INTRODUCTION. TH HE Miffion of Poetry is refining, pure and holy. If it be not, it will not laft, descend the stream of time, and be cherished from generation to generation through fucceeding ages. It is only as the heroic partakes of this influence, in the form of noble sentiment, that it enjoys a similar immortality whilft wit, humour, and description are doomed, however admirable in their way, to a much more limited existence. Upon the truth of these great laws and canons of criticism rests the claim of George Herbert to be evermore revived and perpetuated in the poetic literature of England. In his lifetime, and immediately after his death, above two hundred years ago, his popular fame was almost unparalleled: and that it was founded on a folid bafis has been proven by its vitality and palmy bloom during two centuries, and the numerous editions a through which his productions, in prose and verse, have gone. On adding another to the lift, it behoves us to lay a few observations on the subject before our readers, together with a brief preliminary biographical sketch of the author, whofe life was firft written by Barnabas Oley, and then by Ifaak Walton as a fuitable example of virtue, to complete an illuftrious trio with the metaphyfical Dr. Donne and the accomplished Sir Henry Wotton. George Herbert was born on the 3rd of April, 1593, at the feat of his ancient family, Montgomery Castle, in the fhire of that name, and was the fifth of seven brothers, the eldest of whom, Edward, was ennobled by King Charles the First, and figures in history not only as the brave and chivalrous Lord Cherbury, but in literature as the author of the work De Veritate (in which Natural religion is upheld to be all-fufficient without Revelation); and also a treatise, De Religione Laici, a History of the Reign of Henry VIII., his own Memoirs, and other miscellaneous writings, very different in opinion and character from thofe of the Sweet Singer of the Temple, as the younger brother, George, was fondly denominated. His father having died when he was four years of age, he was brought up under the care of a prudent |