Eachard contents himself with hunting down the argument of his opponent, and rarely meddles with the man: he thinks it fufficient, if he can prove him a dull and affected, a foppish and pedantic, an ignorant and a foolish reafoner. He wishes not to render him hateful to the populace, or obnoxious to the government. He laughs in his antagonist's face at the very time he difarms him; then helps him to his fword again, and humouroufly rallies him for not knowing how to use it. In short, Eachard's difcuffion of an argument or confutation of a book, divested of that severity and acrimony, with which theological difputes are too often maintained, resembles a feaft, where easy wit, fprightly humour, good-nature, and good fenfe form the most agreeable part of the entertainment.' This learned and merry divine was educated at Cambridge; where he took his degree of Mafter of Arts in 1660. In 1670 he published his celebrated work above-mentioned. He afterward attacked the philofophy of Hobbs, with all the powers of his wit, humour, raillery, and reafon; fo that, as his prefent Editor obferves, all the ferious and fyftematical books, written by the most eminent and learned of our divines, could never have rendered the philofophy of Hobbs fo contemptible as the incomparable dialogues of Eachard, which contain the moft judicious arguments, united with the moft fpirited fatire, and the livelieft mirth. Dr. Eachard died in 1697, and was fucceeded in the Mastership of Catharine-hall, by Sir William Dawes. Eachard's works, we have reafon to believe, were for a long time, the favourite companion both of divines and laymen. Swift fpeaks of them with refpect. He feems indeed to have read our Author with attention, and to have greatly profited by him. An ingenious gentleman affured me, that fome outlines of the Tale of a Tub, might be traced in the writings of Eachard. This I am afraid is going too far. Certain it is, that this Writer was endowed with a very large fhare of wit, which he employed to the best and nobleft purpofes, to the defence of religion and morality when attacked by a philofopher, who laid claim to the reputation of a great scholar, and a profound mathematician. Eachard had befides a vein of humour peculiar to himself, much useful learning, a ftrong manner of reafoning, without the appearance of it, and above all an uncommon skill in turning an adverfary into ridicule; in which no writer has fince exceeded, nor perhaps equalled him. Let us not forget too, that he poffeffed an inexhaustible fund of good-nature, with the moft eafy and laughing pleafantry: qualities, which the haughty and fplenetic Swift could never enjoy.' The elegant infcription on his tomb is thus very properly introduced by the author of the memoirs prefixed to this edition: The famous Laurence Eachard, the historian, appears to have been nephew, or fome other near relation, to this John Eachard; but there was no affinity of genius between them, • The The infcription on Dr. Eachard's tomb, will fhew his character in a new light. A wit is fuppofed by fome people to be a worfe member of fociety in proportion to the fhare he poffeffes of that dangerous quality, which as often excites our hatred as our admiration. This amiable man was as refpectable for the benevolence of his mind, as the extent of his capacity. He executed the truft repofed in him of Malter of his college, with the utmoft care and fidelity, to the general fatisfaction of the Fellows, and with the approbation of the whole univerfity. He was extremely anxious to rebuild the greateft part, if not the whole, of Catharine-hall, which had fallen into decay but unhappily for the college, he died before he could accomplish his generous defign. However, he lived long enough to give that beautiful front, which the infcription fo juftly celebrates: and this he effected by the most painful affiduity in procuring liberal contributions from his learned friends, and confiderable largeffes from his rich acquaintance, who could not refift the power of his perfuafive eloquence; and laftly, by beftowing the little all he was mafter of. He lies buried in the chapel of Catharine-hall: over his tomb is the following infcription, which will be a lafting monument of Dr. Eachard's worth, and of the gratitude of the learned fociety to which he belonged: Tibi habeas, Catherina, hoc mortale depofitum Et in penetralibus tuis requiefcere finas Tenues hafce exuvias: Si quæras cuja fint, vix lapides tacere poterunt Johannem Eachard S. T. P. Academiæ Cantabrigienfis bis Pro-Cancellarium, Huic operi intentus, liberalitate partim fua Nova extruendo, Nullum non movendo lapidem, (Quæ erat optimi hominis indesessa industria,) Quod fordidum, ruinofum Et vix collegij nomine indigitandum Elegans, Elegans, magnificum Obijt Julii 700 r697. Ætatis LXI, Eachard's works here collected, are, 1. The Enquiry into the Grounds and Occafions of the Contempt of the Clergy. 2. Obfervations on an Answer to the Enquiry. 3. Hobbs's State of Nature confidered; in a dialogue between Timothy and Philautus. 4. Five Letters in Defence of the Enquiry, against Dr. Owen, and others. 5. A Second Dialogue between Timothy and Philautus, on the Writings of Hobbs. This laft tract, which was originally publifhed in 1673, is now first added to the collection of Eachard's works; of which, it seems, there have been no fewer than twelve editions, before this of 1774. ART. XII. Shakespeare's Plays, as they are now performed at the Theatres Royal in London; regulated from the Prompt Books of each Houfe, by Permiffion. With Notes critical and illuftrative. By the Authors of the Dramatic Cenfor. 