remediis laboratur. And indeed, where mere conjecture is to be uſed, the emendations of Scaliger and Lipſius, notwithſtanding their wonderful ſagacity and erudition, are often vague and diſputable, like mine or Theobald’s.
Perhaps I may not be more cenſured for doing wrong, than for doing little; for raiſing in the publick expectations, which at laſt I have not anſwered. The expectation of ignorance is indefinite, and that of knowledge is often tyrannical. It is hard to ſatisfy thoſe who know not what to demand, or thoſe who demand by deſign what they think impoſſible to be done. I have indeed diſappointed no opinion more than my own; yet I have endeavoured to perform my taſk with no ſlight ſolicitude. Not a ſingle paſſage in the whole work has appeared to me corrupt, which I have not attempted to reſtore; or obſcure, which I have not endeavoured to illuſtrate. In many I have failed like others; and from many, after all my efforts, I have retreated, and confeſſed the repulſe. I have not paſſed over, with affected ſuperiority, what is equally difficult to the reader and to myſelf, but where I could not inſtruct him, have owned my ignorance. I might eaſily have accumulated a maſs of ſeeming learning upon eaſy ſcenes; but it ought not to be imputed to negligence, that, where nothing was neceſſary, nothing has been done, or that, where others have ſaid enough, I have ſaid no more.
Notes are often neceſſary, but they are neceſſary evils. Let him, that is yet unacquainted with the
powers
