Page:The Plays of William Shakspeare (1778).djvu/64

52 whoe diligent perual of the old Englih writers has enabled him to make ome ueful obervations. What he undertook he has well enough performed, but as he neither attempts judicial nor emendatory criticim, he employs rather his memory than his agacity. It were to be wihed that all would endeavour to imitate his modety, who have not been able to urpas his knowledge.

I can ay with great incerity of all my predeceors, what I hope will hereafter be aid of me, that not one has left Shakepeare without improvement, nor is there one to whom I have not been indebted for aitance and information. Whatever I have taken from them, it was my intention to refer to its original author, and it is certain, that what I have not given to another, I believed when I wrote it to be my own. In ome perhaps I have been anticipated; but if I am ever found to encroach upon the remarks of any other commentator, I am willing that the honour, be it more or les, hould be transferred to the firt claimant, for his right, and his alone, tands above dipute; the econd can prove his pretenions only to himelf, nor can himelf always ditinguih invention, with ufficient certainty, from recollection.

They have all been treated by me with candour, which they have not been careful of oberving to one another. It is not eay to dicover from what caue the acrimony of a choliat can naturally proceed. The ubjects to be dicued by him are of very mall importance; they involve neither property nor liberty; nor favour the interet of ect or party. The various