THE

WORK. S

OF

SHAKESPEAR

IN EIGHT VOLUMES.

The Genuine Text (collated with all the former
Editions, and then corrected and emended)

is here settled:

Being restored from the Blunders of the first Editors,
and the Interpolations of the two Laft:NA

BIBLIOT

A Comment and Notes, Critical and Explanatory. S

B

By Mr. POPE and Mr. WARBURTON.

-Quorum omnium Interpretes, ut Grammatici, Poetarum
proximè ad eorum, quos interpretantur, divinationem vi-
dentur accedere.
Cic. de Divin.

Ἡ ΤΩΝ ΛΟΓΩΝ ΚΡΙΣΙΣ ΠΟΛΛΗΣ ΕΣΤΙ ΠΕΙΡΑΣ
ΤΕΛΕΥΤΑΙΟΝ ΕΠΙΓΕΝΝΗΜΑ.

Long. de Sublim.

LONDON:

Printed for J. and P. Knapton, S. Birt, T. Longman and
T. Shewell, H. Lintott, C. Hitch, J. Brindley, J. and R. Ton-
fon and S. Draper, R. Wellington, E. New, and B. Dod.

MDCCXLVII.

!

DDRESSES of this Nature have been long the customary Tribute of Letters to fuperior

Merit: And tho' Flattery

may have thrown them i to Disrepute, yet this concludes no more against the

Continuance of honeft Praise, than Hy

VOL. I.

A 2

pocrify

pocrisy does against the Practice of Religion. But Adulation no sooner began to belye its Subject, than it perverted the very Purpose of its Application; while, amongst its many artful traverses, it would now beg Protection for the Book; and, now again, constitute the Patron the fovereign Judge of its

Merito

:

In this Light, Madam, you might reafonably wonder to fee a Collection of Plays dedicated to one who reads few Books befides those of Piety and Moral; and will think, the Address might have been made with fomewhat less Impropriety even to a Bishop. This is true: but, as I said, this literary Connexion is not, of right, between the Patron and the Work; but between him and the Author, Who, to carry Con his Commerce with a good Conescience, muft therefore fearch narrowly for a Subject which will not dishonour asMs to daniqqat orfomob Letters, odw

S

DEDICATION.

Letters, while he is giving that to Merit, which only Letters can bestow. But I need not be asham'd to say, that the Knowledge of you, has, at the same time, abridged my Labour, and rewarded the Integrity of my Purpose. For if Friendship, Generofity, and the Benevolence of Charity, added to every female Virtue that most adorns your Sex, demand this Acknowledgment, it would be hard to find where it should be earlier paid, or to whom, in fuller Meafure, returned.

J If any now should affect to ask, What Stranger this is, of whom so much is faid? Let him know, that this his Ignorance is your fupreme Praise; whose Matron-modesty of Virtue declines all Notice, but where the Influence of your domeftic Character extends. If, haply, you have any further Ambition, it is only this, the being known to conftitute the domestic Happiness of a Man