TO HIS GRACE, THOMAS HOLLES, DUKE OF NEWCASTLE. MY LORD, HAD I the honour of being personally known to your grace, I had not thus presumptuously addressed you, without previous solicitation for so great an indulgence. But, that your grace may neither be surprised nor offended at the liberty I am taking, my plea is, that the great and good man, whose name is prefixed to the first of these poems, was a friend and benefactor to me. The favours I have received at his hands, and the kind assurances he was pleased to give me of their continuance, which his death only prevented, have left me to lament my own private loss amidst the general concern. It is from these favours and assurances that I flatter myself with having a kind of privilege to address your grace upon this occasion, and to entreat your patronage of the following sheets. I pretended to no merit with Mr. Pelham, except that of honouring his virtues, and wishing to have been serviceable to them: I pretend to no other with your grace. My hopes are, that while are fulfilling every generous intention of the brother whom you loved, your grace will not think me unworthy of some small share of that notice, with which he was once pleased to honour me. you I will not detain your grace to echo back the voice of a whole people in favour of your just and prudent administration of public affairs. That the salutary measures you are pursuing may be as productive of tranquillity and honour to your grace, as they are of happiness to these kingdoms, is the sincere wish of, my lord, your grace's most humble, most obedient, most devoted servant, Tully's Head, Pall-Mall, EDWARD MOORE. PREFACE TO THE EDITION OF MOORE'S POEMS AND PLAYS, PUBLISHED IN 1756, QUARTO. Most of the following poems have already made their appearance in detached pieces; but as many of them were printed without a name, I was advised by some particular friends to collect them into a volume, and publish them by subscription. The painful task of soliciting such a subscription was chiefly undertaken by those friends, and with such spirit and zeal, that I should be greatly wanting in gratitude, if I neglected any opportunity, either public or private, of making them my most sincere acknowledgments. I am also obliged to a very valuable friend in Ireland for a considerable number of subscribers in that kingdom, a list of whose names I have not been favoured with, and for which I was desired not to delay publication. I mention this seeming neglect, that my friends on that side the water may not accuse me of any disrespect. Such as the work now is, I submit it to the public. Defects in it there are many, which I have wanted both time and abilities to amend as I could wish. Its merit (if it has any, and I may be allowed to name it) is its being natural and unaffected, and tending to promote virtue and goodhumour. Those parts of it that have been published singly had the good fortune to please; those that are now added will, I hope, be no discredit to them. Upon the whole, I have sent this my offspring into the world in as decent a dress as I was able: a legitimate one I am sure it is; and if it should be thought defective in strength, spirit, or vigour, let it be considered, that its father's marriage with the Muses, like most other marriages into that noble family, was more from necessity than inclination. |