"THE Muses were ever ambitious of being distinguish'd, by shrouding themselves under the Patronage of the greatest Men in all Ages; not made so by Titles or Preferment; but such, whose innate Principles of Honour, truly supported those their Prince had crown'd them with. From hence sprung my Presumption of laying the following Scenes at Your Grace's Feet; since the World must allow, that all those Virtues, which compleat a perfect good, as well as great Man, are center'd in the Duke of Devonshire; the loyalest Subject, the tenderest Husband, and the kindest Master, that ever Monarch, Wife, or Servant had; Briliant Graces, but such as do not shine in every Man of Quality. From such Patriots, what may not Britain hope? Nay, what might not She command, were all her Sons as fervent for her Interest, and discharg'd their respective Trusts with that Fidelity, and due Regard to the publick Good, as Your Grace has ever done in Yours: Then the hated Name of Faction wou'd be heard no more, and the scandalous Wounds of hot-headed Parties heal'd; which is the only way to secure this Island from foreign Insults, and establish Peace more firmly, than Armies, tho' vast as Xerxes led, can do."
This is an edition of a classical book first published in the eighteenth century.