Page:A letter to the Rev. Richard Farmer.djvu/28

( 22 ) adopting the few emendations of manifet errors of the pres, which, amidt ome thouand innovations and corruptions, were made by the editor; and which, if they had not been made by him, would unquetionably have been made by ome other peron? The plan which I adopted for my edition, as far as relates to the text, was very imple. I began by acertaining what were the authentick copies. I then formed my text upon thoe copies; from which (with the exception mentioned in my preface) I never knowingly deviated without apprizing the reader by a note. All emendations therefore which were admitted, from whatever quarter taken, are regularly acribed to him by whom they were made; a piece of jutice which had not been done in former editions: and neither the caprice of an editor or commentator, or his general inability for his tak, prevented me from adopting corrections uggeted by him, if they were manifetly right. Thus, ome emendations have been taken even from Pope and Hanmer, as well as from the editor of the econd folio; though all thee editors have with almot equal licentiounes corrupted the author's text; but they are adopted, not becaue their books are of any authority but becaue the emendations themelves are evidently jut; for