly inferted; but Churchill, Smart, and Goldsmith, were dead, and their works certainly had a just claim to admiffion.

When Dr. Johnson engaged to furnish the bookfellers with a " Preface" to the works of each author, it was his intention to have allotted to each poet, an " Advertisement like thofe which are found in the French Miscellanies, containing a few dates and a general character. That he was led beyond his intention," by the honeft defire of giving useful pleasure," will be always a fubject of congratulation to every reader of taste. That he passed some partial judgments in his "Lives," that he was fometimes blinded by prejudice, that he occafionally faw through the medium of party or religion; and that, without the tafle which would enable him to decide, he rafhly determined from abstract reasoning, and the examination of a philofopher, where philofophy was an inadequate judge, must be allowed: But, as fine pieces of nervous writing, pregnant with valuable detached opinions, happy illustrations, nice discussions, and a variety of curious incidental information, they will ever be regarded as the richest, most beautiful, and, indeed, moft perfect production of his pen.

In 1790, a new edition of this elegant collection was published, in 75 volumes. 8vo, which gave the proprietors an opportunity of adding the works of Moore, Cawthorne, Churchill, Falconer, Lloyd, Cunningham, Green, Goldsmith, P. Whitehead, Armstrong, Langhorne, Johnson, W. Whitehead, and Jenyns; and of supplying fome deficiencies in the works of the authors printed in the for mer edition.

"Of the authors now firft added," fays the Advertisement, "fome are inferted, in compliance with the repeated calls of the public; fome, in deference to the opinions of perfons whofe taste cannot be difputed; and fome have found a place from the favourable fentiments expreffed concerning them to the publishers, from various quarters. In this felcation, the proprietors have not been in

fluenced by any partiality of their own towards the authors selected; they have endeavoured to ob tain the best opinions, and they have implicitly followed them."

This edition is fuperior to the former, both in elegance and magnitude, and reflects much honour on the taste and liberality of the proprietors; but it is equally deficient in the works of our older claffics, and affords fimilar inftances of caprice in the admiffion to literary honours.

As it was thought neceffary to admit P. Whitehead and Jenyns, it seems reasonable to expect that some reason had been given for showing them a distinction which has been denied to Wilkie, Grainger, Smollet and Scott, and above all, to the immortal Spenfer.

Of the fourteen authors added to the former lift of English claffics, concise accounts are given, upon Dr. Johnson's original plan; which, happily for both himself and his readers, he relinquifhed; as it would have conferred not much reputation on the writer, nor have communicated much information to his readers. Accordingly, a few dates and facts are only fet down, in the manner of the French Notices Literaires, with occafionally a general character.

When fuch inconfiderable advances towards bringing forward to notice the older poets, were made by those who, from their situation and influence, were best suited to the task; when our great poe tical biographer was not only remifs in restoring them to popularity, but, by his neglect and filence, seemed to infinuate they were undeferving of it; the folicitude of the present editor for their fate, and the attempt now made by him to do them that justice which has been denied them by his predeceffors, can require no apology.

In 1792, Mundell and Son, printers in Edinburgh, having refolved to republish the Collection of English poetry, which goes under the name of Dr. Johnson, in the manner of Dr. Knox's " Elegant Extracts in Verfe," in fix volumes large octavo, he took occasion to recommend a collection, upon an enlarged plan, which might unite the works of the ancient and modern poets in one comprehenfive view, and exhibit the progrefs of our national poetry, correfponding with the gradual refinement of language and of manners, from the rudeness and simplicity of a remote period, to the polis and elegance of modern times.

The proprietors, with a liberal spirit of enterprife, worthy of an affociation of opulent booksellers, readily adopted the plan he recommended, though with fome limitations as to the ancient poetry, and refolved to extend their collection to twelve volumes, upon his promising to furnish them with a Biographical and Critical Preface to the works of each author; an undertaking in which he engaged with more rashness than prudence, amidst cares and avocations of a far different and more important mature, and without a fuitable provision of materials.

