 | Tamerlane |  |
The following paragraph has been extracted from the Epistle Dedicatory
Some People (who do me a very great Honour in it) have fancy'd, that in the Person of Tamerlane I have alluded to the greatest Character of the present Age. I don't know, whether I ought not to apprehend a great deal of Danger from avowing a Design like that. It may be a Task indeed worthy the greatest Genius, which this, or any other Time has produc'd: But therefore I ought not to stand the Shock of a Parallel, lest it should be seen, to my Disadvantage, how far the Hero has transcended the Poets Thought. There are many Features, 'tis true, in that Great Man's Life, not unlike His Majesty: His Courage, his Piety, his Moderation, his Justice, and his Fatherly Love of his People, but above all, his Hate of Tyranny and Oppression, and his zealous Care for the Common Good of Mankind, carry a large Resemblance of Him: Several Incidents are alike in their Stories; and there wants nothing to his Majesty but such a deciding Victory, as that by which Tamerlane gave Peace to the World. That is yet to come: But I hope we may reasonably expect it from the unanimity of the present Parliament,
| Tamerlane | |