The PREFACE.
if he merits much, the Epick Poet merits much more. The one indeed by his plain, convincing Instructions can prevail upon those, whose minds are unprejudic'd, and whose Reason is rightly inform'd: But the other by the Charms and allurements of his Precepts breaks through all Opposition, conquers all prejudice, insinuates himself into the inmost recesses of the Soul, and makes a thorough Convert of the most obstinate Immoralist. The Epick Poet, to back all, makes use of frequent Examples, the strongest Arguments to perswade Men to be Vertuous; and his whole piece is an Imitation of such things as may probably happen. To conclude, he like a skillful Physician mixes Sweet with Bitter, that which is Pleasant with the Profitable, and gilds o'er the unsightly Pill, that so even the Nauseous but wholesome Physick might steal down the better. I know there may be some, who utterly dislike this way, and cry 'tis too Trickish, fit only to cajole Women and delude Children. But may I crave leave to tell such, that they seem not to have studied Nature sufficiently, else they would have discern'd in the most sage Tempers, some thing of the Child, that loves to be tempted and allur'd even to that which is his own Good and Happiness. This is Conspicuous to all, who are acquainted with the World a little, and have Read Men as well as Books: So that I need not stand upon proving what is so notoriously apparent. I am sensible much more might be said to shew the Excellency of the Epick Poem; but that little which has been already alledg'd in its favour, may, I presume, be enough to keep up its esteem among the more judicious part of the World: And as for others, of a more perverse principle, Though never so much were said, it would never satisfie them.
But to go on; sit is no small Commendation to the Epick Poem, that its nature is such as requires the largest, most Universal and Judicious Genius to under-take
