EPISTLES: WITH HIS AMOURS. TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH VERSE, By the Moft Eminent Hands. Ise Vel tibi compofitá cantetur Epiftola Voce? OVID. LONDON: Printed for T. DAVIES, W. STRAHAN, W. CLARKE M.DCC.LXXV I. 'N moving Lines thefe few EPISTLES tell What Fate attends the Nymph that likes too well: How faintly the fuccessful Lovers burn; And their neglected Charms how Ladies mourn. I But Yours, like Incense, mounts by foft degrees, A 2 Your Your Sex, in all that can engage, Excel; You have your Pride, and we our Perjuries. But, Madam, long will Your unpractis'd Years More foft than Sighs, more fweet than breathing Flow'rs; 'Tis bright at distance, but destroys if near. The Time ere-long, if Verfe prefage, will come, The Muse shall ftring her Lyre, with Garlands crown'd, Pleas'd we behold the tender Dawn of Light. THE Ovid's Epiftles, I began to think if any thing might yet be added to the Perfection of the Work. And the greater Part of Sapho to Phaon being omitted in Sir Carr Scroope's Tranflation, I folicited an entire new Version of that Epiftle, to render the whole Book compleat. The Author of it will have me acquaint the Reader, that it was undertaken on that Account only, and not out of any fuppofed Defect in what that Gentleman had done. It was propofed in this Edition to change the Method of the Epiftles according to the Chronological Order, and the Connexion the Subjects often have with each other; which might have contributed to the Eafe of the English Reader, by clearing fome Hiftorical Passages referred to in feveraļ of them. But Custom having obtained to the Contrary, we have only fubjoined the following Account. The Chief of those who undertook the Expedition of the Golden Fleece, were Hercules and Jafon: Some Writers add THESEUS, who was Cotemporary with them, and famous for his Victory over the Minotaur, which he atchieved by the Affiftance of ARIADNE, whom afterwards forfaking, he married PHEDRA, who fell in Love with his Son HIPPOLYTUS. JASON as he went on the forementioned Expedition was entertained by HYPSYPILE at Lemnos, but deferted her for MEDEA, and afterwards MEDEA for Creufa. HERCULES after his Return A 3 |