every successive repetition becomes more vapid, unnatural and wearisome. What is still more vexatious, after dragging his reader through an hundred seven line stanzas, and very pertinently demanding "What more yet unremembered can I say?" he bursts forth in a deep and awful strain of pathos, which Old Jeronymo never reached. "Life? ah, no life, but soon extinguish'd tapers! A night? no night, but picture of an elf! He then erects "Nine Tombs" over his patron's ashes, upon every one of which he places an epitaph; and, as if this were not sufficient, breaks out once more in a childish rant, which can only excite pity by its hopeless imbecility. Could it be supposed for an instant, that a single person would toil through this " Memorial," I should have subjoined an observation or two, for which occasion was offered-but to write merely to be overlooked is not very encouraging; I have therefore satisfied myself with the reprint, leaving the notes to be hereafter excogitated by the former editor, who, after innocently confounding the poet with his cousin of Gray's Inn, very feelingly laments that "there yet survives a puny race of fastidious readers, who will persist to esteem a naked text in preference to a page enriched by notes critical and illustrative"! The work closes with an additional poem composed under better auspices, and in a far better taste. It is a warm and cordial tribute of praise to the "BEST OF ENGLISH POETS," written in 1637, and published in the Jonsonius Virbius of the following year. Two or three smaller pieces, of a complimentary kind, might be added; but they are not worth the labour of transcribing, and the reader, who has yet to wade through the corruptions of the last edition, has already been too long detained from the dramatic pieces. In the long list of errors and emendations which follows, it will be seen that the first column of figures applies to the present edition, the second to the former. The numbers indicate the pages where the corresponding passages will be found. THE LOVER'S MELANCHOLY. Gifford, p. 7. Weber, 117. he doth not owe To others' fancies; "We have here a very indubitable allusion to Ben Jonson. His high conceit of his abilities, and 'his stolen inventions from the antients,' were used as excellent weapons of retaliation by his opponents." Mr. Weber is "very indubitably," an admirable judge of what belongs to the ancients, and a no less admirable critic on the originality of his author! It happens, unfortunately for his sagacity, on the present occasion, however, that this drama abounds in "stolen inventions" above all the rest. But let not the poet suffer for the ignorance of his editor. Omit the false pointing after fancies, and read with the old copy Our writer, for himself, would have you know For any stolen invention, (from whose height He might commend his own,) more than the right Here, instead of insulting any one, the poet offers a judicious apology for his own borrowings; and asserts the freedom which every scholar may lawfully take with the works of his predecessors. G. 9. W. 119. And thumps a louder bounce. Why was this idle alteration made? The original word is far more characteristic; and contains, besides, an allusion to the rant of old Stannyhurst, the sport of all the writers of that age. g G. 13. W. 122.—They alter as men's forms; but now, none know. Read: They alter as men's forms, but how none know. G. 15. IV. 124. for every several strain The well-shap'd youth could touch, she sung her down. This her, the reader sees, is a young man; but this is not the poet's fault. Read," she” (the nightingale) “ sung her own," i. e. her own strain. G. 15. W. 124.--He could not run division with more art. Here Mr. Weber bursts into an extasy of delight—not at the skill of the youth, but-at the musical science of Mr. Steevens, who, it is well ascertained, did not know a crotchet from a quaver. "The very valuable notes," he says, "to the variorum edition of Shakspeare, however they may be abused by ignorant and superficial critics, form perhaps the most valuable"-how they rise in price!“ glossary of the vulgar tongue of Shakspeare's age, in the English language. In this place, I quote" (favete animis) “the following note of Mr. Steevens. Division seems to have been the technical phrase for the parts of a musical composition!" Of all this recondite knowledge, Mr. Weber assures us, "the editors of the golden age of Queen Anne were most grossly ignorant." O, why did this gentleman come so late! At the conclusion of this precious note, we are carefully informed, (still from Mr. Steevens,) that “to run a division is also a musical term." G. 17. W. 126. But is the miracle Not to be seen? Read: But is this miracle, &c. G. 19. W. 128.-Without fear or wit. On this familiar expression for boldly, desperately, without cure of consequences, Mr. Weber thus profoundly as well as eloquently dilates. |