TO
JAMES
EARL
OF
PERTH
,
Lord
Drummond
,
and
Stobhall
,
LORD
HIGH
CHANCELLOR
Of
the
KINGDOM
of
SCOTLAND
.
My
Lord
,
BEing
now
to
expose
this
Poetical
Essay
to
the
mercy
of
the
censuring
World
,
and
considering
,
under
whose
Patronage
I
might
adventure
the
Publication
:
I
humbly
presum'd
your
Lordship
,
both
as
a
person
eminent
in
Piety
,
Virtue
,
and
Learning
;
and
by
the
high
Character
you
bear
in
the
Government
as
supream
Judge
of
that
Illustrious
Court
,
upon
which
my
Profession
as
a
Lawyer
has
afforded
me
a
dependance
now
these
many
years
,
to
be
the
only
Person
,
to
whom
I
could
with
honour
dedicate
this
Proiece
;
especially
being
encourag'd
to
it
by
your
Lordships
generous
perusal
,
and
approbation
of
some
of
the
Sheets
in
privat
.
I
do
therefore
,
my
Lord
,
address
this
Poetical
Composure
to
your
Lordship
,
as
to
a
Person
,
whose
sublime
Soul
I
know
entertains
the
true
Sentiments
of
Mortality
,
and
the
transient
vanity
of
this
World
,
of
which
this
admirable
Book
of
JOB
affords
so
large
,
and
spacious
a
Field
for
Contemplation
,
as
a
Mind
but
even
a
little
elevate
above
the
Dust
of
the
World
,
and
furnish'd
but
with
ordinary
Parts
,
may
in
private
Meditations
on
the
several
Texts
,
far
exceed
my
most
polish'd
Reflections
on
the
Subject
:
the
exercise
of
Contemplation
being
so
pleasing
to
an
ingenuous
Spirit
,
as
what
in
other
Sciences
reiteration
renders
nauseous
,
in
this
it
adds
fresh
Desires
,
and
makes
the
Soul
so
enamou●'d
with
but
even
a
random
Prospect
of
its
true
,
and
permanent
Felicity
,
which
it
discovers
through
the
Telescope
of
Conten
plation
,
as
it
undervalues
all
the
Afflictions
of
this
Life
,
in
the
satisfaction
of
what
nothing
can
parallel
on
this
side
Separation
.
The
ground
of
my
Address
to
your
Lordship
proceeding
then
from
that
esteem
,
which
all
this
Nation
has
for
you
,
as
a
Person
,
who
,
in
the
Affairs
of
greatest
Importance
,
affords
daily
Proofs
of
your
eminent
Abilities
,
I
do
not
so
much
,
as
approach
the
borders
of
Flattery
,
if
I
name
your
Lordship
one
of
the
prime
Ornaments
of
the
Age
,
in
which
you
live
.
For
seriously
,
my
Lord
,
when
I
compare
the
Figure
you
make
in
the
State
,
with
that
of
your
years
,
(
contrary
to
the
Vulgar
opinion
,
That
Wisdom
only
dwells
in
aged
Breasts
;
)
I
must
acknowledge
with
the
learned
young
man
,
who
bears
no
small
part
in
the
ensuing
Discourses
,
that
—
There
is
a
spirit
in
man
,
and
the
instigation
of
the
Almighty
giveth
understanding
.
But
as
your
Promotion
,
my
Lord
,
in
so
small
advance
of
years
to
the
high
Dignity
,
in
which
you
now
move
,
makes
me
admire
the
vivacity
,
and
felicity
of
your
wit
,
so
(
to
augment
the
wonder
)
when
I
consider
your
Lordships
younger
Brother
at
this
same
time
,
shining
in
that
eminent
station
of
Secretary
of
State
,
making
thus
betwixt
you
the
most
●●●ly
conspicuous
pair
of
one
Family
,
that
has
flourish'd
,
since
the
days
of
the
two
Illustrious
Brothers
Dukes
of
Hamilton
;
I
find
my self
again
oblig'd
with
that
same
Elihu
to
acknowledge
,
that
the
Spirit
of
God
has
made
you
both
,
and
the
breathing
of
the
Almighty
has
given
you
life
.
