both abused with smartness of fatire, at leaft; though not with folidity of argument: that it might have been worth fome reply in defence of the science attacked. But I may fairly say of this author, as Falstaff does of Poins; Hang him, baboon! his wit is as thick as Tewkf< bury mustard; there is no more conceit in him, than is in a MALLET." If it be not prophanation to set the opinion of the divine Longinus against fuch a feribler, he tells us exprefly, "That to "make a judgment upon Words (and Writings) is the moft confummate fruit of much experi«sence” ἡ γὰρ τῶν λόγων κρίσις πολλῆς ἐςὶ πείρας Lerviks τελευταῖον ἐπιγέννημα. Whenever words are depraved, the fenfe of courfe muft be corrupted; and thence the readers betrayed into a falfe meaning, mong bos

"

If the Latin and Greek languages have received the greatest advantages imaginable from the labours of the Editors and Criticks of the two laft ages; by whofe aid and affistance the Grammarians have been enabled to write infinitely better in that art than even the preceding Grammarians, who wrote when those tongues' flourished as living languages: I fhould account it a peculiar happiness, that, by the faint affay I have made in this work, a path might be chalked out, for abler hands, by which to derive the fame advantages to our own tongue: a tongue, which, tho' it wants none of the fundamental qualities of an univerfal language, yet as a noble Writer fays, lifps and

ftam

flammers as in its cradle; and has produced little more towards its polifhing than complaints of its barbarity.

Having now run through all thofe points, which I intended fhould make any part of this differtation, and having in my former edition made publick acknowledgments of the affiftances lent me, I fhall conclude with a brief account of the methods taken in this.

The few literal errors, which had escaped notice, for want of revifals, in the former edition, are here reformed: and the pointing of in-, numerable paffages is regulated, with all the accuracy I am capable of.

I fhall decline making any farther declaration of the pains I have taken upon my Author, because it was my duty, as his Editor, to publish him with my best care and judgment: and becaufe, I am fenfible, all fuch declarations are conftrued to be laying a fort of a debt on the public. As the former edition has been received with much indulgence, I ought to make my ac knowledgements to the town for their favourable opinion of it and I fhall always be proud to think that encouragement the best payment I can hope to receive from my poor ftudies.

SHAK

Extracted from the Registry of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Vicefimo quinto die Martii Anno Regni Domini noftri Jacobi nunc Regis Angliæ &c. decimo quarto & Scotia quadragefimo nono, Anno Domini 1616.

'N the name of God, Amen. I William

peare upon Avon in the

county of Warwick, Gent. in perfect health and memory, God be praised, do make and ordain this my laft Will and Teftament in manner and form following; that is to say:

First, I commend my Soul into the hands of God my Creator, hoping, and affuredly believing, through the only merits of Jefus Christ my Saviour, to be made partaker of life everlasting; and my body to the earth whereof that is made.

Item, I give and bequeath unto my daughter Judith one hundred and fifty pounds of lawful English money, to be paid unto her in manner and form following;

that