801 5760 V. 2 HENRY FROWDE, M.A. PUBLISHER TO THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD LONDON, EDINBURGH NEW YORK AND TORONTO PRINTED IN ENGLAND. Preface to The Sullen Lovers (1668) Preface to The Humorists (1671) . SIR WILLIAM DAVENANT PREFACE TO GONDIBERT, AN HEROICK POEM SIR, 1650 The AUTHOR'S PREFACE To his much Honour'd FRIEND Mr HOBS. Since you have done me the honour to allow this Poem a daily examination as it was writing, I will presume, now it hath attain'd more length, to give you a 5 longer trouble, that you may yeild me as great advantages by censuring the Method as by judging the Numbers and the matter. And because you shall pass through this new Building with more ease to your disquisition, I will acquaint you what care I took of my materials ere I began to work. 10 But first give me leave (remembring with what difficulty the world can shew any Heroick Poem that in a perfect glass of Nature gives us a familiar and easie view of our selves) to take notice of those quarrels which the Living have with the Dead; and I will (according as all times 15 have apply'd their reverence) begin with Homer, who though he seems to me standing upon the Poets famous hill, like the eminent Sea-mark by which they have in former ages steer'd, and though he ought not to be removed from that eminence, least Posterity should 20 presumptously mistake their course, yet some (sharply observing how his successors have proceeded no farther |