As a faithful Register of Facts, I
bave
every where adventur'd to tell Truth,
in the most favourable Senfe, as well of the
Authors, as of their Writings; tho' pro-
bably I may bave mentioned fome Pieces,
not worthy a particular Notice, and I may
have omitted others which deferve Place
in a Treatife of this Nature; but I hope
all Objections of this kind will vanb,
when the infinite Number of Poems ex-
tant is well confider'd; fo that the best
Care and greatest Diligence may look over
fome Things, tho' not very material to the
Subject.
From the Preface of G. Jacob's "An Historical Account of the Lives
and Writings of Our most Considerable English Poets, whether Epick,
Lyrick, Elegiack, Epigrammatists, etc. London, Printed for E. Curll
in Pater-Noster-Row. MDCCXX"