THE AUTHOR XV 



of fine writing. Poetry was our chief amuse- 

 ment; for my friend, as well as myself, prefer- 

 red the charms of Dryden and Pope, to the dull 

 drudgery of poring over syntax and prosody.* 

 We preferred Belle Lettres. We laughed away 

 many a happy hour over the plays of Moliere, 

 and wrote verses on local and temporary sub- 

 jects, which we sometimes published in the co- 

 lonial newspapers. Yet the Latin classics w^ere 

 not altogether neglected ; my friend delighted to 

 point out to me the beauties of Horace, and 

 would frequently impose on me the task of 

 translating an ode into English verse, which 

 with his assistance, in construing the words, I 

 sometimes accomplished. 



Having made myself known to the public by 

 my writings, it is probable that after I am in the 

 grave, that some collector of anecdotes, or bio- 

 graphical compiler, may pretend to furnish some 

 particulars concerning my life and manners. It 

 is not pleasant to think that misrepresentation 

 or malice may fasten on my memory; and I have 

 therefore made it the amusement of an idle hour, 

 to compile a short account of myself. My per- 



* P"ide Armstrong, 



