[Sidenote:  The Delay of this Edition excused.]

Having now run thro’ all those Points, which I intended should make any Part of this Dissertation, it only remains, that I should account to the Publick, but more particularly to my Subscribers, why they have waited so long for this Work; that I should make my Acknowledgments to those Friends, who have been generous Assistants to me in the conducting it:  and, lastly, that I should acquaint my Readers what Pains I have myself taken to make the Work as complete, as faithful Industry, and my best Abilities, could render it.

In the middle of the Year 1728, I first put out my Proposals for publishing only Emendations and Remarks on our Poet:  and I had not gone on many Months in this Scheme, before I found it to be the unanimous Wish of those who did me the Honour of their Subscriptions, that I would give them the Poet’s Text corrected; and that I would subjoin those Explanatory Remarks, which I had purpos’d to publish upon the Foot of my first Proposals.  Earnest Sollicitations were made to me, that I would think of such an Edition; which I had as strong Desires to listen to:  and some noble Persons then, whom I have no Privilege to name, were pleased to interest themselves so far in the Affair, as to propose to Mr. Tonson his undertaking an Impression of Shakespeare with my Corrections.  The throwing my whole Work into a different Form, to comply with this Proposal, was not the slightest Labour:  and so no little Time was unavoidably lost.  While the Publication of my Remarks was thus respited, my Enemies took an unfair Occasion to suggest, that I was extorting Money from my Subscribers, without ever designing to give them any Thing for it:  an Insinuation levell’d at once to wound me Reputation and Interest.  Conscious, however, of my own just Intentions, and labouring all the while to bring my wish’d Purpose to bear, I thought these anonymous Slanderers worthy of no Notice.  A Justification of myself would have been giving them Argument for fresh Abuse; and I was willing to believe that any unkind Opinions, entertain’d to my Prejudice, would naturally drop and lose their Force, when the Publick should once be convinc’d that I was in Earnest, and ready to do them Justice.  I left no Means untry’d to put it in my Power to do this:  and I hope, without Breach of Modesty, I may venture to appeal to all candid Judges, whether I have not employ’d all my Power to be just to them in the Execution of my Task.  I must needs have been in the most Pain, who saw myself daily so barbarously outraged.  I might have taken advantage of the favourable Impressions entertain’d of my Work, and hurried it crudely into the World:  But I have suffer’d, for my Author’s sake, those Impressions to cool, and perhaps, be lost; and can now appeal only to the Judgment of the Publick.  If I succeed in this Point, the Reputation gain’d will be the more solid and lasting.