A27939:10
Mr. Richard Baxter's paraphrase on the Psalms of David in metre with other hymns…
Mr. Richard Baxter's paraphrase on the Psalms of David in metre with other hymns / left fitted for the press by his own hand.
London: printed for Thomas Parkhurst, 1692
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
THE PREFACE.
1. Poetry (as all inferior things) hath its conveniences and its inconveniences. The inconveniences are, that matter is oft forced too much to stoop to words and syllables; and that conciseness keeps the matter from a full perception with any but well-prepared understandings. The conveniences are, that is spareth words, avoiding the redundancies and repetitions which Oratory is usually guilty of; and teacheth exactness of expression. And that the delight of Harmony (except in persons whose fantasy is herein impotent and maimed, or minds diseased by Prejudice or Melancholy) doth make the fantasy helpful to the mind; and as it expresseth affections, so doth it raise them.
1. POetry (as all inferiour things) hath its conveniences and its inconveniences. The inconveniences are, that matter is oft forc'd too much to stoop to words and syllables; and that conciseness keeps the matter from a full perception with any but well-prepared understandings. The conveniences are, that is spareth words, avoiding the redundancies and repetitions which Oratory is usually guilty of; and teacheth exactness of expression. And that the delight of Harmony (except in persons whose phantasie is herein impotent and maimed, or minds diseased by Prejudice or Melancholy) doth make the phantasie helpful to the mind; and as it expresseth affections, so doth it raise them.