8vo. 5 Vols. 15 s. fewed. Bell. 1774 TH "In every Work regard the Writer's End, Since none can compafs more than they intend.” THE above precept of Mr. Pope's, occurred to us on looking into this impreffion of Shakespeare's acting plays, which is not fet in competition with any other edition, because it is executed on a different plan, and intended to answer a different purpofe. The great aim of former editors has been to give us Shakespeare restored; the protoffed defign of this, perhaps more popular work, is to prefent the lefs critical reader with Shakespeare as altered and accommodated to the tafte of an age more refined than that in which the Author lived and wrote,more capable of tafting his beauties, and lefs apt to relish or even tolerate his defects. Those beauties, it must, to the honour of the ftage, be allowed, are judiciously retained in the plays of this great poet, as acted at either theatre; and the deformities are, for the most part, with equal choice and difcernment, expunged: "The rhiming clowns that gladded Shakespear's age, No more with Crambo entertain the ftage," &c. Though this edition is not meant for the profoundly learned, nor the deeply ftudious, who love to find out and chace their own critical game; yet we flatter ourselves both parties may perceive freth ideas started for fpeculation and reflection. EDITOR'S Pref. Advertisement. With undoubted propriety, therefore, have the prefent Editors obferved, that the moft enthufiaftic admirers of Shakefpeare-thofe who worship him as the god of their idolatry, fcruple not to admit that even his moft regular pieces produce fome fcenes and paffages, highly derogatory to his incomparable merit; that he frequently trifles, is now and then obfcure, and fometimes, to gratify a vitiated age, indelicate.' It is, further, with equal truth remarked, by way of apology for the faults of this wonderful genius, that they may juftly be attributed to the loose, quibbling, licentious tafte of his time;' and that he, no doubt, on many occafions, wrote wildly, merely to gratify the public; as Dryden wrote bombaftically, and Congreve obfcenely, to indulge the humours, and engage the favour of their audiences." • Why then,' our Editor afks, fhould not the noble monuments he has left us,-be reftored to due proportion and natural luftre, by sweeping off thofe cobwebs, and that dust of depraved opinion, which Shakespeare was unfortunately forced to throw on them; forced, we fay, for it is no ftrain of imagination to fuppofe that the Goths and Vandals of criticism, who frequented the theatre in his days, would, like those who over-ran the Roman empire, have destroyed and configned to barbarous oblivion the fublime beauties which they could not relish; and it is matter of great question with us, whether the Fool in King Lear was not a more general favorite, than the old monarch himself.' The above confiderations, we are told, firft fuggefted the idea which hath produced the prefent edition; and among the peculiar ufes of a printed copy of Shakespeare's plays, with the text regulated according to the Prompters books, the Editors have obferved, that those who take books to the theatre, will not be puzzled to accompany the speaker, nor over apt to condemn the performers for being imperfect, when they pass over what is defignedly omitted. Here, however, it is obferved, that as fome paffages, of great merit for the clofet, are never spoken, fuch, though omitted in the text, are here carefully preferved in the notes. And with regard to the critical part of this undertaking, which is not by any means held forth as its greatest merit, the Editors profefs, that having been long convinced that multiplying conjectural verbal criticisms, tends rather to perplex than inform the reader, they have given those readings which to them appeared moft confonant to the Author's manner and meaning, without obtruding one capricious opinion on another." • “One glaring chaos, and wild heap of wit:" Rev. Feb. 1774° L They have alfo furnished an explanation of technical and obfolete terms; pointed out the leading beauties as they occur, without defcanting fo much as to anticipate the reader's conception and inveftigation; and they have shewn what appeared to them to be blemishes and imperfections. The requifites for representing every character of importance are defined, and the mode of performance effential for scenes peculiarly capital, is pointed out.' In further expatiating on the value of this edition, they fum up all by claiming the merit of having earneftly confulted correctness, neatness, ornament, utility, and cheapness of price. We have,' it is added, avoided all oftentation of criticism, compacting our notes as much as poffible.-It has been our peculiar endeavour to render what we call the effence of Shakespeare more inftructive and intelligible; especially to the ladies and to youth; glaring indecencies being removed, and intricate paffages explained; a general view of each play is also given, by way of introduction.' This laft circumftance, we think, will be peculiarly agreeable to younger readers; as may also the Essay on Oratory, prefixed by way of general introduction: although it might, with equal propriety, be prefixed to the works of any other eminent dramatic writer. With refpect to the numerous engravings with which this edition is embellished, it would be great injuftice to the publisher not to acknowledge, that most of them are elegant, to a degree furpaffing any plates of the kind, of fo fmall a fize. A few of them may, perhaps, afford the connoiffeur fome room for criticism, with respect to the designing and drawing, as well as in relation to the choice of the fcenes reprefented: yet, on the whole, thefe cuts are certainly the prettiest ornaments that have yet been bestowed on any pocket edition of the works of our most excellent bard: and the bookseller affures us, in his advertisement printed at the end of his numerous lift of fubfcribers, that as he has folicited and obtained the patronage of the generous public in the prefent undertaking, he hopes * Of this there is a remarkable inftance in the frontispiece to Henry V. The fubject is the French foldier fupplicating Ancient Piftol to fpare his life, and Piftol quibbling about Signieur Dewe. Was there nothing in this play more important, more worthy of being exhibited in a picture? The fcene itself is a difgrace to the reft of this drama; and our Editors themselves are of the fame opinion: for they have exprefsly reprobated the whole of this fcene in their note upon it; declaring that it is, throughout, defpicable, unneceffary, and ferving no purpose but to destroy the dignity of expectation. Yet this very scene, despicable as it is, hath been chofen for the purpose of decoration; to the exclufion of every other more striking and more refpectable part of the play. through |