ADVERTISEMENT.

M

R. NEWBERY begs leave to recommend these and the subsequent Volumes to the young Gentlemen and Ladies who have read his little Books. In those he attempted to lead the young Pupil to a Love of Knowledge, in these he has endeavoured to introduce him to the Arts and Sciences, where all useful Knowledge is contained. This may be said, he apprehends, without depreciating the Claffics, which are ever to be held in Esteem, but are to be esteemed principally for being the Keys of Literature, and for difclofing to us the Taste and Wisdom of the Ancients.

The Reader will perceive that a very free Use has been made of the Works of many Authors, and the Nature of the Subject required it; for it is in Criticism, as in Life, one good Example is worth many Precepts.

The Examples here collected from different Books will give no Offence, it is hoped, either to the Authors or Proprietors; for, whatever may be the Fate of these Volumes, they can neither depreciate the Merit of those Books, nor anticipate their Sale; but will, we apprehend, have a contrary Effect.

A 4

In

In fome Parts of the Work, and especially towards the latter End, Sentiments and Reflections will be found which may appear, perhaps, fingular; but, it is prefumed, they will not on that account be thought impertinent. They are generally concerning Things with which Learning has little to do, but where Nature herself is to be confulted, and here no Preeminence is to be claimed in Consequence of a fuperior Education; since every Man can best feel how he is affected.

Whatever Value these Reflections and Observations may have, the Examples introduced will always have their Merit, and will, we hope, lead the young Student to a careful perusal of the Volumes from whence they are extracted.

CON

CONTENTS

OF THЕ

TWO VOLUMES.

NTRODUCTION

Of the Origin of Poetry

I

Of Music and Dancing

VOL. Ι.

Page

2

3

4

8

10

The Intention of these perverted

Of the Structure of English Verse, and of Rhyme

Of the several forts of English Verfes

Of the Elisions allowed in English Poetry, with Miscellaneous

* Remarks

Of the Beauty of THOUGHT in Poetry

Thoughts in Poetry may be just without being true

Of fublime Thoughts, with Examples

Of agreeable or beautiful Thoughts, with Examples

Of delicate Thoughts, with Examples

Of Humour

Of brilliant Thoughts, with Examples

Of hunting down a Thought, and its bad Effects

Of the STYLE of Poetry

14

18

19.

20

27

36

37

38

40

41

The Difference between the Style of Poetry and Prose ibid.

Of Epithets, Tropes and Figures, and their use

Epithets to be used sparingly when the Paffions are con-

cerned

ibid.

None are found in the affecting Oration which Shakespeare

puts into the Mouth of Mark Authony

44

Tropes and Figures best learned by reading the Poets and
polite Authors

Of the Metaphor, the Simile and the Description

Many Figures may be refolved into the Description

Of the various Sorts of Style

56 to 61

Epigram written by Mr. Pope with the Earl of Chesterfield's

Diamond pencil

57

On Venus miftaken, by the fame

On a Flower painted by Varelst, by Mr. Prior

ibid.

ibid.

On Chloe weeping, by the same

58

On a Fan, by Dr. Atterbury

ibid.

On bad Dancers to good Music

59

On a bad Fidler

ibid.

On a Man who hired People to make Verses for him ibid.

On an ugly Woman

ibid.

On Prometheus drawn by a bad Painter, by Mr. Cowley 60

On a bad Writer, by Mr. Prior

ibid

On a reasonable Affliction, by Mr. Prior

ibid.

On the erecting of a Monument to the Memory of Mr.

On Mary Countess Dowa. of Pembroke, by Ben Johnson 63

On a beautiful and virtuous Lady, by the fame

ibid.

On Mr. Gay, by Mr. Pope

ibid.

On Dr. Francis Atterbury, Bp. of Rochester, by Mr. Pope 64

On one who would not be buried in Westminster-Abbey,

On Signior Fido, a Greyhound, by Mr. Pope

69

PRECEPTS for the ELEGY, with occafional Remarks 70 to 84

Elegy to the memory of an unfortunate Lady, by Mr.Pope70

Written in a Country Church-yard, by Mr. Grey

73

The Tears of Scotland, written in 1746, by Dr. Smollet 76

A Love Elegy, by Mr. Hammond

78

On the suppos'd Death of Mr. Partridge the Almanack-

maker, by Dr. Swift

82

PRECEPTS for the PASTORAL, with occafional Remarks

84 to 116

Of the origin of Paftoral

84

Amaryllis, or the third Idyllium of Theocritus, by Mr.

Fawkes

87

Mr. Pope's Eclogue, inscribed to Mr. Wycherly

104

Mr. Gay's first Paftoral, entitled the Squabble

The Small-Pox. A Town Eclogue, by the Right Hon.

L. M. W. М.

109

The Meffiah. A facred Eclogue, by Mr. Pope

112

116 to 128

PRECEPTS for the EPISTLE, with occafional Remarks

Eafe and Elegance the true Charecteristic of the Epistle 116

A Letter to the Rt. Hon. Charles Lord Halifax, by Mr.

Addison

117

To Mr. Pope, by the Rt. Hon. Lord Littleton

L'Allegro: or the lively Pleasures of Mirth, by Milton 129

Il Penforofo, or the gloomy Pleasures of Melancholy, by

Description of a gentle refreshing Rain, and of the Rain-

bow

138

The cruelty of destroying Creatures that are inoffenfive 140

Of the Summer

141

Description of a Summer's Morning and the Sun rifing ibid.

Description of a deep Snow in which a Husbandman was

loft

ibid.

Reflections on the Wants and Miseries of Mankind

Winter compared to old Age, with fuitable Reflections 155

PRECEPTS for DIDACTIC OF PRECEPTIVE POETRY.

154