me, that the engenderings of unripe age become abortive, and deform'd; and that after obtaining more years, those must needs prophesie with ill success, who make use of their Visions in Wine; That when the ancient Poets were valu'd as Prophets, they were long and painfull in watching the correspondence of Causes, ere they presum'd to foretel effects: and that 'tis a high pesumption to entertain a Nation (who are Poets standing Guest, and require Monarchical respect) with hastie provisions; as if a Poet might imitate a familiar dispatch of Faulkoners, mount his Pegasus, unhood his Muse, and with a few flights boast he hath provided a feast for a Prince. Such posting upon Pegasus I have long since forborn; and during my Journey in this Work, have mov'd with a slow pace; that I might make my survays as one that travelled not bring home the names, but the proportion, and nature of things: and in this I am made wise by two great examples; for the friends of Virgil acknoledge he was many years in doing honour to Æneas (still contracting at night into a closer force, the abundance of his morning strengths) and Statius rather seems to boast, than blush, when he confesses he was twice Six[errata 1] in renowning the War between Argos and Thebes.
Next to the usefulness of Time (which here implies ripe age (I believ'd pains most requisite to this undertaking: for though painfulness in Poets (according to the usual negligence of our Nation in Examining, and their diligence to censure) seems always to discover a want of natural force, and is traduc'd, as if Poesie concern'd the World no more than Dancing; whose onely grace is the quickness and facilitie of motion; and whole perfection is not of such publick consequence, that any man can merit much by attaining it with long labour; yet let them consider, and they will find (nor can I stay long ere I convince them in the important use of Poesie) the natural force of a Poet more apparent, by but confessing that great forcesask Errata