The lift of the works of the older poets, which he originally recommended for republication, comprehended those of Chaucer, Langland, Gower; the best parts of Lydgate, Barclay, Hawes; the best parts of Skelton, Surrey, Wyat; the beft parts of Warner, Sydney, Sackville, Spenfer, Marlow, Davies, Shakspeare, Drayton, Daniel, Jonson, Donne, Hall, Drummond, Stirling, Browne, P. Fletcher, G. Fletcher; the best parts of Quarles, King, Carew, Suckling, Crashaw, Davenant, and the translations of Fairfax, Sandys, and May. The works of the authors printed in Italics were, on due confideration, omitted; it being thought safer to allure curiofity into this unfrequented track of reading, by a republication of the works of those authors, who, though not either universally read or under, flood (as must ever be the cafe with the best elder poets of every country), are notwithstanding familiar to us in conversation, and constantly appealed to in controverted points of poetical tafte, than to run the risk of fuppreffing it totally, by a bulky republication of all or the better parts of the works of those unfortunate authors, who still remain unpopular, merely from the want of being read. The claffical compofitions of Barbour, James I, Henry the Minstrel, Dunbar, Douglas and Lindsay, being written in the Scottish language, could not be received into an edition of English poetry.

The lift of the works of the modern poets which he originally recommended for republication, comprehended the works of Marvell, C. Cotton, Sedley, Hopkins, Oldham, Pattifon, Hill, Eufden, Wefted, Sewell, Blair, Hamilton, Harte, Boyfe, Thompson, Cooper, Brown, Grainger, Smollet, Wilkie, Dodfley, Mendez, Jenner, Kirkpatrick, Smart, Bruce, Chatterton, Græme, Glover, Shaw, Lovibond, Penrofe, Mickle, Jago, Scott, Logan, N. Cotton, and Blacklock. He was afterwards obliged to abridge this lift, and to exclude the authors printed in Italics, on account of the arrangements which the proprietors had made relative to the extent of the collection.

Notwith anding these limitations, which, on the part of the editor, were unavoidable, it is with fome degree of confidence, that he offers to public inspection a Collection of English poetry, which contains the works of one hundred and fourteen authors, of whom forty-nine are not to be found in the the last edition of the "Works of the English Poets," commonly called Dr. Johnson's edition; and forty-five are now, for the first time, received into an edition of English poetry.

In the works of the authors already collected, especially the later authors, fome deficiencies have been fupplied in the prefent edition. In the works of Langhorne, in particular, the additions are numerous and important. They are fuch as a reader of English poetry will readily diftinguish, and therefore unnecessary to be pointed out.

Though the editor has exerted himself with confiderable attention, to render the works of the authors now first collected, as complete as poffible; yet copies of Surrey's tranflation of the second and fourth books of the Æneid, Davies's Epigrams, P. Fletcher's Latin and English poem on the Jesuits | and Sicilides, a Pifcatory drama, Harte's Effay on Reason, Shaw's Four Farthing Candles, Brown's Liberty, and fome pieces of other authors, have eluded his diligence. The works of Chatterton might have been enlarged by additions from Mr. Barret's "Hiftory of Bristol," and " Supplement to Chatterton's Miscellanies," which could not be obtained in due time. Gray's Sonnet on Sir William Williams, Mickle's Prophecy of Queen Emma, Johnson's Marmor Norfolienfe, and some other little pieces, happened to be overlooked at the prefs.

The editor does not wish to be understood as having performed more than he has actually done. For the selection of the authors, he is folely responsible. What pleased himself he has ventured to recommend to others; a task of fuch difficulty requires the candid allowance of the reader, for the unavoidable differences of tafte and judgment. The recommendation of the proper editions of the works to be reprinted, belonged to the editor; with the exception of the works of Chaucer, in the first volume, and the works of the several authors in the fifth volume, in which he had no concern. For the correctnefs of the text, he is not anfwerable, as he had no concern in the revision of any part of these volumes, except the Biographical and Critical Prefaces, and occafionally fome additions, notes, and illuftrations in the courfe of the work. The chronological arrangement which he recommended has not been strictly observed, on account of the proportion which it was thought necessary to obferve, in the size of the volumes. The engraved title-page, bearing to be " A Complete Edition of the Poets of Great Britain," was improperly copied by the proprietors, in the first volume, from Mr. Bell's edition, and retained in the subsequent volumes, for the fake of uniformity.

In fo complicated and extenfive a work, typographical errors may be expected to occur. The editor hopes they are not very numerous, and will, he thinks, be entitled to the pardon of every candid reader. Several miftakes of this kind, he is forry to acknowledge, remain uncorrected in his part of the work, particularly in the Lives of Wilkie, Johnson, and some others in the eleventh volume, which he defires may be attributed, not to neglect, but want of experience in affairs of this nature, and to the precipitation with which the work proceeded through the prefs; all the Prefaces having been written in little more than two years, and fent to the press, in portions, as they were wanted, without any previous revifion.

