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'by a diligent collation of all the old copies thitherto[1] diſcovered, and the judicious reſtoration of ancient readings, the text of this author ſeemed then finally ſettled.' Since that period, however, he has been labouring 'with unceaſing ſolicitude,' for the ſpace of 'eight years,' to convince the publick that he had, if not directly aſſerted the thing which was not, at leaſt gone a little further than was conſiſtent with the exact ſtate of the caſe. For, if the text had been already diligently collated with all the old copies, why ſhould he make ſuch a parade of having collated it himſelf? If it had not been ſo collated, why ſhould he ſay it had? This fact is therefore manifeſt, upon Mr. Malone's own evidence, that the text of Shakſpeare had never been collated, whether diligently or not, with all or any of the old copies, by any perſon before Mr. Malone."
Twenty ſix years have now elapſed ſince Mr. Steevens iſſued out propoſals for publiſhing the plays of Shakſpeare, of which in that period he has given the publick three editions, each of them elaborated with his utmoſt care and diligence. The year 1766, in which his propoſals firſt came forth, ſhould be doubly dear
- ↑ To this quaintneſs a line of Martial may be well applied:
"—male cum recitas, incipit eſſe tuus."
