different readings of thofe editions, which deferved his attention, were to be found in the more modern ones of Mr. Pope, or Mr. Theobald. Though the explication of the true meaning of the ancient readings hath enabled him for the most part to vindicate the text from the hafty innovations of the later criticks, yet he hath found himself fometimes under the neceffity of having recourfe to conjecture. He hath therefore ventured to lay before the reader, fuch as the general tenor of the discourse, common fenfe, and fome acquaintance with Shakefpear's language dictated to him; which he defires however may be accompanied with a caution to all future editors who may think them worth their notice, that they may be confidered merely as conjectures, and as fuch may find their place at the bottom of the page, and not be admitted into the text, to the exclufion of the ancient and authorized reading, unless they happen to be fupported by fuch convincing and undeniable evidence of their truth, as leaves no room for the leaft doubt or hefitation. He hath thought nothing, how little foever important it might appear, beneath his animadverfion, that might be of the least advantage towards the correctness of a future edition ; and, in this view, he hath condefcended even to correct the errors of the prefs left unnoticed in Mr. Warburton's edition, which he confiders as the text to which his remarks are adapted, and both joined together as the plan of a much more exact one than any we have at prefent.

The

The work thus compleated lay by, the au thor abfolutely undetermined as to the publication, till laft fpring, and might probably have continued in the fame obfcurity for years to come, if a general report and expectation had not about that time prevailed, that Mr. Johnfon, in confequence of engagements he had entered into with the publick, would give a new edition of our poet about the beginning of the winter. Notwithstanding the very high opinion the author had ever, and very defervedly, entertained of the understanding, genius, and very extenfive knowledge, of this diftinguished writer, he thought he faw fufficient reafon to collect, from the fpecimen already given on Macbeth, that their critical fentiments on the text of Shakespear would very frequently, and very widely, differ. He apprehended therefore, that the prefent publication would not be unfeasonable, that the publick might receive about the fame time whatever information was ready to be laid before it relative to this fubject. This gave occafion to the prefent appearance of this work, which hath received no other improvements fince it was firft written, than fome few alterations which on the review feemed neceffary, the references to the additions inferted in the laft edition of the Canons of Criticism, and fome notice taken of Mr. Roderick's remarks therein first published.

Having thus accounted for the defign, the original, and the progrefs, of this work, the author

author fhould now in courfe take his leave of the courteous reader, but that it happens to occur to him, that it may poffibly be thought that he hath treated Mr. Warburton with too great sharpness and afperity, and with less regard and deference than his merits and rank in the learned world may feem to require. He is therefore defirous of justifying himself on this head, and thinks it proper in the first place to declare, That he is an absolute stranger to that gentleman's perfon, never converfed with him), never faw him, never had the least communication with him of any kind, never hath received or follicited any favour from him, nor, on the other hand, hath been ever perfonally disobliged by him, fo that it is impoffible his proceeding can have been influenced either by disappointment or refentment. The truth is, that he hath always understood it to be an established law in the republick of letters, wifely calculated to reftrain the exceffes of infult, petulance, and ill nature, too apt to shoot up in the fplenetick receffes of folitary literature, that every writer fhould be treated on the fame foot of civility, on which, when unprovoked by prior ill ufage, he hath been accustomed to treat others. If this law will indeed admit of fome exceptions, they are wholly in favour of the perfon executing it, not of him on whom it is executed, who hath certainly no juft reafon to complain. Whereas the former will, or hould, always confider, not only what is ftrictly juftifiable towards the perfon offending,

1

but what is decent, and fit, and becoming his own character. But within these restrictions, the common intereft of the republick requires, that this law fhould be carried into due execution, and it is the concern of every member of which it is compofed to contribute his affiftance towards it, as opportunity may offer, and whenever he is not reftrained by confiderations of fuperior moment. On this bottom, together with that expreffed in the motto of his title page, the author is contented to reft his juftification in the opinion of the publick. For as to the learned perfon himself who is more immediately concerned, the author hath not the leaft conception that he can poffibly be offended at a conduct, which is a faint copy only of his own, towards almost every one (and they are not a few, and fome of them of high rank and diftinguished eminence for piety as well as learning) with whom he hath happened to be engaged in controverfy. He certainly hath at all times been careful to treat others in the fame manner that he thought it just and reasonable he fhould be treated himfelf. that, notwithstanding that great partiality fo natural to mankind in their own favour, the author can fafely truft the decifion of this whole matter to the learned perfon's own conscience.

So

There is one incident more which hath laid the author under fome little embarraffment, and en which it may be expected he should give fome fatisfaction. This is an event which hath happened

happened between the writing and the publication of thefe papers. When they were written, the author apprehended he was remarking on Mr. Warburton, and in this character he saw no reason to reproach himself with impropriety as to thofe freedoms he had taken with him. But he is fince become a Right Reverend Father of our Church. What should the author have done in this cafe? Should he have ftruck out the name of Mr. Warburton, and inferted the Right Reverend the Bishop in its place? He hath for the experiment's fake attempted it. But there is fo ftriking an inconfiftence between that facred and venerable character, and the levity fo in feparably connected with the common fubject of these criticisms, fomething fo awkward, fo ludicrous, fo ridiculous, and even fo burlesque, in the perpetually recurring contraft, that this change appeared to him utterly infupportable, and no lefs offenfive than impracticable. He was convinced then that the name of Mr. Warburton was of neceffity to be still continued, and this being once admitted, the epoch of the publication muft in course be confidered as removed backward to the time of the writing, and confequently, upon this fuppofition, the freedoms then taken are still juftifiable. They do not relate to the Bishop, but to the critick, and can throw no juft reflection on the former character more than any other forgotten folly of his youth. This