THE PREFACE.

THE following Lines are eſteemed by the beſt Judges to be the fineſt Sketch of the Reſur⯑rection, that any Age or Language hath produced: Nor do their on⯑ly Excellence conſiſt in being an [iv] accurate Poem; but alſo in being an exact Copy of the Painter's^*O⯑riginal upon the Altar in Magda⯑len College; but ſo much impro⯑ved with all the ſtrongeſt Figures and moſt lively Embelliſhments of a poetical Deſcription, that the Reader receives a double Satisfa⯑ction in ſeeing the two Siſter-Arts ſo uſeful to each other in borrowing mutual Helps, and mu⯑tual Advantages.

It is, indeed, wonderful to find in the narrow Compaſs of ſo few Pages all the moſt dreadful Cir⯑cumſtances of that laſt terrible Criſis of Time: The Poem is a beautiful and ſuccinct Epitome of all that hath or can ever be ſaid [v] on that important Subject; the very Text, which the ingenious Mr. Young hath ſo largely and ele⯑gantly paraphras'd upon in his excellent Poem on the LAST DAY.

Mr. Addiſon is to be diſtin⯑guiſh'd thro' all his Performances both Latin and Engliſh, (and in his Latin, particularly in the fol⯑lowing one, and that on the Peace of Riſwick), by the ſtrength of his Images, and by a forcible and unaffected vivacity of Expreſſion, which none of our Moderns have attain'd to in ſo much Perfection; and which is very rarely to be met with even in any of the Anti⯑ents ſince Virgil and Horace.

[vi]Having mention'd Mr. Addiſon, I cannot avoid congratulating my Country on his Preferment to one of her greateſt Civil Employ⯑ments; nor forbear obſerving how happy we are in a KING, who hath ſhown the World that he will diſtribute his Favours a⯑mongſt thoſe only, whom Merit and Virtue ſhall recommend to his Service.

With what uncommon Luſtre muſt that Man appear to Poſteri⯑ty, who is not only the beſt Wri⯑ter and moſt candid Patron of the Age he lives in; but alſo the fi⯑neſt Gentleman, the ſincereſt Friend, the moſt affectionate Husband, the moſt accompliſh'd [vii] Stateſman, and the moſt exem⯑plary Chriſtian? Under every one of theſe Views Mr. Addiſon gains the Eſteem and Admirati⯑on even of the bittereſt Enemies to that Cauſe which he ſo warm⯑ly eſpouſes; of the moſt furious Partiſans and the moſt prejudic'd of Mankind.

I muſt forbear to enlarge any farther on the Character of that truly great and good Man, leſt I draw upon my ſelf the imputati⯑on of a Flatterer, by relating what all the World (except him⯑ſelf only) will allow to be the ſe⯑vereſt Truth.

I ſhall make no excuſe for of⯑fering the following Poem to the [viii] World in an Engliſh DRESS, and under all the Diſadvantages of an imperfect Tranſlation. I have often read it in the Original with the greateſt Pleaſure and Sa⯑tisfaction; and I hope it will need no Apology to be willing to com⯑municate ſo uſeful and ſublime an Entertainment, in the beſt man⯑ner I can, to thoſe of my Fellow-Subjects who are not qualify'd to read it in the Latin Original.