Satyrs upon the Jesuits written in the year 1679, upon occasion of the plot, together with the Satyr against vertue, and some other pieces by the same hand.

ADVERTISEMENT.

THE Author might here (ac∣cording to the laudable custom of Prefaces) entertain the Reader with a Discourse of the Original, Progress, and Rules of Satyr, and let him understand, that he has lately Read Casaubon, and several other Criticks upon the Point, but at present he is minded to wave it, as a vanity he is in no wise fond of. His only intent now is to give a brief account of what he Publishes, in order to prevent what censures he foresees may colourably be past thereupon: And that is, as followeth:

What he calls the Prologue, is in imitation of Persius, who has prefix'd somewhat by that Name before his Book of Satyrs, and may serve for a pretty good Authority. The first Satyr he drew by Sylla's Ghost in the great Johnson, which may be perceiv'd by some strokes and touches therein, however short they come of the Original. In the second, he only follow'd the swing of his own Genius. The Design, and some passages of the third were taken out of the Franciscan of Buchanan. Which Ingenuous confession he thinks fit to make, to shew he has more modesty than the common Padders in Wit of these times. He doubts, there may be some few mistakes in Chronology therein, which for want of Books he could not inform himself in. If the skilful Reader meet with any such, he may the more easily pardon

them upon that score. Whence he had the hint of the fourth, is obvious to all, that are any thing acquainted with Horace. And without the Authority of so great a President, the making of an Image speak, is but an ordinary Miracle in Poetry. He expects, that some will tax him of Buffoonery, and turning holy things into ridicule. But let them Read, how severely Ar∣nobius, Lactantius, Minutius Felix, and the gravest Fathers, have railly'd the fopperies and superstitions of the Heathen, and then con∣sider, whether those, which he has chosen for his Argument, are not as worthy of laughter. The only difference is, that they did it in Prose, as he d••es in Verse, where perhaps 'tis the more allowable.

As for the next Poem (which is the most liable to censure) though the World has given it the Name of the Satyr against Vertue, he declares 'twas never design'd to that intent, how apt soever some may be to wrest it. And this appears by what is said after it, and is discernable enough to all, that have the sence to understand it. 'Twas meant to abuse those, who valued themselves upon their Wit and Parts in praising Vice, and to shew, that others of sober Principles, if they would take the same liberty in Poetry, could strain as high rants in Profaness as they. At first he intended it not for the publick, nor to pass beyond the privacy of two or three Friends, but seeing it had the Fate to steal abroad in Manuscript, and afterwards in Print, without his knowledge; he now thinks it a justice due to

his own Reputation, to have it come forth without those faults, which it has suffer'd from Tran∣scribers and the Press hitherto, and which make it a worse Satyr upon himself, than upon what it was design'd.

Something should be said too of the last Trifle, if it were worth it. 'Twas occasion'd upon Reading the late Translations of Ovid's Epistles, which gave him a mind to try what he could do upon a like Subject. Those being already fore∣stal'd, he thought fit to make choice of this of the same Poet, whereon perhaps he has taken too much liberty. Had he seen Mr. Sandys his Translation before he begun, he never durst have ventur'd: Since he has, and finds reason enough to despair of his undertaking. But now 'tis done, he is loath to burn it, and chooses rather

to give somebody else the trouble. The Reader may do as he pleases, either like it, or put it to the use of Mr. Jordan's Works. 'Tis the first attempt, he ever made in this kind, and likely enough to be the last, his vein (if he may be thought to have any) lying another way.