the desired character of the volume; especially as the alteration of a line or word has been carefully avoided, and poems which by this means would have been rendered admissible, have been rather excluded.

How far true poetical taste and sound judgment have been exercised in this work, must be left to an impartial public to judge; but if some few "gentle hearts cherish, and lofty minds approve," the Compiler will feel himself amply compensated for his pains.