Page:The Plays of William Shakspeare (1778).djvu/81

Rh of his predeceor the ground-work of his own (never collating but where difficulties occurred) ome deviations from the originals had been handed down, the number of which are leened in the impreion before us, as it has been contantly compared with the mot authentic copies, whether collation was abolutely neceary for the recovery of ene, or not. The peron who undertook this tak may have failed by inadvertency, as well as thoe who preceded him; but the reader maybe aured, that he, who thought it his duty to free an author from uch modern and unneceary innovations as had been cenured in others, has not ventured to introduce any of his own.

It is not pretended that a complete body of various readings is here collected; or that all the diverities which the copies exhibit, are pointed out; as near two thirds of them are typographical mitakes, or uch a change of inigniicant particles, as would crowd the bottom of the page with an otentation of materials, from which at lat nothing ueul could be elected.

The dialogue might indeed ometimes be lengthened by other inertions than have hitherto been made, but without advantage either to its pirit or beauty; as in the following intance:

Here the quartos add: Rh