There is good reason to dispute this interpretation of the word fortunate, but Mr Steevens seems to have discovered many sneers at Shakespeare that were never intended. Mr Malone, quoting the two last lines from the above prologue, observes: "By fortunate I understand highly successful," and he is warranted in this understanding by the following passage directly in point, which he might have quoted from lines prefixed by Richard Woolfall to Lewis Sharpe's "Noble Stranger," 1640—
"Yet do not feare the danger
Of critick readers, since thy 'Noble Stranger,'
With pleasing strains has smooth'd the rugged fate
Of oft cram'd Theatres, and prov'd fortunate."
—Collier.
Malone, after quoting a passage from "Pymlico or Runne Red-cap," 1609, disputes the notion that a sneer at "Pericles" was intended by Tailor. It appears that "Pericles" drew crowds, and that it was as successful as a play called "Shore." See Malone's Shakespeare, xxi. p. 4, edit. 1821.—Idem (additional notes to Dodsley).
[364] The pronoun he seems wanting here, but the old 4o omits it.—Collier.
[365] If this be not a corrupted, it must be an affected, word, coined from the Latin word niteo, to shine or be splendid. He was admired by those who shone most in the article of dress.—Steevens.
So in Marston's "Satires," printed with "Pygmalion," 1598—
"O dapper, rare, compleat, sweet nittie youth!
Jesu Maria! how his clothes appeare
Crost and re-crost with lace," &c.
Niters, however, may be a corruption of niflers. Chaucer uses nifles for trifles. See "Sompnour's Tale," Tyrwhitt's edit. v. 7342—
"He served him with nifles and with fables."