change of place, but always, an entire evacuation of the ftage. The custom of diftinguishing every entrance or exit by a fresh fcene, was adopted, perhaps very idly, from the French theatre. For the length of many notes, and the accumulation of examples in others, fome apology may be likewise expected. An attempt at brevity is often found to be the fource of an imperfect explanation. Where a paffage has been conftantly misunderstood, where the jeft or pleasantry has been fuffered to remain long in obfcurity, more inftances have been brought to clear the one, or elucidate the other, than appear at first fight to have been necessary. For these, it can only be faid, that when they prove that phraseology or fource of merriment to have been once general, which at prefent feems particular, they are not quite impertinently intruded; as they may ferve to free the author from a fufpicion of having employed an affected fingularity of expreffion, or indulged himself in allufions to tranfient customs, which were not of fufficient notoriety to deferve ridicule or reprehenfion. When examples in favour of contradictory opinions are affembled, though no attempt is made to decide on either part, fuch neutral collections should always be regarded as materials for future critics, who may hereafter apply them with fuccefs. Authorities, whether in respect of words, or things, are not always producible from the most celebrated writers; yet fuch circumstances as fall below the notice of history, can only be fought in the jeft-book, the fatire, or the play; and the novel, whofe fashion did not outlive a week, is fometimes neceffary to throw throw light on thofe annals which take in the compafs of an age. Thofe, therefore, who would wish to have the peculiarities of Nym familiarized to their ideas, must excufe the infertion of fuch an epigram as beft fuits the purpofe, however tedious in itself; and fuch as would be acquainted with the propriety of Falstaff's allufion to fewed prunes, fhould not be difgufted at a multitude of inftances, which, when the point is once known to be established, may be diminished by any future editor. An author, who catches (as Pope expreffes it) at the Cynthia of a minute, and does not furnish notes to his own works, is fure to lose half the praife which he might have claimed, had he dealt in allufions lefs temporary, or cleared up for himself those difficulties which lapfe of time muft inevitably create. The author of the additional notes has rather been defirous to fupport old readings, than to claim the merit of introducing new ones. He defires to be regarded as one, who found the tank he undertook more arduous than it seemed, while he was yet feeding his vanity with the hopes of introducing himself to the world as an editor in form. He, who has difcovered in himself the power to rectify a few mistakes with ease, is naturally led to imagine, that all difficulties muft yield to the efforts of future labour; and perhaps feels a reluctance to be undeceived at laft. Mr. Steevens defires it may be obferved, that he has ftrictly complied with the terms exhibited in his propofals, having appropriated all fuch affiftances, as as he received, to the use of the present editor, whose judgment has, in every inftance, determined on their refpective merits. While he enumerates his obligations to his correfpondents, it is neceffary that one comprehenfive remark fhould be made on fuch communications as are omitted in this edition, though they might have proved of great advantage to a more daring commentator. The majority of thefe were founded on the fuppofition, that Shakespeare was originally an author correct in the utmost degree, but maimed and interpolated by the neglect or prefumption of the players. In confequence of this belief, alte rations have been propofed wherever a verfe could be harmonized, an epithet exchanged for one more appofite, or a fentiment rendered lefs perplexed. Had the general current of advice been followed, the notes would have been filled with attempts at emendation apparently unneceffary, though fometimes elegant, and as frequently with explanations of what none would have thought difficult. A conftant perufer of Shakespeare will fuppofe whatever is easy to his own apprehenfion, will prove fo to that of others, and confequently may pass over fome real perplexities in filence. On the contrary, if in confideration of the different abilities of every clafs of readers, he should offer a comment on all harsh inverfions of phrafe, or peculiarities of expreffion, he will at once excite the difguft and difpleafure of fuch as think their own knowledge or fagacity undervalued. It is difficult to fix a medium between doing too little and too much in the task of mere explanation. There are yet many paffages unexplained and unintelligible, which may be reformed, at hazard of whatever licence, for exhi bitions bitions on the stage, in which the pleasure of the audience is chiefly to be confidered; but muft remain untouched by the critical editor, whofe conjectures are limited by narrow bounds, and who gives only what he at least fuppofes his author to have written. If it is not to be expected that each vitiated paffage in Shakespeare can be reftored, till a greater latitude of experiment shall be allowed; fo neither can it be fuppofed that the force of all his allufions will be pointed out, till fuch books are thoroughly examined, as cannot easily at prefent be collected, if at all. Several of the most correct lifts of our dramatic pieces exhibit the titles of plays, which are not to be met with in the completeft collections. It is almoft unneceffary to mention any other than Mr. Garrick's, which, curious and extenfive as it is, derives its greatest value from its acceffibility. To the other evils of our civil war, muft be added the interruption of polite literature, and the fuppreffion of many dramatic and poetical names, which were plunged in obfcurity by tumults and revolutions, and have never fince attracted curiofity. The utter neglect of ancient English literature continued fo long, that many books may be supposed to be loft; and that curiofity, which has been now for fome years increasing among us, wants materials for its operations. Books and pamphlets, printed originally in small numbers, being thus neglected, were foon deftroyed; and though the capital authors were pre ferved, ferved, they were preferved to languish without regard. How little Shakespeare himself was once read, may be understood from Tate, who, in his dedication to the altered play of King Lear, fpeaks of the original as of an obfcure piece, recommended to his notice by a friend; and the author of the Tatler, having occafion to quote a few lines out of Macbeth, was content to receive them from Betterton's alteration of that celebrated drama, in which almost every original beauty is either aukwardly disguised, or arbitrarily omitted. So little were the defects or peculiarities of the old writers known, even at the beginning of our century, that though the custom of alliteration had prevailed to that degree in the time of Shakespeare, that it became contemptible and ridiculous, yet it is made one of Waller's praises by a writer of his life, that he first introduced this practice into English verfification. It will be expected that fome notice should be taken of the last editor of Shakespeare, and that his merits fhould be estimated with thofe of his predeceffors. Little, however, can be faid of a work, to the completion of which, both the commentary and a large proportion of the various readings, are as yet wanting. The Second Part of King Henry VI. is the only play from that edition, which has been confulted in the courfe of this work; for as feveral paffages there are arbitrarily omitted, and as no notice is given when other deviations are made from the old copies, it was of little confequence to examine any further. This circum |