There is one alteration in the prefent collection which the editor believes will need no apology. This is the arrangement of the poetical translations of entire works in a separate volume. To render the works of Homer and Pindar more complete, Mr. Hole's Hymn to Ceres, and Mr. Pye's Six Olympic Odes, are added to the translations of Pope and Weft; and the deficiencies in Dryden's Juvenal are supplied by the versions of those who were originally affociated with him in that performance. A fupplemental volume of Translations, making the thirteenth, has been printed, and another is ftill wanting to complete the arrangement, with a volume of Fugitive Poetry.

Of the Lives here offered to the public, nearly one half have been already written by Dr. Johnson, with fuch felicity of performance, that the editor might perhaps more properly have contented himself with fubjoining a few corrections and additions to his elegant narratives; but that new Lives were thought neceffary to the uniformity of this collection.

As the undertaking was occasional and unforeseen, Dr. Johnsøn must be supposed to have engaged in it with lefs provifion of materials than might have been accumulated by longer premeditation.

9

Of the later writers, at leaft, he might, by attention and inquiry, have gleaned many particulars which would have diverfified and enlivened his biography; but he was not actuated by an enthusiasm for his employment. He could not encounter weariness, perplexity, and disguft. The labour of literature was a task from which he always wished to escape. From Spence's Collections, communicated by the Duke of Newcastle, he received great affistance. In what he relates, though there is, in many articles, little, except the manner in which it is told, that is new (a deficiency which was not always in his power to remedy), yet his narration affords a luminous proof of the vigour of his mind in all its faculties, whether memory, judgment, or imagination. What he has to say on every subject is always worth hearing. Though the turn of his mind cannot be confidered as peculiarly qualifying him for a critic of subjects which require more imagination than judgment, yet the luftre of his great mind seldom beamed on any thing, without lighting us to some new truth, latent trait of character, or peculiarity hitherto unobferved. Even the acrimony of his poetical cenfures, is, in a great measure, compensated by the force and originality of his reflections, and the elegance and correctness of his language.

In the prefent undertaking, the editor has not the prefumption to fuppofe himself qualified to complete what Dr. Johnson has left unfinished, nor the temerity to court a comparison. Neither the ftyle nor the manner are here the principal object of attention. With a view to popular information, he has endeavoured to collect what is diffused, to glean in spots which have been sometimes neglected, and fometimes forgotten, and to relate with clearness and fimplicity, what is known of the perfonal hiftory and literary productions of each author, whose works are affociated in this collection, digested in the form of a chronicle, fubjoining an estimate of his character, a critical examination of his compositions, and, by quotation, the teftimonies of contemporary writers, and the judgments of the most respectable critics.

In the course of this undertaking, he has endeavoured to avail himself of the various biographical collections already in the hands of the public. Of these collections, it was neceffary to form a right idea, to felect from them whatever was conducive to his design, and carefully to avoid their errors, at the fame time that he preferved their excellencies. What use he has made of them will be obvi●us, as well as what is entirely his own.

In the Lives of the authors of a remote period, the instances are numerous which ftand in need of emendations and corrections, for retrenching superfluities, supplying deficiencies, and rectifying the mistakes in dates and facts, which may unintentionally have been committed, and tranfmitted from writer to writer without examination. The editor has exerted himself, in this respect, with considerable attention.

In the Lives of the modern authors, especially of those lately deceased, of whom there are no written memorials, the difficulty under which the editor laboured will be evident; from the want of proper information, the prejudices of friends or admirers, the calumnies of enemies, and the suggestions of envy, to which eminent characters are peculiarly liable. Time overcomes most of these impediments, except the first, which it evidently, in many cafes, increases.

An accurate inveftigation into the powers and varieties of the human mind, is of all studies the most important; and a faithful narration of the principles, conduct, and writings of emi, might, perhaps, afford the fureft bafis for such researches; but it is almost unreasonable to expect from human intellect and virtue, fufficient difcernment, discrimination and impartiality, to qualify for fo difficult and delicate a task.

nent men,

As far as relates to himself, the editor has endeavoured, as much as poffible, to relate the circumstances of the Lives of the authors from the most authentic information, and to give an account of their writings with real impartiality. His aim has been to rife above narrow prejudices, and to record the vices and virtues, the excellencies and defects of authors, with fidelity and freedom. The well-known adage, de mortuis nil nifi bonum, seems to have been dictated by tenderness and humanity. Errors are diminished when once the grave has interpofed, and the good qualities are proportionably magnified. The generous feelings add to the unwillingness to blame, and every liberal mind feels it an act of cowardice to attack thofe who cannot defend themselves. The best propenfitics of the human mind are thus engaged to repel cenfure and invite praife. Without violating the rights of humanity, the wifh of the editor has been to fpeak of the dead with liberal, but not indifcriminate

praife. Hence, truth, he trusts, will appear in its faireft garb, and impartiality appear almost like praife.

