POETICAL WORKS, LATIN AND ENGLISH, OF VINCENT BOURNE. "I love the memory of Vinny Bourne. I think him a better CAMBRIDGE: PRINTED FOR W. P. GRANT, AND SOLD BY H. WASHBOURNE, 1838. LONDON. PREFACE. It is difficult to read and admire any work without feeling considerable interest in the author personally. From admiring the production of the mind, we insensibly glide into feelings of regard for the person, and all that concerns the writer who has afforded us so much gratification; and it is some consolation, when he himself has quitted the stage, to contemplate, with feelings of respect, and almost of adoration, the birth-place of our unknown friend. With regard, however, to the author whose works are contained in this volume, we have no such advantage. His works are nearly the only monument of his existence. It is remarkable that even his birth-place is not known, and from the time already elapsed since his death, we may now fairly suppose that it will never be ascertained. It appears that he was born in 1695, and was educated at Westminster, being admitted on the foundation in 1710. He proceeded from thence to Trinity College, Cambridge, of which he afterwards became Fellow. He finally accepted the situation of usher in the Westminster school, in which office he died on the 2nd of December, 1747. |