tor happily imitates him, being not unmindful of the Rule prescrib'd by one of his Poëtical Masters ; Your Author always will the Best advise; It is prefumed no-body will be displeased with the Occafional Verses of a Gayer Turn: they were the Fruits of a Youthful Fancy, and contain nothing but what is Chafte and Innocent. Mr. SAY did not make Virtue to confift in a Stoical Apathy, but had a Heart fufceptible of Every tender, focial, and humane Paffion. Some of the Poëms on Moral and Divine Subjects are lively Paintings of the Author's humble, unambitious Mind; and others the Spontaneous Offering of a grateful Heart for the Grace and Goodnefs of GOD to Mankind in the Creätion and Redemption of the World. The Two Essays were drawn up about Seven Years ago, at the Requeft of Mr. RICHARDSON the Painter, who was pleased with Mr. SAY's uncommon Way of Thinking on those Subjects. The Author was the more careful to point out fome of the the Beauties in PARADISE REGAIN'D, in hopes of exciting a Curiofity to perufe That Poëm, which, tho' fuppofed far inferior to PARADISE LOST in the General Plan, has, nevertheless, many fhining Paffages: And Some prefer the Fourth Book of PARADISE REGAIN'D to the latter Books of PARADISE LOST. Mr. SAY, as well as Mr. ADDISON, was a profeft Admirer of CHEVY-CHACE. Whoever has the fame Tafte will be pleased to find the only Abfurdity in that memorable Ballad, corrected * here from the Old Edition of it printed by OTTERBURN in the Reign of HARRY the Sixth. 'The Printer having defired some small Piece to compleat the last Sheet, it was thought that the Author's rational Account of the Scripture Sense of the Word PREACHING might be acceptable to the Reader. It is not, perhaps, proper to attempt, in this Place, Mr. SAY's Character as a Minister of the Gospel: And, besides, That has been already given by Dr. HUGHES in the Sermon. preach'd on occafion of his Funeral: From which, however, I beg leave to quote a fingle Paffage : The Words are these, "He never confined himself to the Sentiments of Any Party. *Effay the Second, p. 168, " in. " in the things of Religion; but followed wherefoever his "Reason, his Confcience, and the Scriptures led him." But it will not be thought foreign to the Office of an Editor of a Poëtical Work, just to touch the Out-lines of his Character as a GENTLEMAN and a SCHOLAR. He had great Candor and Good-breeding, without Stiffness or Formality, an Open Countenance, and a Temper always Communicative, He was a tender Husband, an indulgent Father, and of a most benevolent Disposition; ever ready to do Good, and to relieve the Wants of the Diftreft to the utmost Extent of his Fortune. He was well versed in Aftronomy and Natural Philofophy, had a Taste for Mufic and Poëtry, was a good Critic, and a Master of the Classics. Yet with all these Accomplishments (fo great was his Modefty!) his Name was fcarce known but to a few felect Friends. Among thefe, however, he thought himself happy that he could number the late Mr. JOHN HUGHES, Dr. WILLIAM HARRIS, Dr. ISAAC WATTS, &c. He had fuch a Diffidence of his own Performances, that he never published above Two or Three Sermons; and Thofe Those were in a manner extorted from him by the Importunity of the Congregation. The Reader will not therefore be displeased to find here a Specimen of his Turn and Address in Preaching. The following Paffages from his Manuscript Sermons will be fufficient to give fome Idea of it. The different Effects of an Arbitrary and a Free Government: In a Sermon preach'd soon after the Author's Return from a Journey to Paris. "We may obferve therefore, here, the Difference be"tween a Free People and a Nation of Slaves. In Countries that are Free, you may difcern a Face " of Riches and an Air of Felicity amongst the meanest "of the People; and wherever you go, you observe the "fenfible Effects of Trade and Commerce encouraged " and fecured. Every Spot of Ground is improved: The "Valleys are raised; the Hills are levell'd; the crooked "Places are made ftrait, and the rough are planed; "Bounds are even fet to the raging Ocean; and a Lake or "Marsh becomes a rich and various Paradife of Pleasure. "The Land is thick fet with Cities every Hour of the Journey; and the Cities crowded with Inhabitants, "while the Traveller, equally pleas'd and astonished, won ད ་ ་ "ders. "ders by what fecret Mines of Treasure, or by what Force " and Magic of Policy, fuch vast Numbers are supported " and maintained in fo narrow a Compafs; nor only "maintained, but capable of difpenfing and communi"cating from their own exuberant Wealth to all the "Country round about 'em, that at once feeds, and is "fed by them. On the other hand, in Kingdoms un"der the Power of Arbitrary Government, you see al“ most nothing but a general Appearance of Poverty and "Mifery; nothing but Rags and Nakedness, Beggary and "Defolation from one End to the other; 'till you come "to One proud City, the Court and Seat of the Ty rant, which devours all the Wealth of the Land, and "builds it's own Greatness and Magnificence on the Cala mity of many Provinces and whole Kingdoms, whofe "Treasures are drain'd to raise and support it. And, there"fore, as Europe is the Seat of Liberty, we see also that "it is the Seat of Power and Riches Superior to all the "reft of the World, and that, by this fingle Advantage, "the smallest, the most bleak, barren, and ragged Por❝tion of the Earth is rendered preferable to all the Na "tive Riches of the wider and more fertile Eaft. "And thus it will ever be, where every Man is fecure "that he toils for himself, that the Stranger shall not de vour |