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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 withes it to be remembered, that the plan is not entirely his own, but that he has in a great measure fallen in with, and adopted the fentiments 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 fpare: 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:

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honour.

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

Life

Mine honour keeps the weather of my fate: 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.

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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 cheft,
Is-a bold fpirit in a loyal breaft.

Mine honour is my life; both grow in one :
Take honour from me, and my life is done.

Richard II. A. 1, S. I.

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 feveral 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 such speeches are to be found, and as there are likewise innumerable compilations in which they are given entire, there is confequently the lefs 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.

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in fuch a matter. The Editor, indeed, is fenfible that the order in which they are placed, is not always ftrictly proper. This, however, is not occafioned by negligence, but from an unwillingness to multiply the heads, or divifions, which are already fufficiently numerous. In fine, he has regulated them in the way which to him appeared the best. The Editor repeats---The intention in the present selection is, to make the poet fometimes fpeak in maxims or fentences, according to the idea of Dr. Johnson; and at other times to give his defcription of one and the fame affection or paffion, as it is feen in different perfons and at different seasons: or, as it may be called forth by accidental, by foreign and opposed circumstances *.

With respect to the notes, which are to be met with in the following pages, and which are distinguished by the initials A. B. they are the efforts of a young, but zealous critic; of one who is defirous of rendering Shake

* Such particular paffages, however, as are intimately connected with the fable and characters, or which, from the train of the dialogue, would fcarcely be understood when standing alone, are not to be expected here.

fpeare

speare as clear and perfpicuous as poffible *. The indulgence of the reader is requested for them; and if the writer fhall be found to have thrown a light on some of the obscurities of a favourite author, the world will no doubt readily acknowledge it, and amply reward him for his labours.

LONDON,
October 31, 1787.

* He has likewise in his poffeffion a confiderable number of. observations on such paffages of the poet as come not within the plan of the present work. If duly encouraged, he means to publish them without delay.

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