Taken altogether, this translation will be found less close to the
original than those with which I have formerly troubled the public.
The considerations pointed out in the last paragraph will to a great
extent account for this: generally too I may say that where the main
characteristic of the original is perfect ease, the translator, if
he is to be easy also, will be obliged to take considerable
latitude. I trust however that I shall be found in most cases not to
have translated irrespectively of the Latin, but to have borne it in
mind even while departing from it most widely. I have studied the
various commentators with some care, and hope that my version may
not be without its use in turn as a sort of free commentary. I have
omitted two entire satires and several passages from others. Some of
them no one would wish to see translated: some, though capable of
being rendered without offence a hundred or even fifty years ago,
could hardly be so rendered now. Where I have not translated I have
not in general cared to paraphrase, but have been silent altogether.
I have in short given so much of my author as a well-judging reader
would wish to dwell on in reading the original, and no more.

I have made acquaintance with such of the previous translations as I
did not already know, though it seemed best to avoid consulting them
in any passage till I had translated it myself. The few places in
which I have been consciously indebted to others have been mentioned
in the notes. Besides these, there are many other coincidences in
expression and rhyme which might be detected by any one sharing my
taste for that kind of reading, probably one or two in each poem:
but as I believe them to be mere coincidences, I have not been at
pains either to avoid them or to call attention to them. The only
one of my predecessors in translating all the poems contained in
this volume whom I need mention particularly is Mr. Howes. His book