BY WILLIAM COWPER, Of the Inner Temple, Esq. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. I. Sicut aquæ tremulum labris ubi lumen ahenis Virg. Æn. viii. So water, trembling in a polished vase, A NEW EDITION. LONDON: PRINTED FOR J. JOHNSON AND CO. ST. PAUL'S CHURCH-YARD. 1810. On Mrs. Montagu's Feather Hangings Verses supposed to be written by Alexander Selkirk, during his Abode in the Island of On observing some Names of little Note record- ed in the Biographia Britannica PREFACE TO THE FIRST VOLUME. WHEN an Author, by appearing in print, requests an audience of the Public, and is upon the point of speaking for himself, whoever presumes to step before him with a preface, and to say, "Nay, but hear me first," should have something worthy of attention to offer, or he will be justly deemed officious and impertinent. The judicious reader has probably, upon other occasions, been beforehand with me in this reflection: and I am not very willing it should now be applied to me, however I may seem to expose myself to the danger of it. But the thought of having my own name perpetuated in connexion with the name in the title page is so |