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Printed by James Ballantyne and Co. Edinburgh.

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PRINTED FOR JOHN BALLANTYNE AND CO.
MANNERS AND MILLER, AND BROWN AND CROMBIE,
EDINBURGH; AND JOHN MURRAY,

LONDON.

1810.

ADVERTISEMENT.

THE publishers of the present selection

advance their claims to the favour of their readers with much diffidence. They are aware that their task, even if successful, is a humble one, yet that its humility does not exempt it from the charge of rashness, or diminish the difficulty of execution. That which has been attempted so often, it is not easy to exhibit with any appearance of novelty; and what has frequently been done well, it may be considered presumptuous to hope, by any exertions, to do better.

IN retracing ground which has been repeatedly trodden, the Editors of THE ENGLISH MINSTRELSY trust they have explored some features of the landscape which preceding travellers had neglected, and enriched it with beauties which were not theirs to bestow :-They have borrowed more copiously from the elder poets than their predecessors, and have been indebted to authors of the highest rank in modern English literature, for original productions, worthy of a more exalted station than that which they occupy in this unpretending selection.

THE acknowledgments of the publishers are respectfully offered to those distinguished contributors; whose names will be received as a sufficient pledge for the merit of the original portion of the publication.

To one eminent individual, whose name they do not venture to particularize, they

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