Page:The Plays of William Shakspeare (1778).djvu/88

76 To the other evils of our civil war mut be added the interruption of polite learning, and the uppreion of many dramatic and poetical names, which were plunged in obcurity by tumults and revolutions, and have never ince attracted curioity. The utter neglect of ancient Englih literature continued o long, that many books may be uppoed to be lot; and that curioity, which has been now for ome years increaing among us, wants materials for its operations. Books and pamphlets, printed originally in mall numbers, being thus neglected, were oon detroyed; and though the capital authors were preerved, they were preerved to languih without regard. How little Shakepeare himelf was once read, may be undertood from Tate, who, in his dedication to the altered play of King Lear, peaks of the original as of an obcure piece, recommended to his notice by a friend; and the author of the Tatler, having occaion to quote a few lines out of Macbeth, was content to receive them from D’Avenant’s tion