Page:The Plays of William Shakspeare (1778).djvu/13



praies are without reaon lavihed on the dead, and that the honours due only to excellence are paid to antiquity, is a complaint likely to be always continued by thoe, who, being able to add nothing to truth, hope for eminence from the hereies of paradox; or thoe, who, being forced by diappointment upon conolatory expedients, are willing to hope from poterity what the preent age refues, and flatter themelves that the regard, which is yet denied by envy, will be at lat betowed by time.

Antiquity, like every other quality that attracts the notice of mankind, has undoubtedly votaries that reverence it, not from reaon, but from prejudice. Some eem to admire indicriminately whatever has been long preerved, without conidering that time has ometimes co-operated with chance; all perhaps are more willing to honour pat than preent excellence; and the mind contemplates genius through the hades of age, as the eye urveys the un through artificial opacity. The great contention of criticim is to find the faults of the moderns, and the beauties of the ancients. While an author is yet living, we etimate his powers by his wort performance; and when he is dead, we rate them by his bet. Rh