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PREFACE.
what is worse, must mislead the pupil into a style of writing, which will defeat his purpose of gaining the applause of his countrymen.
Hence it becomes very desirable, that a new set of rules should be arranged, suited to the improvements and corrected taste of the present day; in order that they, whose genius or inclination leads them to cultivate poetry, may not only enjoy the advantage of having models to imitate, in the numerous poets by which the age is distinguished, but may also have a kind of manual, to which they may easily refer in cases of doubt and difficulty. This task I have ventured to undertake; and I assure the reader, that, however imperfectly in other respects it may be executed, he will find the pre-
