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important and heroic action. The ODE to celebrate the exploits of great men, in order to excite a general imitation in others. TRAGEDY, to inspire us with a deteftation of guilt, by painting the fatal confequences that follow it; and with a veneration for virtue, by reprefenting the rewards and just praises that attend it. COMEDY and SATIRE, to correct whilft they divert us, and wage implacable war with vice and folly. ELEGY, to weep over the tombs of fuch as deferve to be lamented; and PASTORAL, to fing the innocence and pleasures of rural life.

To promote fuch defirable ends, the study of Poetry has ever met with the fanction and encouragement of men the most eminent for their wisdom and virtue: and it is much to be feared that those whofe imaginations are not

enlivened by the charms of Poetry, muft either have their affections depraved, or be naturally infenfible of the exquifite pleasure refulting from the proper exercise of them.

To allure thofe who are inattentive to the excellence of virtue, and direct their thoughts to the nobleft qualifications, induced the Editor of this small volume to select such poems as have been univerfally esteemed the first ornaments of our language, and admired, not only for purity of fentiment, but for beauty and har mony of numbers.

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