May
this
bright
Constellation
long
shine
in
the
Orb
of
our
Government
,
and
as
you
increase
in
Years
,
so
may
you
both
increase
in
Piety
,
and
Virtue
,
advance
in
His
Majesties
Royal
esteem
,
and
the
love
of
your
Countrey
,
until
such
time
,
as
two
such
refined
Souls
being
translated
to
eternal
Felicity
,
may
make
a
fairer
appearance
in
the
Court
of
the
King
of
kings
,
then
mortal
Men
can
make
in
that
of
a
King
upon
Earth
,
to
which
the
good
Wishes
shall
never
be
deficient
of
him
,
whose
Ambition
is
to
be
esteem'd
,
My
Lord
,
Your
Lordships
most
humble
,
most
oblig'd
,
and
most
sincerely
devoted
W.
C.
Preface
.
SInce
men
do
no
less
differ
in
their
Judgments
,
and
apprehensions
of
what
they
read
,
in
this
then
in
former
Ages
,
and
that
some
out
of
envy
,
others
out
of
malice
,
or
ignorance
do
either
abstain
from
perusing
of
Compositions
of
the
nature
of
the
ensuing
Treatise
;
or
having
perused
such
(
though
never
so
well
accommodate
with
all
the
embellishments
of
W●t
,
and
Art
)
in
the
same
humour
decry
them
,
it
is
usual
for
Authors
to
make
Apologies
for
publishing
of
what
many
of
them
pretend
were
never
design'd
for
the
Light
but
importunity
of
Friends
,
or
Copies
surreputiously
creeping
abroad
,
oblig'd
them
to
a
Publication
,
though
in
reality
their
only
design
was
an
itch
of
Applause
,
only
to
be
attained
by
the
brokery
of
the
Press
,
as
if
a
few
polish'd
expressions
in
the
entry
of
their
Writings
were
able
to
divert
the
torrent
of
the
censuring
Readers
.
Hence
tedious
Prefaces
,
and
joyn'd
with
these
a
deal
of
Encomiums
are
posted
in
the
Avenues
of
all
our
modern
Writings
,
only
to
put
the
Readers
in
an
humor
before
perusal
,
and
invite
them
to
an
appetite
for
their
Crudities
.
But
what
is
here
published
I
acknowledge
was
originally
design'd
for
the
Press
,
and
so
stands
in
need
of
no
such
inviting
Complement
,
the
Publication
being
as
necessary
,
by
the
rules
of
my
Circumstances
,
as
the
Composition
was
,
which
was
so
far
from
being
calculate
to
the
Meridian
of
Applause
,
as
I
never
projected
a
favourable
reception
of
it
,
but
made
my
account
,
(
as
I
yet
do
)
for
censure
,
and
the
worst
of
usage
,
with
all
which
I
am
resolv'd
to
dispense
,
in
confidence
that
all
ingenuous
and
impartial
Readers
will
find
my
design
in
it
has
been
only
to
alleviate
the
severity
of
my
own
sad
Circumstances
.
It
is
true
indeed
,
the
publishing
my
private
Reflections
upon
a
Subject
of
such
sacred
Importance
,
as
is
that
admirable
Book
of
JOB
,
may
be
esteem'd
a
presumption
in
one
of
my
Profession
,
whose
business
is
generally
to
mind
secular
Affairs
,
and
not
to
make
such
in-roads
into
Divinity
;
but
with
the
good
favour
of
the
learned
,
and
worthy
Clergy
(
for
whom
no
man
has
greater
esteem
then
I
have
)
I
hope
it
will
be
acknowledged
,
that
the
Scripture
being
a
Theme
in
which
we
are
all
equally
concern'd
as
to
perusal
,
and
instruction
;
if
I
,
following
the
opinions
of
the
best
of
Commentators
on
the
Subject
,
have
,
at
my
solitary
opportunities
express'd
my
thoughts
in
Poesy
upon
the
several
Texts
,
as
I
found
those
of
their
own
Profession
have
learnedly
instructed
me
in
Prose
,
my
greatest
Crime
in
this
Publication
,
is
only
that
I
am
not
of
their
Order
.
Neither
will
it
be
found
,
upon
perusal
by
the
most
severe
Inquisitors
,
that
I
have
deviate
from
the
receive●●pinions
of
the
Divines
upon
the
place
,
unless
possibly
in
cap.
24.
v.
18.
where
the
words
are
,
He
is
swift
as
the
Waters
,
&c.
I
apply
the
Text
to
the
Crime
of
Piracy
,
being
induc'd
thereto
by
the
words
of
the
preceeding
Texts
,
wherein
Job
enumerates
several
special
Crimes
at
Land
,
and
probably
might
thence
take
a
rise
to
discourse
of
that
notorious
Crime
of
Piracy
,
of
which
in
all
appearance
he
had
frequently
heard
,
living
so
nigh
the
Red-Sea
,
which
was
then
and
is
yet
much
infested
with
Pyrats
:
and
authorized
besides
by
the
concurse
of
the
learned
Grotius
,
Vatablus
,
and
our
Countrey-man
Mr.
