you both know fo well, and put into Practice with o much Happiness. Yet before I leave Virgil, I mu own the vanity to tell you and by you the World. that he has been my Mafier in this Poem: I have followed him every where, I know not with what Succefs, but I am fure with Diligence enough: My Images are many of them copied from him, and the rest are Imitations of him. My Expreffions alfo are as near as the Idioms of the two Languages would admit of in Tranflation. And this, Sir, I have done with that boldness, for which I will ftand accomptable to any of our little Criticks, who. perhaps. are not bet- ter acquainted with him than I am. Upon your first perufal of this Poem, you have taken notice of fome Words which I bave innovated (if it be too bold for me too fay, refin'd) upon his Latin; which, as I offer not to introduce into English Profe, fo I hope they are neither improper, nor altogether unelegant in Verjes. and, in this, Horace will again. defend me.
Et nova, fictaque nuper, habebunt verba fidem, fi Græco fonte cadant, parcè detorta-
The Inference is exceeding plain; for if a Roman Poet might have liberty to Coin a Word, fuppofing only that it was derived from the Greek, was put into a Latin termination, and that he us'd this Li- berty but feldom, and with Modefty: How much more justly may I challenge that Privilege, to do it with the fame Prerequifits. from the beft and most judici. ous of Latin Writers? In fome places where either the Fancy, or the Words, were his, or any others, I have noted it in the Margin, that I might not feem a Plagiary in others I have negleled it, to avoid as well tedioufness. as the affectation of doing it too.
often. Such Defcriptions Images, well wrought,