I left no Means untry'd
to put it in my Power to do this: and I hope, without Breach of
Modesty, I may venture to appeal to all candid Judges, whether I
have not employ'd all my Power to be just to them in the Execution
of my Task. I must needs have been in the most Pain, who saw myself
daily so barbarously outraged. I might have taken advantage of
the favourable Impressions entertain'd of my Work, and hurried it
crudely into the World: But I have suffer'd, for my Author's sake,
those Impressions to cool, and perhaps, be lost; and can now appeal
only to the _Judgment_ of the Publick. If I succeed in this Point,
the Reputation gain'd will be the more solid and lasting.
[Sidenote: Acknowledgment of Assistance.]
I come now to speak of those kind Assistances which I have met with
from particular Friends, towards forwarding and compleating this
Work. Soon after my Design was known, I had the Honour of an
Invitation to _Cambridge_; and a generous Promise from the Learned
and ingenious Dr. _Thirlby_ of _Jesus_-College, there, who had taken
great Pains with my Author, that I should have the Liberty of
collating his Copy of _Shakespeare_, mark'd thro' in the Margin with
his own Manuscript References and accurate Observations. He not only
made good this Promise, but favour'd me with a Set of Emendations,
interspers'd and distinguish'd in his Name thro' the Edition, and
which can need no Recommendation here to the judicious Reader.
The next Assistance I receiv'd was from my ingenious Friend _Hawley
Bishop_ Esq; whose great Powers and extensive Learning are as well
known, as his uncommon Modesty, to all who have the Happiness of his
Acquaintance.
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