Hutchison
in
the
same
opinion
.
I
would
request
then
those
of
that
venerable
Order
to
have
that
charity
for
me
,
as
to
think
I
did
not
attempt
a
work
of
this
importance
,
hand
over
head
,
(
as
the
Proverb
is
,
)
but
to
peruse
,
and
examine
the
whole
,
and
I
hope
they
will
find
I
have
proceeded
in
it
with
that
deference
,
as
is
due
to
the
Subject
.
To
the
Vulgar
Objection
against
this
Piece
,
that
it
has
been
frequently
performed
in
Verse
already
by
others
,
I
make
no
further
answer
then
that
all
I
have
ever
seen
,
Sylvester
,
Herbert
,
and
Quarrels
,
do
perform
it
in
a
simple
transposition
of
the
words
of
Prose
into
Rythme
,
whereas
I
have
not
followed
that
method
,
but
according
as
the
several
Texts
afforded
Subject
,
I
have
presum'd
to
expatiate
,
by
way
of
Poetical
Lectures
,
and
(
which
was
the
greatest
difficulty
in
all
the
Composure
)
have
endeavoured
to
connect
the
several
Texts
in
continued
Discourses
,
notwithstanding
of
the
abrupt
transitions
from
one
Subject
to
another
,
and
frequent
Hebraisms
all
along
,
which
hardly
admit
of
a
genuine
exposition
in
Prose
,
and
by
consequence
,
are
more
difficult
to
be
coupled
in
Verse
.
Nor
if
I
had
followed
the
methods
of
these
Gentlemen
exactly
,
do
I
commit
any
novelty
in
this
Essay
,
if
men
will
consider
how
many
Translations
have
been
publish'd
of
Virgil
,
Horace
,
&c.
yet
do
not
these
hinder
some
of
the
most
refined
Wits
of
the
Age
to
publish
their
Translations
of
the
same
Authors
to
this
very
day
,
for
were
it
no
more
but
the
new
dress
of
the
present
and
current
Language
,
it
makes
a
great
difference
from
a
Translation
Fifty
Years
ago
.
This
Book
of
JOB
I
know
is
by
some
repute
no
real
History
,
but
a
Parable
,
and
to
have
been
writ
Originally
in
Poesy
,
but
I
am
concluded
by
the
positive
words
of
the
Text
,
There
was
a
man
,
&c.
or
if
it
was
,
as
these
suppose
,
certainly
the
Mythology
is
of
great
use
and
instruction
for
all
Christians
,
for
,
by
the
whole
Contexture
I
look
upon
Jobs
Troubles
to
have
much
consisted
in
Oppression
and
Calumny
,
which
are
the
two
hardest
species
of
Affliction
for
an
ingenuous
Spirit
to
bear
,
as
he
appears
to
have
been
,
especially
when
his
Friends
,
stead
of
comforting
him
,
seem
all
along
to
second
those
clamourous
reports
of
him
,
that
had
been
spread
through
the
whole
Countrey
on
that
occasion
;
so
that
all
his
doleful
Circumstances
considered
,
his
loss
of
Children
,
Estate
,
Reputation
,
and
aggravation
of
his
Afflictions
by
his
too
zealous
Friends
,
who
maintain'd
his
Punishments
were
nothing
but
the
return
of
his
Sins
,
he
appears
to
quadrate
with
that
excellent
expression
of
Boetius
,
in
his
second
Book
,
de
Con●ol.
Phil.
Hoc
tantum
dixerim
,
ultimam
esse
adversae
fortunae
sarcinam
cum
miseri
,
quae
perferunt
,
meruisse
creduntur
.
Yet
how
God
Almighty
in
the
end
doth
vindi●ate
him
from
all
those
leud
aspertions
,
and
restores
him
to
double
what
he
formerly
possess'd
,
is
a
great
ground
of
comfort
for
all
suffering
Christian
,
wholy
under
such
heavy
Pressures
,
as
I
my self
have
done
aad
yet
do
by
the
malice
of
some
virulent
,
vindictive
Fellows
,
who
so
endeavour
to
destroy
my
Reputation
,
as
they
have
no
regard
to
their
own
.
