xxii PREFACE to

saubons and a very few more are excepted , there is noneof the Tribe whom it is not pernicious to have read.It is Criticism of a Kind sadly wanting in the more or-dinary Course os what is called classical Education Forwhich Reason young Gentlemen have no sooner acquiredwith great Drudgery, some small Acquaintance withGreek and Roman Words , than they throw aside the Au-thors from whom they would quickly receive an abundantReward for all that Toil , were they but once directedinto the right Taste, and the profitable Manner of read-ing them, which are so charmingly delineated to us by thisinstructive elegant Master, in his Advice to an Author,in particular. This is Jo much the more to be wondred at,that we have had for some 'Time a System of Notes in ourown Language , on Homer, (for the Translation is Homerstill) that is a most perfect Model of true and useful Cri-ticism ; and plainly points out to those who are con-cerned in the Education of Youth , in what Channel theirLeElures on ancient Authors ought chiefly to run, if theywould former improve a good Taste of them ; and insteadof giving young Gentlemen a very idle Turn (to say nomorse os it) toward merely verbal Criticism, inspire themearly with that just Relish for Manly Science, and usefulReflections on Men, Manners, and Things, which if Edu-cation be not adapted to produce, it is any thing else butwhat it ajfumes the Name of. Were these Notes translatedinto a Language Foreign Pedants could read , Criticismperhaps might take a better Turn among them ; or, atleast, cease to corrupt and spoil good Books and goodTaste.

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