deny myself the pride of confeffing, that I have had the advantage not only of their advice for the conduct in general, but their correction of feveral particulars of this tranflation.

I could say a great deal of the pleasure of being diftinguished by the Earl of Carnarvon, but it is almost abfurd to particularize any one generous action in a person whose whole life is a continued series of them. Mr. Stanhope, the prefent Secretary of State, will pardon my defire of having it known that he was pleased to promote this affair. The particular zeal of Mr. Harcourt (the fon of the late lord Chancellor) gave me a proof how much I am honoured in a fhare of his friendfhip. I must attribute to the fame motive that of several others of my friends, to whom all acknowledgments are rendered unneceffary by the privileges of a familiar correfpondence: And I am fatisfy'd I can no way better oblige men of their turn, than by my filence.

In short, I have found more patrons than ever Homer wanted. He would have thought himself happy to have met the fame favour at Athens, that has been shewn me by its learned rival, the Univerfity of Oxford. And I can hardly envy him thofe pompous honors he received after death, when I reflect on the enjoyment of fo many agreeable obligations, and easy friendships, which make

the fatisfaction of life. This distinction is the more to be acknowledged, as it is fhewn to one whose pen has never gratified the prejudices of particular parties, or the vanities of particular men. Whatever the fuccefs may prove, I fhall never repent of an undertaking in which I have experienced the candour and friendship of fo many perfons of merit; of and in which I hope to pass fome of thofe years of youth that are generally loft in a circle of follies, after a manner neither wholly unuseful to others, nor difagreeable to myself.

PREFACE

TO THE

Works of SHAKESPEAR,

T is not my defign to enter into a criticism

upon this author; tho' to do it effectually and not fuperficially, would be the beft occafion that any juft writer could take, to form the judgment and tafte of our nation. For of all English poets Shakespear muft be confeffed to be the fairest and fulleft fubject for criticifm, and to afford the mos numerous, as well as moft confpicuous inftances, both of beauties and faults of all forts. But this far exceeds the bounds of a Preface, the business of which is only to give an account of the fate of his works, and the difadvantages under which they have been transmitted to us. We fhall hereby extenuate many faults which are his, and clear him from the imputation of many which are not: A defign, which though it can be no guide to future criticks to do him juftice in one way, will at leaft be fufficient to prevent their

doing his an

306 PREFACE TO THE

I cannot however but mention fome of his principal, and characteristic excellencies, for which (notwithstanding his defects) he is juftly and univerfally elevated above all other dramatick Writers. Not that this is the proper place of praising him, but because I would not omit any occafion of of doing 15.

it.

If ever any author deserved the name of an Original, it was Shakespear. Homer himself drew not his heart fo immediately from the fountains of Nature; it proceeded through Ægyptian trainers and channels, and came to him not without fome tincture of the learning, or fome caft of the models, of those before him. The poetry of Shakefpear was inspiration indeed: he is not fo much an Imitator, as an Inftrument, of Nature; and 'tis not fo juft to say that he speaks from her, as that she fpeaks thro' him.

His Characters are fo much Nature herself, that tis a sort of injury to

1

call them by so distant a name as copies of her. Those of other Poets have a constant refemblance, which fhews that they མ་ received them from one another, and were but multipliers of the fame image: each picture like a mock-rainbow is but the reflection of a reflection. But every fingle character in Shakespear is as much an individual, as thofe in life itself; it is as impoffible to find any two alike; and fuch as from their relation or affinity in any respect appear most to be

twins, will upon comparison be found remarkably diftinct. To this life and variety of character, we muft add the wonderful preservation of it's which is fuch throughout his Plays, that, had all the speeches been printed without the very names of the perfons, I believe one might have applied them with certainty to every speaker.

་

The Power over our Paffions was never poffeffed in a more eminent degree, or difplayed in fo dif'ferent inftances. Yet all along, there is feen no labour, no pains to raise them; no preparation to guide our guefs to the effect, or be perceived to lead toward it: But the heart fwells, and the tears burft out, juft at the proper places: We are furprized the moment we weep; and yet upon reflection find the paffion fo juft, that we fhould be furprized if we had not wept, and wept at that very

moment.

How astonishing is it again, that the Paffions directly oppofite to these, Laughter and Spleen, are no lefs at his command! that he is not more a mafter of the great than of the ridiculous inf Human nature; of our nobleft tenderneffes, than of our vaineft foibles, of our ronget emotions than of our idleft fenfations!

?

Nor does he only excel in the Paffions in the coolnéfs of Reflection and Reafoning he is fulf as admirable. His Sentiments are not only in genead of from t X 2