Epistle to a Friend Concerning Poetry (1700) and the Essay on Heroic Poetry (second edition, 1697)

A thoughtful letter written to a trusted confidant, this work opens a window onto the literary debates of the late‑1600s. Its author, a clergyman‑poet, lays out a personal creed of what poetry ought to achieve, arguing for a balance of moral purpose and aesthetic pleasure. The tone is conversational yet erudite, revealing how his own modest beginnings in verse shaped his convictions about the art form.

Paired with the letter is an essay on heroic poetry that defends the grandeur of the epic and the couplet, drawing on classical models while wrestling with contemporary tastes. The writer’s own poetic experiments—ranging from playful hudibrastic verses to solemn religious epics—illustrate the principles he espouses. Readers will discover a vivid portrait of a man caught between dissenting roots and emerging High‑Church loyalties, offering a snapshot of the cultural currents that animated early‑modern English letters.