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(Hebrews text, xiii. 8.) is the proem, or introduction; the last, (Pfalm Ixxiv. 9.) the peroration, or close. In the five inter.. mediate discourses, the main body of the evidence is collected; and its accumulated force is brought forward with an effect of which we shall be able to convey but a feeble idea in the analysis, to which we shall proceed in the subsequent month. A design planned with more judgment, or executed with more felicity, the Christian church has not witnessed, from the days of Chryfoftom to the present hour.

For the present we shall take our leave of this admirable performance, with the insertion of the dedicatory epistle to the author's illustrious friend and patron. We think that few of our readers will differ from us in opinion, that in this style of compofition, which requires the refined judgment of a master, our author has nearly reached the palm of perfection.

" It is not to shelter the following Discourses under the protecting influence of an illustrious name, that I dedicate them to your Royal Highness; because, whatever merit they may be thought to poffefs, it will only be acknowledged, in proportion as their interesting truths shall appear to be sanctioned by higher authority.

"At the same time, let me own myself far from being indifferent to your Royal Highness's approbation of them; fince, in addition to the weight of fuch testimony, in these times, in favour of Religion, when all earthly possessions are shrinking from the grafp, when every decoration splendour of this life is fading away, they will have furnished reflections to render peaceful its awful close, and, perhaps, perpetuate in your Royal Highness's memory an esteem for him, who, with pride and gratitude, subscribes himself

Your most faithful

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Remarks on the Cassandra of Lycophron; a Monody. By the Rev. H. Meen, B. D. 8vo. PP. 54. Rivingtons. London. 1800.

WE were not unacquainted with the critical abilities of

this gentleman, though we were strangers to his name till " THE REMARKS" were put into our hand. We long ago perused his occafional annotations on Lycophron in the European Magazine, under the ignature of E. And though we were momentarily pleased with fomething like sagacity; yet it was rather that quality which is poffeffed by an unriddler of enigmas, than the acuteness and difcrimination of the claffical

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commentator.

commentator. In the present publication, there is a great deal of the difficiles nuga, though the general observations are not abfolutely devoid of merit.

"That the Caffandra (fays this writer) is but little read, and perhaps less understood, must be afcribed to its obscurity. Obscurity is that bane of good writing, which every instructor in the art of rhetoric has condemned by precept, and which every writer, who aspires at excellence, has in practice avoided. But, before the author of Caffandra be included in that cenfure, and configned to that oblivion, which the generality of obfcure writers most juftly merit, it may be proper to investigate the causes of his obfcurity; and to shew, whether from a defect of genius, or from the choice of his fubject, whether from neceffity, or design, his obfcurity * originates."

The author attributes this obscurity to the nature and character of the poem itself.

"The poem, that is confefsedly oracular and prophetic, muft conform to that style, in which prophecies and oracles have been delivered. It must be figurative. It must abound in metaphors and hyperboles. Mixed metaphors, words arbitrarily compounded, and of different dialects, may be adopted, as in this poem, with propriety. The names of animals may be substituted for the names of human creatures; and, as those animals excel in strength or intrepidity, in fwiftness or fagacity, their names may suggest the like qualities in men. The known appellations of heroes and of gods may be fuppreffed, and their atchievements and attributes may be admitted in their stead. By such artifices may the shades of obscurity be occafionally, but not conftantly heightened. The veil that feparates the past from the future must not be equally opaque. Its texture muft vary as circumftances require. Some profpect, though diftant and confused, must be presented to the inquirer's view, fufficient to arrest his attention and encourage his refearches."

The name of Lycophron (a native of Chalcis) has often occurred among those competitors for fame who reforted to Alexandria, to enjoy the patronage of Ptolemy Philadelphus.

And the " æra of the Ptolemies, (fays Mr. M.) the most aufpicious to literature in general, was fingularly favourable to the production of a prophetic poem. The celebrated library at Alexandria

* We can perceive, that this writer, though a good classical scholar, has not been much accustomed to English compofition. He is deficient in ease. His periods are fometimes most painfully laboured. With what a strange inverfion are we presented in the above sentence; an inverfion, worthy the critic and the tranflator of Lycophron!

was

was open for the inspection of the curious. The Greek verfion of the Old Testament, undertaken by the Seventy at the command of Ptolemy Philadelphus, was here depofited. The researches of the learned were gratified by a ready access to the works, not only of profane poets, but of facred prophets. Here not pagan fongs alone, the fancied dictates of fome fabled muse were fubmitted to their perusal; but hymns of an higher order; the facred fongs of Sion, the unparalleled productions of genuine inspiration."

"The prophetic form, into which his poem is cast, was, moreover, happily adapted to the taste and genius of the people among whom it was written. Egypt was early famous for judicial aftrology and the occult sciences. Seers of every name and description were here fostered and encouraged. The learning, which was diffused through the nation by their celebrated magi, was involved, both with regard to its substance and its form, in myftic obfcurity. It is recorded of Lycophron, that he excelled in anagrammatic writing. These productions were probably the playful amusement of his lighter hours; pursued with less attention to the bent of his own genius than to the taste of the times, whose predilection for the intricate and obfcure was evidenced by their fondness for this species of compofition."

For the fubject, " let it not be objected to this pseudo-prophetic poem, that the tale of Troy's deftruction, so often told, once more folicits the reader's attention. The epic, the lyric, and the tragic muse have at different periods dignified and adorned it. On this subject the muse of Pindar has occafionally descanted. Æschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides, have fucceffively taken up the tale, and devoted to the service of the drama its most interesting parts. It now meets us in another form; and comes recommended to our notice by those singular decorations, and that novel dress, with which the frantic prophetess has clothed it. Let it not abate our ad miration of Caffandra's rhapsody, that, however defultory and vague it may seem, some resemblance to these illuftrious archetypes is ftill retained; and that, even through the disguise of artificial obfcurity, we recognize these excellent originals."

