Page images
PDF
EPUB

LENOX LIBRARY

NEW YORK

To the Second SCOTCH Edition, in 1756.

T

HE works of Dr JONATHAN SWIFT have been univerfally admired, and have paffed through many editions both in England and Ireland. How they have been received in Scotland, appears from the quick fale of an edition printed at Edinburgh and Glafgow in 1752. A fecond Scotch edition is now offered to the public, which 'tis hoped will meet with a favourable reception. As this edition is partly upon a different plan, is more complete, and is illuftrated with a far greater number of notes, than any that hath yet appeared; we think it is neceffary to give an account of the method used in conducting it. But as of all the editions of Swift's works which we have feen, that published by Mr John Hawkefworth, in 1755, in fix volumes quarto, and twelve volumes octavo, appears to be the beft; it may not be improper firft to give that gentleman's preface entire, as it contains fome remarks on former editions, and other things, not unworthy the reader's perufal. To this preface we have added fome occafional notes, from which the agreement and diverfity of the two editions will appear.

ΤΗ

HE works of Dr JONATHAN SWIFT were written and published at very diftant periods of his life, and had paffed through many editions, before they were collected into volumes, or distinguished from the productions of contemporary wits, with whom he was known to affociate.

[ocr errors]

The Tale of a Tub, the Battle of the Books, and the Fragment, were first published together in 1704; and the apology, and the notes from Wotton, were added in 1710. This edition the Dean revifed a fhort time before his understanding was impaired, and his corrections will be found in this impreffion.

*

Gulliver's Travels were first printed in the year 1726,

*The corrected copy is now in the hands of Mr Dean Swift,[Hawkef], author of the Effay on Dr Swift's life, &c. The cor rections have been attended to in this edition.

[blocks in formation]

with fome alterations, which had been made by the perfon through whofe hands they were conveyed to the prefs; but the original paffages were reftored to the ubfequent editions.

Many other pieces, both in profe and verfe, which had been written between the years 1691 and 1727, were then collected, and published by the Dean in conjunction with Mr Pope, Dr Arbuthnot, and Mr Gay, under the title of Mifcellanies t. Of all these pieces, though they were intended to go down to pofterity together, the Dean was not the author, as appeared by the title-pages but they continued undistinguished till 1742; and then Mr Pope, having new-claffed them, afcribed each performance among the profe to its particular author in a table of contents; but of the verfes be diftinguished only the Dean's, by marking the reft with an afterik ||.

In the year 1735, the pieces of which the Dean was the author, were felected from the Mifcellany, and, with Gulliver's Travels, the Drapier's Letters, and fome other pieces which were written upon particular occafions in Ireland, were published by George Faulkner, at Dublin, in four volumes. To thefe he afterwards [in the fame year] added a fifth and a fixth, containing the Examiners, Polite Converfation, and fome other tracts; which were foon [in 1741] followed by a feventh volume of letters, and [in 1745] an eighth of pofthumous pieces.

In this collection, although printed in Ireland, the tracts relating to that country, and in particular the Drapier's Letters, are thrown together in great confufion, and the Tale of a Tub, the Battle of the Books, and the Fragment, are not included **

In

See the letter to Sympfon, and note, vol. 4. p. 5. 8. 9. See the preface to vol. 2. figned by the Dean and Mr Pope. At all adventures, yours and my name shall stand linked as friends to pofterity, both in verfe and profe. Pope to Swift, March 23. 1727-8. [vol. 8. p. 76.]

All the poems wrote by Mr Pope are in this edition pointed out by notes.

