We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.
We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 29 January 2025
TO
The Right Honourable,
SUSANNA,
Countess of EGLINTOUN.
MADAM,
THE Love of Approbation, and a Desire to please the best, have ever encouraged the Poets to finish their Designs with Chearfulness. But, conscious of their own Inability to oppose a Storm of Spleen, and haughty ill Nature, it is generally an ingenious Custom amongst them to chuse some honourable Shade.
WHEREFORE I beg Leave to put my Pastoral under your Ladyship's Protection. If my Patroness says, the Shepherds speak as they ought, and that there are several natural Flowers that beautify the rural Wild; I shall have good Reason to think my self safe from the aukward Censure of some pretending Judges that condemn before Examination.
I am sure of vast Numbers that will croud into your Ladyship's Opinion, and think it their Honour to agree in their Sentiments with the Countess of EGLINTOUN, whose Penetration, superior Wit, and sound Judgment, shines with an uncommon Lustre, while accompanied with the diviner Charms of Goodness and Equality of Mind.
IF it were not for offending only your Ladyship, here, Madam, I might give the fullest Liberty to my Muse to delineate the finest of Women, by drawing your Ladyship's Character, and be in no Hazard of being deemed a Flatterer; since Flattery lies not in paying what's due to Merit, but in Praises misplaced.
WERE I to begin with your Ladyship's honourable Birth and Alliance, the Field's ample, and presents us with numberless, great and good Patriots, that have dignified the Names of KENNEDY and MONTGOMERY. Be that the Care of the Herauld and Historian: ‘Tis personal Merit, and the heavenly Sweetness of the Fair, that inspire the tuneful Lays. Here every Lesbia must be excepted, whose Tongues give Liberty to the Slaves which their Eyes had made Captives. Such may be flatter’d; but your Ladyship justly claims our Admiration and profoundest Respect: For whilst you are possest of every outward Charm in the most perfect Degree, the never-fading Beauties of Wisdom and Piety, which adorn your Ladyship's Mind, command Devotion.
To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure no-reply@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.
Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.
Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.
To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.
To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.
