Of all the literary exercitations of speculative Men, whether defigned for the use or entertainment of the World, there are none of fo much importance, or what are more our immediate concern, than those which let us into the knowledge of our Nature. Others may exercise the Reason or amuse the Imagination; but these only can improve the Heart, and form the human Mind to wisdom. Now, in this Science, our Shakespear is confeffed to occupy the foremoft place; whether we confider the amazing fagacity with which he investigates every hidden fpring and wheel of human Action ; or his happy manner of communicating this knowledge, in the juft and living paintings which he has given us of all our Paffions, Appetites and Purfuits. These afford a leffon which can never be too often repeated, or too conftantly inculcated: And, to engage the Reader's due attention to it, hath been one of the principal objects of this Edition.

As this Science (whatever profound Philofophers may think) is, to the reft, in Things; fo, in Words, (whatever fupercilious Pedants may talk) every one's mother tongue is to all other Languages. This hath ftill been the Sentiment of Nature and true Wisdom. Hence, the greatest men of Antiquity never thought themfelves better employed than in cultivating their own country idiom. So Lycurgus did honour to Sparta, in giving the first compleat Edition of Homer; and Cicero, to Rome, in correcting

the

the Works of Lucretius. Nor do we want Examples of the fame good fenfe in modern Times, even amidst the cruel inrodes that Art and Fafhion have made upon Nature and the fimplicity of Wisdom. Menage, the greatest name in France for all kinds of philologic Learning, prided himself in writing critical Notes on their best lyric Poet, Malherbe: And our greater Selden, when he thought it might reflect credit on his Country, did not difdain even to comment a very ordinary Poet, one Michael Drayton. But the English tongue, at this Juncture, deferves and demands our particular regard. It hath, by means of the many excellent Works of different kinds composed in it, engaged the notice, and become the study, of almost every curious and learned. Foreigner, fo as to be thought even a part of literary accomplishment. This must needs make it deferving of a critical attention: And its being yet deftitute of a Teft or Standard to apply to, in cafes of doubt or difficulty, fhews how much it wants that attention. For we have neither GRAMMAR nor DICTIONARY, neither Chart nor Compass, to guide us through this wide fea of Words. And indeed how fhould we? fince both are to be compofed and finished on the Authority of our best established Writers. But their Authority can be of little ufe till the Text hath been correctly settled, and the Phrafeology critically examined. As, then, by these aids, a Grammar and Dictionary, planned upon the best rules of Logic and Philofophy, (and none but

fuch

fuch will deferve the name) are to be procured; the forwarding of this will be a general concern: For, as Quintilian observes, "Verborum pro

prietas ac differentia omnibus, qui fermonem

curæ habent, debet effe communis.” By this way, the Italians have brought their tongue to a degree of Purity and Stability which no living Language ever attained unto before. It is with pleasure Iobferve, that these things now begin to be understood amongst ourselves; and that I can acquaint the Public, we may foon expect very elegant Éditions of Fletcher and Milton's Paradife Loft from Gentlemen of diftinguished Abilities and Learning. But this interval of good sense, as it may be short, is indeed but new. For I remember to have heard of a very learned Man, who, not long fince, formed a design of giving a more correct Edition of Spenfer; and, without doubt, would have performed it well; but he was diffuaded from his purpose by his Friends, as beneath the dignity of a Profeffor of the occult Sciences. Yet thefe very Friends, I fuppofe, would have thought it had added luftre to his high Station, to have new-furbished out fome dull northern Chronicle, or dark Sibylline Ænigma. But let it not be thought that what is here faid infinuates any thing to the difcredit of Greek and Latin criticism. If the follies of particular Men were fufficient to bring any branch of Learning into disrepute, I don't know any that would stand in a worse fituation than that for which I now apologize. For I

hardly

hardly think there ever appeared, in any learned Language, fo execrable a heap of nonfenfe, under the name of Commentaries, as hath been lately given us on a certain fatiric Poet, of the laft Age, by his Editor and Coadjutor.

I am fenfible how unjustly the very best claffical Critics have been treated. It is faid, that our great Philofopher fpoke with much contempt of the two fineft Scholars of this Age, Dr. Bentley and Bishop Hare, for fquabbling, as he expreffed it, about an old Play-book; meaning, I fuppofe, Terence's Comedies. But this Story is unworthy of him; tho' well enough fuiting the fanatic turn of the wild Writer that relates it; fuch cenfures are amongst the follies of men immoderately given over to one Science, and ignorantly undervaluing all the reft. Those learned Critics might, and perhaps did, laugh in their turn, (tho' ftill, fure, with the fame indecency and indifcretion) at that incomparable Man, for wearing out a long Life in poring through a Telescope. Indeed, the weaknefles of Such are to be mentioned with reverence. But who can bear, without indignation, the fashionable cant of every trifling Writer, whofe infipidity paffes, with himfelf, for politeness, for pretending to be shocked, forfooth, with the rude and favage air of vulgar Critics; meaning fuch as Muretus, Scaliger, Cafaubon, Salmafius, Spanheim, Bentley. When, had it not been for the deathlefs labours of fuch as thefe,

the

the western World, at the revival of Letters, had foon faln back again into a state of ignorance and barbarity as deplorable as that from which Providence had just redeemed it.

To conclude with an observation of a fine Writer and great Philofopher of our own; which I would gladly bind, tho' with all honour, as a Phylactery, on the Brow of every awful Grammarian, to teach him at once, the Ufe, and Limits of his art: WORDS ARE THE MONEY OF FOOLS, AND THE COUNTERS OF WISE MEN.

Mr.