Mr. Steevens to the proprietors of the preceding edition, in his life-time; with such additions as, 'it is presumed, he would have received, had he lived to determine on them himself. The whole was entrusted to the care of the present Editor, who has, with the aid of an able and vigilant assistant, and a careful printer, endeavoured to fulfil the trust reposed in him, as well as continued ill health and depressed spirits would permit.

By a memorandum in the hand-writing of Mr. Steevens it appeared to be his intention to adopt and introduce into the prolegomena of the present edition fome parts of two late works of Mr. George Chalmers. An application was therefore made to that gentleman for his consent, which was immediately granted; and to render the favour more acceptable, permiffion was given to divest the extracts of the offensive asperities of controverfy.

The portrait of Shakspeare prefixed to the present edition, is a copy of the picture formerly belonging to Mr. Felton, now to Alderman Boydell, and at present at the Shakspeare Gallery, in Pall Mall. After what has been written on the subject it will be only necessary to add, that Mr. Steevens persevered in his opinion that this, of all the portraits, had the fairest chance of being a genuine likeness of the author. Of the canvas Chandois picture he remained convinced that it poffeffed no claims to authenticity.

Some apology is due to those gentlemen who, during the course of the publication, have obligingly offered the present Editor their afsistance, which he should thankfully have received, had he confidered himself at liberty to accept their favours. He was fearful of loading the page, which Mr. Steevens in some instances thought too much crouded already, and therefore confined himself to the copy left to his care by his deceased friend.

But it is time to conclude. - He will therefore detain the reader no longer than just to offer a few words in extenuation of any errors or omiffions that may be discovered in his part of the work; a work which, notwithstanding the utmost exertion of diligence, has never been produced without some imperfection. Circumftanced as he has been, he is sensible how inadequate his powers were to the task imposed on him, and hopes for the indulgence of the reader. He feels that "the inaudible and noiseless foot of time" has infenfibly brought on that period of life and those attendant infirmities which weaken the attachment to early pursuits, and diminish their importance :

Superfluous lags the veteran on the flage."

To the admonition he is content to pay obedience

and fatisfied that the hour is arrived when "welltimed retreat" is the measure which prudence dictates, and reason will approve, he here bids adieu to SHAKSPEARE, and his Commentators; acknowledging the candour with which very imperfect efforts have been received, and wishing for his fucceffors the fame gratification he has experienced in his humble endeavours to illustrate the greatest poet the world ever knew.

Staple Inn, May 2, 1803.

ISAAC REED.

ADVERTISEMENT.

WHEN I faid I would die a bachelor, (cries Benedick,) I did not think I should live till I were married." The present Editor of ShakSpeare may urge a kindred apology in defence of an opinion hazarded in his Prefatory Advertisement; for when he declared his disbelief in the existence of a genuine likeness of our great Dramatick Writer, he most certainly did not suppose any Portrait of that description could have occurred, and much less that he himself should have been instrumental in producing it.1 He is happy, however, to find he was mistaken in both his suppositions; and consequently has done his utmost to promote the appearance of an accurate and finished Engraving, from a Picture which had been unfaithfully as well as poorly imitated by Droeshout and Marshall.2

1 See Mr. Richardson's Proposals, p. 4.

* "Martin Droeshout. One of the indifferent engravers of the last century. He resided in England, and was employed by the booksellers. His portraits, which are the best part of his works, have nothing but their scarcity to recommend them. He engraved the head of Shakespeare, John Fox, the martyrologift, John Howson, Bishop of Durham," &c.

Strutt's Dictionary of Engravers, Vol. I. p. 264. "William Marshall. He was one of those laborious artists whose engravings were chiefly confined to the ornamenting of books. And indeed his patience and affiduity is all we can admire when we turn over his prints, which are prodigioufly namerous. He worked with the graver only, but in a dry tasteless style; and from the fimilarity which appears in the design of all his portraits, it is supposed that he worked from his own drawings VOL. I.

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