Page:Poems on several occasions. Dedicated to the Reverend Dr. Delaune, president of St. John's College in Oxford (IA poemsonseveraloc00amhuiala).pdf/8

 I hope you will be so good as to expect no Compliments.

What wholly prevail'd upon me to clap your venerable Name to these miscellaneous Bastards of my brain, was this; I have had for nine or ten months many things to say unto you; and I was willing to let the world know what they were, as well as your self.

Lo! therefore, at your feet, Reverend Sir, I throw the following Collection of my Lucubrations, which were written (most of 'em) within your learned Walls, and under your most aufpicious Government: you will find it compos'd of Poems, sacred and prophane, original, paraphrased, imitated, and translated; Tales, Epigrams, Epistles, Love-verses, Elegies upon upon departed Friends, and Satires upon living Enemies; it begins with the Creation of the World, and ends with the discovery of that ingenious utensil, a Bottle-scrue.

I humbly make it my request that I may be read with the same candour that