In the representation of facts, and the delineation of characters, the editor has endeavoured to do full justice to the conduct and principles of men of every profeffion and party. But he apprehends that a philosophical liberality of mind does not imply in it, that he has no fentiments of his own. He scruples not to declare his attachment to the great interefts of mankind, and his enmity to bigotry, superstition, and tyranny. A work of this nature, that is conducted without any regard to the chief privileges of human nature, without a philofophical liberality of mind, and without feelings, especially of the moral kind, would be deprived of much of its utility,

With respect to the ftrictures on the works of the various authors, the editor is far from being over-anxious to make others adopt his fentiments. If erroneous criticism may be fometimes fufpe&- | ed, who can hope that, in matters of taste, all shall agree? He will think it fufficient, if his remarks fhould engage the reader to review his own opinions, or recal his attention to fome latent beauty, fome fascinating line, or fome happy expression, which, on a first perufal, had escaped him. Where he has presumed to differ from the most respectable authorities, he would be rather understood to propose a doubt than to offer a contradiction. If his praises have been fometimes, as he fears they have, too lavishly bestowed, he trusts, that the candid reader will ascribe them to a folicitude which made him more willing to recommend beauties than to expose blemishes; rather earnest to do justice to the author's merit, than to raise an admiration of his own judgment.

The obligations which the editor has received, have extended, in several cases, to the communication of entire articles, and to occafional affiftance: For the life of Spenfer, and the lives of Milton, Cowley, Waller, Butler, and Denham, he is indebted to two gentlemen of learning and abilities, who have not indulged him with the liberty of mentioning their names. They were folicited and ⚫btained by the proprietors, to expedite the publication, and never seen by the editor till they were printed. He knows not whether any apology will be deemed needful for inferting them. They are composed, it must be acknowledged, with little care or diligence, and with a compendious brevity, which, though compatible with accuracy of narration, and vigour of description, precludes a critical account both of events and writings. As thefe articles comprehend fome of the first names in English poetry, it is the intention of the editor to write them over again, for a separate edition of the Lives, corrected and enlarged, which it is in contemplation with the proprietors to publish.

With respect to occafional assistance, the editor has been favoured with various biographical information concerning Moore, Blair, Wilkie, Bruce, and Logan, from the Rev. Mr. Toulmin of Taunton, the Rev. Dr. Robertson of Dalmeny, the Rev. Dr. William Thomson of London, the Rev. Dr. Blair, the Rev. Dr. Baird, the Rev. Dr. Hardy, and Profeffor Dalzel of Edinburgh, to whom he begs leave to make his acknowledgments. To all these gentlemen he esteems himself much indebted for their kindness and attention. From them arifes the principal affiftance he has to boast of. He has many reasons to flatter himself, that his information would have been much enlarged from other quarters, if a diffidence of his abilities for the undertaking had not deterred him from folicitation.

The editor cannot conclude, without an apology to the reader, which he is forry to be under the neceffity of making. In his endeavours to render these volumes worthy of attention, he has been thwarted by a fituation peculiarly unfavourable for fuch pursuits: the libraries of Oxford and Cambridge, the British Museum, the repofitories, museums, and libraries of the curious, from whence His chief refource has been a only adequate materials are to be drawn, he has had no access to. fmall private collection, and the libraries of the University, and of the Faculty of Advocates in Edinburgh, neither of which is rich in old English literature.

The mention of thefe valuable repofitories naturally reminds the editor, that he fhould be deficient in gratitude, if he omitted to notice the readiness with which he was allowed the free ufe of whatever they contained, for the service of this work.

The communication of some scarce miscellaneous collections, by Alexander Fraser Tytler, Efq. of Woodhoufelee, Robert Arbuthnot, Efq. Secretary to the Truftces for Fisheries, Manufactures and and Improvements, and George Farquhar, Esq. of South Frederick-Street, the editor confiders as favour worthy of public acknowledgment.