** Upon a review of Dr Swift's writings, it cannot be fufficiently lamentel, that there is no juft er perfect edition of his works. Faulkner's

In the edition which is now offered to the public, the Tale of a Tub, of which the Dean's corections fufficiently prove him to have been the author, the Battle of the Books,

:

Faulkner's edition, at least the four first volumes of it, (for there are now eight), were published by the permiffion and connivance, if not by the particular appointment of the Dean himfelf. But the feveral pieces are thrown together without any order or regularity whatever; fo that like the ancient chaos, which contained an immenfe collection of various treasures, they remain in their flate of confufion, rudis indigeftaque moles and yet the incoherency of fituation is perhaps one of the most excufable faults in the collection; for the materials are of fo different and fo incongruous a nature, that it seems as if the author (who was in reality the editor) imagined the public under an abfolute peceffity of accepting the bafeft coin from the fame hand that had exhibited the pureft. Surely the idle amusements of a man's private and domeftic life, are not be fent forth as fufficient entertainments for the witty or the learned. Pofthumous works indeed are often worthless and improper, from the ill-judged zeal of ignorant executors, or imprudent friends: but a living author remains without excufe, who either wilfully or wantonly imposes upon the world.- The English edition of Swift's works I have scarce feen; and I have had little inclination to examine it, because I was acquainted with the Dean, at the time when Faulkner's edition came out, and therefore must always look upon that copy as most authentic; well knowing that Mr Faulkner had the advantage of printing his edition, by the confent and approbation of the author himself. The four first volumes were published by fubfcription, and every fheet of them was brought to the Dean for his revifal and correction. The two next were published in the fame manner. The feventhvolume was printed from a number of furreptitious letters published in England and the eighth volume did not come out till after the Dean's death. In the publication of the fix firft volumes, the fitua tion and arrangement of each particular piece, in verse and prose, was left entirely to the editor. In that point, the Dean either could not, or would not give him the leaft affiftance. The dates were often gueffed at, and every scrap was thrust into the parcel that might augment the collection. Such a conduct has been productive of a confufion that offends the eye, and misleads the understanding. We have less pleasure in looking at a palace built at different times, and put together by ignorant workmen, then in viewing a plain regular building, compofed by a masterly hand in all the beauty of fymmetry and order. The materials of the former may be more valuable, but the fimplicity of the latter is more acceptable. For health and exercife, who would not chufe rather to walk upon a platform than in a labyrinth or who does not wish to fee an edition of Swift's works becoming the genius and dignity of the author? When fuch an edition is undertaken, I fhould hope that all the minutiae of his idle hours might be entirely excluded, or at leaft placed, like out

buildings,

Books, and the Fragment *, make the firft volume; the fecond is Gulliver's Travels; the Mifcellanies will be found in the third, fourth, fifth, fixth, and feventh; and the contents of the other volumes are divided into two claffes, as relating to England or Ireland. As to the arrangement of particular pieces in each clafs, there were only three things that seemed to deserve attention, or that could direct the choice; that the verse and profe fhould be kept feparate; that the pofthumous and doubtful pieces fhould not be mingled with those which the Dean is known to have published himself; and that those tracts which are parts of a regular series, and illuftrate each other, should be ranged in fucceffion without the intervention of other matter. Such are the Drapier's Letters, and fome other papers publifhed upon the fame occafion, which have, not only in the Irish edition, but in every other, been fo mixed, as to mifrepresent some facts, and obfcure others. Such alfo are the tracts on the facramental test; which are now first put together in regular order, as they fhould always be read, by those who would fee their whole ftrength and propriety +.

As to the pieces which have no connection with each other, fome have thought that the serious and the comic fhould have been put in feparate claffes. But this is not the method which was taken by the Dean himself, or

buildings, at a distance from the chief edifices of ftate. Orrery.Mr Hawkefworth has brought fufficient evidence to prove, that the Dean neither confented to nor revifed Faulkner's edition; fo that the Noble author must have been mifinformed as to what he has fo ftrongly afferted upon this head. The confufion and diforder in the arrangement of the pieces in that edition has been endeavoured to be obviated in the prefent; and his Lordship's wishes, it is hoped, will be in fome measure answered in the method by which it has been conducted.

*Thefe three pieces, fays Lord Orrery, although not abfolutely owned by the Dean, aut Erafmi funt aut Diaboli. Let. 23.

The plan of arrangement propofed by Mr Hawkefworth has been followed, with this improvement, that the Drapier's letters, and the tracts relating to the facramental teit, and fome other affairs peculiar to Ireland, are now first collected in one volume, which, ven in his edition, are in a vague fituation.

by

« PreviousContinue »