ADVERTISEMENT

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To the READER.

O this Edition is fubjoined (for the fake of those Readers to whom it may not prove unwelcome) an Explanation, or rather, in moft Places, a liberal Imitation, of all the Latin Infcriptions and Quotations throughout this Work, by Mr. HULL. That Gentleman's well-known Friendship for Mr. SHENSTONE, and Willingness to oblige, being his fole Inducements to this (as be chooses to have it called) trifling Addition, the Editor thinks it no more than a juft Return of Gratitude to let his Purchasers know to whom they are beholden for it. Be it remembered however that it was executed in a Country Retirement, where our eminent Tranflators of the Claffics not at hand to be confulted.

PREFACE.

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Great part of the poetical works of Mr. SHENSTONE, particularly his Elegies and Paftorals, are (as he himself expreffes it) The exact tranfcripts of the fituation of his own mind;": and abound in frequent allufions to his own place, the beautiful scene of his retirement from the world. Exclufively therefore of our natural curiofity to be acquainted with the hiftory of an author whofe works we perufe with pleasure, fome fhort account of Mr. SHENSTONE's perfonal character, and fituation in life, may not only be agreeable, but absolutely neceffary, to the reader; as it is impoffible he fhould enter into the true fpirit of his writings, if he is entirely ignorant of thofe circumstances of his life, which fometimes fo greatly influenced his reflec tions.

. I could with however that this task had been allotted to fome perfon capable of performing it in that masterly manner which the subject so well deferves. To confefs the truth, it was chiefly to pre

vent his remains from falling into the hands of any one still lefs qualified to do him justice, that I have unwillingly ventured to undertake the publication of them myself.

Mr. SHENSTONE was the eldeft fon of a plain uneducated gentleman in SHROPSHIRE, who farmed his own eftate. The father fenfible of his fon's extraordinary capacity, refolved to give him a learned education, and sent him a commoner to PEMBROKE College in OXFORD, defigning him for the church: but tho' he had the most aweful notions of the wifdom, power, and goodness of God, he never could be perfuaded to enter into orders. In his private opinions he adhered to no particular fect, and hated all religious disputes. But whatever were his own fentiments, he always fhewed great tenderness to those who differed from him. Tendernefs, indeed, in every sense of the word, was his peculiar characteristic; his friends, his domeftics, his poor neighbours, all daily experienced his benevolent turn of mind. Indeed, this virtue in him was often carried to fuch excess, that it fometimes bordered upon weaknefs; yet if he was convinced that any of those ranked amongst the number of his friends, had treated him ungenerously, he was not easily reconciled. He used a maxim, however, on fuch occafi

ons,