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fcattered in many books and papers, which were probably never read but once, or the particulars which they contain received only in the courfe of common converfation; nay, what is called plagiarism, is often no more than the refult of having thought alike with others on the fame subject.

The difpute about the learning of Shakespeare being now finally fettled, a catalogue is added of thofe tranflated authors, whom Mr. Pope has thought proper to call

The claffics of an age that heard of none.

The reader may not be displeased to have the Greek and Roman poets, orators, &c. who had been rendered acceffible to our author, expofed at one view; efpecially as the lift has received the advantage of being corrected and amplified by the Reverend Dr. Farmer, the fubftance of whofe very decifive pamphlet is interfperfed through the notes which are added in this revifal of Dr. Johnfon's Shakefpeare.

To thofe who have advanced the reputation of our Poet, it has been endeavoured, by Dr. Johnson, in the foregoing preface, impartially to allot their dividend of fame; and it is with great regret that we now add to the catalogue, another, the confequence of whose death will perhaps affect not only the works of Shakefpeare, but of many other writers. Soon after the first appearance of this edition, a disease, rapid in its progrefs, deprived the world of Mr. JACOB TONSON;

a man,

a man, whofe zeal for the improvement of English literature, and whofe liberality to men of learning, gave him a juft title to all the honours which men of learning can beftow. To fuppofe that a perfon employed in an extenfive trade, lived in a state of indifference to lofs and gain, would be to conceive a character incredible and romantic; but it may be justly faid of Mr. TONSON, that he had enlarged his mind beyond folicitude about petty loffes, and refined it from the defire of unreasonable profit. He was willing to admit thofe with whom he contracted, to the just advantage of their own labours; and had never learned to confider the author as an under-agent to the bookfeller. The wealth which he inherited or acquired, he enjoyed like a man conscious of the dignity of a profeffion fubfervient to learning. His domeftic life was elegant, and his charity was liberal. His manners were foft, and his converfation delicate: nor is, perhaps, any quality in him more to be cenfured, than that referve which confined his acquaintance to a fmall number, and made his example lefs ufeful, as it was lefs extenfive. He was the last commercial name of a family which will be long remembered; and if Horace thought it not improper to convey the Sos11 to pofterity; if rhetoric fuffered no difhonour from Quintilian's dedication to TRYPHO; let it not be thought that we difgrace Shakespeare, by appending to his works the name of TONSON,

To this prefatory advertisement I have now fubjoined a chapter extracted from the Guls Hornbook, (a fatirical pamphlet written by Decker in the year

1609) as it affords the reader a more complete idea of the customs peculiar to our ancient theatres, than any other publication which has hitherto fallen in my way. See this performance, page 27.

«СНА Р. VI.

How a Galiant should behave himself in a Play houfe.

The theater is your poet's Royal Exchange, upon which, their mufes (that are now turn'd to merchants) meeting, barter away that light commodity of words for a lighter ware than words, plaudities and the breath of the great beaft, which (like the threatnings of two cowards) vanish all into aire. Plaiers and their factors, who put away the stuffe and make the best of it they poffibly can (as indeed 'tis their parts fo to doe) your gallant, your courtier, and your capten, had wont to be the foundest paymafters, and I thinke are ftill the fureft chapmen: and these by meanes that their heades are well ftockt, deale upon this comical freight by the groffe; when your groundling, and gallery commoner buyes his fport by the penny, and, like a hagler, is glad to utter it againe by retailing.

Sithence then the place is fo free in entertainment, allowing a ftoole as well to the farmer's fonne as to your Templer: that your ftinkard has the felfe fame libertie to be there in his tobacco-fumes, which your fweet courtier hath: and that your carman and tinker claime as strong a voice in their fuffrage, and fit to give judgment on the plaies' life and death, as well as the proudeft Momus among the tribe of critick; it is fit that hee, whom the most tailors' bils do make room for, when he comes, fhould not be bafely (like a vyoll) cas'd up in a corner.

Whether therefore the gatherers of the publique or private play-house ftand to receive the afternoone's rent, let our gallant (having paid it) presently advance himselfe up to the throne of the ftage. I meane not into the lords' roome (which is now but the ftage's fuburbs). No, those boxes by the iniquity of cuftome, confpiracy of waiting-women and gentlemen-ufhers, that there sweat together, and the covetous fharers, are contemptibly thruft into the reare, and

much

much new fatten is there dambd by being fmothered to death in darkneffe. But on the very rufhes where the commedy is to daunce, yea and under the ftate of Cambifes himfelfe muft our feather'd eftridge, like a piece of ordnance be planted valiantly (because impudently) beating downe the mewes and hiffes of the oppofed rafcality.

