Arabian Tales: which perhaps may be sufficient for Some criticks to prove his acquaintance with Arabic!

It feems however, at last, that Taste should determine the matter." This, as Bardolph expresses it, is a word of exceeding good command: but I am willing, that the standard itself be fomewhat better afcertained before it be oppofed to demonstrative evidence. Upon the whole, I may confider myself as the pioneer of the commentators: I have removed a deal of learned rubbish, and pointed out to them Shakespeare's track in the ever-pleasing paths of nature. This was necessarily a previous inquiry; and I hope I may affume with some confidence, what one of the first criticks of the age was pleased to declare on reading the former edition, that "The question is now for ever decided." ADVERTISEMENT

PREFIXED TO

THE THIRD EDITION,

1789.

IT may be neceffary to apologize for the republication of this pamphlet. The fact is, it has been for a good while extremely scarce, and some mercenary publishers were induced by the extravagant price, which it has occasionally borne, to project a new edition without the confent of the author.

A few corrections might probably be made, and many additional proofs of the argument have neceffarily occurred in more than twenty years: some of which may be found in the late admirable editions of our POET, by Mr. Steevens and Mr. Reed.

But, perhaps enough is already said on so light a fubject:-A fubject, however, which had for a long time pretty warmly divided the criticks upon Shakspeare.

AN

ESSAY

ON THE

LEARNING OF SHAKSPEARE:

ADDRESSED TO

JOSEPH CRADOCK, Esq.

"SHAKSPEARE," fays a brother of the craft,

" is a vast garden of criticism :" and certainly no one can be favoured with more weeders gratis.

But how often, my dear fir, are weeds and flowers torn up indifcriminately?-the ravaged spot is replanted in a moment, and a profusion of critical thorns thrown over it for security.

"

A prudent man, therefore, would not venture his fingers amongst them."

Be however in little pain for your friend, who regards himself fufficiently to be cautious :-yet he afferts with confidence, that no improvement can be expected, whilst the natural foil is mistaken for a hot-bed, and the natives of the banks of Avon are scientifically choked with the culture of exoticks.

Thus much for metaphor; it is contrary to the ftatute to fly out so early: but who can tell, whether it may not be demonftrated by fome critick or other, that a deviation from rule is peculiarly happy in an Effay on Shakspeare!

You have long known my opinion concerning the literary acquisitions of our immortal dramatist; and remember how I congratulated myself on my coincidence with the last and best of his editors. I told you however, that his Small Latin and less Greek would still be litigated, and you fee very affuredly that I was not mistaken. The trumpet hath been founded against "the darling project of representing Shakspeare as one of the illiterate vulgar;" and indeed to so good purpose, that I would by all means recommend the performer to the army of the braying faction, recorded by Cervantes. The testimony of his contemporaries is again difputed; constant tradition is opposed by flimfy arguments; and nothing is heard, but confusion and nonfenfe. One could scarcely imagine this a topick very likely to inflame the paffions: it is afferted by Dryden, that "those who accuse him to have wanted learning, give him the greatest commendation;" yet an attack upon an article of faith hath been usually received with more temper and complacence, than the unfortunate opinion, which I am about to defend.

But let us previously lament with every lover of Shakspeare, that the question was not fully difcuffed

3 This paffage of Ben Jonfon, fo often quoted, is given us in the admirable preface to the late edition, with a various reading, " small Latin and no Greek," which hath been held up to the publick for a modern fophistication: yet whether an error or not, it was adopted above a century ago by W. Towers, in a panegyrick on Cartwright. His eulogy, with more than fifty others, on this now forgotten poet, was prefixed to the edit. 1651,