converfation with fuch as had. But I have fufficiently proved, in the course of my notes, that such anachronisms were the effect of poetic licence, rather than of ignorance in our poet. And if I may be permitted to ask a modeft question by the way, Why may not I restore an anachronism really made by our author, as well as Mr. Pope take the privilege to fix others upon him, which he never had it in his head to make; as I may venture to affirm he had not, in the inftance of Sir Francis Drake, to which I have spoke in the proper place. But who shall dare make any words about this freedom of Mr. Pope's towards Shakespeare, if it can be proved, that, in his fits of criticism, he makes no more ceremony with good Homer himself? To try, then, a criticism of his own advancing: In the 8th book of the Odyffey, where Demodocus fings the epifode of the loves of Mars and Venus, and that upon their being taken in the net by Vulcan, "The God of Arms, "Muft pay the penalty for lawless charms." Mr. Pope is so kind gravely to inform us, "That Homer in "this, as in many other places, seems to allude to the laws "of Athens, where death was the punishment of adultery." But how is this fignificant observation made out? Why, who can poffibly object any thing to the contrary?-Does not Paufanias relate, that Draco the lawgiver to the Athenians granted: impunity to any person that took revenge upon an adulterer? And was it not also the inftitution of Solon, that if any one took an adulterer in the fact, he might punish him as be pleased? These things are very true: and to see what a good memory, and: found judgment in conjunction can atchieve! Though Ho-. mer's date is not determined down to a fingle year, yet 'tis pretty generally agreed that he lived above 300 years before Draco and Solon: and that, it seems, has made him seem to allude to the very laws which these two legislators propounded above 300 years after. If this inference be not something like an anachronism or prolepfis, I'll look once more into my lexicons for the true meaning of the words. It appears to me, that fomebody befides Mars and Venus has been caught in a net by this episode: and I could call in other inftances to confirm what treacherous tackle this net-work is, if not cautiously handled. How juft, notwithstanding, I have been in detecting the anachronisms of my author, and in defending him for the use of them, our late editor feems to think, they should rather have slept in obscurity: And the having discovered them is fneer'd at, as a fort of wrong-headed fagacity. The numerous corrections, which I made of the poet's text in my SHAKESPEARE Reftor'd, and which the publick have been so kind to think well of, are, in the appendix of Mr. Pope's last edition, slightly call'd Various Readings, Gueffes, &c. He confeffes to have inferted as many of them as he judg'd of any the least advantage to the poet; but fays, that the whole amounted to about 25 words: and pretends to have annexed a compleat lift of the reft, which were not worth his embracing. Whoever has read my book will at one glance fee, how in both these points veracity is ftrain'd, so an injury might but be done. Malus, etfi obeffe non poteft, tamen cogitat. Another expedient, to make my work appear of a trifling nature, has been an attempt to depreciate literal criticism. To this end, and to pay a fervile compliment to Mr. Pope, an anonymous writer has, like a Scotch pedlar in wit, unbraced his pack on the fubject. But, that his virulence might not seem to be levelled fingly at me, he has done me the honour to join Dr. Bentley in the libel. I was in hopes, we should have been both abused with smartness of fatire, at least; tho' not with folidity or argument: that it might have been worth fome reply in defence of the science attacked. But I may fairly say of this author, as Falftaffe does of Poins ;-Hang bim, Baboon! his wit is as thick as Tewksbury mustard; there is no more conceit in him, than is in a MALLET. If it be not prophanation to fet the opinion of the divine Longinus against such a scribler, he tells us exprefly, "That to make "a judgment upon words (and writings) is the most confum«mate fruit of much experience.” ἡ γὰρ τῶν λόγων κρίσις πολλῆς ἐςι πείρας τελευταῖον ἐπιγέννημα. Whenever words are depraved, the sense of course must be corrupted; and thence the reader's betray'd into a falfe meaning. If the Latin and Greek languages have receiv'd the greatest advantages imaginable from the labours of the editors and criticks of the two laft ages; by whose aid and affiftance the grammarians have been enabled to write infinitely better in that art than even the preceding grammarians, who wrote when these tongues flourish'd as living languages: I should account it a peculiar happiness, that, by the faint affay I have made in this work, a path might be chalk'd out, for abler hands, by which to derive the fame advantages to our own tongue: A tongue, which, tho' it wants none of the fundamental qualities of an univerfal language, yet, as a noble writer fays, lifps and stammers as in its cradle; and has produced little more towards its polishing than complaints of its barbarity. Having now run thro' all those points, which I intended fhould make any part of this differtation, and having in my former edition made publick acknowledgments of the affiftances lent me, I fhall con lude with a brief account of the methods taken in this. It was thought proper, in order to reduce the bulk and price of the impreffion, that the notes, wherever they would admit of it, might be abridg'd: for which reason I have curtail'd a great quantity of fuch, in which explanations were too prolix, or authorities in fupport of an emendation too numerous and many I have intirely expung'd, which were judg'd rather verbose and declamatory, (and, fo, notes merely of oftentation ;) than neceffary, or instructive. The few literal errors, which had escap'd notice, for want of revifals, in the former edition, are here reform'd: Ana the pointing of innumerable paffages is regulated, with all the accuracy I am capable of. I shall decline making any farther declaration of the pains I have taken upon my author, because it was my duty, as his editor, to publish him with my best care and judgment: and because I am sensible, all such declarations are construed to be laying a fort of debt on the publick. As the former edition has been received with much indulgence, I ought to make my acknowledgements to the town for their favourable opinion of it: and I shall always be proud to think that encouragement the best payment I can hope to receive from my poor ftudies. Sir T. HAN ME R's PREFACE. W HAT the publick is here to expect is a true and correct edition of Sheakespeare's works cleared from the corruptions with which they have hitherto abounded. One of the great admirers of this incomparable author hath made it the amusement of his leifure hours for many years past to look over his writings with a careful eye, to note the obfcurities and abfurdities introduced into the text, and according to the best of his judgment to restore the genuine fense and purity of it. In this he proposed nothing to himself but his private satisfaction in making his own copy as perfect as he could: but as the emendations multiplied upon his hands, other Gentlemen equally fond of the author defired to see them, and fome were fo kind as to give their affiftance by communicating their observations and conjectures upon difficult paffages which had occurred to them. Thus by degrees the work growing more considerable than was at first expected, they who had the opportunity of looking into it, too partial perhaps in their judgment, thought it worth being made publick; and he, who hath with difficulty yielded to their perfuafions, is far from defiring to reflect upon the late editors for the omiffions and defects which they left to be supplied by others who should follow them in the fame province. On the contrary, he thinks the world much obliged to them for the progress they made in weeding |