The..

terms he hath fixed meanings of his own, un-
authorized by use, and not to be justified by ana-
logy. And this liberty he hath taken with the
noblest parts of speech, such as mixed modes; which,
as they are most susceptible of abuse, so their abuse
most hurts the clearness of the discourse.
criticks (to whom Shakspeare's licence was still as
much a fecret as his meaning which that licence
had obfcured) fell into two contrary mistakes; but
equally injurious to his reputation and his writings.
For fome of them, observing a darkness that per-
vaded his whole expreffion, have censured him for
confufion of ideas and inaccuracy of reasoning.
In the neighing of a horse (lays Rymer) or in the
growling of a mastiff, there is a meaning, there is a
lively expreffion, and, may I say, more humanity than
many times in the tragical flights of Shakspeare. The
ignorance of which censure is of a piece with its
brutality. The truth is, no one thought clearer,
or argued more closely, than this immortal bard.
But his fuperiority of genius less needing the in-
tervention of words in the act of thinking, when
he came to draw out his contemplations into dif-
course, he took up (as he was hurried on by the
torrent of his matter) with the first words that lay
in his way; and if, amongst these, there were two
mixed modes that had but a principal idea in com-
mon, it was enough for him; he regarded them as
fynonymous, and would use the one for the other
without fear or fcruple. Again, there have
been others, such as the two last editors, who have
fallen into a contrary extreme; and regarded
Shakspeare's anomalies,, (as we may call them)
amongst the corruptions of his text; which, there-

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fore, they have cashiered in great numbers, to make room for a jargon of their own. This hath put me to additional trouble; for I had not only their interpolations to throw out again, but the genuine text to replace, and establish in its stead; which, in many cases, could not be done without shewing the peculiar sense of the terms, and explaining the causes which led the poet to so perverse a use of them. I had it once, indeed, in my design, to give a general alphabetical gloffary of those terms; but as each of them is explained in its proper place, there seemed the less occafion for such an index.

2. The poet's hard and unnatural construction had a different original. This was the effect of mistaken art and design. The publick taste was in its infancy; and delighted (as it always does during that state) in the high and turgid; which leads the writer to disguise a vulgar expreffion with hard and forced construction, whereby the sentence frequently becomes cloudy and dark. Here his criticks shew their modesty, and leave him to himfelf. For the arbitrary change of a word doth little towards dispelling an obfcurity that arifeth, not from the licentious use of a fingle term, but from the unnatural arrangement of a whole sentence. And they risqued nothing by their filence. For Shakspeare was too clear in fame to be suspected of a want of meaning; and too high in fashion for any one to own he needed a critick to find it out. Not but, in his best works, we must allow, he is often so natural and flowing, so pure and correct, that he is even a model for style and language,

3. As to his far-fetched and quaint allufions, these are often a cover to common thoughts; juft as his hard construction is to common expreffion. When they are not fo, the explanation of them has this further advantage, that, in clearing the obscurity, you frequently discover some latent conceit not unworthy of his genius.

III. The third and last fort of notes is concerned in a critical explanation of the author's beauties and defects; but chiefly of his beauties, whether in style, thought, sentiment, character, or composition. An odd humour of finding fault hath long prevailed amongst the criticks; as if nothing were worth remarking, that did not, at the same time, deserve to be reproved. Whereas the publick judgment hath less need to be assisted in what it shall reject, than in what it ought to prize; imen being generally more ready at spying faults than in discovering beauties. Nor is the value they set upon a work, a certain proof that they understand it. For it is ever seen, that half a dozen voices of credit give the lead: and if the public chance to be in good humour, or the author much in their favour, the people are sure to follow. Hence it is that the true critick hath fo frequently attached himself to works of established reputation; not to teach the world to admire, which, in those circumstances, to say the truth, they are apt enough to do of themselves; but to teach them how, with reason to admire: no easy matter, I will affure you, on the subject in question: for though it be very true, as Mr. Pope hath observed, that Shakespeare is the fairest and fullest subject for criticism, yet it is not fuch a fort of criticism as may be raised me

chanically on the rules which Dacier, Rapin, and Boffu, have collected from antiquity; and of which, fuch, kind of writers as Rymer, Gildon, Dennis, and Oldmixon, have only gathered and chewed the husks: nor on the other hand is it to be formed on the plan of those crude and superficial judgments, on books and things, with which a certain celebrated paper so much abounds; too good indeed to be named with the writers last mentioned, but being unluckily mistaken for a model, because it was an original, it hath given rise to a deluge of the worst fort of critical jargon; I mean that which looks most like sense. But the kind of criticism here required, is such as judgeth our author by those only laws and principles on which he wrote, NATURE, and COMMON-SENSE.

Our observations, therefore, being thus extenfive, will, I prefume, enable the reader to form a right judgment of this favourite poet, without drawing out his character, as was once intended, in a continued difcourse.

These, such as they are, were among my younger amusements, when, many years ago, I used to turn over these fort of writers to unbend myself from more serious applications: and what certainly the publick at this time of day had never been troubled with, but for the conduct of the two last editors, and the perfuafions of dear Mr. Pope; whose memory and name,

"femper acerbum,

66

Semper honoratum (fic Dî voluistis) habebo."

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He was defirous I should give a new edition of this poet, as he thought it might contribute to put a stop to a prevailing folly of altering the text of celebrated authors without talents or judgment. And he was willing that his edition should be melted down into mine, as it would, he said, afford him (fo great is the modesty of an ingenuous temper) a fit oportunity of confeffing his mistakes. In memory of our friendship, I have, therefore, made it our joint edition. His admirable preface is here added; all his notes are given, with his name annexed; the scenes are divided according to his regulation; and the most beautiful passages diftinguished, as in his book, with inverted commas. In imitation of him, I have done the fame by as many others as I thought most deserving of the reader's attention, and have marked them with double commas.

If, from all this, Shakspeare or good letters have received any advantage, and the publick any benefit, or entertainment, the thanks are due to the proprietors, who have been at the expence of procuring this edition. And I should be unjust to several deferving men of a reputable and useful profeffion, if I did not, on this occafion, acknowledge the fair dealing I have always found amongst them; and profess my sense of the unjust prejudice which lies against them; whereby they have been, hitherto unable to procure that security for their property, which they fee the rest of their fellowcitizens enjoy. A prejudice in part arifing from the frequent piracies (as they are called) committed