Preface to Mr. Richardfon's Propofals, &c. Propofals by William Richardfon Advertisement by Mr. Steevens to Edition of 1793 Lift of altered Plays from Shakspeare Lift of detached Pieces of Criticism on Shak- Commendatory Verfes on Shakspeare Malone's Effay on Ford's Pamphlet, &c. ADVERTISEMENT. THE merits of our great dramatick Bard, the pride and glory of his country, have been so amply difplayed by perfons of various and first-rate talents, that it would appear like prefumption in any one, and especially in him whose name is fubfcribed to this Advertisement, to imagine himself capable of adding any thing on fo exhausted a subject. After the labours of men of fuch high eftimation as Rowe, Pope, Warburton, Johnson, Farmer, and Steevens, with others of inferior name, the rank of Shakfpeare in the poetical world is not a point at this time fubject to controverfy. His pre-eminence is admitted; his fuperiority confeffed. Long ago it might be faid of him, as it has been, in the energetick lines of Johnson, of one almost his equal,→→→ "At length, our mighty bard's victorious lays VOL. I. |