P. 830. "Upon a day of joy, here is a text “of joy, upon a day of joy for the King, a text "of a King in joy. For, fo we fee there is in "the text a King, and hee joyful and glad. P. 835. And upon these two, (namely, fas "tisfaction to the heart and lips) there is a fela For thefe two, one would think, were able to content any. But this fela is no fela to God; he hath a fela, or an ela above this fela,-and this is the prævenisti of his goodness. "Satisfie the lips; petite, et dabitur, speak, and speed. Satifie the heart, ave et babe, "wifh and have. Not only open thy mouth; but enlarge thy heart never fo wide, and I will "fill it; this is able to fatisfie David, I think, and make him fing fela, which is their Aix“ πατών.” 66. : I come now to give an account of what I have done in the following notes, I have with tolerable care collated the two first folio editions of 1623, and 1632. (especial ly the latter) with Mr. Theobald's, Sir Thomaş Haumer's, and Mr. Warburton's: (whose text I have generally made use of) by which I think it will appear, that there are many alterations for the worse, in these modern editions. I have read over the works of Chaucer, Skelton, and Spenfer, and have endeavoured to point out thofe paffages, which Shakespeare probably borrowed from thence, and to fhew what things have been copied from him by the dramatic writers who lived in, or near his own time. I have compared his hiftorical plays with those biftories, from whence he certainly took them, and find him ufually very exact, (fome few points of chronology excepted.) The emendations which I have attempted in the text, are put in the way of query; and I have not taken upon me dogmatically to affert any thing, without fufficient warrant for fo doing. Hiftorical facts will certainly ftand the test, especially when proper vouchers are produced in fupport of them. I have generally paffed over the places already noted; and where I have diffented from any of the editors, I hope I have done it with fuch tenderness, as not to give the least offence. I am fo far from thinking my own notes the beft, that I fhall with great readiness and pleafure, retract any mistakes, that are pointed out to me, in a candid and good natur'd manner. Hard words I am far from approving let them come from what quarter foever; let the perfons be never fo much dignified or diftinguished; efpecially when given without the least imaginable provocation; and I should disclaim any correfpondence or communication with fuch perfons; as I am convinced, that such prejudices generally arife from the malevolent spirit of party; and fuch afperfers cannot act in any case, where party is concerned, either with justice or honour. For the man of honour must be a perfon poffeffed of all thofe moral and intellectual per fections, fections, which make a confummate gentleman. Though not highly defcended, he must have greatness enough to raise his name: and if advanced to a high station, he will be prudent, and not vain glorious: if he is powerful, he will be as just and punctual as truth itself: generous and yet humble, magnanimous and brave, and yet compaffionate and merciful: in fhort, he will have fuch a lively sense of honour, as to scorn to do any thing that mifbecomes himself, disparages his reason, or intrenches upon religion: and is as far advanced above common, and plebeian fouls, as they themselves above the brutes. Nay, fuch a person will always act the Chriftian; and follow Saint Paul's rule of charity. That thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth. i. e. "He will not be apt to fufpect the worst, nor to wreft any thing "to an ill conftruction,-but to hear a falfe ac"cufation difproved, and the innocent thereby " vindicated: fuch a feasonable discovery of truth, "will certainly be a matter of rejoicing to him. But to beg pardon for this digreffion. I cannot affirm with the laft editor," that Shake 66 Speare was among my younger amusements: "though I own I read him now and then, to "unbend myself from more serious application." Nor do I think that any difcredit can arise even to a clergyman, for writing notes upon ShakeSpeare; nor will he want the authority of Saint Chryfoftom to bear him out; provided he makes no comment upon the obscene paffages, or ex plains innocent ones in an obfcene manner: and should imagine the most learned, and celebrated profeffor of divinity, (or in the modern phrafe, of the occult Sciences) would not have the leaft ground for fhame on fuch an account. I am now to make my acknowledgments to, thofe worthy gentlemen, who afforded me their friendly, and kind affiftance in this work. And the first to whom I am indebted, is the reverend Mr. Smith of Harleston in Norfolk, the most friendly, and communicative man living, who was greatly affiftant to Sir Thomas Hanmer in his edition of Shakespeare; as he was to me in Hudibras; for which he has been spitefully call'd my coadjutor: but by a gentleman, whofe flander ftands for nothing with every candid, and ingenuous perfon. Dr. Tathwell, a learned, and ingenious phyfician at Stamford in Lincolnshire, favoured me likewife with his affiftance. His critical skill in the Clafficks, enabled him to point out to me feveral beauties in ShakeSpeare. The notes of a learned and ingenious perfon, dead fome time ago, whom I have distinguished with the title of Anonymus, (and which were communicated by a very learned friend, to whom I am under great obligations on many accounts) have furnished me with many emendations of the text, and meter. A few notes were communicated by other friends, to whom (though I am not at liberty to |