of his are for the most part more certain, which are made from conjectures, than those from ancient copies and manufcripts.

'Twas never my intention to call in question the skill and abilities of one, whose reputation in learning is fo deservedly established: but there was a good piece of advice, (which I cannot so easily pass over, because of universal use to critics,) offered him, when first he made his design known of publishing his Horace; which was, to admit into the context all thofe better readings, for which he had the authority of ancient manuscripts; but as to meer conjectural corrections, to place them in his notes. His reply to this advice was, as might be expected, No, for "then who will regard them ?"

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Our great critic was too well guarded by his learning, to have his own reply turned as a sarcasm against himself; which might so justly be turned against many dealers in the critical craft, who, with little or no stock in trade, fet up for correctors and fucceffors of Ariftarchus. There

3 Of this particular circumftance I was informed by the late learned Mr. Wafs of Aynoe. I will add here a rule of Graevius, in his preface to Cicero's offices: A prifcis libris non recedendum, nifi aut librarii, aut fcioli peccatum fit tam reftatum, ut ab omnibus, qui non caligant in fole, videri poffit.

is one part of their cunning, that I cannot help here mentioning, which is, their intruding their own gueffes and reveries into the context, which, firft meeting the reader's eye, naturally prepoffefs his judgment: mean while the author's words are either removed entirely out of the way, or per mitted a place in fome remote note, loaden with misrepresentations and abuse, according to the great goodness of the most gracious critic; who with his dagger of lath on his own stage, like the old Vice, or modern Harlequin, belabours the poor Devil of his own raifing.

Who is there but will allow greater liberty for altering authors, who wrote before the invention of printing, than fince? Blunders upon blunders of tranfcribers-interpolations-gloffes-omiffions various readings-and what not? But to try these experiments, without great caution, on Milton or Shakespeare, though it may be sport to you, as the pelted frogs cried out in the fable, yet, Gentlemen, 'tis death and destruction to the little taft remaining among us.

I

SECT. II.

HAVE often wondered with what kind of reasoning any one could be fo far imposed on, as to imagine that Shakespeare had no learning;

Book I. when it must at the fame time be acknowledged, that without learning, he cannot be red with any degree of understanding, or taft. At this time of day he will hardly be allowed that' inspiration, which his brother bards formerly claim'd; and which claim, if the pretenfions were any ways answerable, was generally granted them. However we are well affured from the hiftories of his times, that he was early initiated into the facred company of the Muses, and tho' he might have fmall avocations, yet he foon returned again with greater eagerness to his beloved ftudies. Hence he was poffeffed of fufficient helps, either from abroad, or at home, to midwife into the world his great and beautiful conceptions, and to give them birth and being. That a contrary opinion

.

1 Cicero pro Arch. Poet. A fummis hominibus eruditifssimifque accepimus- -Poetam natura ipfâ valere et quafi divino quodam fpiritu inflari. De Nat. Deor. II. 66. Nemo igitur vir magnus fine aliquo afflatu divino unquam fuit. In Plato's lo, there is a great deal to the fame purpose concerning this poetic rapture and enthusiasm; where a certain poet is mentioned, who having made a number of very bad verfes, wrote one poem which he himself said was tugnuá ro Mera: the poem happened to be a very extraordinary one; and the people took the poet's word, thinking it impoffible, without infpiration, that fo bad a poet fhould write fuch good verfes

has

2

has ever prevailed, is owing partly to Ben Johnson's jealoufy, and partly to the pride and pertnefs of dunces, who, under such a name as Shakespeare's, would gladly fhelter their ownidleness and ignorance.

He was bred in a learned age, when even the 3 court ladies learnt Greek, and the Queen of England among scholars had the reputation of being a scholar. Whether her fucceffor had equal learning and sense, is not material to be at present enquir'd into; but thus far is certain, that letters, even then, ftood in fome rank of

praise.

2 And though thou hadft small Latin and lefs Greek. 'Tis true Johnson says very handsome things of him prefently after for people will allow others any qualities, but. thofe which they highly value themfelyes for.

3 See what Afcham writes of Lady Jane Grey, (who, lived fome time before Shakespeare) in his scholemaster, p. 37. Edit. Lond. 1743. and afterwards, p. 67. of Queen Elizabeth. "It is your fháme (I fpeak to you ❝ all, you young gentlemen of England) that one maid "fhould go beyond you all in excellency of learning, and

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knowledge of divers tongues. Point forth fix of the "best given gentlemen of this court, and all they together "fhew not fo much good will, spend not so much time, bestow not fo many hours daily, orderly and constantly, for the increase of learning and knowledge, as doth the Queen's majefty her felf. Yea I believe that befide her perfect readiness in Latin, Italian, French and Spanish, B 3

"The

praife. Happy for us, that our poet, and Johnson, came into life fo early; that they lived not in an age, when not only their art, but every thing else that had wit and elegance began to be defpifed; 'till the minds of the people came to be disposed for all that hypoerify, nonsense, and fuperftitious fanaticism, which soon after like a deluge overwhelmed this nation. 'Twere to be wifhed, that with our restored king fome of that taft of literature had been restored, which we enjoyed in the days of Queen Elizabeth. But when we brought home our frenchified king, we did then, and have even to this day continued to bring from France our models, not only of letters, but

"the readeth here now at Windfor more Greek every day, "than fome prebendary of this church doth read Latin in " a whole week." Sir H. Savil in his latin speech at Oxford thus compliments her ; Illa commemorabo, quæ vulgà minus nota, non minus certe mirabilia ad laudem : te, cum toţ literis legendis, tot dictandis, tot manu tua fcribendis fufficias *** te magnam diei partem in gravissimorum autorum fcriptis legendis, audiendifque ponere: neminem nifi fua lingua tecum loqui; te cum nemine nifi ipforum, aut omnium communibuş Latina, Graecaque. Omitto plebeios philofophos, quos raro im manus fumis. Quoties divinum Platonem animadverti tuis interpretationibus diviniorem effe&um! quoties Ariftotelis obfcuritates principis philofophorum, à principe foeminarum evolutas atque explicatas!

(O fhame