of
Shakespeare: he hath however, in _his own_ capacity, little reason to
complain of _occasional_ Criticks, or Criticks _by profession_. The very
_Few_, who have been pleased to controvert any part of his Doctrine, have
favoured him with better manners than arguments; and claim his thanks for
a further opportunity of demonstrating the futility of _Theoretick_
reasoning against _Matter of Fact_. It is indeed strange that any _real_
Friends of our immortal POET should be still willing to force him into a
situation which is not tenable: treat him as a _learned_ Man, and what
shall excuse the most gross violations of History, Chronology, and
Geography?

{~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PSILI~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK KORONIS~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH PSILI AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH YPOGEGRAMMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} is the Motto of every _Polemick_: like his
Brethren at the _Amphitheatre_, he holds it a merit to _die hard_; and
will not say, _Enough_, though the Battle be decided. "Were it shewn,"
says some one, "that the old Bard borrowed _all_ his allusions from
_English_ books then published, our _Essayist_ might have possibly
established his System."--In good time!--This had scarcely been attempted by
Peter Burman himself, with the Library of Shakespeare before him.--"Truly,"
as Mr. Dogberry says, "for _mine own_ part, if I were as tedious as a
King, I could find in my heart to bestow it all on this Subject": but
where should I meet with a Reader?--When the main Pillars are taken away,
the whole Building falls in course: Nothing hath been, or can be, pointed
out, which is not easily removed; or rather, which was not _virtually_
removed before: a very little _Analogy_ will do the business. I shall
therefore have no occasion to trouble myself any further; and may venture
to call my Pamphlet, in the words of a pleasant Declaimer against _Sermons
on the thirtieth of January_, "an Answer to every thing that shall
hereafter be written