As of the other editors, I have preſerved the prefaces, I have likewiſe borrowed the author’s life from Rowe, though not written with much elegance or ſpirit; it relates however what is now to be known, and therefore deſerves to paſs through all ſucceeding publications.
The nation had been for many years content enough with Mr. Rowe’s performance, when Mr. Pope made them acquainted with the true ſtate of Shakeſpeare’s text, ſhewed that it was extremely corrupt, and gave reaſon to hope that there were means of reforming it. He collated the old copies, which none had thought to examine before, and reſtored many lines to their integrity; but, by a very compendious criticiſm, he rejected whatever he diſliked, and thought more of amputation than of cure.
I know not why he is commended by Dr. Warbuton for diſtinguiſhing the genuine from the ſpurious plays. In this choice he exerted no judgment of his own; the plays which he received, were given by Hemings and Condel, the firſt editors; and thoſe which he rejected, though, according to the licentiouſneſs of the preſs in thoſe times, they were printed during Shakeſpeare’s life, with his name, had been omitted by his friends, and were never added to his works before the edition of 1664, from which they were copied by the later printers.
This is a work which Pope ſeems to have thought unworthy of his abilities, being not able to ſuppreſs his contempt of the dull duty of an editor. He under-
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