The Works of Samuel Johnson, Ll D

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: THE LIVES OF THE MoST EMINENT ENGLISH POETS; CRITICAL OBSERVATIONS ON THEIR WORKS. Vol. II. ADVERTISEMENT TO THE EDITION OF 1783. THE Bookfellers having determined to publifh a Body of Englifh Poetry, I was perfuaded to promife them a Preface to the Works of each Author; an undertaking, as it was then prefented to my mind, not very extenfive or difficult. My purpofe was only to have allotted to every Poet an Advertifement, like thofe which we find in the French Mifcellanies, containing a few dates and a general character; but I have been led beyond my intention, I hope, by the honeft defire of giving ufe- ful pleafure. In this minute kind of Hiftory, the fucceffion of facts is not eafily difcovered; and I am not without fufpicion that fome of Dryden's works are placed in wrong yea'rs. I have followed Langbaine, as the beft authority for his plays; and if I mall hereafter obtain a more correct chronology, will publifh it; but I do not yec know that my account is erroneous. B z Dryden's Dryden's Remarks on Rymer have been fomewhere printed before. The former edition I have not feen. This was tranfcribed for the prefs from his own ma- nufcript. As this undertaking was occafional and unforefeen, I muft be fuppofed to have engaged in it with lefs jirovifion of materials than might have been accumulated by longer premeditation. Of the later writers at leaft I might, by attention and enquiry, have gleaned many particulars, which would have clivcr- fified and enlivened my Biography. Thefe omiffions, which it is now ufelefs to lament, have been often fupplied by the kindnefs of Mr. Steevens and others; and great affiftance has been given me by Mr. Spence's Collections, of which I confider the communication as. a favour worthy of pubjick acknowl...