WORK S

OF THE

ENGLISH POET S.

WITH

PREFACES,

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL,

BY SAMUEL JOHNSON.

VOLUME THE EIGHTH.

LONDON:

PRINTED BY H. HUGHS;

FOR C.BATHURST, J. BUCKLAND, W.STRAHAN, J. RIVING-
TON AND SONS, T. DAVIES, T. PAYNE, L. DAVIS, W. OWEN,
B. WHITE, S. CROWDER, T. CASLON, T. LONGMAN,
B. LAW, E. AND C. DILLY, J. DODSLEY, H. BALDWIN,
J. WILKIE, J. ROBSON, J. JOHNSON, T. LOWNDES,
T. BECKET, G. ROBINSON, T.CADELL, W. DAVIS,
J. NICHOLS, F. NEWBERY, T. EVANS, J. RID-
LEY, R. BALDWIN, G. NICOL, LEIGH AND
SOTHEBY, J. BEW, N. CONANT,
J.MURRAY, W. FOX, J.BOWEN.

MDCCLXXIX.

MADAM,

Yo

To my Lady *

OUR commands for the gathering these sticks into a faggot had fooner been obeyed; but, intending to prefent you with my whole vintage, I stayed till the latest grapes were ripe: for, here your Ladyfhip has not only all I have done, but all I ever mean to do of this kind. Not but that I may defend the attempt I have made upon Poetry, by the examples (not to trouble you with history) of many wife and worthy perfons of our own times; as Sir Philip Sidney, Sir Francis Bacon, Cardinal Perron (the ableft of his countrymen), and the former Pope; who, they fay, inftead of the triple crown, wore fometimes the Poet's ivy, as an ornament, perhaps, of leffer weight and trouble. But, Madam, thefe Nightingales fung only in the fpring; it was the diverfion of their youth; as Ladies learn to fing, and play, when they are children, what they forget when they are women. The refemblance holds further; for as you quit the lute the fooner, because the pofture is fufpected to draw the body awry; fo this is not always practifed without fome villany to the mind; wrefting it from prefent occafions; and accuftoming us to a style fomewhat removed from common ufe. But that you may not think his cafe deplorable who had made verfes; we are told, that Tully (the greatest Wit among the Romans) was once fick of this difeafe; and yet recovered fo well, that of almost as bad a Poet as your fervant,