ao6 Preface to 



Pars in gramineis exercent membra palaeftris, 

 Contendunt ludo, & fulva luitantur arena : 

 Pars pedibus plaudunt choreas, & carmina dicunt. 

 Arma procul currufque vlrum miratur inanes. 

 Stant terra defixse haftse, paflimque foluti 

 Percampos pafcuntur equi. Quae gratia currutn 

 Armorumque fuit vivis, quse cura nitentes 

 J'afcere equos, eadem fequitur tellure repoftos. 



ViRG. i^neid. VI, 



Part on the grafly cirque their pliant limbs 



In wreftling exercife, or on the fands 



Struggling difpute the prize. Part lead the ring. 



Or fwell the chorus with alternate lays. 



The chief their arms admires, their empty cars. 



Their lances fixM in earth. Th' unharnefs'd Heeds 



Graze unreftrain'd j horfes, and cars, and arms. 



All the fame fond deflres, and pleafing cares. 



Still haunt their (hades, and after death furvive, 



I hope, therefore, I may be indulged (even by 

 the more grave and cenforious part of man- 

 kind) if, at my leifure hours, I run over, in 

 my clbow^- chair, fome of thofe chaces, 

 which were once the dehght of a more vi- 

 gorous age. It is an entertaining, and (as 

 I conceive) a very innocent amufement. 

 The refult of thefe rambHng imaginations 

 will be found in the following poem j which 

 if ecjually diverting to my readers, as to 



myfelf, 



