I. Extract from Thomas Wilson's Art of rhetoric, 1554 -- II. Sir Philip Sidney's Letter to his brother Robert, 1580 -- III. Extract from Francis Meres's Palladis Tamia, 1598 -- IV. Dryden's Dedicatory epistle to The rival ladies, 1664 -- V. Sir Robert Howard's Preface to Four new plays, 1665 -- VI. Dryden's Essay of dramatic poesy, 1668 -- VII. Extract from Thomas Ellwood's History of himself, describing his relations with Milton, 1713 -- VIII. Bishop Copleston's advice to a young reviewer, 1807 -- IX. The Bickerstaff and Partridge tracts, 1708 -- X. Gay's Present state of wit, 1711 -- XI. Tickell's Life of Addison, 1721 -- XII. Steele's Dedicatory epistle to Congreve, 1722 -- XIII. Extract from Chamberlayne's Angliae notitia, 1669 -- XIV. Eachard's Grounds and occasions of the contempt of the clergy and religion, 1670 -- XV. Bickerstaff's Miseries of the domestic chaplain, 1710 -- XVI. Franklin's Poor Richard improved, 1757.

Public domain in the USA.

Electronic text