CONTENTS Epiftle Dedicatory to Charles Lord Halifax A Poem to the Memory of Mr. John Philips. Charlettus Percivallo fuo 190 - 200 201 204 207 THE END OF SMITH'S POEMS. P THE PREFACE. 1T T will be to little purpose, the Author prefumes, to offer any reasons, why the following poems appear in public; for it is ten to one whether he gives the true; and if he does, it is much greater odds, whether the gentle reader is fo courteous as to believe him. He could tell the world, according to the laudable custom of Prefaces, that it was through the irresistible impor tunity of friends, or fome other excufe of ancient renown, that he ventured them to the prefs; but he thought it much better to leave every man to guess for himself, and then he would be fure to fatisfy himself: for, let what will be pretended, people are grown so very apt to fancy they are always in the right, that, unless it hit their humour, it is immediately condemned for a fham and hypocrify. In short, that which wants an excuse for being in print, ought not to have been printed at all; but whether the enfuing poems deserve to ftand in that clafs, the world muft have leave to determine. What faults the true judgment of the Gentleman may find out, it is to be hoped his candour and good-humour will eafily pardon; but those which the peevishness and ill-nature of the Critic may discover, muft expect to be unmercifully used: Though, methinks, it is a very prepofterous pleasure, to fcratch other perfons till the blood comes, and then laugh at and ridicule them. P 3 Some |