σις διηγηματικη is fo far only περιττη των άλλων, as it admits of greater ornaments in point of language and figurative ftyle. "La narration epique eft, de toutes les poëfies, la plus hardie dans fon ftyle." Batteux. We with Mr. C. 24. Οιονται γαρ ανθρωποι-προσθείναι. Cooke had adopted the reading propofed by Mr. Winstanley. The paffage, as it ftands now, is unintelligible; but as in Mr. Winstanley's Note, p. 305. much more clear. ་ C. 24. Mr. Cooke remarks on supavi, Victorius legit apavicε; parùm reclè. Nam Horatius ipfum verbum vertit, Non fumum ex fulgore, fed ex fumo dare lucem Cogitat This paffage from Horace is not pertinently quoted, as the Roman and Greek Critic are treating of different fubjects: EuQxZ however fhould be retained, and rendered by illuftrat, according to Mr. C.'s verfion, i. c. he fets off. It feems to have C.25. Οἷον τον κεκραμένον—πινοντων οίνον. efcaped Mr. Cooke's obfervation, that this paffage was deranged. Mr. Winstanley has placed it in right order, p. 307. Note. C. 25. To Winstanley we are indebted for the right understanding of this paflage τοικτες δ' είναι προς άφεσι τ' αλογα. In Mr. Cooke's verfion, there is not his ufual perfpicacity. The meaning of the whole paffage is this: "That which appears impoffible, must be excufed by being referred, either, firft, to the nature of poetry; or, 2dly, to the purpose of representing every thing in the beft light; or, 3dly, to common opinion. We should refer it to the nature of poetry, that a thing probable, though impoffible, is a more eligible fubject, than a thing improbable, although poffible. But we would refer it to the purpose of representing every thing in the best light, that perfons are fuch as Zeuxis painted them; for an example ought to be excellent (fee c. 18.); but weos à pari, to common report we fhould refer things that exceed reafon or probability." ' at C.25. Ορθη δε επιτιμησις, και αλογία, και μοχθηρία ; criminatio erit jufta, eritque abfurdum, et pravum.' This verfion does not pleafe us fo well as Goulston's, in which aλcyia and Moxrgia, are properly marked out as objects for reprehenfion : and the context proves, that Ariftotle meant to reprehend a needlefs introduction of improbability, or of improbity for no purpose; for he condemns Euripides, because he admitted the TO aλoyo in his geus; and the Tongia in his Oreftes. It is true, indeed, this does not appear fo plain, according to Mr.C.'s reading ωσπερ Ευριπίδης τῳ Αιγείητε πονηρία, ώσπερ εν Ορεση τα Μενελαν, but we reject that reading, as being neither clear nor correfpond ing with what precedes, and prefer the emendation defended by Winftanley, p. 309. ωσπερ Ευριπίδης εν τω Αιγει η της πονηρία ώσπερ εν Όρεση, &c. Batteux reads, ώσπερ Ευριπίδης εν τῷ Αιγεί, Ty Tε wangia, &c. and remarks, " Nous avons fuivis la correction τη τε πονηρία, de de Caftelvetro, ou le fens nous avoit conduit, avant que de l'avoir confulté." 36 C. 26. Poρtin is rendered molefta;' by Cooke: " onerofa ;" by Goulton: "que artem adventitiam poftulat;" by Harris: "chargée," by Batteux. Of thefe interpretations, molefta' is the moft fuitable with the context, in which Ariftotle goes on to fhew the principal caufe which made dramatic imitation more difgufting" to the ferious part of the fpectators, than epic would be. It was "difgufting," becaule the actors overdid their parts by injudicious and extravagant gefture. But this charge affects not dramatic poetry in its own nature; it reaches only the hiftrionic art, which by the unfkilful is improperly applied. And this brings us to the laft paffage which we fhall remark in the work we have been examining: "Av με autos porn." Heinfius would read auto; Toup proposed to Winflanley αν μη αυλος προσηι; but our Editor very properly retains autos, and judiciously explains it thus: nifi ipfe, quam imitantur, quafi fe coram atque in oculis fiftat, per hiftrionum motus,' P. 167. With this Extract we finish our Critique on a work, which merits the approbation of the learned, and of which we fay in the language of Ariftotle, As Koorεioα. To this Edition of Ariftotle's Poetics, a Greek Tranflation of Gray's Elegy is fubjoined. The dialect is Doric, and in general well preserved. To the fhortening of the laft fyllable in WXETO before Euvov-of Ju in εuda-and of the laft fyllable in птода before uxa-we can never affent. Μητε τι Μήδειας, μητε ξανθας Περιμήδας. Theocr. Id. 2. 