ii.
gaudiness and inane phraseology of many modern writers, if they persist in reading this book to its conclusion, will perhaps frequently have to ſtruggle with feelings of ſtrangeness and aukwardness: they will look round for poetry, and will be induced to enquire by what species of courtesy these attempts can be permitted to assume that title. It is desirable that such readers, for their own sakes, should not suffer the solitary word Poetry, a word of very disputed meaning, to stand in the way of their gratification; but that, while they are perusing this book, they should aſk themselves if it contains a natural delineation of human paſſions, human characters, and human incidents; and if the answer be favorable to the author's wishes, that they should consent to be pleased in spite of that moſt dreadful enemy to our pleasures, our own pre-established codes of decision.
