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Facters. His lines are commonly smooth and easy, and his thoughts always religiously pure; but who is there that, to so much piety and innocence, does not wish for a greater measure of sprightliness and vigour! He is at least one of the few poets with whom youth and ignorance may be safely pleased: and happy will be that reader whose mind is disposed, by his verses or his prose, to copy his benevolence to man, and his reverence to God.

HORE LYRICÆ.

VOL. XXHI

PREFACE.

It has been a long complaint of the virtuous and refined world, that Poesy, whose original is divine, should be enslaved to vice and profaneness; that an art inspired from Heaven, should have so far lost the memory of its birth-place, as to be engaged in the interests of hell. How unhappily is it perverted from its most glorious design! How basely has it been driven away from its proper station in the temple of God, and abused to much dishonour! The iniquity of men has constrained it to serve their vilest purposes; while the sons of piety, mourn the sacrilege and the shame.

The eldest song which history has brought down to our ears, was a noble act of worship paid to the God of Israel, when his right-hand became glorious in power; when thy right-hand, O Lord, dashed in pieces the enemy: the chariots of Pharoah and his hosts were cast into the Red Sea; thou didst blow with thy wind, the deep covered them, and they sank like lead in the mighty waters.' Exod. xv. This art was maintained sacred through the following ages of the church, and employed by kings and prophets, by David, Solomon, and Isaiah, in describing the nature and the glories of God, and in conveying grace or vengeance to the hearts of men. By this method they brought so much of Heaven down to this

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