image in his mind.

The business of war, with all its varieties, makes but a small part of the
subject of my poem; it ought therefore to occupy but a small portion of its
scenery. This is the reason why I have not been more solicitous to vary and
heighten the descriptions of battles and other military operations. I make
this observation to satisfy those readers who being accustomed to see a
long poem chiefly occupied with this sort of bustle conceive that the life
and interest of such compositions depend upon it. How far the majesty or
interest of epic song really depends upon the tumultuous conflicts of war I
will not decide; but I can assure the reader, so far as my experience goes,
that these parts of the work are not the most difficult to write. They are
scenes that exhibit those vigorous traits of human character which strike
the beholder most forcibly and leave the deepest impression. They delight
in violent attitudes; and, painting themselves in the strongest colors on
the poet's fancy, they are easy at any time to recal. He varies them at
pleasure, he adorns them readily with incidents, and imparts them with
spirit to the reader.

My object is altogether of a moral and political nature I wish to encourage
and strengthen in the rising generation, a sense of the importance of
republican institutions; as being the great foundation of public and
private happiness, the necessary aliment of future and permanent
ameliorations in the condition of human nature.

This is the moment in America to give such a direction to poetry, painting
and the other fine arts, that true and useful ideas of glory may be
implanted in the minds of men here, to take place of the false and
destructive ones that have degraded the species in other countries;
impressions which have become so wrought into their most sacred