appearance, in eight volumes octavo. That by Steevens was published the
following year; and a coalition between the editors having been
effected, an edition was put forth under their joint names, in ten
volumes 8vo., 1773. For the first, Johnson received £375; and for the
second £100.[11] At the beginning of the Preface, he has marked out the
character of our great dramatist with such a power of criticism, as
there was perhaps no example of in the English language. Towards the
conclusion, he has, I think, successfully defended him from the neglect
of what are called the unities. The observation, that a quibble was the
Cleopatra for which he lost the world, and was content to lose it, is
more pointed than just. Shakspeare cannot be said to have lost the
world; for his fame has not only embraced the circle of his own country,
but is continually spreading over new portions of the globe; nor is
there any reason to conclude that he would have acquiesced in such a
loss. Like most other writers, he indulged himself in a favourite
propensity, aware, probably, that if it offended some, it would win him
the applause of others. One avenue of knowledge, that was open to
Shakspeare in common with the rest of mankind, none of his commentators
appear to have sufficiently considered. We cannot conceive him to have
associated frequently with men of larger acquirements than himself, and
not to have made much of their treasures his own. The conversation of
such a man as Ben Jonson alone, supposing him to have made no more
display of his learning than chance or vanity would occasionally
produce, must have supplied ample sources of information to a mind so
curious, watchful, and retentive, that it did not suffer the slightest
thing to escape its grasp. Johnson is distinguished in his notes from
the other commentators, chiefly by the acute remarks on many of the
characters, and on the conduct of some of the fables, which he has
subjoined to the different plays. In other respects he is not superior
to the rest; in some, particularly in illustrating his author from