THE Both written in the last Century. "It grieves me to think thefe Pieces fhould be loft to the World, and be for ever buried in Obfcurity.' A NEW EDITION, Corrected and revised; with additional Notes by the Editor. LONDON: Printed by FRYS & COUCHMAN, Worfhip-Street, Upper-Moorfields: M DCC LXXXIII. PREFACE то тНЕ NEW EDITION O F THE PURPLE I ISLAN D. T has often been lamented by wife and good Men, that whilft fuch a Number of useless and pernicious Writings are daily iffuing from the Prefs, fo many valuable Authors of the laft Century fhould continue to remain in Obscurity. No one appears to have been more fenfible of this, than the late excellent Mr. JAMES HERVEY, Author of the Meditations among the Tombs, &c. by whom several scarce and useful Books were refcued from the Pit of Oblivion. In the Letters written to his Friends, we find mention made of this very Poem; which was put into his Hands a few Weeks before his Decease: with which he was fo well pleased, that he intended revifing it for the Prefs; and to add another Poem entitled CHRIST'S VICTORY AND TRIUMPH IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH. To this he fays, he "was more particularly inclined, there being fo few Scriptural Poems in our Language, wrote by Men of Genius.". *Written by GILES FLETCHER, Brother to the Author of the Purple Island. It was first printed at Cambridge in 1610. Concerning the Author, little Information can now be obtained. He was the Son of GILES FLETCHER, L. L. D. (who was Brother to Dr. RICHARD FLETCHER, Bishop of London in 1594*) of whom we have the following Account in the Biographical Dictionary. "He was a very ingenious and learned Man; was born in Kent, and "received his Education at Eton; from thence he went to King's College, Cambridge. Was an excellent "Poet, and very accomplished Perfon; whofe Abilities "recommended him to Queen ELIZABETH, by whom he "was employed as a Commiffioner to Scotland, Germany, "and the Low Countries. In 1588, he was fent Am"baffador to Mufcovy, from whence he returned to England with Safety and Honour. He left two Sons, GILES and PHINEAS, both learned Men." PHINEAS was educated at King's College, Cambridge, and beneficed at Hilgay in Norfolk. This Poem procured him the Title of The SPENSER of the Age, from from his Cotemporaries; particularly by QUARLES, Author of the Emblems, &ct. Some may confider this as paying him too high a Compliment; yet it is acknowledged by all, that in this Piece there is great Fertility of Invention, a glowing Imagination, a Display of much Learning, and a Vein of Piety. This Poem being allegorical, it may be neceffary to fay fomething concerning that Species of Writing. An Allegory is a figurative Speech, in * Dr. RICHARD FLETCHER was the Father of JOHN FLETCHER the cele brated Dramatic Writer. + See his Verses addressed to the Author, Page xii. ing conveys. which more is contained than what the literal MeanThus the Roman Commonwealth is addreffed by Horace under the Picture of a Ship. The Fables of Efop, the Iliad and Odyffey of Homer, and the Eneid of Virgil, are all reckoned of this Kind. The Use of it is of very early Date, and both Plato and Socrates, who are confidered as the wifeft amongt the Heathens, recommended it. But what fully evinces its Excellence and Utility is the frequent Ufe made of it in the Scriptures, and by our bleffed LORD himself. We have several Examples of allegorical Writing in the English Language both in Profe and Verfe: amongst the latter, the following Piece has been greatly admired by thofe into whofe Hands it has fallen; and which many wifhed to fee reprinted, being exceeding fcarce, and feldom to be purchased at any Rate. As the Stanza ufed by the Author (nearly as in SPENSER'S Fairy Queen) is very different from the Measure in which moft modern Poetry is written, it may seem awkward at firft to fome Perfons. This the Editor found to be the Cafe with fome of his Acquaintance; but who, after reading a few Pages, acknowledged it became both familiar and pleafing. It is requested of the Reader, to peruse all the Pieces prefixed to the Poem; and pay particular Attention to the Notes as they occur in the II. III. IV. and V. Cantos, which contain a full Defcription of that wonderful Structure the human Body. As this Poem was written near Two Hundred Years |