It would alfo come attefted as a ftrong likeness of our archæological bard, on the faith of a parchment exhibiting the hand and feal of the dygne Mayfter Wyllyam Canynge, fetting forth that Mayfter Thomas Rowlie was so entyrely and passynge wele belovyd of himself, or our poetick knight, that one or the other causyd hys femblance to be ryght conyng lye depeyneten on a marveilloufe fayre table of wood, and enfevelyd wyth hym, that deth mote theym not clene departyn and putte afunder.A fimilar impofition, however, would in vain be attempted on the editors of Shakspeare, who, with all the zeal of Rowleians, are happily exempt from their credulity. A former plate of our author, which was copied from Martin Droefhout's in the title-page to the folio 1623, is worn out; nor does fo "abominable an imitation of humanity" deferve to be reftored, The smaller head, prefixed to the Poems in 1640, is merely a reduced and reverfed copy by Marshall from its predeceffor, with a few flight changes in attitude and drefs. We boaft therefore of no exterior ornaments, except thofe of better print and paper than have hitherto been allotted to any octavo edition of Shakspeare. 2 We are happy at leaft to have recollected a single impofition that was too grofs for even these gentlemen to fwallow-Mr. Barrett, however, in the year 1776, affured Mr. Tyrwhitt and Mr. Steevens, that he received the aforefaid fcrawl of Canynge from Chatterton, who defcribed it as having been found in the prolifick cheft, fecured by fix, or fix-and-twenty keys, no matter which. 2 They who with for decorations adapted to this edition of Shakspeare, will find them in Silvefter Harding's Portraits and Views, &c. &c. (appropriated to the whole fuite of our author's Hiftorical Dramas, &c.) publifhed in thirty numbers. See Gent. Mag. June 1759, p. 257. Justice nevertheless requires us to fubjoin, that had an undoubted picture of our author been attainable, the Bookfellers would moft readily have paid for the best engraving from it that could have been produced by the most skilful of our modern artifts; but it is idle to be at the charge of perpetuating illufions: and who fhall offer to point out, among the numerous prints of Shakspeare, any one that is more like him than the reft ?5 The play of Pericles has been added to this collection, by the advice of Dr. Farmer. To make room for it, Titus Andronicus might have been omitted; but our proprietors are of opinion that fome ancient prejudices in its favour may ftill exift, and for that reafon only it is preserved. We have not reprinted the Sonnets, &c. of Shakfpeare, because the strongest act of parliament that could be framed would fail to compel readers into their fervice; notwithstanding these miscellaneous poems have derived every poffible advantage from the literature and judgment of their only intelligent editor, Mr. Malone, whofe implements of criticism, 5 Lift of the different engravings from the Chandofan Shakspeare : By Vandergucht, to Rowe's edit. 1709. 1719. Do. fmall oval, Jacob's Lives 1719. Harding, 8vo. Set of Prints to Shakspeare 1793. No two of thefe Portraits are alike; nor does any one of them bear the flightest resemblance to its wretched original. G. S. like the ivory rake and golden fpade in Prudentius, are on this occafion difgraced by the objects of their culture. Had Shakspeare produced no other works than these, his name would have reached us with as little celebrity as time has conferred on that of Thomas Watson, an older and much more elegant fonnetteer.6 What remains to be added concerning this republication is, that a confiderable number of fresh remarks are both adopted and fupplied by the prefent editors. They have perfifted in their former track of reading for the illuftration of their author, and cannot help obferving that those who receive the benefit of explanatory extracts from ancient writers, little know at what expence of time and labour fuch atoms of intelligence have been collected. That the foregoing information, however, may communicate no alarm, or induce the reader to fuppose we have "bestowed our whole tediousness" on him, we should add, that many notes have likewise been withdrawn. A few, manifeftly erroneous, are indeed retained, to fhow how much the tone of Shakspearian criticism is changed, or on account of the skill displayed in their confutation; for furely His Sonnets, though printed without date, were entered in the year 1581, on the books of the Stationers' Company, under the title of "Watfon's Paffions, manifefting the true Frenzy of Love." Shakspeare appears to have been among the number of his readers, having in the following paffage of Venus and Adonis,Leading him prifoner in a red-rofe chain," borrowed an idea from his 83d Sonnet : "The Mufes not long fince intrapping love "In chaines of rofes," &c. Watson, however, declares on this occafion that he imitated Ronfard; and it must be confeffed, with equal truth, that in the prefent inftance Ronfard had been a borrower from Anacreon. every editor in his turn is occafionally entitled to be feen, as he would have shown himself, with his vanquifhed adverfary at his feet. We have therefore been fometimes willing to " bring a corollary, rather than want a spirit." Nor, to confefs the truth, did we always think it justifiable to shrink our predeceffors to pigmies, that we ourselves, by force of comparifon, might affume the bulk of giants. The prefent editors must also acknowledge, that unless in particular inftances, where the voice of the publick had decided against the remarks of Dr. Johnson, they have hesitated to displace them; and had rather be charged with a fuperftitious reverence for his name, than cenfured for a prefumptuous difregard of his opinions. As a large proportion of Mr. Monck Mafon's ftrictures on a former edition of Shakspeare are here inferted, it has been thought neceffary that as much of his Preface as was defigned to introduce them, fhould accompany their fecond appearance. Any formal recommendation of them is needlefs, as their own merit is sure to rank their author among the most diligent and fagacious of our celebrated poet's annotators. It may be proper, indeed, to obferve, that a few of these remarks are omitted, because they had been anticipated; and that a few others have excluded themselves by their own immoderate length; for he who publishes a series of comments unattended by the text of his author, is apt to "overflow the meafure" allotted to marginal criticism. In these cafes, either the commentator or the poet muft give way, and no reader will patiently endure to fee "Alcides beaten by his page."-Inferior volat umbra deo. Mr. M. Mason will alfo forgive us if we add, that a small number of his proposed amendments are "Tis fuppreffed through honeft commiferation. much he dares, and he has a wifdom that often guides his valour to act in fafety;" yet occafionally he forgets the prudence that fhould attend conjecture, and therefore, in a few inftances, would have been produced only to have been perfecuted.-May it be fubjoined, that the freedom with which the fame gentleman has treated the notes of others, feems to have authorized an equal degree of licence respecting his own? And yet, though the fword may have been drawn against him, he fhall not complain that its point is "unbated and envenomed;" for the conductors of this undertaking do not scruple thus openly to express their wishes that it may have merit enough to provoke a revision from the acknowledged learning and perfpicacity of their Hibernian coadjutor.-Every re-impreffion of our great dramatick mafter's works must be confidered in fome degree as experimental; for their corruptions and obfcurities are ftill fo numerous, and the progrefs of fortunate conjecture fo tardy and uncertain, that our remote descendants may be perplexed by paffages that have perplexed us; and the readings which have hitherto difunited the opinions of the learned, may continue to difunite them as long as England and Shakspeare have a name. fhort, the peculiarity once afcribed to the poetick ifle of Delos, may be exemplified in our author's text, which, on account of readings alternately received and reprobated, muft remain in an unfettled ftate, and float in obedience to every gale of contradictory criticifm.-Could a perfect and decifive edition of the following fcenes be produced, it were " VOL. I. nec inftabili famâ fuperabere Delo." D In Stat. Achill. I. 388. |