For always does during that State) in the high and turgid: which leads the Writer to disguise a vulgar expreffion with hard and forced conftruction, whereby the fentence frequently becomes cloudy and dark. Here, his Critics fhew their modefty, and leave him to himself. the arbitrary change of a Word doth little towards difpelling an obfcurity that arifeth, not from the licentious ufe of a fingle Term, but from the unnatural arrangement of a whole Sentence. And they rifqued nothing by their filence. For Shakespear 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 Critic to find it Not but, in his beft works, we must allow, he is often fo natural and flowing, fo pure and correct, that he is even a model for ftile and language. 3. As to his far-fetched and quaint Allufions, thefe are often a cover to common thoughts; just as his hard conftruction is to common expreffion. When they are not fo, the explanation of them has this further advantage, that, in clearing the Obfcurity, you frequently difcover fome latent conceit not unworthy of his Genius. III. The third and laft fort of Notes is concerned in a critical explanation of the Author's Beauties and Defects; but chiefly of his Beauties, whether in Stile, Thought, Sentiment, Character or Compofition. An odd humour of finding fault hath long prevailed amongst the Critics; as if nothing were worth remarking that did VOL. I. а not, not, at the fame time, deserve to be reproved. Whereas the public Judgment hath lefs need to be affifted in what it shall reject, than in what it ought to prize; Men being generally more ready at spying Faults than in discovering Beauties. Nor is the value they fet upon a Work, a certain proof that they understand it. For 'tis ever feen, that half a dozen Voices of credit give the lead: And if the Publick chance to be in good humour, or the Author much in their favour, the People are fure to follow. Hence it is that the true Critic hath fo frequently attached himself to Works of established reputation; not to teach the World to admire, which, in thofe circumstances, to say the truth, they are apt enough to do of themselves; but to teach them how, with reafon to admire: No eafy matter, I will affure you, on the fubject in queftion: For tho' it be very true, as Mr. Pope hath obferved, that Shakespear is the faireft and fulleft fubject for criticism, yet it is not fuch a fort of criticism as may be raised mechanically on the Rules which Dacier, Rapin and Bou 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 thofe crude and fuperficial Judgments, on books and things, with which a certain celebrated Paper fo much abounds; too good indeed to be named with the Writers laft mentioned, but being unluckily mistaken for a Model, because it was an Original, it hath given rife rife to a deluge of the worst fort of critical Jargon; I mean that which looks most like fenfe. But the kind of criticifm here required is fuch as judgeth our Author by thofe 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 difcourfe. Thefe, fuch as they are, were amongst my younger amusements, when, many years ago, I ufed to turn over thefe fort of Writers to unbend myself from more serious applications: And what, certainly, the Public, at this time of day, had never been troubled with, but for the conduct of the two laft Editors, and the perfuafions of dear Mr. PoPE; whofe memory and name, femper acerbum, Semper honoratum (fic Di voluiftis) habebo. He was defirous I fhould 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 Thould be melted down into mine, as it would, he faid, afford him (fo great is the modesty of an ingenuous temper) a fit opportunity of confeffing his Miftakes *. In memory of our * See his Letters to me. 2 2 Friend ; 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 paffages 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 deferving of the Reader's attention, and have marked them with double commas. If, from all this, Shakespear or good Letters have received any advantage, and the Public any benefit, or entertainment, the thanks are due to the Proprietors, who have been at the expence of procuring this Edition. And I fhould 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 profefs my fenfe of the unjuft Prejudice which lies against them; whereby they have been, hitherto, unable to procure that fecurity for their Property, which they fee, the reft of their Fellow-Citizens enjoy. A prejudice in part arifing from the frequent Piracies, (as they are called) committed by Members of their own Body. But fuch kind of Members no Body is without. And it would be hard that this fhould be turned to the difcredit of the honeft part of the Profeffion, who fuffer more from fuch Injuries than any other men. It hath, in part too, arifen from the clamours of profligate Scriblers, ever ready, for for a piece of Money, to prostitute their bad fenfe for or against any Cause prophane or facred; or in any Scandal public or private: These meeting with little encouragement from Men of account in the Trade, (who even in this enlightened Age are not the very worst Judges or Rewarders of merit) apply themfelves to People of Condition; and fupport their importunities by falfe complaints against Bookfellers. But I should now, perhaps, rather think of my own Apology, than bufy myself in the defence of others. I fhall have fome Tartuffe ready, on the first appearance of this Edition, to call out again, and tell me, that I fuffer myfelf to be wholly diverted from my purpose by thefe matters lefs fuitable to my clerical Profeffion. Well, but, fays a Friend, why not take fo "candid an intimation in good part? With"draw yourself, again, as you are bid, into the "clerical Pale; examine the Records of facred " and prophane Antiquity; and, on them, erect Work to the confufion of Infidelity." Why, I have done all this, and more: And hear now what the fame Men haye faid to it. They tell me, I have wrote to the wrong and injury of Religion, and furnished out more bandles for Unbelievers. "Oh now the fecret's you may have your pardon, I find, out; and upon eafier terms. 'Tis only, to write no more." Good Gentlemen! and fhall I not oblige them? They would gladly obstruct |