prefent attempt he fucceeds with his wellwifhers, he can have no reason to regard the contrary in others; but be affured, that all the purposes of exhibiting a few fcattered trifles (wrote chiefly at an early age) will fufficiently answer every expectation. He knows that among his acquaintance there are many excellent judges of literary compofition, whofe fuperior understanding place them in an elevated station, while be is fet at a distance from them. To be tempted therefore to this task by any of them, is an honour he never expected; becaufe, 'till now, he never imagined he deServed it. Hence, if he apologized for the prefent publication, which in fome measure will give give a tranfcript of his mind under different affections, his Readers would probably join in fentiment with Mr. Shenftone, that it proceeded from an idea he was either violating modefty, or prefumed himself able to inftruct or entertain; but as he chearfully obeys the call of his friends, and supercedes his own opinion on the merit or demerit of the fucceeding pages, it is enough that he laoks up to them with respect, and promises bimfelf every fatisfaction in gratifying their complimentary wishes. Nonumque prematur in annum, is the advice of Horace; and fhould the Author be charged with difregarding it on the prefent occafion, he must obferve, that he has done himself a fuperior pleasure by attending to the voice of his acquaintance, which if never [vi] never offered him, they would not now be acquainted with the fubfequent mifcellanies. It is further to be observed that, fromi the inattention of the compofitor, many revifes of the Author in the proof-sheets have efcaped him, and caufed, difagreeably, a table of Errata; therefore, wherever in the verfes there may appear an inaccuracy, or in the profe falfe concord, the Reader is intreated to refer to the corrections in fuch table, (which follows the mifcellanies) and not attribute to the Author the accidental errors of the Printer. TA |