The Poetical Preceptor; Or, A Collection of Select Pieces of Poetry ... - Google Books

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Honour due to personal Merit, not to Birth

A fine Description of a sleeping Man, about to be

destroyed by a Snake and a Lioness

Description of a beggarly Conjurer or a Fortune-teller

Mercy in Governors commended

Precepts against Ill fortune

England invincible, if unanimous

Ceremony insincere

Hounds and Hunting

Fopular Ingratitude and Curiosity

The Life of an African

Cato's Address to the Senate

Description of a Hurricane

Cato's Advice to his Friends

Cato's Advice to his Son

Action opposed to Contemplation

Ambition inseparable from great Minds

The Unsteadiness of an arbitrary Government, and the

Misery of a despotic Prince

The Happiness of a free Government

The Killing of a Boar

Description of a populous City

Rural Courtship

Description of a Person left on a desart Island

The first Feats of a young Eagle

The true End of Education

Bad Fortune more easily borne than good

Despair never to be indulged

A Friend to Freedom can never be a Traitor

Description of a Hag

Happiness the inseparable Companion of Virtue

Honour superior to Justice

In what Manner Princes ought to be taught

True End of Royalty

The real Duty of a King

Character of a good King

The Guilt of bad Kings

The true End of Life

A Lion overcome by a Man

Character of an excellent Man

Virtue the only true Source of Nobility

The happy Effects of Misfortune

A Description of the Morning

The charming Notes of the Nightingale

A worthless Person can claim no Merit from the Vir-

tues of his Ancestors

The Love of our Country the greatest of Virtues

approaching the Shore

Virtue preferable to Rank

Description of an ancient Cathedral

Description of a Triumph

Providence

Prudence

Description of Ships appearing at a Distance, and

A Shepherd's Life happier than a King's

Virtue its own Reward

In what Philosophy really consists

Scipio restoring the captive Princess to her Royal Lover ibid.

The Blessings of Peace

No Difficulties insuperable to the Prudent and Brave

The School-Mistress: In Imitation of Spenser

A Letter from Italy to the Right Hon. Charles Lord

Halifax, in the Year 1701

Junio and Theana

The Splendid Shilling: In Imitation of Milton

Description of the Thames, and of Stag-hunting

Interview between Health and Dr. Hervey, in the

infernal Regions

Rules for Writing well

Character and Duty of a true Critic

Causes that mislead the Judgment in criticising the

Writings of others

The Choice of Hercules, from the Greek of Prodicus

ibid.

ibid.

To the Earl of Dorset

To the Earl of Warwick, on the Death of Mr. Addison 306

Colin and Lucy: A Ballad

Celadon and Amelia

THE

POETICAL PRECEPTOR.

The YOUNG LADY and LOOKING-GLASS.

A FABLE.

-(WILKIE)

YE deep philosophers, who can
Explain that various creature, Man,
Say, is there any point so nice,
As that of offering advice?
To bid your friend his errors mend,
Is almost certain to offend:
Though you in softest terms advise;
Confess him good; admit him wise;
In vain you sweeten the discourse,
He thinks you call him FOOL,
You paint his character, and try
If he will own it, and apply;
Without a name reprove and warn;
Here none are hurt, and all may learn:
This too must fail; the picture shewn,
No man will take it for his own.
In moral lectures treat the case,
Say this is honest, that is base;
In conversation, none will bear it;
And for the pulpit, few come near it.
And is there then no other way
A moral lesson to convey?
Must all that shall attempt to teach,
Admonish, satirise, or preach?

B

worse.

Yes, there is one, an ancient art,
By sages found to reach the heart,
Ere science, with distinctions nice,
Had fix'd what virtue is and vice,
Inventing all the various names
On which the moralist declaims :
They would by simple tales advise,
Which took the hearer by surprise ;
Alarm'd his conscience, unprepar'd
Ere pride had put it on its guard :
And made him from himself receive
The lessons which they meant to give.
That this device will oft prevail,

And gain its end, when others fail,
If
any shall pretend to doubt,
The TALE which follows makes it out.

There was a little stubborn dame,
Whom no authority could tame;
Restive by long indulgence grown,
No will she minded but her own:
At trifles oft she'd scold and fret,
Then in a corner take a seat,
And, sourly moping all the day,
Disdain alike to work or play.

Papa all softer arts had tried,
And sharper remedies applied;
But both were vain, for every course
He took still made her worse and worse.
'Tis strange to think how female wit
So oft should make a lucky hit,
When man, with all his high pretence
To deeper judgment, sounder sense,
Will err, and measures false pursue-
'Tis very strange, I own, but true.-
Mamma observ'd the rising lass
By stealth retiring to the glass,
To practise little airs, unseen,
In the true genius of thirteen:
On this a deep design she laid
To tame the humour of the maid;
Contriving, like a prudent mother,
To make one folly cure another.

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