TO THE READER.

A Work better calculated to convey a comprehensive idea of English Literature than the Lives of the Poets can hardly be suggested. That those, who may not wish to withdraw from their other avocations so much time as is necessary for the perusal of the voluminous work of Dr. Johnson on this subject, may yet have access to the information it contains, we offer the present result of our labours to the attention of the public. We trust it will be found, on examination, to comprise, in a condensed form, all that is essential on the subject.

Every Poet of eminence is here included, and the Reader will find the Lives of Spenser, Shakespeare and Ben Jonson which the great Biographer has omitted. Of the Editors' Annotations some are calculated to confirm conjectures or elucidate facts, and others to introduce anecdotes unnoticed by the Doctor, and with which probably he was not acquainted.

In fine, the volume now offered to the public contains information, compendious indeed, but we

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hope, satisfactory; and we flatter ourselves it will be found both agreeable and useful to readers of every description.

As it may probably be expected that we should say something of so celebrated a character as Doctor Johnson who was himself a poet, we begin by a .sketch of his life-The rest will follow as nearly as possible in the order of chronology; except the three last mentioned poets whose lives shall be inserted at the end of the work.