PREFACE. WHEN a new collection of English Poetry is offered to the public, it will doubtlefs be inquired what are the deficiencies of preceding collections, which another editor may hope to fupply. On referring back to the feveral publications of this kind, which have exercifed the abilities of other perfons, the reader will fee on what ground the cditor judged the work, which he now prefents to the world, to be neceffary.' English literature is undoubtedly under no fmall obligations to thofe who have affociated the scattered productions of our poets in one collection, and by that means have fecured their general prefervation. Tottell, editor of the "Songes and Sonnettes" of Surrey, Wyat, and of " Uncertain Auctors," 1557, the first printed Poetical Mifcellany in the English language; Allot, editor of " England's Parnaffus," 1600; Bodenham, editor of " Belvidere, or the Garden of the Mufes," 1600; and the anonymous editors of the "Paradife of Daintie Devifes," 1578; and "England's Helicon," 1600; have preferved many admirable fpecimens of ancient genius, which would have mouldered in manufcript, or perhaps, from their detached and fugitive state of existence, their want of length, the capricioulnefs of tafte, the general depredations of time, inattention, and other accidents, would never have reached the prefent age. 66 Mrs. Cooper, in her "Mufes Library," 1737; Mr. Hayward, in his « British Mufe," 1738; Mr. Capel in his " Prolufions," 1740; Dr. Percy in his "Reliques," 1765; Mr. Evans, in his “ Old Ballads," 1777; Mr. Headley, in his " Beauties of Ancient English Poetry," 1787; and Mr. Ritson, in his "Ancient Songs," 1789, followed the fame plan, in confequence of which many valuable pieces are refcued frona oblivion, that, from their brevity and unconnectedness, could not poflibly have furvived for any length of time by themselves; and many judicious selections are made, from an attentive perufal of antique and obfolete writers, which exhibit complete and fatisfactory fpecimens of their different modes of writing. The collections of a fimilar nature, formed by Davifon, Dryden, Fenton, Steele, Pope, Pemberton, Lintot, C. Tooke, Dodfley, Fawkes, Donaldson, Pearch and Nichols, contain an infinite number of fmall poems, many of which must be allowed to poffefs confiderable merit; being the productions of men of real genius, who, from the brevity, rather than the inferiority of their writings, have been usually styled "Minor Poets." A degree of praise not much inferior to that which the above compilers have acquired, is due to editors, who, uniting industry with tafte, have prefented the public with uniform and elegant edi◄ tions of the Works of the British Poets, in the manner of thofe of Italy, Spain, and France. The first collection of English Poetry which appeared in these kingdoms, was formed by Dr. Blair, and printed at Edinburgh, in 42 vols. 12mo, 1773, for Meffrs. Creech and Balfour, booksellers, containing the works of Milton, Cowley, Butler, Dryden, Waller, Garth, Priot, Addison, Parnell, Pope, Gay, Swift, Young, Thontfon, Shenstone, Gray, and Lyttleton. The elegance of this edition is no compenfation for its incompleteness. The contracted list of authors marked out by Dr. Blair, includes none of those who have juflly obtained the diftinction of being denominated our older claffics, except Milton and Cowley. Nor do the contents of the work correfpond with its title, many long and valuable pieces of Cowley, Parnell, Swift, and Shenstone, being omitted in the collection of their refpe&ive works. This mode of publishing modern works of credit, the contests of A which happen to be unequal, unless immediately intended for the use of schools, does but multiply books to no good end. By anticipating him, it deprives the reader of that pleasure which every one feels, and of that right which every one is entitled to, of judging for himself. Cowley, Parnell, Swift, and Shenstone, are far too well known to stand in need of fuch partial recommendation, and, in fact, hold a most distinguished rank in the “ school of the people." In 1776, a Collection of English Poetry, upon a more extenfive plan, was undertaken by Mr. Bell, bookfeller in London, to be printed by the Martins, at the Apollo Press, Edinburgh, in 109 miniature volumes, ornamented with engravings, containing the entire works of the authors admitted into Dr. Blair's edition, and the