CR PREFACE. REATION is a fubject which fills every reasonable creature with wonder; and in no feafon more than Spring. Then nature having burft the iron fetters of ftern winter, and broken down its icy prifon, fhivering at firft, creepeth gently forth; but now having become vivid, wantons gaily over all the fields, ftrewing the earth with flowers, and pouring melody from every grove, while it awakens in the human breast agreeable fenfations, enlivening the mind to fublimity of thought and fweet contemplation. It is therefore in order to point out some suitable fubjects for this, which may be happily improven for our advantage, the following work is compofed. I am well aware, that those who expect to find in it, that elegance of expreffion, fublimity of thought, or ftrength of judgment, which the fubjects require, will be much disappointed; and also that those who wish to shew their fkill in criticism, will find ample scope for employing their pens. ALL I fhall fay by way of recommendation of it to my Readers is, I hope they will find nothing in it contrary to found principles, but may find fome little entertainment to pass a vacant hour, and fome paffages which, through the Divine bleffing, may prove useful to them. And that this last may be the cafe, hath been, during the time of compofing it, and still is, the fincere wish of theirs refpectfully, JAMES FISHER, A few Lines Spoken at EDNAM, the birthplace of the celebrated THOMSON, when in the Room where it is supposed he was born. AND is this the place where he who fung in ftrains fublime the fweets of Spring, with all the beauties of the flushing year, was born! the honour of his nation, and the delight of the Mufes, whose works, chiefly those of his Seasons, stand unrivalled even by the Georgics themselves: nor could Virgil, that Prince of Latin Poets, boaft of more harmonious numbers than thou, O THOMSON! whofe lofty verses, fam'd through the world, fupply the place of a stately monument, which, if ever due to the memory of a Poet, thine well deferved. Up that majestic ladder, the rounds which thou haft fo elegantly defcribed, may all afcend to contemplate, not only the God of Nature, but alfo the God of Grace, the God and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, by whom the worlds were made. If this is not the use which is made of thy lofty strains of poetry, and my low themes of profe, I'm afraid all will prove but a trifling amusement. A DESCANT ON CREATION. THE works of God are a great book, confifting of three incomprehenfible volumes, namely, Nature, Providence, and Grace; which continually lye open for the perufal of all in heaven, and all on earth. It was on the former of thofe man first opened eyes in paradife. his Beholding the magnificence of the ample page, how astonished would he be at finding himself, and obferving creation round! Incomparably more fo than man now, who is born of a woman, and gradually comes from an unthinking to a thinking ftate; from infancy to childhood, B |