Book II. Plato in his first book of laws makes no scruple of calling it Tyrtaeus' own expreffion. Διαβάντες δ' εὖ καὶ μαχόμενοι, ἐθέλοντες ἀποθνήσκειν ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ (φράζει Τύρλαιο) τῶν μισθοφόρων εἰσὶ πάμπολλοι. "There are many mercenaries, who firmly standing their ground with one foot boldly advanc"ed before the other, (for fo Tyrtaeus expreffes it) would gladly die fighting in battle." N SECT. XI. OTHING is more common than for words to be tranfpofed in hafty writing, and to change their places. This has happen'd in the Tempeft. Act I. where Profpero fpeaks to Ariel. "Profp. This blue-ey'd hag was hither brought with child, "And here was left by th' Sailors; thou, my Llave, "As thou report'ft thyself, waft then her Servant." The reader will eafily fee how proper 'tis to the whole drift of this discourse, and to the character of the person speaking, as well as the perfon spoken to, that we should read, 2 66 Thou "Thou my Servant, "As thou report'ft thyself, was then her Slave." The fame kind of tranfpofition is in Measure for Measure. A& III. "Ifab. This outward-fainted Deputy, "Whose settled visage and delib'rate word Nips youth i'th' head; and follies doth 66 emmew, "As falcon doth the fowl, is yet a devil: "His FILTH within being caft, he would appear "A POND as deep as hell." How much better thus, "His POND within being cast, he would "A FILTH as deep as hell." appear i. e. If the water within was caft out and emptied, (which now covers his filth) he would ap pear a quagmire of filth and mud, as deep as hell. "1. Strang. Why this is the world's foul; "Of the fame piece is every flatterer's fport." Let these two words foul and fport change places, and we have this very good reading, "1. Strang. Why, this is the world's fport; "Of the fame piece is every flatterer's ' soul.” In the II part of K. Henry IV, A& II. P. Henry. "From a God to a bull? a heavy "declenfion; it was Jove's cafe. From a prince "to a prentice, a low transformation; that shall "be mine for in every thing, the purpose "muft weigh with the folly." It would be more accurate if the words were tranfpofed, and we should read, P. Henry. "From a God to a bull? a heavy transformation; it was Jove's cafe. From a prince to a prentice a low declenfion; that "fhall be mine, &c." In Cymbeline, Act II. Jachimo is describing to the husband his wife's bedchamber: Jach. The roof o'th' chamber "With golden cherubims is fretted, &c." 2 Pofthumus 1 Mr. Theobald reads fpirit. But in my change not one word is altered. 2 So Milton I, 717. "The roof was fretted gold." Our Pofthumus replies: "This is her honour: "Let it be granted you have seen all this, &c." Mr. Theobald faw the abfurdity of the reading, and corrects "What's this t' her honour." But why may it not be red, without altering one word, only by an easy transposition, Is this her honour? Is this any way relating to the honour of my wife, which is the thing in queftion? or perhaps he speaks ironically, "This is her honour! Our poet in Hamlet. A& 2. "This majestical roof fretted with golden fire." from the Anglo-S. fretwan ornare. This word I would reftore to Chaucer in the Romaunt of the rose. 3204. "For round environ her crounet read, pftet, or, ifret. So Spencer. B. 2. c. 9. ft. 37. "Whose skirt with gold "Was fretted all about." In Much Adoe about Nothing. Act III. There is a trifling tranfpofition of a fingle letter. Hero. If it prove fo, then loving goes by "haps, "Some Cupids kill with arrows, fome with 66 traps." Which should thus be fet right, "Some Cupid kills with arrows, fome with "traps. A SEC T. XII. UTHORS are not careful enough of their copies, when they give them into the printer's hand; which, often being blotted or ill written, must be help'd out by meer guesswork. Printers are not the best calculated for this critical work, I think, fince the times of Aldus and the Stephens's. What wonder therefore if in fuch a cafe we meet, now and then, with strange and monftrous words, or highly improper expreffions, and often contradictory to the author's defign and meaning? Hence came the following paffage to be corrupted in Romeo and Juliet, A&t II. "Young |