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konours of the learned world, thought good letters fo much interested in correct editions of the best English writers, that they, very lately, in their publick capacity, undertook one of this very author by fubfcription. And if the editor hath not discharged his talk with fuitable abilities for one fo much honoured by them, this was not their fault, but his, who thrust himself into the employment. After fuch an example, it would be weakening any defence to feek further for authorities. All that can be now decently urged, is the reafon of the thing; and this I fhall do, more for the fake of that truly venerable body than my own.

Of all the literary exercitations of fpeculative men, whether defigned for the use or entertainment of the world, there are none of fo much importance, or what are more our immediate concern, than those which let us into the knowledge of our nature. Others may exercife the reafon, or amufe the imagination; but these only can improve the heart, and form the human mind to wifdom. Now, in this fcience, our Shakespeare is confeffed to occupy the foremost place; whether we confider the amazing fagacity with which he investigates every hidden fpring and wheel of human action; or his happy manner of communicating this knowledge, in the juft and living paintings which he has given us of all our paffions, appetites, and purfuits. These afford a leffon which can never be too often repeated, or too conftantly inculcated; and, to engage the reader's due attention to it, hath been one of the principal objects of this edition.

As this fcience (whatever profound philofophers may think) is, to the reft, in things; fo, in words (whatever fupercilious pedants may talk) every one's mother tongue is to all other languages. This hath ftill been the fentiment of nature and true wisdom. Hence, the greatest men of antiquity never thought themselves better employed, than in cultivating their [K 3]

own

own country idiom. So Lycurgus did honour to Sparta, in giving the firft complete edition of Homer; and Cicero to Rome, in correcting the works of Lucretius. Nor do we want examples of the fame good fense in modern times, even amidft the cruel inroads that art and fashion have made upon nature and the fimplicity of wifdom. Menage, the greatest name in France for all kinds of philologick learning, prided himself in writing critical notes on their best lyrick poet Malherbe and our greater Selden, when he thought it might reflect credit on his country, did not difdain even to comment a very ordinary poet, one Michael Drayton. But the English tongue, at this juncture, deferves and demands our particular regard. It hath, by means of the many excellent works of different kinds compofed in it, engaged the notice, and become the ftudy, of almoft every curious and learned foreigner, fo as to be thought even a part of literary accomplishment. This muft needs make it deferving of a critical attention: and its being yet deftitute of a teft or ftandard to apply to, in cafes of doubt or difficulty, fhews how much it wants that attention. For we have neither GRAMMAR nor DIC TIONARY, neither chart nor compafs, to guide us through this wide fea of words. And indeed how fhould we? fince both are to be compofed and finished on the authority of our beft eftablished writers.

But

their authority can be of little ufe, till the text hath been correctly fettled, and the phrafeology critically examined. As then, by these aids, a Grammar and Dictionary, planned upon the beft rules of logick and philofophy (and none but fuch will deferve the name) are to be procured; the forwarding of this will be a general concern: for, as Quintilian obferves, " Ver"borum proprietas ac differentia omnibus, qui fer"monem curæ habent, debet effe communis." By this way, the Italians have brought their tongue to a degree of purity and ftability, which no living lan

guage

guage ever attained unto before. It is with pleasure I obferve, that these things now begin to be underftood amongst ourselves; and that I can acquaint the publick, we may foon expect very elegant editions of Fletcher and Milton's Paradife Loft from gentlemenof distinguished abilities and learning. But this interval of good fenfe, as it may be fhort, is indeed but new. For I remember to have heard of a very learned man, who, not long fince, formed a defign of giving a more correct edition of Spenfer; and, without doubt, would have performed it well; but he was diffuaded from his purpose by his friends, as beneath the dignity of a profeffor of the occult fciences. Yet these very friends, I fuppofe, would have thought it had added luftre to his high station, to have new-furbished out fome dull northern chronicle, or dark Sibylline ænigma. But let it not be thought that what is here faid infinuates any thing to the dif credit of Greek and Latin criticifin. If the follies of particular men were fufficient to bring any branch of learning into difrepute, I do not know any that would ftand in a worfe fituation than that for which I now apologize. For I hardly think there ever appeared, in any learned language, fo execrable a heap of nonfenfe, under the name of commentaries, as hath been lately given us on a certain fatirick poet, of the laft age, by his editor and coadjutor.

I am fenfible how unjustly the very best claffical criticks have been treated. It is faid, that our great philofopher spoke with much contempt of the two fineft fcholars of this age, Dr. Bentley and Bishop Hare, for fquabbling, as he expreffed it, about an old play-book; meaning, I fuppofe, Terence's comedies. But this story is unworthy of him; though well enough fuiting the fanatick turn of the wild writer that relates it; fuch cenfures are amongst the follies of men immoderately given over to one science, and ignorantly undervaluing all the reft. Those learned

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learned criticks might, and perhaps did, laugh in their turn (though ftill, fure, with the fame indecency and indifcretion) at that incomparable man, for wearing out a long life in poring through a telescope. Indeed, the weakneffes of fuch are to be mentioned with reverence. But who can bear, without indignation, the fashionable cant of every trifling writer, whofe infipidity paffes, with himfelf, for politenefs, for pretending to be fhocked, forfooth, with the rude and favage air of vulgar criticks; meaning fuch as Muretus, Scaliger, Cafaubon, Salmafius, Spanheim, Bentley. When, had it not been for the deathlefs labours of fuch as thefe, the western world, at the revival of letters, had foon fallen back again into a ftate of ignorance and barbarity, as deplorable as that from which Providence had juft redeemed it.

To conclude with an obfervation of a fine writer and great philofopher of our own; which I would gladly bind, though with all honour, as a phylactery, on the brow of every awful grammarian, to teach him at once the ufe and limits of his art: WORDS ARE THE MONEY OF FOOLS, AND THE COUNTERS OF WISE MEN.

ADVER

ADVERTISEMENT

TO THE

READER.

[Prefixed to Mr. STEEVENS'S Edition of Twenty of the old Quarto Copies of SHAKESPEARE, &c. in Vols. 8vo.]

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HE plays of SHAKESPEARE have been fo often republished, with every feeming advantage which the joint labours of men of the first abilities could procure for them, that one would hardly imagine they could ftand in need of any thing beyond the illuftration of fome few dark paffages. Modes of expreffion must remain in obfcurity, or be retrieved from time to time, as chance may throw the books of that age into the hands of criticks who shall make a proper ufe of them. Many have been of opinion that his language will continue ob scure to all those who are unacquainted with the provincial expreffions which they fuppofe him to have ufed; but, for my own part, I cannot believe but that those which are now local may once have been universal, and must have been the language of those perfons before whom his plays were reprefented. However, it is certain that the inftances of obfcurity from this fource are very few.

Some

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