ABSTRACT
From The Preface to An Ode, Humbly Inscrib'd to the Queen . .. Written in Imitation of Spenser's Stile (1706), sigs. A-A v; repro The Literary Works, ed. H. B. Wright and M. K. Spears (Oxford, 1959), I. 230-1: As to the Style, the Choice I made of following the Ode in Latin, determin'd Me in English to the Stanza; and herein it was impossible
THE CRITICAL HERITAGE
not to have a Mind to follow Our great Countryman SPENSER; which I have done (as well at least as I could) in the Manner of my Expression, and the Tum of my Number: having only added one Verse to his Stanza, which I thought made the Number more Harmonious; and avoided such of his Words as I found too obsolete. I have however retain'd some few of them, to make the Colouring look more like SPENSER'S. Behest, Command; Band, Army; Prowess, Strength; I weet, I know; I ween, I think; whilom, heretofore; and Two or Three more of that Kind, which I hope the Ladies will pardon me, and not judge my MUSE less handsome, though for once she appears in a Farthingal. I have also, in SPENSER'S Manner, used Caesar for the Emperor, Boya for Bavaria, Bavar for that Prince, Ister for Danube, Iberia for Spain, &c.
