A collection of miscellanies consisting of poems, essays, discourses, and letters occasionally written / by John Norris ...

TO THE READER.

OF all the tedious things in the world I was ever the least Friend to long Pre∣faces, and therefore I shall only commend to your hands this Collection of Miscel∣lanies occasionally composed at several times, as my Humour and Leasure serv'd me, with a brief ac∣count of my Design as to both Parts of the Col∣lection.

Not to trouble you with a Pompous discourse of the nature of Poetry, its Measures of Criticism, its Variety, Antiquity, its great use and excellence and the like, which have been at large set forth by many curious Pens, I have only leasure at present to observe, that Poetry is of late mightily fall'n from the Beauty of its Idea, and from its ancient Majesty and grandeur, as well as Credit and Re∣putation.

It may appear strange indeed that in such a Re∣fining Age as this, wherein all things seem ready to receive their last turn and finishing stroke, Poe∣try should be the only thing that remains unim∣prov'd. And yet so it happens, that which we gene∣rally have now adays is no more like the thing it was formerly, than Modern Religion is like Pri∣mitive Christianity.

'Tis with this as with our Music. From grave, majestic, solemn strains, where deep instructive sense

is sweetly convey'd in charming numbers, where e∣qual address is made to the Judgment and the Imagination, and where Beauty and Strength go hand in hand, 'tis now for the most part dwindled down to light, frothy stuff, consisting either of mad extravagant Rants, or slight Witticisms, and lit∣tle amorous Conceits, fit only for a Tavern enter∣tainment, and that too among Readers of a Dutch palate.

The truth is, this most excellent and Divine Art has of late been so cheapned and depretiated by the bungling performances of some who thought themselves inspired, and whose Readers too have been more kind to them than their Planets, that Poetry is grown almost out of Repute, and men come strongly prejudiced against any thing of this kind, as expecting nothing but Froth and Empti∣ness, and to be a Poet goes for little more than a Country Fidler.

But certainly he had once another Character, and that in as nice and wise an Age as this. If we may believe the great Horace he was one

——Cui mens Divinior, atque Os Magna locuturum————

He had then his Temples surrounded with a Di∣vine glory, spoke like the Oracle of the God of wis∣dom, and could describe no Hero greater than himself. Poetry was once the Mistress of all the Arts in the Circle, that which held the Rains of the world in her hand, and which gave the first, and (if we may judge by the effects) perhaps the best In∣stitutes for the moralizing and governing the Pas∣sions of mankind.

The Design therefore of the present undertaking is to restore the declining genius of Poetry to its Primitive and genuin greatness, to wind up the strings of the Muses Lyre, and to shew that sense and gracefulness are as consistent in these as in a∣ny other Compositions. I design here all the Mascu∣line sense and Argument of a Dissertation, with the advantage of Poetic Fineness, Beauty and Spirit, and accordingly I have made choice for the most part of Divine and Moral Subjects, and if I meddle with any other sort, I commonly turn the stream another way, as particularly in those two Poems call'd Beauty and Love, which I have res∣cued from those sordid abuses they have hitherto suffer'd.

I confess 'tis a difficult Province to make sub∣stantial massy Sense yield to the softnesses of Poe∣try, and accordingly we find there are few Poems after the Divine and Moral way but what are stiff, flat and insipid; but without this Mixture Poetry is nothing worth, and when it has it, it has all it can have, and is withall so Divine a thing, that even Plato I fancy would give it entertain∣ment in his Common-wealth.

I need not make any other Apology for my con∣versing with the Muses, for I do not think it an em∣ployment beneath the Character of a Scholar, and tho I have now set up my outmost Pillar, yet I can't find in my heart to repent me of those few Blank hours bestow'd in this Exercise. For I have the example of some of the greatest and wisest in all Ages to warrant me, and the greatness of Solomon

is seen as much in his Divine Pastoral, the Canti∣cles, as in his Proverbs or Sermons, and the wise Ben-Sirach among other Characters of his Heroes puts in this among the rest, that they were such as found out Musical tunes, and recited Verses in writing. Eccl. 44. 5.

And thus much for the Verse-part. Concerning the Essays and Discourses I have only this to say, that I design'd in them as much Brevity and Clear∣ness as are consistent with each other, and to abound in sense rather than words. I wish all men would observe this in their writings more than they do. I'm sure the multitude of Books and the short∣ness of Life require it, and sense will lye in a lit∣tle compass if men would be perswaded to vent no Notions but what they are Masters of, and were Angels to write, I fancy we should have but few Folio's.

This is what I design'd and endeavour'd in the whole. Whether I have attain'd it or no, I sub∣mit to Judgment.

All-Souls Coll. June 1st. 1687.

J. Norris.