ſhould be in the Words of Sir John Denham.
Great are its Faults, but glorious is its Flame.
After all, I had never presum’d to make any Attempt on Virgil, after so great a Man as Mr. Dryden; but I undertook this small Performance at the Request of some very learned and ingenious Friends, and particularly of a worthy Gentleman, who has done Virgil great Justice in his Translation of the two first Books of the Georgicks, who was pleas’d to write to me on this Occasion, in Terms that I cannot repeat without Vanity. To him, therefore, I desire to dedicate this my first Attempt on the Æneid, who is so well acquainted, by Experience, with the Difficulties, as well as the Beauties, of Virgil. And if I gain no Reputation by this Performance, yet I shall think myself sufficiently honour’d with the Friendship and Acquaintance, of so learned and polite a Gentleman as Mr. Benson.
FINIS.
