"'TIS a Piece of fashionable Modesty for an Author to speak meanly of his own Performance; and commonly looked upon as a meer complimental Formality, or an Artifice to gain Applause. Humility is an amiable Virtue in the Eyes of All; and Self-Discommendation, with a View to that Character, is an agreeable Piece of Self-Denial, even to an ambitious Mind. But the critical and impartial Reader will soon discover so many Imperfections in the following Poems, that he can hardly suspect my Sincerity when I assure him, That it is not without Blushing and Diffidence I yield to the Importunity of some of my Friends, to present them to public View. And as to those whose friendly Partiality may cover, or whose Want of Taste may render them insensible of these Imperfections; all Apology is needless."
This is an edition of a classical book first published in the eighteenth century.
Samuel Davies (1723 - 1761)
Presbyterian preacher in colonial British America who defended religious dissent and helped lead the Southern phase of the religious revival known as the Great Awakening. Davies was educated at Samuel Blair’s “log college” at Fagg’s Manor, Pa., and was ordained in 1747. His work during the Great Awakening centred at Hanover, Va.; in Virginia, where Presbyterians were persecuted as Nonconformists by the established church leaders, he became a chief defender of the Dissenters. He argued their cause before the Virginia general court and enlisted the support of prominent English and Scottish Dissenters. The government’s preoccupations after the outbreak of the French and Indian War (1754), however, diminished concern over Davies, especially when his war sermons helped rouse Virginians to defend the frontier.Davies further enhanced his reputation as the outstanding preacher of his day by sermons given in England and Scotland during a trip with the evangelist Gilbert Tennent. Soon after his return Davies became the first moderator of the first presbytery of Virginia, Hanover, in 1755. On the same trip Davies raised funds in England for the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) and was its fourth president from 1759 until his death.
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