Item of the Day: Dodsley’s Collection of Poems. (1758)

Full Title: A Collection of Poems in Six Volumes. By Several Hands. London: Printed by J. Hughes, for R. and J. Dodsley, 1758.

[This popular collection of poems was edited and published by Robert Dodsley. Included among the “several hands” are Samuel Johnson, Richard Tickel, Samuel Cobb, Matthew Green, Dr. Arbuthnot, William Melmoth, John Dyer, William Shenstone, Benjamin Stillingfleet, William Collins, Henry Fielding, Thomas Gray, William Whithead, Richard West, and Alexander Pope.]

ADVERTISEMENT.

The intent of the following Volumes is to preserve to the Public those poetical performances, which seemed to merit a longer remembrance than what would probably be secured to them by the MANNER wherein they were originally published. This design was first suggested to the Editor, as it was afterwards conducted, by the opinions of some Gentlemen, whose names it would do him the highest honour to mention. He desires in this place also to make his acknowledgements to the Authors of several pieces inserted in these Volumes, which were never before in print; and which, he is persuaded, would be thought to add credit to the most judicious collection of this kind in our language. He hath nothing farther to premise, but that the Reader must not expect to be pleased with every particular poem which is here presented to him. It is impossible to furnish out an entertainment of this nature, where every part shall be relished by every guest: it will be sufficient if nothing is set before him but what has been approved by those of the most acknowledged taste.