PREFACE. THR HE Pfalms are univerfally acknowledged to be excellent and admirable Compofures. There is not only a wonderful strain of Piety and Devotion, but there is a Dignity, a Beauty, a Spirit and Energy in them confidered as in the Original, that can fcarce be equalled in any Translation. There have been in our own Language feveral attempts to tranflate the Pfalms into Verfe, that they might appear in a poetical Garb and Form; and fo in fome measure resemble the Original, which contains fome of the nobleft Pieces of divine Poetry in the World. Of fome of thefe Tranflations I think it must be acknowledged by all that are in any degree Judges of thefe Things, that they are flat and mean, and altogether unworthy of the Dignity and Glory of the Original. There are other Translations that have more of a Spirit and Beauty in them. But I believe it will be generally judged, that a better Verfion might be made up out of them all, than any one of them alone can furnish. An Attempt is made this way in the following Collection. The Verfions chiefly made use of are thofe of Dr. Patrick, Tate and Brady, Sir John Denham, Sir Richard Blackmore, and Dr. Watts's Pfalms of David imitated. And there are a few of Mr. Barton's preferved. That the Reader may know to whom the Tranflation of the feveral Pfalms is principally owing, there are generally prefixed to each Pfalm the initial Letters of the Perfon's Name, out of whofe Verfion it is taken. But to prevent Miftakes it is proper to advertise the Reader that a Liberty is all along taken to alter Words, Lines, and fometimes whole Stanzas. There is no need to give a reafon here for the feveral Alterations that have been made. The Defign has generally been either to bring the Sense nearer to the Original, or to render it clearer, and thereby more fitted for common ufe, or render it more concife, and exprefs the Senfe in fewer Words, provided it be perfpicuous and fmooth. There are often two or three Verfions of the fame Pfalm inferted for th greater Variety, and where it is fo, one of ther |