TITE CHRISTIAD. 



A DIVINE POEil. 



This was the work which the Author had most at heart. His 

 riper judgment would probably have pci-ccivcd that the subject 

 was ill chosen. AVhat is said so well in the Censura Litcraria of 

 all scriptural subjects for narrative poetry, applies peculiarly to 

 this. " Anything taken from it leaves the story imperfect ; 

 anything added to it disgusts, and almost shocks us as impious. 

 As Omar said of the Alexandrian Library, we may say of such 

 writings, if they contain only what is in the scriptures they are 

 superfluous ; if what is not in them they are false."— It may be 

 added, that the mixture of mythology makes truth itself appear 

 fabulous. 



There is great power in the execution of this fragment.— In 

 editing these remains, 1 have, with that decorum which it is to 

 be wished all editors would observe, abstained from informing 

 the reader what he is to admire and what he is not • but I can- 

 not refrain from saying, that the la.^t two stanzas greatly af- 

 fected me, when I discovered them written on the leaf of a dif- 

 ferent book, and apparently long alter the first canto,- and 

 greatly shall I be mistakAn if thejr do not affect the reader also.] 



