at this juncture, deferves and demands our particular regard. It hath, by means of the many excellent works of different kinds compofed in it, engaged the notice, and become the ftudy, of almost every curious and learned foreigner, fo as to be thought even a part of literary accomplishment. This muft needs make it deferving of a critical attention and its being yet deftitute of a teft or ftandard to apply to, in cases of doubt or difficulty, fhows how much it wants that attention. For we have neither GRAMMAR nor DICTIONARY, neither chart nor compafs, to guide us through this wide fea of words. And indeed how fhould we? fince both are to be compofed and finifhed on the authority of our beft eftablished writers. But their authority can be of little ufe, till the text hath been correaly fettled, and the phrafeology critically examined. As, then, by thefe aids, a Grammar and Dictionary, planned upon the best rules of logick and philofophy (and none but fuch will deferve the name,) are to be procured; the forwarding of this will be a general concern: for, as Quintilian obferves, Verborum proprietas ac differentia omnibus, qui fermonem curæ habent, debet effe communis." By

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By this way, the Italians have brought their tongue to a degree of purity and flability, which not living language ever attained unto before. It is with

defcending to write notes on Shakspeare, Warburton copied from Pope, who facrificed Drayton to gratify the vanity of this flattering editor. "I have a particular reafon (fays Pope in a Letter to Warburton) to make you intereft yourself in me and my writings. It will caufe both them and me to make a better figure to pofterity. A very mediocre poet, one Drayton, is yet taken notice of, becaufe Selden writ a few notes on one of his poems." Pope's Works, Vol. IX. p. 350, 8vo. 1751. HOLT WHITE.

pleasure I obferve, that these things now begin to be understood among ourselves; and that I can acquaint the publick we may foon expect very elegant editions of Fletcher, and Milton's Paradife Loft from gentlemen of diftinguifhed abilities and learning. But this interval of good fenfe, as it may be short, is indeed but new. For I remember to have heard of a very learned man, who, not long fince, formed a defign, of giving a more correct edition of Spenfer; and, without doubt, would have performed it well; but he was diffuaded from his purpose by his friends, as beneath the dignity of a profeffor of the Occult fciences. Yet thefe very friends, I fuppose, would have thought it added luftre to his high ftation, to have new-furbifhed out fome dull northern chronicle, or dark Sibylline ænigma. But let it not be thought that what is here faid infinuates any thing to the difcredit of Greek and Latin criticifm. If the follies of particular men were fufficient to bring any branch of learning into difrepute, I do not know any that would ftand in a worse fituation than that for which I now apologize. For I hardly think there ever appeared, in any learned language, fo execrable a heap of nonsense, under the name of commentaries, as hath been lately given us on a certain fatirick poet, of the laft age, by his editor and coadjutor.2

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I am fenfible how unjuftly the very best claffical criticks have been treated. It is faid, that our. great philofopher' spoke with much contempt of

This alludes to Dr. Grey's edition of Hudibras published in 1744. REED.

Sir Ifaac Newton. See Whifton's Hiftorical Memoirs of the Life of Dr. Clarke, 1748, 8vo. p. 113. REED.

the two finest scholars of this age, Dr. Bentley and Bishop Hare, for fquabbling as he expreffed it, about an old play-book; meaning, I suppose, Terence's comedies. But this ftory is unworthy of him; though well enough fuiting the fanatick turn of the wild writer that relates it; fuch cenfures are amongst the follies of men immoderately given over to one science, and ignorantly undervaluing all the reft. Thofe learned criticks might, and perhaps did, laugh in their turn (though ftill, fúre, with the fame indecency and indiscretion) at that incomparable man, for wearing out a long life in poring through a telescope. Indeed, the weakneffes of fuch are to be mentioned with reverence. But who can bear, without indignation, the fashionble cant of every trifling writer, whofe infipidity paffes with himself, for politenefs, for pretending to be fhocked, forfooth, with the rude and favage airs of vulgar criticks; meaning fuch as Muretus, Scaliger, Cafaubon, Salmafius, Spanheim, Bentley! When, had it not been for the deathless labours of fuch as these, the western world, at the revival of letters, had foon fallen back again into a flate of ignorance and barbarity, as deplorable as that from which providence had juft redeemed it.

To conclude with an obfervation of a fine writer and great philofopher of our own, which I would gladly bind, though with all honour, as a phylactery, on the brow of every awful grammarian, to teach him at once the ufe and limits of his art: WORDS ARE THE MONEY OF FOOLS, AND THE COUNTERS OF WISE MEN.

PREFACE.*

THAT praises are without reafon lavished on the

dead, and that the honours due only to excellence are paid to antiquity, is a complaint likely to be always continued by those, who, being able to add nothing to truth, hope for eminence from the herefies of paradox; or those, who, being forced by disappointment upon confolatory expedients, are willing to hope from pofterity what the prefent age refufes, and flatter themfelves that the regard which is yet denied by envy, will be at laft beftowed by time.

Antiquity, like every other quality that attracts the notice of mankind, has undoubtedly votaries that reverence it, not from reafon, but from prejudice. Some feem to admire indifcriminately whatever has been long preferved, without confidering that time has fometimes co-operated with chance; all perhaps are more willing to honour past than present excellence; and the mind contemplates genius through the fhades of age, as the eye furveys the fun through artificial opacity. The great contention of criticifm is to find the faults of the moderns, and the beauties of the ancients. While an author is yet living, we eftimate his powers by his worst performance; and when he is dead, we rate them by his beft.

4 First printed in 1765.

To works, however, of which the excellence is not abfolute and definite, but gradual and comparative; to works not raised upon principles demonftrative and fcientifick, but appealing wholly to obfervation and experience, no other teft can be applied than length of duration and continuance of efteem. What mankind have long poffeffed they have often examined and compared, and if they perfift to value the poffeffion, it is because frequent comparisons have confirmed opinion in its favour. As among the works of nature no man can properly call a river deep, or a mountain high, without the knowledge of many mountains, and many rivers; fo in the productions of genius, nothing can be filed excellent till it hath been compared with other works of the fame kind. Demonftration immediately difplays its power, and has nothing to hope or fear from the flux of years; but works tentative and experimental must be estimated by their proportion to the general and collective ability of man, as it is difcovered in a long fucceffion of endeavours. Of the first building that was raised, it might be with certainty determined that it was round or fquare; but whether it was fpacious or lofty muft have been referred to time. The Pythagorean fcale of numbers was at once difcovered to be perfect; but the poems of Homer we yet know not to tranfcend the common limits. of human intelligence, but by remarking, that nation after nation, and century after century, has been able to do little more than tranfpofe his incidents, new name his characters, and paraphrafe his fentiments.

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