ADVERTISEMENT.

SH

HAKESPEARE is defervedly placed at the head of our Dramatic Writers. There is not, however, at this time, any neceffity for inquiring into his several merits and excellencies: they have been already particularly pointed out by his very numerous commentators. The defign of the present publication, is to bring into one view the parallel paffages of the poet, fo as to form a kind of Concordance to his works. The utility of fuch a compilation must be obvious, and indeed especially fo, when it is considered, as is obferved by Dr. Johnfon,-" that the plays "of Shakespeare are filled with practical ax❝ioms and domestic wisdom; and that a sys❝tem of civil and economical prudence may "be collected from them." The Editor is therefore in hope, as it has been his study, in the following felection, to make choice of fuch particular paffages of his author, as might ferve to confirm the juftness and propriety of the

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the preceding remark, that he may stand acquitted in the opinion of the public, as to any error in judgment, with regard to the undertaking now before them. In a word, he wishes it to be remembered, that the plan is not entirely his own, but that he has in a great meafure fallen in with, and adopted the sentiments of the eminent writer already named.

The method pursued throughout the work, will be seen in the following sketch or example:

HONOUR.

For life, I prize it

As I weigh grief, which I would spare: for honour,
'Tis a derivative from me to mine,
And only that I stand for.

Winter's Tale, A. 3, S. 2.

This thou shouldft have done,

And not have spoken of it! In me 'tis villainy;

In thee it had been good fervice. Thou must know,
'Tis not my profit that does lead mine honour:
Mine honour it.
Antony and Cleopatra, A. 2, S. 7.

Rightly, to be great

Is not to ftir without great argument;
But greatly to find quarrel in a straw,
When Honour's at the ftake.

Hamlet, A. 4, S. 4.

A fcar nobly got, or a noble scar, is a good livery of honour. All's well that ends well, A. 4, S. 5.

Mine

Mine honour keeps the weather of my fate:
Life every man holds dear; but the dear man
Holds honour far more precious dear than life.
Troilus and Creffida, A. 5, S. 3.

Honour but of danger wins a scar;
All's well that ends well, A. 3, S. 2.

As oft it lofes all.

Set Honour in one eye and Death i' the other,
And I will look on both indifferently:
For let the gods so speed me, as I love
The name of Honour more than I fear Death.

Julius Cæfar, A. 1, S. 2.

Let higher Italy fee that you come, Not to woo Honour, but to wed it.

All's well that ends well, A. 2, S. 1.

His honour,

Clock to itself, knew the true minute when
Exception bid him speak, and, at that time,
His tongue obey'd his hand.

All's well that ends well, A. 1, S. 2.

A jewel in a ten-times barr'd up chest,
Is-a bold spirit in a loyal breast.
Mine honour is my life; both grow in one :
Take honour from me, and my life is done.

Richard II. A. 1, S. 1.

I am not covetous for gold;
Nor care I, who doth feed upon my coft;
Such outward things dwell not in my
defires:
But, if it be a fin to covet honour,
I am the most offending foul alive.

Henry V. A. 4, S. 3.

Well, 'tis no matter; Honour pricks me on. Yea, but

how

how if Honour prick me off when I come on? Can Honour fet to a leg? No. Or an arm? No. Or take away the grief of a wound? No. Honour hath no fkill in furgery then? No. Henry IV. P. 1, A. 5, S. 1.

In like manner with the above, the Editor has endeavoured to exhibit the most striking fentiments of the "great poet of nature,” cleared of all impurities, of all "eye-offending" drofs*. He has broken and disjointed several of the fpeeches, but this must not be urged against him as a fault:---The nature of the work demanded it; and as the reader is referred to the act and scene of every play, in which the more beautiful of fuch fpeeches are to be found, and as there are likewife innumerable compilations in which they are given entire, there is confequently the less occafion for apology. It is hoped, moreover, that no one will object to the arrangement of any of the paffages, by faying, "I would "have difpofed them in a different manner," but rather remember, that there is no particular rule or standard by which to be governed

* It must not be imagined, from what is here faid, that the Editor has at any time prefumed to alter a fingle expreffion of Shakespeare; but only, that he has occafionally omitted an exceptionable line or two.