Preface to Shakespeare's Plays, 1765

abfurdities action againſt arife authour becauſe cafual cenfure comedy comick compofition confidered conjecture copies corrupted criticifm criticks cuftoms curiofity defign defire dialogue diftinction diligence diſcovered drama dramatick eafily eafy eaſy edition editor emendations endeavoured errour excellence fable fafe faid fame fcenes feems feldom felect fentiments fhew fhewn fhould filent firſt folicitous fome fometimes ftate ftudies fubject fuch fuffered fufficient fupply fuppofe fure fyftem genius hiftories himſelf human imitation impoffible inferted inftruct juft juſt knowledge labour laft language laſt learning lefs lence likewife Menston mind modes moſt muſt nature neceffary neral numbers obfcure obfervations occafion paffages paffions perfonal perhaps Plautus plays pleafing pleaſe pleaſure poet poffible pofitions Pope praife praiſed prefent preferved profe publick publiſhed purpoſe racter raiſed reader reafon reft reprefented reſtoration ſcenes ſeems Shakespeare ſtage ſtand ſtate ſtudied thefe themſelves Theſe thofe thoſe thour tion tragedy truth underſtand uſed Voltaire writers