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DREEVCE

P

ENOX LIBRARY

NEW YORK

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T might reasonably be imagined, after the publication of fo many editions of Shakefpeare, by poetical or critical editors, within the compafs of less than half a century; that no room should be left for emendations either of the text or meter, or other improvements of any kind whatsoever.

And yet I must take the liberty of thinking, that no dramatic poet, either antient or modern, has had the hard fate of our author; or contains ftill more mistakes, than the plays of the most celebrated Shakespeare.

Every editor has done a great deal towards the emendation of the text, and contributed largely to the clearing of feveral obfcure paffages but most of the historical incidents referred to by Shakespeare, as happening within his own time and a great many laws then well known, but now in a great measure obfolete, have) been overlook'd, or not known, or perhaps not thought worthy of notice: though they certainly tend to the making our author much more clear and intelligible, than he seems to be at present.

Mr. Rowe the poet, was the first who (in the diction of a celebrated modern writer)" had "his appointment as an editor of Shakespeare

in form." And he was certainly poffefs'd of talents fufficient to have enabled him to go through the work with credit; yet, for want of collating

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-collating of the most antient copies, he has left most things in the fame obfcurity in which he .found them.iter 365

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His being awit, and a poet, were certainly no difqualifications, if we may give in to Bin Johnson's opinion; who obferves, (in his Explorata, or Difcoveries) That to judge of poets is only the faculty of poets, and not is of all poets, but the best.

Mr. Pope's abilities as a poet and a critic, hould not have been called in question by any one; and yet Mr, Theobald (a person seemingly in other refpects very modeft) has treated him in his notes in a manner fo unbecoming, as cannot reasonably be warranted, even from the fevere ufage he complains to have met with from that (a) gentleman. At de d

Though it may be granted, that Mr. Theobald in many refpects fell fhort of the two foregoing editors, yet he made no he made no

industrys and has thrown fall amends by his a great deal of light a great upon the obfcurities of our author; but not fo much (6) as to have restored to the publick this greatest of poets in his original purity, after

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(a) He obferves in his Preface, p. 37.

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That he

** was indebted to Mr Pope for fome flagrant civilities, -Jeand was willing to devote fome part of his life to the se honeft endeavour of quitting fcores with him; but not in

the return of those civilities in his own peculiar ftraïn; but he confined himself to the rules of common decency." 5d (b) MrTheobald's Preface to his first edition of ShakeAcar, pigão estor alratvaks' N

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he had laid long in a condition that was a difsff grace to common fenfe." He is now and then guilty of mistakes, (and he that is free from them, let him east the first stone)bute this will not justify a fubfequent editor, who has treated him in a much feverer (a) manner, than he had done Mr. Pope. What the provocation was, I am at a loss to understand: to fome perfons, indeed, the fmalleft omiffion in a punctilio of respect, is a fufficient provocation, and a crime not easy to be forgiven. But Mr. Theobald was fo far from afpiring to an équality, that he has treated the other throughout his whole work, 2 with that deference, and regard, that the gen

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{JI\{a} În Mr. Warburton's 2d. volume, p. 92. Mr. Theabald is ftyled a mock critic. P. 272." Mr. Theobald

fays he) cannot for his heart comprehend the fenfe of 66 this phrafe, but it was not his heart, but his head stood

in his way, P 349. This is finely faid, but Mr. Theobald fays, "the words give him no ideas; and 'tis certain, words will never give men what nature hath

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gd. Vol. p. 63. Our, right fpelt by Mr. Theobald. 1931 Vol. 6. p. 5 Tis our faft intent.] This is an interpolation of Mr. Theobald's, for want of knowing the meaning of the reading of the Old Quarto, of 1608, 41. and Folio 1,623, where we find it, and 'tis our first intent, saf (Tis faft intent in Folio 1623, as has been elsewhere obe ai% ferved.). P. 94-Stelled, fpelt right by Mr. Theobald. 6th. CIET Volpe 464 Biffon, blind, spelt right by Mr. Theobald. "65 7th. Voln P. 306. Deferings, spelt right by Mr. Theo bald."Many more flowers of the like kind may be gathered from Mr. Warburton's notes on Shakespeare.

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tleman in good manners, fhould have been more fparing in his abufe; efpecially after the high compliment paid him by Mr. (a) Theobald, in his Preface to Shakespeare.

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Sir Thomas Hanmer has certainly done more towards the emendation of the text, than any one, and as a fine gentleman, good fcholar and (what was beft of all) a good Chriftian who has treated every editor with decency; I think his memory fhould have been exempt from ill (b) treatment of every kind, after his death, *162 uskon But

(a) Mr. Theobald, fpeaking of Mr. Warburton's affiftance, Preface, p. 66. fays, “'That he, from the mo**tive of his frank, and communicative difpofition, voluntarily took a confiderable part of the trouble off his hands, not only read over the whole author for him with the exactest care, but entred into a long, and laborious epistolary correspondence, to which he acknowledges he owes no small part of his best criticism ***upon the author.”

(b)-Mr. Warburton in his Preface fays, he was recommended to him as a poor critic. In vol. 1. p. 285. "I "led the Oxford editor into a filly conjecture, which he

has done me the honour of putting into his text, which is indeed a proper place for it, Vol. 2. p. 197. A quibble • reftor'd by the Oxford editor. Volgth. p. 267. Too late he died.] i. e. too lately. The lofs is too fresh in our memory. Bat the Oxford editor, not understanding this Phrafeolegy, to clear the Prince of all imputation of impiety, makes him fay, too foon he died. p. 448. Which were the hope of the Strand. i. e. Such, as by another metaphor, he might have call'd the Flower : ☆ but the Oxford editor, An an ill humour, degrades them I

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