My Lord,

THE Honours of your antient and illuſtrious Family, which that noble Writer Algernon Sidney places ​among the firſt in theſe Kingdoms for Prerogative of Birth, the Titles which You have long worn with diſtinguiſhed Luſtre, and the high Station which You have many Years filled, and now fill, in the Government, give Your Grace a juſt Preheminence in the Community; but they are Excellences of a more exalted Kind to which this Tribute of my Reſpect is paid. Your early Zeal in the Cauſe of Liberty, which ​manifeſted itſelf at the Cloſe of a late Reign, when the worſt of Schemes were promoted againſt this Nation by the worſt of Men, the Aſſociation (of which I had the Honour to be an humble Member) into which You then entered, with ſome others eminent for their Birth, Fortune, and Knowledge, for ſecuring the Succeſſion of the Houſe of Hanover to the Throne of theſe Kingdoms, your Taſte of uſeful ​and polite Literature, and the Encouragement which You have been always ready to give to it, your friendly Regard to, and Connection with, that Univerſity which has been the Nurſe of the greateſt Stateſmen, Heroes, Philoſophers, and Poets, of Engliſsh Growth, and the open Liberality of your Heart on all laudable Occaſions, muſt give You a Place in the Affections of all Engliſhmen who know the Intereſt of ​their native Country: and to thoſe Virtues, more than to the private Friendſhip with which your Grace has long honoured me, I make this Offering of the few poetical Pieces which were the Produce of my leiſure, but ſome of my moſt pleaſant, Hours: your Grace will be able to diſtinguiſh thoſe which have been printed before from thoſe which now make their firſt Appearance: and I number among the ​Felicities of my Days this Opportunity of approaching You with ſomething perhaps not unworthy your Acceptance; and I have the Honour to be,

⁠My Lord,

⁠Your Grace's

⁠moſt devoted, obliged,

⁠and moſt humble Servant

April, 1748.

⁠Ambrose Philips.