In order to prepare us for his own criticisms, Mr. M. informs us, that his favourite poet hath been honoured with the attention of Canter, Meurfius, Potter, and other commentators of eminence, who have endeavoured to reduce the ravings of Caffandra to some degree of confiftency. But, as the frantic prophetess was too hard for them all, Mr. M. has ventured forth into the regions of poetic obscurity; a bold adventurer indeed, confiding in his single arm, and calling upon the learned world to survey his prowess, and reward hsatchievements, Yet our daring knight may call as loudly as he pleases: the learned world will not attend his fummos: his voice will become less and less diftinct, as he follows Cafsandra to the field: and he will renew the combat almost without a spectator. Enveloped in thick mists, in vain will he " elicit from the dark lanthorn of Lycophron, some scintillations of light." To little purpose will he "work his way through the most perplexing wilds," or approach the feat of prophecy, the turret of Caffandra, " the avenues to which had been hitherto inaccessible." If he storm the castle, who will witness his valour? If he snatch the trophies of victory, "they will disappear in darkness."

Lycophron, it seems, has never yet been translated into any modern language. Mr. M. therefore, exhibits himself as a poetical tranflator, as well as a critical commentator. And, in order to display the felicity, and set forth the merit of a first attempt, he thus speaks of the verfifier of the claffics in general :

"Tranflation, once the arduous enterprize of a few, is placed within the reach of every verfifier. If therefore literary vanity look for gratification, it must seek it in some other department than that of tranflation. Yet, though its day of fame be passed, its utility remains. Every first, however feeble be the attempt to clothe an ancient author in a modern dress, is entitled to fome attention. For a vernacular verfion comes in aid of illustration. It gives to an obfcure original a more general notoriety and an eafier access."

Perhaps, poetic tranflation was never so highly valued, or so juftly appreciated, as at the present day. However facilitated by former versions, the last English tranflations of the Grecian bards could never have been produced but by classical learning and poetic genius. Faftidious as the age may be, these laft tranflations have been received with great applaufe. Cowper's Homer is the only instance to the contrary.

We shall now proceed to bring our author's double character of critic and tranflator to the test. This may be done, perhaps, to the fatisfaction of our readers, by a few specimens. from the notes and from the verse.

"Ην τόργος ὑγξόφοιτος ἐκλοχέυεται.

"Quam [Helenam] Aquila undivagus gignit.

" Interpreters remark, that τύργος, which usually fignifies a vul. ture or eagle, means here a swan. The epithet ὑγρόφοιτος seems to have suggested this interpretation. Let it, however, be observed, that in every other paffage of Lycophron, where τύργος occurs, it fignifies a very different animal.

"Oracular language delights in circumlocutions, figurative expreffions, and symbols. Jupiter is here emblematically reprefented; and his emblem is an eagle. The bird of Jupiter is substituted for Jupiter himself. The compound epithet annexed, υγρόφοιτος, reminds the reader of the swan, whose shape the god affumed. It should seem then, that τόργοs ought not to be rendered olor, but aquila. The former former interpretation is inartificial and unauthorized; the peculiarities of Cassandra's oracular diction are preserved by the latter."

In our opinion, rogyos has been properly translated olor, a fwan. That Jupiter begat Helen upon Leda, in the shape of a swan, is a fable known to every schoolboy. And the epithet υγροφοιτος, appropriate to the swan, would never have been applied to an eagle, by Cassandra, in the maddest of her fits. But our commentator is much attached to double meanings ; and would render even the riddling Lycophron still more enigmatical. L. 144. Weapprove of πενταγαμβρια for πενταγαμβρα; but we should be glad to know from what fource of information Mr. M. learned, that "Virgil read Lycophron's Caffandra with fingular delight; imitating often, as his custom was, the most admirable passages in that poem." Virgil's Imitations (could he have produced them) would have enlivened the dreariness of his subject would have imparted even fruitfulness to sterility. L. 324. Ιφιδος λεων. The observations, in this note, are more ingenious than solid. It would be difficult to prove, that Ptolemy's Poets read the Bible, either in the Greek Verfion, or the original Hebrew. The supposition is abfurd. Polwhele, in his notes on Theocritus, fell into a fimilar error. Longinus seems to have been the first Heathen author, who was converfant with the sacred Scriptures. L. 357. Here the conjectural emendation is specious enough; but the old reading is unexceptionable. The advantage of Mr. M.'s reading above the common one is, that γαμφαισιν αρπης express only the beak of the hawk; but that γαμφαισιν αρπαις, bended hooks, comprehend both beak and talons. L. 359. We object to Κόρην as applied to Venus, and prefer the old reading and interpretation to the new. L. 1435. "If, instead of yaiz and παλας, we read, δίναις αλος, the antithesis will be preferved." A violent tranfmutation not warranted by the occafion. Strong measures are sometimes necessary in politics, and bold conjectures in criticism; but they are justified only by the greatness of the object. L. 1,443. This is a good note. We give the following as a specimen of the tranflation.

" SECT. 17. The ransom, paid by Priam for the recovery of Hector's body, remanded by the Trojans when Achilles was flain-his ashes deposited in an urn, given to Thetis by Bacchus-his death lamented by the Muses-bis concealment to avoid the war-Caffandra's grief renewed for Hector.

"But he, to whom was paid the ransom-price,
Poiz'd in an even scale the sum precife,

Soon with Pactolus' ore the scale shall freight,
And for his ransom pay an equal weight.

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