ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS, ORNAMENTED WITH PLATES, AND ILLUSTRATED WITH NOTES, ORIGINAL LETTERS AND CURIOUS IN THE COURSE OF WHICH THE PRETENDED MIRACLES OF VESPASIAN ARZ BY SAMUEL WHYTE. THE THIRD EDITION, CAREFULLY REVISED AND CONDUCTED THROUGH THE PRESS DUBLIN: Printed by Robert Marchbank, AND SOLD BY BYRNE, MOORE, RICE, MILLIKEN, MERCIER, &c. AND BY THE EDITOR, NO. 75, GRAFTON-STREET A WORD or two concerning the prefent Edition— The first POEM, which takes the lead on account of its length and the obfervations prefixed, was originally published early in the year 1790,* and confifted of 555 lines only; it was flatteringly received, the whole impreffion being speedily disposed of, and favourably mentioned in many of the moft refpectable English prints. From these confiderations, and the united influence of his children, to whose wishes he has ever been partial, the Author employed part of the fummer vacation in revifing it, and making fuch additions as he conceived might render it fomething more worthy of public attention, and probably more serviceable to a clafs of readers, whofe real intereft it was chiefly intended to promote. But the task of tranfcribing, and fuperintending the press, neither his laborious profeffion, in which, with very little refpite, he is engaged from twelve to fourteen hours a day; nor his apathy to the ✓ thing, heightened by a weakness in one of his eyes, would allow him to undertake; that was transferred to his fon; a task, (however diffident of his own powers and unqualified for an editor) which his filial obligations and affection to a tender and indulgent parent would not permit him to decline. In * By Mr. John Jones, Bookfeller, Grafton-street, to whom the author made a prefent of it. In the progrefs of the bufinefs it occurred, that his Father had written many things never published, and in others had made confiderable alterations; a selection of these he thought might be added, which would give the volume a more respectable appearance, and render it more defirable to thofe, who might value it as the work of their preceptor; numbers of whom have repeatedly folicited a complete collection of his writings. A claffical arrangement was intended; but this, he soon found, could not be strictly adhered to; and to obviate the defect, as far as it was practicable, the dates of the different pieces are generally annexed. Poetry was the author's amusement, not his bufinefs; a relaxation, not a ftudy: His mufe acted upon the referve, fhunning his company in the hurry and buftle of the day; but, in his lonely evenings, when his family were retired, and filence encouraged her approaches, fhe would entertain him for hours together. Sometimes fhe would attend him to his solitary pillow, where fleep was an uncertain vifitant, and with her gentle whispers foothe him to repose. Sometimes, when others were enjoying reft from their labours, or indulging in fcenes of diffipation, she would engage his attention, and keep him awake till morning. He wrote with little premeditation, generally on the spur of the occafion, and was fingularly indifferent to the fate of his compofitions. They were for the most part haftily transcribed, and frequently given away to the first that asked them, without |