By WM. RICHARDSON, Efq.
PROFESSOR of HUMANITY in the UNIVERSITY of
GLASGOW.

The SECOND EDITION, corrected.

LONDON;

Printed for J. MURRAY, No. 32, Fleetstreet;
and W. CREECH, at Edinburgh.
MDCCLXXIV.

29

INTRODUCTION.

MORA

ORALISTS of all ages have recommended Poetry as an art no less inftructive than amufing; tending at once to improve the heart, and entertain the fancy. The genuine and original Poet, peculiarly favoured by nature, and intimately acquainted with the conftitution of the human mind, not by a long train of metaphyfical deductions, but, as it were, by immediate intuition, displays the workings of every affection, detects the origin of every paffion, traceth its progress, and delineates its character. Thus, he teaches us to know ourselves, infpires us with magnanimous fentiments, animates our love of virtue, and confirms our hatred of vice. Moved by his striking pictures of the inftability of human enjoyments, we A moderate