BY

WILLIAM COW PER,

OF THE INNER TEMPLE, ESQ.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOL. I.

Sicut aquæ tremulum labris ubi lumen ahenis
Sole repercussum, aut radiantis imagine lunæ,
Omnia pervolitat latè loca, jamque sub auras
Erigitur, summique ferit laquearia tecti.

VIRG. Æn. viii.

So water, trembling in a polish'd vase,
Reflects the beam that plays upon its face;
The sportive light, uncertain where it falls,
Now strikes the roof, now flashes on the walls.

A NEW EDITION.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR J. JOHNSON, ST. PAUL'S CHURCH YARD,

BY T. BENSLEY, BOLT COURT, FLEET STREET.

PREFACE

TO THE

FIRST VOLUME.

WHEN an Author, by appearing in print,

requests an audience of the Public, and is upon the point of speaking for himself, whoever presumes to step before him with a preface, and to say, "Nay, but hear me first," should have something worthy of attention to offer, or he will be justly deemed officious and impertinent. The judicious reader has probably, upon other occasions, been before-hand with me in this reflection: and I