AN ESSAY ON THE WRITINGS AND GENIUS OF SHAKS PEAR E, COMPARED WITH THE GREEK AND FRENCH Dramatic Poets. WITH SOME REMARKS UPON THE MISREPRESENTATIONS OF MONS. DE VOLTAIRE. THE SIXTH EDITION, CORRECTED. TO WHICH Are added, Three Dialogues of the Dead. BY MRS. MONTAGU. LONDON: Printed by Harding and Wright, St. John's-square, for R. PRIESTLEY, 143, HIGH-HOLBORN; AND INTRODUCTION. MR. POPE, in the preface to his edition of Shakspeare, sets out with declaring, that, of all English poets, this author offers the fullest and fairest subject for criticism. Animated by an opinion of such authority, some of the most learned and ingenious of our critics have made correct editions of his works, and enriched them with notes. The superiority of talents and learning, which I acknowledge in these editors, leaves me no room to entertain the vain presumption of attempting to correct any passages of this celebrated Author; but the whole, as corrected and elucidated by them, lies open to a thorough enquiry into the genius of our great English classic. Unprejudiced and candid judgment will be the surest basis of his fame. But he seems now in danger of incurring the fate of the heroes of the fabulous ages, on whom the vanity of their country, and the superstition |