ears are full and weighty which we dress with lime to deceive the poor birds in a snow: no fisher lets down an empty hook, but clothed with a proper and pleasing bait. These impostors have no other errand but deceit. If he love himself, let him be afraid of their favours, and think their frowns safer than their smiles.

And if at any time, as no fly is more importunate, they thrust themselves into his conversation, let him, as those which must necessarily pass by a carrion in the way, hold his breath, and hasten to be out of their air. And if they yet follow him in his flight, let him turn back to them with the angel's farewell, Increpet te Dominus.

VIRGIDEMIARUM

SIX BOOKS.

FIRST THREE BOOKS

OF TOOTHLESS SATIRES:

1. POETICAL.

2. ACADEMICAL.

3. MORAL.

1597.

DE SUIS SATYRIS.

DUM SATYRE DIXI, VIDEOR DIXISSE, SAT IRÆ
CORRIPIO; AUT ISTEC NON SATIS EST SATYRA.

IRA FACIT SATYRAM, RELIQUUM SAT TEMPERAT IRAM;
PINGE TUO SATYRAM SANGUINE, TUM SATYRA EST.
ECCE NOVAM SATYRAM: SATYRUM SINE CORNIBUS! EUGE,
MONSTRA NOVI MONSTRI HÆC; ET SATYRI ET SATYRE.

VIRGIDEMIARUM

LIBRI SEX.

[THE remarkable collection of Satires known under the name of Virgidemiæ was, according to the unanimous testimony of those who have edited or criticised them, written by Bishop Hall at a very early age, and soon afterwards published. It appears however that, either from the nature of the work itself, or the freedom both of style and remark in which the author indulged, he did not himself either authorize the publication of the Satires, or in any of his subsequent works make allusion to them as his own. The authorship is fixed upon him by his friend William Knight, who superintended the publication. And it is stated by the Rev. Peter Hall, who conducted through the -press the edition of 1839, that this work on its first appearance was by the High Commission Court condemned to the flames at the instigation of Archbishop Whitgift and Bishop Bancroft. Subsequently, until the middle of the last century, it seems to have attracted little attention, when Mr. Thomson of Queen's College, Oxford, reprinted it, but with scarcely a word of preface, save only the remarks of Whalley in his Enquiry into the Learning of Shakespeare.

It is not my intention, as I do not conceive it to be my duty, in presenting to the public a collected edition of the Bishop's works, to preface these Satires with a lengthened introductory disquisition; neither have I thought it right to expatiate in notes and remarks upon the illustrations which may be gathered out of contemporary and other authors as to difficult or obscure, or similar and analogous passages. Where there is difficulty or obscurity, I have selected what I considered the most

useful and probable explanation: where the expressions are obsolete or strange, I have availed myself of the elucidations I have found in the few editions published since the commencement of the present century, abridging, in most cases where I have used them, the notes to the last edition, and adding anything I had myself met with. The late editor, Mr. P. Hall, denominates his edition of the Satires a Variorum Edition; and to those who examine it under this impression, much that is interesting, instructive, and amusing, will be found in the Notes. But, not to repeat my opinion on the subject, I content myself with giving the author for the most part unencumbered with the remarks of others; being persuaded that the enlarged knowledge of etymology which prevails in the present day renders it quite unnecessary in many instances to afford help even to the superficial reader. It may be proper to state that, for the text of the first three Satires I have had recourse to the edition of 1597; for the last three to that of 1599, together with Thomson's, Singer's, and P. Hall's; and have in all cases adhered as much as possible to the earlier. It will perhaps be a satisfaction to some readers to have before them the remarks of Warton: I have therefore prefixed them, together with the Advertisement to the edition of 1839The extract from Whalley's Enquiry I think superfluous, as it is simply a general commendation of one whose merits as a poet and correct observer of human nature are sufficiently known. I may add, however, that the special beauties of these Satires are ably but briefly remarked upon, in Letter XV. of a work entitled, Letters of Literature, by Robert Heron, esq. Lond. 1785.]