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ON

POETRY

AND

GENERAL LITERATURE,

DELIVERED AT

THE ROYAL INSTITUTION

IN 1830 AND 1831.

BY

JAMES MONTGOMERY,

AUTHOR OF

"THE WORLD BEFORE THE FLOOD," "THE PELICAN ISLAND,"

&c. &c.

Poesy! thou sweet'st content
That e'er heaven to mortals lent,
Though thou be to them a scorn,

Who to nought but earth are born,

May my life no longer be

Than I am in love with thee!

GEORGE WITHER, in Prison.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR

LONGMAN, REES, ORME, BROWN, GREEN, & LONGMAN,

PATERNOSTER-ROW.

ΤΟ

HIS GRACE

THE DUKE OF SOMERSET,

PRESIDENT,

AND TO

THE MANAGERS

OF

THE ROYAL INSTITUTION OF GREAT BRITAIN,

THESE ESSAYS

ARE,

BY PERMISSION,

MOST RESPECTFULLY AND GRATEFULLY INSCRIBED,

BY

THEIR MUCH OBLIGED AND HUMBLE SERVANT,

THE AUTHOR.

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PREFACE.

HAVING ventured to lay these papers before the Public, the Author dare not go further, in explanation or apology, than to express a hope that, whatever imperfections may be found in them, the candid reader will be more inclined to approve than condemn what he cannot but perceive has been done in good faith, and in honour of a noble art, which its advocate may have

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"loved, not wisely, but too well."

That art he pretends not to teach, but merely to illustrate according to his views of its worth and influence.

Claiming the right of an Author to borrow from himself, he has adopted a few brief passages, with necessary alterations, from the Introductory Essays to the Christian Psalmist and the Christian Poet, compiled by him for MR. COLLINS, of Glasgow. A few larger sections, but entirely new modelled, have been

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