I 443 ] 



T H E Following Dialogue was written at Oxford, during the 

 ■year 1746, having been preceded by fome obfervations upon 

 "Homer j which perhaps fortunately for the reader I have now 

 miflaid. I had at that time perufed moft of the ancient Greek 

 and Roman writers, and conceived, that amongft their numerous 

 beauties, there were fome few . defects, which the moderns had 

 been more happy in avoiding. 



The elegant writers of antiquity become our earlieft models, 

 nor can we have better ; but as our tafte is formed from thefe ex- 

 pedient examples, mould not their miitakes be pointed out to the 

 young fcholar, as well as their perfections ? Yet every commen- 

 tator becomes fo zealous a partifan for the Latin or Greek author 

 which he is to explain or illuftrate, that we never hear of a 

 blemifh ; or, if there be a palpable one, it is often defended by 

 fuch reafons, as the annotator muft himfelf be fenfible are very 

 infufficient. 



I could therefore wim, that when any new edition of a claffic 

 was publifhed, the commentator would rather dwell upon the 

 imperfections than perfections of the writer ; our prefent clafficaj 

 charts always reprefenting a clear coait, and never pointing out 

 the rocks or (hallows which lie contiguous. 



Lll 2 



Sopbron.] 



