'TIS a Piece of fashionable Modesty for an Author to speak meanly of his own Performance; and commonly looked upon as a meer complimental Formality, or an Artifice to gain Applause. Humility is an amiable Virtue in the Eyes of All; and Self-Discommendation, with a View to that Character, is an agree­able Piece of Self-Denial, even to an ambitious Mind. But the critical and impartial Reader will soon discover so many Imperfec­tions in the following Poems, that he can hardly suspect my Sinceri­ty when I assure him, That it is not without Blushing and Diffi­dence I yield to the Importunity of some of my Friends, to present them to public View. And as to those whose friendly Partiality may cover, or whose Want of Taste may render them insensible of these Imperfections; all Apology is needless.

Sundry of these Poems were fortuitous Productions, formed with­out any previous Design, and upon no special Occasions. Some of them were intended only as private Memorials of some Meditati­ons or Occurrences that appeared to me worthy to be retained; and I could think of no more agreeable Method to secure them from Oblivion. Others were written at the Impulse of some sprightly Thought, that perhaps was accidently suggested to my Mind, and allured me to pursue it. Others to improve a vacant Hour on Sa­turday Evening after Study; and to give me a more lively Impres­sion of the Subject of Discourse for the ensuing Day. Others as profitable Amusements, and Relaxations from severer Studies. And others to gratify a natural Poetic Taste, or (that I may not give it [Page iv]too high a Name) a versifying Humour: And probably this was the origional Spring of my improving the other Occasion, in this Manner.

I was at length determined, tho' not without some remaining Diffidence, to select the following out of sundry others which will probably lie by we in perpetual Oblivion, and consent to their Pub­lication; and my Reasons may be collected from what follows.

There is in almost all Mankind an innate Love of Harmony, which gives those Things that are conveyed to their Minds in a poetical Vehicle a peculiar Relish. This harmonious Turn of Mind is the Stamp of Heaven, the Image of the eternal Author of Or­der; and 'tis He that teaches us to feel the Charms of Poetry:

Something correspondent to this appears in the Order and Adjust­ment of the inanimate Creation; and hence proceeds much of out Pleasure in the Contemplation of the Works of God.

And no doubt this, as well as the other Powers and natural Gusts of the human Mind, was given for valuable Purposes; and ought to be improven as an agreeable Avenue for the Introduction of Divine Things:

'Tis true, it is not equally vigorous in Persons of different Con­stitutions and Education. It admits of Improvement, as well as the other Faculties of the Soul; and the Disparity will appear ac­cording to the Strength of the innate Principle, and the Degrees of Cultivation: ^*

Persons of a refined and judicious Taste are conscious of peculiar Sensations, when they meet with Entertainment suitable to them. They take but little Notice of those trifling Appendages of Poetry, which are the most agreeable to Persons of a coarse Relish; as the Jingling of Syllables, the Equality of Numbers, the ambiguous Punn, or witty Turn: But they are captivated with the lively Images of Fancy, the Grandeur of Ideas, the Flowers of Language, the Pomp of Style, and the proper Arangement of well-disposed Pe­riods. Such Readers are imaginary Actors of all the Scenes of the Poet's Imagination; and a Genius that can write as well as [Page vi] they can read, has an entire Dominion over their Passions. So Dr. Evans addresses Mr. Pope on his Translation of Homer:

Sublime Poetry is to such a Series of Transports; and flat and dull, is utterly intolerable; they sicken at the Sight: As nice Pa­lates have a more lively Relish of an agreeable Dish, and a stronger Disgust to what is nauseous, than Persons of a coarser Taste. And as their Pleasure is more refined; so it is more rare; they are of­fended where others are pleased, and nauseate what others relish. None but an Homer or Virgil, a Milton or Pope, can furnish them with proper Entertainment. And may there always be some exalted Genius to profit and please such delicate Minds, and refine them for celestial Pleasures, which alone can satisfy their sublime Aspi­rations!—But I am convinced by a Consciousness of my Incapa­city, that this does not belong to my Province. If any such should be so curious as to look into the following Poems, and receive them with but cold Approbation; I shall gratefully acknowledge it as an Instance of a generous Candour of Taste. Or if they lay them aside, I hope they will do it with that Disposition which we dis­cover towards the over-officious Attempts of impotent Benevolence; or with that Calmness and Indifferency with which we reject Things that were not intended for our Entertainment or Molestation, but belong wholly to Others.

[Page vii] But there are few among us of this Character; as there are but few that can write for their Entertainment. And to consult the Advantage of such only, is as unreasonable as if the English Legislature should tolerate none but silken Manufactures. The Ge­nerality of Mankind have neither Opportunity nor perhaps Capacity for these Refinements; and yet are capable of a glorious Immorta­lity, and the purer Joys of Paradise.—For the Sake of such I write; and to some of them my Essays will not be unacceptable. They may not accurately discern the fairest Charms of Poetry; yet they generally are pleased with the Consonance of final Syllables, pro­portioned Numbers, &c. So that they are more ready to receive and retain those Things which are conveyed into their Minds in this Form than in heavy and tiresome Prose: For (if the modern Taste will pardon a Citation out of that antiquated divine Wit, Herbert.)

