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