University of Virginia Library

TO THE LORD VISCOUNT FALKLAND.

My LORD,

When first it entered into my thoughts to make this Present to Your Lordship, I received not onely Encouragement, but Pleasure, since upon due examination of my self, I found it was not a bare Presumption, but my Duty to the remembrance of many extraordinary Favours which I have received at Your hands.

For heretofore having had the honour to be near You, and bred under the same Discipline with You, I cannot but own, that in a great measure I owe the small share of Letters I have to Your Lordship. For Your Lordship's Example taught me to be asham'd of Idleness; and I first grew in love with Books, and learnt to value them, by the wonderfull Progress which even in Your tender years You made in them; so that Learning and Improvement

grew daily more and more lovely in my Eyes, as they shone in You.

Your Lordship has an extraordinary Reason to be a Patron of Poetry, for Your great Father loved it. May Your Lordship's Fame and Employments grow as great, or greater then His were; and may Your Vertues find a Poet to record them, equall (if possible) to that great*

Genius which sung of him.

My slender humble Talent must not hope for it; for You have a Judgment which I must always submit to, a general Goodness which I never (to its worth) can value: and who can praise that well which he knows not how to comprehend?

Already the Eyes and Expectations of men of the best Judgement are fixt upon You: for wheresoever You come, You have their Attention when present, and their Praise when You are gone: and I am sure (if I obtain but Your Lordship's Pardon) I shall have the Congratulation of all my friends, for having taken this opportunity to express my self