herever it is made with true taste and feeling,
will of itself form a distinction far greater than would at first be
imagined, and will entirely separate the composition from the vulgarity
and meanness of ordinary life; and, if metre be superadded thereto, I
believe that a dissimilitude will he produced altogether sufficient for
the gratification of a rational mind. What other distinction would we
have? Whence is it to come? And where is it to exist? Not, surely, where
the Poet speaks through the mouths of his characters: it cannot be
necessary here, either for elevation of style, or any of its supposed
ornaments: for, if the Poet's subject be judiciously chosen, it will
naturally, and upon fit occasion, lead him to passions the language of
which, if selected truly and judiciously, must necessarily be dignified
and variegated, and alive with metaphors and figures. I forbear to speak
of an incongruity which would shock the intelligent Reader, should the
Poet interweave any foreign splendour of his own with that which the
passion naturally suggests: it is sufficient to say that such addition
is unnecessary. And, surely, it is more probable that those passages,
which with propriety abound with metaphors and figures, will have their
due effect, if, upon other occasions where the passions are of a milder
character, the style also be subdued and temperate.

But, as the pleasure which I hope to give by the Poems now presented to
the Reader must depend entirely on just notions upon this subject, and,
as it is in itself of high importance to our taste and moral feelings, I
cannot content myself with these detached remarks. And if, in what I am
about to say, it shall appear to some that my labour is unnecessary, and
that I am like a man fighting a battle without enemies, such persons may
be reminded, that, whatever be the language outwardly holden by men, a
practical faith in the opinions which I am wishing to establish is
almost unknown. If my conclusions are admitted, and carried as far as
they must be carried if admitted at all, our judgments concerning the
works of the greatest Poets both ancient and modern will be far
different from what they are at present, both when we praise, and when
we censure: and our moral feelings influencing and influenced by these
judgments will, I believe, be corrected and purified.

Taking up the subject, then, upon general grounds, let me ask, what is
meant by the word Poet? What is a Poet? To w