GEORGE, 'King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith , Elector of Brunswick, Lunenburg, &c. May it please your Majesty, THESE Poetical In ftitutions being now to visit the Public, I could not but think their best Security would be to appear under the auspicious Pro a 2 tection 409,773 tection of your Majesty's most august and sacred Name ; a Patronage to which I think I have some Right, as being the earliest, greatest,longest and at this Time I believe the only Sufferer in your Majesty's Dominions, for an unbyass’d Zeal for the Security of the Succession of the House of Hanover. · But if that Plea be too weak, of too little Efficacy even with your Majesty ; yet these Institutions bring a Claim of their own, which is, that as they teach the most noble, most antient, and most useful of all Arts, as that is so nearly concern'd in the forming the Manners, and refining the Spirit of your People, the Father of of his People cannot refuse his Smiles, and such Marks of his Favour, as may encourage grear Genius's to apply themselves to it, and rival Antiquity ; to do which, a Royal Patron is only. wanting. The Flourishing of Arts and Sciences is no less a Proof of the Glory of a great Prince and happy People, than the flourilliing of Arms: The first is indeed a greater, as the Ornaments and Benefits of Peace are more desirable than tliose; of War: A Nation in Peace, is in the State of Health; a Nation in War, is in a Course of Physic, which, tha' necessary to purge and carry off the gross and noxious a 3: HuHumours contracted in chat State of Health, yet certainly none will think it preferable to the former. Upon these Grounds, and supported by these Reasons, I lay this antient Mother of all Arts and Sciences, of all Moral and Political Knowledge ac your Majesty's Feet, imploring your Protection both of that, and of, |