produce my commentary as equal to the encouragement which 1 have had the honor of receiving. Every work of this kind is by its nature deficient; and I should feel little solicitude about the sentence, were it to be pronounced only by the skilful and the learned.

Of what has been performed in this revisal, an account is given by Mr. Steevens, who might have spoken both of his own diligence and sagacity in terms of greater self-approbation, without deviating from modesty or truth.

JOHNSON.

EPITAPH ON WILLIAM SHAKSPEARE,

BY

JOHN MILTON.

What needs my Shakspeare for his honour'd bones, The labour of an age in piled stones;

Or that his hallow'd reliques should be hid

Under a star-ypointing pyramia?

Dear son of memory, great heir of fame,

What need'st thou such weak witness of thy name?

Thou, in our wonder and astonishment,

Hast built thyself a live-long monument:

For whilst, to the shame of slow-endeavouring art,

Thy easy numbers flow; and that each heart
Hath, from the leaves of thy unvalued book,
Those Delphick lines with deep impression took;

Then thou, our fancy of itself bereaving,

Dost make us marble with too much conceiving;
And, so sepulcher'd, in such pomp dost lie,
That kings, for such a tomb, would wish to die.

TEMPEST.