PREFACE.

A PREFACE is allowed to be the writer's privilege, and a short one is believed to be the reader's pleasure: the former, because a little explanation and excuse are matters alike of private benefit and of public courtesy; the latter, because much of these should be left to the suggestions of a charitable world, and curiosity be taxed with no delay on the threshold of a new book.

It may, then, be acceptable, as well as advantageous, briefly to answer a few probable objections on the surface. If any one, looking through the vista of past ages, and taking note of the goodly company of admirable men who from time to time have done honour to humanity, shall accuse us, as perhaps he

may, of an unwise selection, let him be content to know that our worthies, as a whole, have been chosen in furtherance of one special plan, and taken as individuals, were men generally excellent in their generation. If a protest be made, as perhaps it will, against a mingling of characters and subjects, sacred with profane, let it be noted, that, the order of time having been followed, such a mixture was unavoidable. If the moral of the book be sought for, let it be found in the perusal and if a man desire to judge aright, let him in candour hear us to the end.

By some minds, the very different styles of the introductory Vision and succeeding pages will be objected as incongruous; let such consider the difference of subjects, and neither expect Fancy to be wingless, a mere Musa pedestris, nor Judgment to walk in Mercury's talaria.

With respect to the prose portion of the volume, many readers may be disappointed at finding it made up of brief essays, mixing fact with speculation, instead of sober biography condensed from Encyclopædias; many more will most assuredly be

offended at the exhibition of the author's politics, although these are not the result of party spirit, but of deliberate conviction; some again may think differently on religious topics, or vote for their exclusion altogether; others may draw opposite inferences from the same historical questions; while a last class of hypothetical readers may perceive evil where none was meant, or overlook what is intended to do good.

As to the poetical part, objections may be urged against the exclusive adoption of the sonnet, in preference to the varieties of lyric composition: but the writer has aimed at uniformity, and has selected that mode which he hoped was the most classical, although he has felt it greatly the most difficult.

Where translations occur, those who are not conversant with the classics, and with ancient metres, will have more to bear with, than even the scholar, who may truly accuse us of injustice: the idea of rendering a poet syllable for syllable in his own rhythm is believed to be a new one, and the wiser part of mankind looks upon novelty with suspicion: at any

rate, no more of these close versions have been here presented, than were necessary for making the experiment.

To conclude, let us remember the lesson taught by the too complaisant painter, and not hope for impossible unanimity; let the writer's fashion be as unshackled as the reader's judgment; for he, who attempts to please all, will only compromise his own honesty, and may fail in pleasing any.

THE VISION:

BEING

INTRODUCTORY.

I WAS Walking in my garden at noon and I came to the sun-dial, where, shutting my book, I leaned upon the pedestal, musing; so the thin shadow pointed to twelve.

Of a sudden, I felt a warm sweet breath upon my cheek, and, starting up, in much wonder beheld a face of the most bewitching beauty close beside me, gazing on the dial: it was only a face; and with earnest fear I leaned, stedfastly watching its strange loveliness. Soon, it looked into me with its fascinating eyes, and said mournfully, "Dost thou not know me?"—but I was speechless with astonishment: then it said, "Consider:"—with that, my mind rushed into me like a flood, and I looked, and considered, and speedily vague outlines shaped about, mingled with floating gossamers of colour, until I was aware that a glorious living creature was growing to my knowledge.

So I looked resolutely on her, (for she wore the garb of woman,) gazing still as she grew: and again

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