dern commentaries on Shakspeare; from Mr. Headley's Select Specimens of Ancient English Poetry; from the acute observations of Dr. Johnson and Mr. Hayley; and in short, if I may respectfully adopt the language of my predecessour, "like the bee, I have been studious of gathering sweets wherever I could find them."

Contributions, however, have not been exacted, without references to the original treasuries of the information adduced, or without the names of the authors subjoined. Of the notes in Dr. Newton's excellent edition of the Paradise Lost, few have been omitted, and some have been shortened; by which method I have been enabled to introduce, without too copious a commentary, the important observations of criticks already enumerated, as well as of those who are yet to be named. Of the notes also in his edition of Paradise Regained, and the remaining Poems, several are retained. The labours of Mr. Warton and Mr. Dunster rendered more perhaps unnecessary.

I must now acknowledge obligations, not perhaps less interesting or valuable, to manuscript communications, besides those already

mentioned of Mr. Callander, the two Wartons, and Mr. Dunster.

To the late George Steevens, Esq. I was indebted for the interleaved copies of Paradise Lost, and of the Smaller Poems printed in 1673, with many manuscript remarks by the late Mr. Bowle; after whose decease these volumes came into Mr. Steevens's hands; and, since the death of Mr. Steevens, have become my property. This singular kindness was conferred by Mr. Steevens at the commencement of this undertaking; not without a promise also of further assistance; which, unfortunately for the publick and for me, he lived not to afford.

To the late Joseph Cooper Walker, Esq. the author of the very elegant Historical Memoir on Italian Tragedy, and of other valuable publications, I was particularly obliged for many remarks, biographical as well as critical.

My sincerest thanks have been also given to two distinguished prelates; the late bishop of Ely and the present bishop of St. Asaph. The former, (Dr. Dampier,) on being made acquainted in 1800 by my very kind and zealous friend, the latter, (Dr. Luxmoore,) with this un

dertaking, obligingly transmitted to me an interleaved copy of Paradise Lost, with numerous manuscript notes, by that accomplished scholar, the late Benjamin Stillingfleet, Esq. containing not only the chief classical allusions, which are found in Dr. Newton's edition, but also citations of various other passages, or references to such, subservient to the illustration of the poem. They had been put together about the year 1745, with a view to publication; but were left unfinished, from the apprehension that they would not make their way in opposition to Dr. Newton's edition, which was then announced under the

patronage of Lord Bath. These particulars were gathered from several important letters of Mr. Stillingfleet to Dr. Dampier's father, formerly Dean of Durham; to whom he had presented his interleaved Paradise Lost. From one of these letters, entrusted to me also by Dr. Dampier, I selected the truly Miltonick Sonnet written by Mr. Stillingfleet, which is now printed in the Preliminary Observations on the Sonnets, in the fifth volume of this edition. It must be added, that the volume, containing the first six books of Paradise Lost, was nearly printed off, when I was honoured with these remarks. A selection, therefore, of Mr. Stillingfleet's notes on those books, was

given, duly stated, at the close of my first edition, among other additions to the preceding volumes; and, in the last and the present, these notes are in their respective places, with Mr. Stillingfleet's name subjoined.

To the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury I acknowledge respectful obligations for the use of manuscripts in their possession, which have contributed to the purposes of my. la

bour.

But my gratitude can never be sufficiently expressed for the aids afforded me by the Library of the late Duke of Bridgewater. And as on a former occasion I had to thank his Grace for permission to print the manuscript Mask of Comus, obtained through the obliging application of Mr. Egerton, [now Earl of Bridgewater;] so was I gratified, through the same literary attention, by being allowed to print, on the occasion of my complete edition of Milton's poetry, the manuscript Mask of Marston performed before the Countess Dowager of Derby; and to make use of many rare and curious books, perhaps not to be found in other collections. To this liberal condescension I owe the opportunity of having introduced

to publick notice the poems of some forgotten English bards, as well as other pieces of our ancient literature, hitherto overpassed by the most curious investigators. Nor, in recording this circumstance, will I lose the occasion of adverting to the late head of this illustrious house; both in avowing that to the kindness of the Right Hon. John-William, late Earl of Bridgewater, in introducing me to his family I was primarily indebted for the favours I have stated, and that by his patronage I have been benefited and honoured. The invaluable collection, from which I derived such advantage, was removed in 1800 from his Grace's seat at Ashridge to Cleveland House, London; and at his death in 1803 became, by bequest, the property of his nephew, the present Marquis of Stafford, to whom as an ardent lover of literature, and an exquisite judge of what is serviceable to its interests, the donation has been most acceptable.

I was fortunate also in obtaining other manuscript supplies of no mean import. To my friends, the liberal friends indeed to the literature of their country, the late Isaac Reed, Esq. and the late James Bindley, Esq. I was obliged for many valuable suggestions, as well