On this Account I have frequently thought the Divine Art of Po­etry might be made peculiarly subservient to the Interests of Religion and Virtue; and lamented the common Prostitution of the heavenly muse to the meanest and most wicked Purposes: 'Tis certainly a Sacrilege that Heaven will avenge; and which lascivious Wits will at last regret. Many of the Conquests of Vice have been owing to this Abuse. This has cloathed her in the most fallacious Charms; and given the Monster a Syren's Voice, to enchant the Unthinking into Ruin. And if we can make Reprizals, and allure Men to the amiable Glories of Holiness, by the proper Use of that Art, which so successfully allured them to embrace even the horrid Charms of Sin; it will be a glorious Enterprize. And may Almighty Grace dispose those whom Nature has animated with this sacred Fire, to kindle it on the Divine Altar! There it glows with the brightest Lustre; and 'tis a Pity it should waste itself away in pestiserous Fumes in the Temple of Vice and Impiety.

There are thousands to attempt the Reformation of Mankind in other more common, and therefore less pleasing Ways; while there [Page viii]are but few qualified to attempt it in this; and therefore those that are blest with the least Spark of poetic Fire ought not to suf­focate it.

This is the more necessary, since among the numberless poetical Preductions obtruded on the present Age, there is not, in my Opi­nion, a becoming Proportion of Sacred Poetry. Many indeed have done much Service to the World, and embalmed their Names to Posterity, by their valuable Performances of this Kind. Mr. Pope has given us a Specimen of his Genius for it in his Sacred Eclogue, intituled MESSIAH, and in sundry Parts of his Essay on Man. A very agreeable Spirit of Devotion breathes through Mr. Thom­son's Seasons, and the Night-Thoughts. ^* Dr. Watts has been of singular Service by his many Divine Composures; and I think Sir R. Blackmore may be here mentioned with Respect, notwithstanding the Insults of some superior Wits—Many others might be added to the List: But after all, (not to observe that some of these soar above the Populace) Any One that is versant in modern Poetry will find Reason to complain, that it is too commonly sunk to trivial, and sometimes prophane Subjects; and but seldom assumes those Glories with which it shines, when employ'd on Sacred Themes.—When shall the Divine Fires of Poetry and Devotion flame unitedly to Heaven, and diffuse celestial Fervour through the World!

I do not mean that the Muse should be wholly confin'd to sacred Things. 'Tis only for a Proportion I plead. She might recre­ate herself in a thousand Excursions through the Credtions of Fan­cy; but let her seasonably return to the more important Themes she left. War might still thunder in awful Numbers; and Kings and Horbes be immortaliz'd in Song. Wit may exert herself in the various Forms of Ridicule and Satyr, to expose Vice, or the lesser Foibles of Mankind; and the tender Passions may sigh their Sor­rows, or breathe their Joys, in the most harmonious Lays.—But shall Mortals live forever in poetical Monuments, and THE KING OF KINGS be unsung? When even a Heathen could say,

Shall the Muse impiously refuse to grace her Strains with the Con­descension, the Love, the Groans, the Blood of JESUS?—

Shall she refuse to lament, in doleful Numbers, the destructive Fol­lies of Sinners; or paint the Deformity of Vice, in its proper in­fernal Colours? Or can she deny her Commiseration to the Perplen­ities of doubting Saints? Or refuse to congratulate their shining Moments, and heavenly Prelibations?

How are we charmed to see this pious Imprecation in that smooth, sublime Poet Mr. Thomson!— An Imprecation harm­less to him; but full of vengeful Thunder, were it adopted by some.

[Page x] But to return.—Of those valuable Tracts of sacred Verse which are extant, there are but very few in this Colony in the Hands of common People; and in such a Famine, perhaps these coarse Provisions may not be disagreeable.

I may add, as another Reason of this Publication, that there are but few perhaps of a public Character but what are of some Importance in the Circle of their Friends or Parishoners; who would therefore read their Writings with more Attention and Regard than those of Others that are much more valuable. As this favourable Prepossession furnishes such with particular Opportunities of doing Good in their respective Spheres; they should improve it for that Purpose. 'Tis under this Conviction, and with this grateful In­tention, I permit this Publication; and may Divine Grace make it subservient for that Purpose!

Yet, that the Advantage may not be limited to my own Denomi­nation, I have form'd these Poems upon the Footing of catholic Christianity; and avoided all the little angry Peculiarities of a Party: And indeed this was easy, even without explicitly designing it, while I was sitting peaceful in my Study, benevolent to all Man­kind, wishing the richest Blessings to the Church of CHRIST in every Denomination, unruffled with the Irritations, and unmindful of the Bigotry and Party-Contests of the jangling World. I therefore promise myself None will incur the Character given by a celebrated Poet to partial Readers; ^*

And that I shall meet with some generous Readers,

[Page xi] It may be expedient to premise these few Remarks to reflect Light on the Poems, and prepare the Reader for their Perusal.

