much greater number of notes than he originally intended. He hopes that the effect of this alteration, though it has certainly been attended with greater trouble to himself, and greater expense to the publisher, has been advantageous to the publication, and generally acceptable to his readers; and that his endeavours to correct and explain the text, to amend the measure, and to supply such marginal directions as seemed necessary, will be approved: but he dare not flatter himself so far as to suppose that on this point there may not be much difference of opinion: it is unfortunate for an Editor, so inexperienced as himself, that notwithstanding all that has been said upon the subject, the "Canons of Criticism" still remain unsettled; and that whilst some would reject or alter without scruple, whatever spoils the measure, or seems to obscure the sense, as an interpolation or corruption, others regard the slightest alteration (if unsanctioned by some ancient copy) as an unwarrantable tampering with the text.

"Incidit in Scyllam, cupiens vitare Charybdim."

The Editor will only say, he has endeavoured to steer between the two as well as his little skill enabled him and the only favour which he ventures to solicit from his more experienced readers, is, that they would carefully compare any play of the present collection on which they wish to form an opinion, with the copy from which it

was reprinted, and he will then readily submit to their decision. If, after all, the reader shall meet with more errors than are usually discoverable even in the fallible field of editorial criticism, he will perhaps have the goodness to remember, that a work of less pretensions never issued from the press: if the Editor has sometimes no other retreat from his oversights and errors than through his reader's kindness, it may be remembered in his favour, that it is a courtesy he has invariably extended to others; which is by no means the necessary consequence of inexperience or insufficiency.

The Editor is perfectly aware, that notwithstanding the deaths of Steevens, Malone, Reed, and several others, by whom Shakspeare has been so ably elucidated, there are yet several living critics who have fully proved that they are beyond comparison better qualified for an undertaking of this kind than he can pretend to be; and, if he had supposed it probable, that one in any degree to be compared to the learned and accurate Editor of Massinger, the acute and judicious defender of Ben Jonson, or the illustrator of Shakspeare, could have been prevailed upon to undertake a publication of this nature, or even if the ancient quartos could have been procured at any moderate price, the present work would not have been begun. But it is to be recollected, that seventy years have elapsed since the first appearance of Dodsley's Collection; and though some

thing has been done in the interval, by Hawkins and some others, yet the vacuum in this species of English literature, is yet very imperfectly filled up. By the work which is now presented to the Public, the Editor trusts he has contributed something towards the gratification of the admirers of our ancient drama; and it will give him much pleasure to see the plan pursued and completed to their satisfaction by abler hands.

Of the Selection itself, he only wishes to observe, that if all the ancient stores of this kind had been laid open to him, and he (with sufficient leisure to peruse them) at liberty to make his choice, the selection would have been better; but though the Editor might claim the merit of having read with some attention a considerable number of these dramas, yet his reading of this kind is by no means so extensive as he could wish, nor was his time so much at his own disposal as to permit him to make this the principal object of his attention, though it has constituted much of the amusement of his leisure hours. He trusts that few of the Plays which are now republished will be deemed unworthy of preservation, and he was particularly desirous not to include any which are strikingly offensive against decorum, nor any which his readers in general could be supposed to possess before.

When the plan was first arranged, he certainly meant to include plays from several writers,

which he afterwards judged it right to decline, that he might neither lay a tax upon his readers, nor knowingly interfere with the plans of any other person. Several of Shirley's plays would unquestionably have been the particular objects of his choice; but he is happy to see that the whole have been formally announced for republication: and he has also collected from a source which he can depend on, that a gentleman who is possessed of a complete copy of Brome's works, has made some progress in preparing them for the press, though he has not the least expectation of being a pecuniary gainer by the work. Some plays, however, of Chapman, Marston, Middleton, &c. which the Editor reluctantly passed over, with those of Mayne, Cartwright, and Randolph, &c. would have supplied him with very eligible materials for a few volumes in addition to those now published, and he has reason to believe that the principal assistance which he has hitherto received would have been continued. He was not disinclined to a further extension of the work, with such alterations in the plan as seemed calculated for its improvement; but as it has been generally reported, that the public will soon be gratified with an improved and considerably enlarged edition of Dodsley's ancient plays, by a gentleman fully qualified to do justice to the work; and as (in that event) Cartwright and Randolph, who were the professed imitators of Jonson, may reasonably be supposed

to attract his particular attention, the Editor rests satisfied with having performed his engagement, as well as the circumstances under which it has been executed, enabled him, and suspends, at least, the execution of his further purposes, till he is able to form a more correct idea than he can do at present, whether any continuation of the present publication (by him) be wanted in itself, or likely to be acceptable to the public.

And now, before he finally takes his leave, he may be permitted to make, as is customary, a public acknowledgment of such politeness and assistance as he has received. To Mr. Haslewood he is indebted for some information respecting the prefixture to the octavo edition of Marston's plays; to Mr. Jones, the editor of the Biograph. Dram. for his general polite attentions; and to Mr. John Kemble for his great kindness in the offer of any of the works in his valuable collection. After the Editor's complaints of the difficulty of procuring the earlier editions, it may be asked why he did not avail himself of this liberality? He will honestly confess that as he did not choose to subject himself to the unpleasantness of solicitation generally, and did not find collectors very anxious to anticipate his wants; he felt that it would have been inflicting a heavy penalty on great and singular politeness. The assistance he has yet acknowledged has been trifling; it were well perhaps for his credit as an editor if he had now