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accumulate upon him; while the Reading was yet not rectified, nor his Allufions understood; yet then did Dryden pronounce, that Shakespeare was the Man, who, of all modern, and perhaps ancient Poets, had the largest and most comprehensive Soul. All the Images of Nature were ftill prefent to him, and he drew them not laborioufly, but luckily: When he defcribes any Thing, you more than fee it, you feel it too. Thofe who accuse him to have wanted Learning, give him the greater • Commendation: He was naturally learned: He • needed not the Spectacles of Books to read Nature; he looked inwards, and found her there. I cannot fay he is every where alike; were he fo I fhould do him Injury to compare him with the Greatest of Mankind. He is many times flat and infipid; his comick Wit degenerating into Clenches, his ferious Swelling into Bombaft. But he is al· ways great when fome great Occafion is prefented to him: No Man can fay he ever had a fit Sub. ject for his Wit, and did not then raise himself as high above the Rest of Poets,

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Quantum lenta folent inter viburna cupreffi.'

It is to be lamented that fuch a Writer fhould want a Comentary; that his Language fhould become obfolete, or his Sentiments obfcure. But it is vain to carry Wishes beyond the Condition of human Things; that which muft happen to all, has happened to Shakespeare, by Accident and Time; and more than has been fuffered by any other Writer fince the Use of Types, has been fuffered by him through his own Negligence of Fame, or perhaps by that Superiority of Mind which defpifed its own Performances, when it compared them with its Powers, and judged thofe Works unworthy to be preferved, which the Criticks of following Ages were to contend for the Fame of reftoring and explaining. Among

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Among these Candidates of inferiour Fame, I am now to ftand the Judgment of the Publick, and wifh that I could confidently produce my Commentary as equal to the Encouragement which I have had the Honour of receiving. Every Work of this Kind is by its Nature deficient; and I fhould feel litt'e Solicitude about the Sentence, were it to be pronounced only by the Skilful and the Learned.

PRE

PREFACE

TO THE

ARTIST's CATALOGUE

T

For 1762.

HE public may juftly require to be informed of the Nature and Extent of every Design, for which the Favour of the Publick is openly folicited. The Artifts, who were themfelves the firft Projectors of an Exhibition in this Nation, and who have now contributed to the following Catalogue, think it therefore neceffary to explain their Purpose, and juftify their Conduct. An Exhibition of the Works of Art, being a Spectacle new in this Kingdom, has raifed various Opinions and Conjectures among those who are unacquainted with the Practice in foreign Nations. Those who fet out their Performances to general View, have been too often confidered as the Rivals of each other, as Men actuated, if not by Avarice, at least by Vanity, and contending for Superiority of Fame, though not for a pecuniary Prize. It cannot be denied or doubted, that all who offer themselves to Criticism are defirous of Praife; this Defire is not only innocent, but virtuous, while it is undebased by Artifice, and unpolluted by Envy; and of Envy or Artifice thefe Men can never be accufed, who, already enjoying all the Honours and Profits of their Profeffion, are content to ftand Candidates for public Notice, with Genius yet unexperienced, and Diligence yet unrewarded; who, without any Hope of increafing their own Reputation or Interest, expofe their Names and their Works only that they may furnish an Opportunity of Appearance to the

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Young,

Young, the Diffident, and the Neglected. The Purpose of this Exhibition is not to enrich the Artifts, but to advance the Art; the Eminent are not flattered with Preference, nor the Obfcure infulted with Contempt, whoever hopes to deferve public Favour, is here invited to difplay his Merit.

Of the Price put upon this Exhibition fome Account may be demanded. Whoever fets his Work to be fhewn, naturally defires a Multitude of Spectators; but his Defire defeats its own End, when Spectators affemble in fuch Numbers as to obstruct one another. Though we are far from wishing to diminish the Pleasures, or depreciate the Sentiments of any Clafs of the Community, we know, however, what every one knows, that all cannot be Judges or Purchasers of Works of Art: yet we have already found by Experience, that all are defirous to fee an Exhibition. When the Terms of Admiffion were low, our Room was thronged with fuch Multitudes as made Accefs dangerous, and frightenened away those whofe Approbation was most defired.

Yet, because it is feldom believed that Money is got but for the Love of Money, we shall tell the Use which we intend to make of our expected Profits.

Many Artists of great Abilities are unable to fell their Works for their due Price; to remove this Inconvenience, an annual Sale will be appointed, to which every Man muft fend his Works, and fend them if he will without his Name. These Works will be reviewed by the Committee that conduct the Exhibition. A Price will be fecretly fet on every Piece, and registered by the Secretary. If the Piece expofed is fold for more, the whole Price shall be the Artift's; but if the Purchaser's Value it at less than the Committee, the Artist shall be paid the Defi. ciency from the Profits of the Exhibition.

PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE

то THE

LONDON CHRONICLE,

In which is delineated what a NEWS-PAPER may and ought to be.

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T has always been lamented, that of the little Time allotted to Man, much must be spent upon Superfluities. Every Profpect has its Obftructions which we must break to enlarge our View: Every Step of our Progrefs finds Impediments, which however eager to go forward we must stop to remove. Even thofe who profefs to teach the Way to Happinefs, have multiplied our Incumbrances, and the Authour of almost every Book retards his Inftructions by a Preface.

The Writers of the Chronicle hope to be eafily forgiven, though they fhould not be free from an Infection that has feized the whole Fraternity, and inftead of falling immediately to their Subjects, fhould detain the Reader for a Time with an Account of the Importance of their Defign, the Extent of their Plan, and the Accuracy of the Method which they intend to profecute. Such Premonitions, though not always neceffary when the Reader has the Book complete in his Hand, and may find by his own Eyes whatever can be found in it, yet may more easily be allowed to Works published gradually

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