works of Chaucer, Spenfer, Donne, Denham, Roscommon, Buckingham, Lansdown, King, Pomfret, Congreve, Rowe, Watts, J. Philips, Smith, Hughes, Fenton, Tickell, Somervile, Broome, Savage, Pitt, A. Philips, Dyer, G. Weft, Hammond, Collins, Moore,, Armstrong, R. Weft, Mallet, Cunningham, and Churchill. The works of the several authors were published feparately, without any regard to chronological order, and at long intervals, fome of the later volumes being printed at London in 1787. In this edition, three of our older claffics appear, to whom no place had been given in Dr. Blair's edition, and several modern writers of credit are adopted as legitimate and established poets. Such, however, is the fate of the work, that we seldom fee it entire, but meet with its contents wandering separately, and disjointed in every catalogue. In 1779, while Mr. Bell's publication was going forward, the London bookfellers published a collection of the "Works of the English Poets," in 60 vols. fmall 8vo, with Prefaces Biographical and Critical, by Dr. Johnson, and heads engraved by Bartolozzi, &c. The following account of this undertaking, as given by Mr. Edward Dilly, in a letter to Mr. Bofwell, dated, Southill, Sept. 26. 1777, will not be unentertaining to those who delight in tracing the progrefs of works of literature; fince it was the occafion of procuring for us an elegant collection of the best biography and criticifm of which our language can boast. “The edition of the Poets now printing will do honour to the English prefs, and a concise account of the life of each author by Dr. Johnson, will be a very valuable addition, and stamp the reputation of this edition, fuperior to any thing that is gone before. The firft caufe that gave rise to this undertaking, I believe, was owing to the little trifling edition of the Poets printing by the Martins, at Edinburgh, and to be fold by Bell in London. Upon examining the volumes which were printed, the type was found fo extremely small, that many perfons could not read them: Not only this inconvenience attended it, but the inaccuracy of the prefs was very confpicuous. These reafons, as well as the idea of an invafion of what we call our Literary Property, induced the London bookfellers to print an elegant and accurate edition of all the English Poets of reputation, from Chaucer to the prefent time. "Accordingly a felect number of the most refpectable book fellers met on the occafion, and, confulting together, agreed, that all the proprietors of copy-right in the various poets, should be fummoned together, and when their opinions were given, to proceed immediately to bufinefs. Accordingly a meeting was held, confifting of about forty of the most refpectable bookfellers of London, when it was agreed, that an elegant and uniform edition of "The English Poets" fhould be immediately printed, with a concife account of the life of each author, by Dr. Samuel Johnson; and that three perfons should be deputed to wait upon Dr. Johnfon, to folicit him to undertake the Lives, viz. T. Davies, Strahan, and Cadell. The Doctor very politely undertook it, and feemed exceedingly pleased with the propofal. As to the terms, it was left entirely to the Doctor to name his own; he mentioned two hundred guineas; it was immediately agreed to, and a farther compliment, I believe, will be made him. A committee was likewife appointed to engage the best engravers, viz. Bartolozzi, Sherwin, Hall, &c.; likewife another committee for giving directions about the paper, printing, &c.: fo that the whole will be conducted with fpirit, and in the best manner, with refpect to authorship, editorship, engravings, &c. &c. My brother will give you a lift of the Poets we mean to give, many of which are within the time of the act of Queen Anne, which Martin and Bell cannot give, as they have no property in them; the proprietors are almost all the bookfellera in London, of confequence." The plan of this edition, fo happily conceived, was more ample than the execution. Instead of comprehending « all the English poets of reputation from Chaucer to the prefent time," it was unaccountably limited to a lift of fifty-three authors, beginning with Cowley and ending with Lyttleton; all of whom appear in Mr. Bell's edition, except Rochefter, Otway, Dorfet, Stepney,, Walsh, Duke, Sprat, Halifax, and Blackmore; who are difplaced, to make room for