They are a Collection of Miscellanies; not digested into Order according to the Nature of the Subjects: For I was apprehensive a confused Variety would be more entertaining.

Though the Date of a Poem be generally an insignificant Circum­stance to the Reader; yet I thought it expedient to annex That and the Text to the Title of the Poems connected with my public Dis­courses; that they might be a Hint to my Hearers to help them to recollect the Discourses themselves; and when it is done in some other Cases, I think it needs no Apology.

I have generally used that Metre which is most familiar and plain to common Capacities: And where I have indulged myself to imitate the Heroic Numbers of Milton, or the noble Licence of Pindar (the last of which is perhaps most natural to me) it was for the most Part before I had any Intention of publishing them.

I have scrupulously avoided those Invocations of fabulous Deitles, so common in many of our modern Poets. Nor can the Veneration I have for sundry of those that embellish their Poems with them, convince me that it is an irrational Scrupuosity. I suppose they would not desire to be counted sincere in their Devotions; and I think hypocritical Devotion, even to a ficticious Deity, is odious. It seems at least an Affectation of Idolatry, without the least Temp­tation. Who, that knew it not before, would suspect those Poets to be profest Christians, who begin, and end, and intermix their Poems with so many warm Petitions, or rapturous Ejaculations to Apollo, to Jove, to Venus, to Bacchus, and the whole Rabble of Heathenish Gods? Especially when their Devotion to these seems to flame out more frequently than to the GOD that made the Heavens. The Ground of their Error, I conceive, is this, That they cannot imitate or equallize the Antients without adopting their superstitious, non­sensical and impious Theology (for such that of the Poets generally was.) But (not to insist further on the moral Nature of it) does [Page xii]not the Beauly and Propriety of poetical Descriptions, and parti­lulatly of Invocations, consist in their Correspondence to the Senti­ments, Manners and Customs of those for whom we write? But sure, these are not now the same in Great-Britain, as in Greece or Italy, when Homer, or Virgil wrote. The Observation of a noted Critic ^* concerning the English Pastoral-Writers, is equally pertinent to this — ‘Our Countryman (says he) have so good an Opinion of the Ancients, and think so modestly of themselves, that the Genera­lity of Pastoral-Writers have—so servilely imitated the Man­ner, and Customs of the Greeks and Romans, as makes them very ridiculous. In looking over some English Pastorals a few Days ago, I—reckoned up at least an hundred left­handed Ravens, blasted Oaks, withering Meadows, and weeping Deities’—The same Author ^† blames Mr. Pope for borrowing his Names, in his English Pastorals, from Theacritus, and Virgil; and introducing Daplmis, Alexis and Thyrsis on British Plains.—But I humbly conceive, 'tis a greater Impropriety to in­troduce foreign Deities into English Devotion, than foreign Shep­herds into English Pastorals.—In Translations indeed, it is not only tolerable, but sometimes necessary; but in Original Poems, it appears to me a very offensive Impropriety. ^‡

To conclude. Shall I seriously request my Reader to peruse these Poems as it becomes a Mortal? a Candidate for Eternity!— I would not maliciously rob any Man of the seasonable Pleasures of Imagination, or the moderate Gratification of a refined Taste; for no doubt the God that formed us with an innate Relish of these Plea­sures, allows us to enjoy them: But we must be temperate in all Things; and we are in Danger of falling into luxurious Indul­gences of this, as well as of other natural Apetites. These little De­licacies do not charm Time to slack his Pace; and Oh!—What [Page xiii]solemn Scenes open at the Close of it! Scenes, too awful to be turned into Amusements! Ere long,

Ere long, we shall be advanced to Entertainments infinitely superior to these; or bunished from these and all other Joys. And these Things demand our most serious Thoughts.—To die in Song, is a plea­sing Amusement; but Oh!—to die well in Reality!—'tis an important, an arduous Business! 'Tis easy for a sprightly Imagi­nation to entertain itself with lively and moving Representations of the Exercises of a Christian in this World, and the substantial Re­alities of the next; but actually to habituate ourselves to the one, and enter upon the other, is a more serious and difficult Thing. To ascend to Heaven in poetical Flights, is much easier than to fix our Affections steadily there; and One may paint the Vanity of all Things below, in the most lively Colours; and in the mean Time place his supreme Happiness in them. How much more difficult to adopt the noble Declaration of the sweet Singer of Israel, with his Sincerity and Fervour; Whom have I in Heaven but Thee? and there is none upon Earth I desire besides Thee.—Thou art the Strength of my Heart, and my Portion forever!

May we therefore make Religion our principal Business in this Infancy of our Existence! May our Hearts be attempered here, for the heavenly State! that when the solemn Hour of our Exit from these Regions of Mortality comes, we may join the celestial Chair, and spend a happy Eternity in singing the Song of Moses and the Lamb! And may that sovereign GOD, who can perfect Praise to Himself from the feeble Hosannahs of Babes and Suck­lings, make these rude Essays at least of some small Service for these important Ends!