Now the Subject being so fit for a good Heroic Poem, I shall have the less excuse, if this be a bad one.  And here I must ingenuously confess, I had seen none of these Rules given by the Masters of Epic, when I laid the Scheme of this Poem, tho I wish I had, for I might probably then have done it better, or not at all.  I knew not the hazard of the undertaking, but greedily embrac’d it, when first propos’d by some Friends, who were ignorant of what they put me upon.  Being full of the Design wherein, the earnest desire I had to see it accomplish’d, and either a lucky Chance, or the Happiness of my Subject, may perhaps in some Instances, have supply’d the want both of Rules and Genius.  All I will say of my own performance is, that I now know the Faults on’t, tho I am not oblig’d to point ’em out to my Reader, who will but too soon find ’em.  That I wou’d have mended much that’s now amiss, had I lived in an Age where a man might afford to be Nine or Ten Years about a Poem.  And in the Mean time this satisfies me, whatever is the success, that I’ve done all that cou’d be done by one in my Circumstances towards the rendering it more compleat and free from Faults, and only wish that my own Reputation may suffer, by the weakness of the Work, and not the Dignity of the Subject.

I cou’d plead for my self what Longinus says on Works of this Nature, wou’d it not look like Arrogance, “That even the greatest Genius may sometimes sink into meanness, when the force of their Spirits is once exhausted:  That its very difficult for height of Thought to sustain it self long in an equal Tenour; and that some Faults ought to be excused when there are more Beauties.”  But if none of these will pass, I hope it will not much mortifie me, since I think the World and I have no great matter to do with one another.  I’m sensible my Poem wou’d have had fewer Enemies, had I left out some Passages in’t.  But as mean as the worst of this are, I wou’d not buy their good Word at such a rate.  I had almost forgot to mention the Gravers Work, which is not without Faults, particularly he has err’d in the Posture of the Disciples at the last Supper, whom he has made Sitting, when they were really Declining, or Discumbent.  But its now more than time to conclude my long Preface, which I shall do in few Words.  Since the chief Design in this Work, is to advance the Honour of my Hero, and next to that, the entertainment of Pious and ingenious Minds; for the truth of which, I hope I may appeal to the great [Greek:  kritikos tes kardias]; I shall not be much concern’d for the success it may meet with in the World.