no one of his friends found cause to distrust, and whose acknowledged candour no enemy had the temerity to deny. With such encouragement, I present my Book to your Lordship: the Account of the _Life and Writings of Lopez de Vega_, has taught me what I am to expect; I there perceive how your Lordship can write, and am there taught how you can judge of writers: my faults, however numerous, I know will none of them escape through inattention, nor will any merit be lost for want of discernment: My verses are before him who has written elegantly, who has judged with accuracy, and who has given unequivocal proof of abilities in a work of difficulty;--a translation of poetry, which few persons in this kingdom are able to read, and in the estimation of talents not hitherto justly appreciated: In this view, I cannot but feel some apprehension: but I know also, that your Lordship is apprised of the great difficulty of writing well; that you will make much allowance for failures, if not too frequently repeated; and, as you can accurately discern, so you will readily approve, all the better and more happy efforts of one, who places the highest value upon your Lordship’s approbation; and who has the honour to be, MY LORD, Your Lordship’s most faithful, and obliged humble Servant, GEO. CRABBE. _PREFACE._ About twenty-five years since, was published a Poem called _The Library_; which, in no long time, was followed by two others, _The Village_, and _The Newspaper_: These, with a few alterations and additions, are here reprinted; and are accompanied by a Poem of greater length, and several shorter attempts, now, for the first time, before the Public; whose reception of them creates in their Author, something more than common solicitude, because he conceives that, with the judgement to be formed of these latter productions, upon whatever may be found intrinsically meritorious or defective, there will be united an enquiry into the relative degree of praise or blame, which they may be thought to deserve, when compared with the more early attempts of the same Writer. And certainly, were it the principal employment of a man’s life, to compose Verses, it might seem reasonable to expect, that he would continue to improve as long as he continued to live; though, even then, there is some doubt whether such improvement would follow, and perhaps proof might be adduced to shew, it would not: but when to this “_idle trade_,” is added some “_calling_,” with superior claims upon his time and attention, his progress in the art of Versification will probably be in proportion neither to the years he has lived, nor even to the attempts he has made.