Upon
this
consideration
I
have
attempted
▪
and
finished
this
Essay
,
and
in
a
Poetical
Strain
humoured
the
several
Discourses
from
the
beginning
to
the
end
:
and
if
I
have
been
somewhat
free
in
my
Characters
and
Descriptions
of
the
Vices
of
this
present
Age
,
as
I
found
the
Texts
afforded
me
Subject
,
let
the
Persons
concerned
,
(
if
any
such
be
)
●onsider
,
the
Spirit
of
God
,
in
all
Ages
,
as
appears
by
the
whole
Tract
of
Sacred
Writ
,
has
inveigh'd
against
such
Villanies
;
and
I
following
the
Text
,
could
do
no
less
in
Poesy
,
then
what
the
Prose
in
few
words
seem'd
to
poin
out
.
And
for
my
description
of
the
Adulterer
(
which
some
Criticks
may
possibly
judge
a
little
too
particular
,
)
let
them
consider
Solomons
description
of
his
whorish
Woman
,
which
is
a
sufficient
authority
for
me
.
Further
I
have
not
to
say
,
introductory
to
the
perusal
,
but
if
I
be
judged
in
this
Composition
a
most
presumptuous
Interloper
in
the
Trade
of
Wit
,
my
answer
is
,
I
never
did
,
nor
do
yet
pretend
to
that
Character
:
let
the
florid
Wits
of
our
Age
enjoy
their
Trade
intire
,
for
me
,
a
great
part
of
my
design
in
this
Composure
being
only
to
make
attonement
for
my
former
wanton
excursions
in
this
Art
;
and
if
I
meet
with
censure
,
or
applause
,
I
am
indifferent
:
for
when
I
consider
how
many
polish'd
Wits
of
our
Age
have
employed
their
Parts
of
late
in
Projections
destructive
to
themselves
,
and
their
Families
;
I
think
the
small
Parts
God
has
allowed
me
have
been
better
employed
in
this
unprofitable
Composition
,
which
I
hope
upon
perusal
will
be
found
to
savour
neither
of
a
bad
Christian
,
nor
a
bad
Subject
;
for
before
I
would
do
any
thing
contrare
to
the
Character
of
either
,
to
obtain
the
reputation
of
a
contriving
Wit
—
Ridenda
Poemata
malo
.
Errata
.
PAge
7.
Line
9.
read
since
for
sure
:
ibid.
l.
15.
add
still
.
p.
13.
l.
29.
add
me
.
p.
29.
l.
11.
for
putting
,
r.
pulin●
.
ibid.
l.
42.
for
nor
,
r.
none
.
p.
35.
l.
41.
add
are
.
ibid.
l.
46.
for
express
,
r.
oppress
.
p.
60.
l.
49.
r.
I
am
.
p.
84.
l.
30.
r.
specious
lye
.
p.
85.
4
,
and
5.
l.
of
12.
verse
,
r.
on't
.
p.
110.
l.
1.
r.
be
.
p.
127.
l.
12.
of
verse
9.
for
to
,
r.
so
.
p.
140.
l.
1.
of
verse
2.
for
shall
,
r.
still
.
p.
144.
l.
26.
for
ob
,
r.
of
.
p.
184.
l.
15.
for
should
,
r.
would
.
p.
191.
l.
1.
of
verse
8.
add
thou
.
p.
213.
l.
14.
of
verse
13.
for
flowers
,
r.
floors
.
p.
223.
l.
23.
of
verse
17.
for
properly
,
r.
property
.
p.
261.
l.
1.
for
my
,
r.
by
.
p.
262.
l.
3.
for
all
,
r.
at
.
p.
264.
l.
34.
for
through
,
r.
though
.
p.
274.
l.
9.
verse
27.
for
power
,
r.
hour
.
p.
287.
Text
,
verse
12.
for
just
,
r.
unjust
.
ibid.
l.
3.
r.
untam'd
.
ibid.
l.
13.
for
the
,
r.
thy
.
p.
301.
verse
19.
l.
24.
for
riches
,
r.
virtues
.
p.
304.
verse
13.
l.
1.
for
such
,
r.
since
.
p.
311.
l.
4.
for
chines
,
r.
chimes
.
p.
354.
verse
21.
l.
5.
for
small
,
r.
tall
.
If
any
other
Errors
appear
to
the
Reader
,
which
may
be
occasioned
by
mistake
of
the
Printer
,
(
of
which
the
best
corrected
Pieces
are
hardly
free
,
)
he
is
courteously
desired
to
amend
them
with
his
Pen.