Chaucer, Spenfer, Donne, Armstrong, R. Weft, Cunningham, and Churchill. The managers of this edition are liable to fome cenfure, for admitting fo few of our older claffics in a work which bore fo clofe a relation to the honour of the nation, and which, from its elegance and magnitude, afforded the happiest opportunity of uniting our poets, both ancient and modern, in one comprehenfive view, and of combining their refpective excellencies in one common interest. Ancient poetry, in thus being exhibited to the public eye, would foon have made good her claims to notice, and of herself recovered the long-loft verdure of her bays; whilft the justice of that latitude which is commonly afligned to later improvements, from a fair opportunity of a comparative examination, might have been more strictly ascertained. It is well known, that the oftenfible editor was ever glad to escape the cenfure which the work had fallen under, by alleging, that, with the exception of Pomfret, Yalden, Blackmore, and Watts, he had nothing to do with the selection; he had engaged himself only to furnish a set of Lives to fuch a lift as the bookfellers, who were the refponfible publishers of the work, fhould think proper.. Dr. Johnson gave up his life to the literature of his country; a portion of it would not have been thrown away, had it been dedicated to the completion of fuch an undertaking. In the efleem of the bookfellers, he stood very high, perhaps higher than any man of his age, and there cannot be a doubt, but that the management of the work, on the least desire intimated by him, would have been vested in his hands, with the utmost gratitude and confidence. As the matter stands, it is difficult to guess the reason why the managers of this edition admitted fome authors, while others of fimilar character were rejected. In an edition of poetry, where fome of the "wits of Charles's days, the mob of gentlemen who wrote with ease," and the heroes of the "Dunciad," are to be found, we rather wonder at not finding others; where Rochester, Rofcommon, Sprat, Halifax, Stepney, and Duke, were received, why Carew, Sedley, Hopkins, Marvell, and Oldham, were refufed, one is puzzled to guess; and where Pomfret, Yalden, and Blackmore, are preferred to Eufden, Welfted, and Hill, it is not cafy to account for the preference. When the publication was undertaken, Armstrong and Langhorne, poets of fuperior rank, were living; their works, confequently, could not be properly inferted; but Churchill, Smart, and Goldsmith, were dead, and their works certainly had a juft claim to admifiion. When Dr. Johnson engaged to furnish the booksellers with a “ Preface" to the works of each author, it was his intention to have allotted to each poet, an " Advertilement" like thofe which are found in the French Miscellanies, containing a few dates and a general character. That he was led beyond his intention," by the honest desire of giving useful pleasure," will be always a fubject of congratulation to every reader of taste. That he paffed fome partial judgments in his "Lives," that he was fometimes blinded by prejudice, that he occafionally faw through the medium of party or religion; and that, without the taste which would enable him to decide, he rafhly determined from abstract reasoning, and the examination of a philofopher, where philofophy was an inadequate judge, must be allowed: But, as fine pieces of nervous writing, pregnant with valuable detached opinions, happy illuftrations, nice discussions, and a variety of curious incidental information, they will ever be regarded as the richest, most beautiful, and, indeed, most perfect production of his pen. In 1790, a new edition of this elegant collection was published, in 75 volumes 8vo, which gave the proprietors an opportunity of adding the works of Moore, Cawthorne, Churchill, Falconer, Lloyd, Cunningham, Green, Goldsmith, P. Whitehead, Armstrong, Langhorne, Johnson, W. Whitehead, and Jenyns; and of supplying some deficiencies in the works of the authors printed in the former edition. "Of the authors now firft added," fays the Advertisement," fome are inferted, in compliance with the repeated calls of the public; fome, in deference to the opinions of perfons whofe taste cannot be disputed; and fome have found a place from the favourable fentiments expreffed concerning them to the publishers, from various quarters. In this felection, the proprietors have not been in . |