For do but caft up a reckoning, what large cummings in are purs'd up by fitting on the ftage. Firft a confpicuous eminence is gotten, by which meanes the best and most effenciall parts of a gallant (good cloathes, a proportionable legge, white hand, the Perfian locke, and a tollerable beard,) are perfectly revealed.

By fitting on the ftage you have a fign'd pattent to engroffe the whole commodity of cenfure; may lawfully prefume to be a girder; and stand at the helme to fteere the paffage of fcænes, yet no man fhall once offer to hinder you from obtaining the title of an infolent over-weening coxcombe.

By fitting on the ftage, you may (without trauelling for it) at the very next doore, afke whofe play it is: and by that queft of inquiry, the law warrants you to avoid much miftaking: if you know not the author, you may raile against him; and peradventure fo behave yourfelfe, that you may enforce the author to know you.

By fitting on the stage, if you be a knight, you may happily get you a miftreffe: if a meere Fleet-ftreet gentleman, a wife: but affure yourfelfe by continuall refidence, you are the first and principall man in election to begin the number of We three.

By fpreading your body on the stage, and by being a juftice in examining of plaies, you fhall put yourselfe into fuch a true fcænical authority, that fome poet fhall not dare to prefent his muse rudely before your eyes, without having first unmaskt her, rifled her, and difcovered all her bare and moft myftical parts before you at a taverne, when you most knightly, shal for his paines, pay for both their fup

pers.

By fitting on the ftage, you may (with small coft) purchafe the deere acquaintance of the boyes: have a good stoole for fixpence: at any time know what particular part any of the infants prefent: get your match lighted, examine the play-fuits' lace, and perhaps win wagers upon laying 'tis copper, &c. And to conclude, whether you be a foole or a juftice of peace, a cuckold or a capten, a lord maior's fonne VOL. 1.

[F]

or

or a dawcocke, a knave or an under fhriefe, of what stamp foever you be, currant or counterfet, the ftagelike time will bring you to moft perfect light, and lay you open: neither are you to be hunted from thence though the fear-crowes in the yard hoot you, hiffe at you, spit at you, yea throw dirt even in your teeth: 'tis moft gentleman-like patience to endure all this, and to laugh at the filly animals. But if the rabble, with a full throat, crie away with the foole, you were worse than a mad-man to tarry by it: for the gentleman and the foole fhould never fit on the ftage together.

Mary, let this obfervation go hand in hand with the reft: or rather, like a country-ferving man, fome five yards before them. Prefent not your felfe on the stage (especially at a new play) untill the quaking prologue hath (by rubbing) got cullor into his cheekes, and is ready to give the trumpets their cue that hees upon point to enter: for then it is time, as though you were one of the properties, or that you dropt of the hangings to creep from behind the arras, with your tripos or three-legged ftoole in one hand, and a tefton mounted betweene a fore-finger and a thumbe, in the other: for if you fhould beftow your perfon upon the vulgar, when the belly of the house is but halfe full, your apparell is quite eaten up, the fashion loft, and the proportion of your body in more danger to be devoured, then if it were ferved up in the Counter amongst the Poultry: avoid that as you would the baftome. It fhall crowne you with rich commendation to laugh alowd in the middeft of the moft ferious and faddeft fcene of the terribleft tragedy: and to let that clapper (your tongue) be toft fo high that all the houfe may ring of it: your lords ufe it; your knights are apes to the lords, and do fo too: your inne-a-court-man is zany to the knights, and (many very fcurvily) comes likewife limping after it: bee thou a beagle to them all, and never lin fnuffing till you have fented them: for by talking and laughing (like a ploughman in a morris) you heape Pelion upon Offa, glory upon glory: as firft all the eyes in the galleries will leave walking after the players, and onely follow you: the fimpleft dolt in ⚫ the houfe fnatches up your name, and when he meetes you in the streetes, or that you fall into his hands in the middle of a watch, his word thall be taken for you: heele cry, Hees fuch a gallant, and you paffe. Secondly you publish your temperance to the world, in that you feeme not to refort thither to tafte vaine pleasures with a hungrie appetite; but onely as a gentleman, to spend a foolish houre or two,

because

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