t. Some of the
gentlemen, however, who had been more severely lashed than the rest,
meditated a revenge, which redounds but little to their honour. They
either intended to chastize him corporally, or gave it out that they had
really done so, in order to bring shame upon Mr. Pope, which, if true,
could only bring shame upon themselves.

While Mr. Pope enjoyed any leisure from severer applications to study,
his friends were continually solliciting him to turn his thoughts
towards something that might be of lasting use to the world, and engage
no more in a war with dunces who were now effectually humbled. Our great
dramatic poet Shakespear had pass'd through several hands, some of whom
were very reasonably judged not to have understood any part of him
tolerably, much less were capable to correct or revise him.

The friends of Mr. Pope therefore strongly importuned him, to undertake
the whole of Shakespear's plays, and, if possible, by comparing all the
different copies now to be procured, restore him to his ancient purity.
To which our poet made this modest reply, that not having attempted any
thing in the Drama, it might in him be deemed too much presumption. To
which he was answered, that this did not require great knowledge of the
foundation and disposition of the drama, as that must stand as it was,
and Shakespear [Transcriber's note: 'Skakespear' in original] himself
had not always paid strict regard to the rules of it; but this was to
clear the scenes from the rubbish with which ignorant editors had filled
them.

His proper business in this work was to render the text so clear as to
be generally understood, to free it from obscurities, and sometimes
gross absurdities, which now seem to appear in it, and to explain
doubtful and difficult passages of which there are great numbers. This
however was an arduous province, and how Mr. Pope has acquitted himself
in it has been differently determined: It is certain he never valued
himself upon that performance, nor was it a task in the least adapted to
his genius; for it seldom happens that a man of lively parts can undergo
the servile drudgery of collecting passages, in which more industry and
labour are necessary than persons of quick penetration generally have to
bestow.

It has been the opinion of some critics, that Mr. Pope's talents were
not adapted for the drama, otherwise we cannot well account for his
neglecting the most gainful way of writing which poetry afford