In the introduction to this volume it was obferved, that several poems from the Shamrock, have repeatedly appeared in different collections printed in London, without acknowlegement, some attributed, to other authors, and most of them incorrectly copied. It is the editor's intention hereafter to give an accurate edition of those pieces with additions and improvements, which in many of them have been confiderable. Mean while, as there is a vacancy in this sheet, he takes leave to mention a few, and to specify fome of the mistakes which occur in them. The compiler of the New Foundling Hospital for Wit, a collection of poems in fix volumes, London printed 1786, gives the following pieces, taken from the Shamrock, (a large quarto, royal paper, Dublin, printed for the author, 1772. Second edition. The first appeared fome years before,) viz. VOL. V. page 98. On a lady fleeping, &c. SHAMROCK, p. 112 102. The choice of a wife, 153 * A fragment, erroneously aferibed to Dr. Blackstone-The Lawyer's Prayer, Ordain'd to tread, &c. is part of a familiar epiftle, dated Middle Temple, October 1759, from T. S. Efq; to Barry Yelverton, Efq; (the prefent worthy Lord Chief Baron of Ireland,) at the Academy in King-street, Dublin; of which he was at the time principal claffic master. Mr. S. fince deceased, was the Baron's cotemporary at College, and the particular friend of our author, who, on feeing in the Whitehall Evening Poft part of this epiftle, which had been before pub lifhed lished under Mr. S's. own inspection, sent him the Elegy, p. 111. of this volume. Counfellor Spring died on circuit of the jail-fever, contracted from fome infected prisoners, brought into court for trial; the contagion was also fatal to the Judge and feveral other gentlemen of the bar, who imbibed it at the fame time, and in a few days expired. Thefe pieces appear alfo in Bell's Claffical Arrangement of Fugitive Poetry, vol. 8, p. 149, 131, 152, 157, 160, 162; most of them likewife, with others, in Pearch's continuation of Dodfley's Collection, vol. 4. p. 285. to 303. as alfo in the collection of Mofes Mendez, Efq; p. 143. to 149. and in a collection of the fame fize, London printed 1772, felected altogether from the Shamrock. The ingenious compiler of the Elegant Extracts has likewise given in the poetic volume, fee the London edition, printed 1790, p. 316, 317, 318, the two Love Elegies first abovementioned, in which the following Errata, with fome abatements, run through the feveral collections. ELEGY FIRST. Stanza 14 v. 4. for bad told before, &c. read bad faid before. Those who are converfant in printing, need not be told that errors of the prefs are almost unavoidable, and sometimes escape the most vigilant experience. In making out the notes, a few inaccuracies have been discovered in the preceding pages, and tho' upon the whole inconfiderable and such for the most part as might poffibly pafs unobferved, the editor, not to infinuate an idea of perfection on the merit of concealment, folicits the candour of the reader to excufe the following In a very few inftances alfo, uniformity of orthography has not been strictly preferved, owing in a great measure to unexpected delays on the part of the printer. FINI S. |