16. Ιλαθι νυν, φιλ ̓ Αδωνι, και ες νεωτ' ευθύμησαις. Id. 15. 143. ψιθύρισμα καὶ αἱ πιτυς, αιπολέ, τηνα. Αδυ τι το "And Melancholy mark'd him for her own"-is, How can Maμorvva be used for "melancholy," and is idwy masculine allowable in Doric dialect ? Hd. ART. II. Sketches of the Hiftory of the Auftrian Netherlands; with Remarks on the Conftitution, Commerce, Arts, and general State of thefe Provinces. By James Shaw. 8vo. 5s. Boards. Ro. binfons. 1786. TH HE recent difpute between the Emperor and the States of Holland relative to the navigation of the Scheld gave rife to the prefent performance. The The Author (though he nowhere acknowledges his obligations) appears to have drawn confiderably from foreign fources. The French idiom, indeed, prevails throughout his work; and in confequence of this, his diction is frequently ftiff and embarraffed. We fhall point out three or four fentences which we think particularly faulty in phrafcology and conftruction, and which are no way reconcileable to the genius of the English tongue. P. 14. Auftria, and the ftates in Germany, with the imperial dignity, paffed to the brother of Charles, the emperor Ferdinand, who poffeffed alfo Hungary and Bohemia, and whofe defcendants were deftined at laft to reap the fucceffion, though diminished, of the Low Countries.' To reap the fucceffion' is a vile phrafe, as Polonius would fay, a very vile phrafe: and by many, perhaps, will be with difficulty understood. A Frenchman certainly writes, and elegantly," recueillir une fucceffion"-and recueillir undoubtedly means to reap. But here the verb recueillir is not to be taken literally; "recueillir une fucceffion" is a figurative expreffion, and means to inherit an eftate, or in the language of royalty to attain to dominion and power. P. 25. The treaty of Aix la Chapelle compofed this war, which was of no long continuance, and gave to these provinces a tranquillity that has not fince been difturbed.' "Compofer la guerre" is not unfrequent with the French, and fignifies to put an end to the war; but an Englishman, we believe, would fcarcely fay compofed the war,' when he means to inform us that it is no longer carried on. P. 100. If it can be credited, as it is fometimes afferted, that lace wrought in other countries with the fame materials with which it is wrought here, and by the hands of the fame artists, yet attains not to the fame perfection, it must be supposed that the air has an influence upon the flender frame of this delicate fabric.' What does Mr. Shaw here mean by this delicate fabric ?' Fabric (in English, and according to its common acceptation) is a building, an edifice. Mr. S. in all probability met with "fabriques tres delicates." The French fubftantive (fabrique) however, means both edifice and manufacture. Fabriques tres delicates thou therefore be rendered the fineness or delicate texture of this manufacture. *A book has been published at Paris, entitled, "Memoires Hiftoriques et Politiques des Pays-Bas Autrichiens," by the Count de Neny. But whether Mr. Shaw is indebted to that gentleman for any of the sketches here exhibited is impoffible for us to determine; the Count de Neny's performance never having fallen into our hands. P. 79. A more fortunate conjuncture may arrive, when actuated by more liberal principles of commerce, or preffed by the voice of confpiring nations to whofe access the Scheld is now denied, &c. Our author no doubt meant to fay, "Nations who are now denied accefs to the Scheld"-Yet after all, access to the Scheld is by no means a happy expreffion, and is fcarcely to be defended. At page 158 we meet with " a fliding age" (the French adjective we fuppofe was glifant) instead of a corrupt and flippery age, &c.' Very many errors of a like nature are to be found in this performance; but we have felected a fufficient number of paffages to prove the author's deviation from our established mode of fpeech; a deviation we are never inclined to tolerate or excufe. The English language is already greatly injured by the. introduction of Gallicifms; and in a little time, we fear, it will be totally deftroyed by them *. Such are our objections to Mr. Shaw's publication. In other refpects his book is undoubtedly entitled to praife. It contains much useful, we may add, interefting matter, compiled with feeming industry, and in many parts with care. IN A. B. ART. III. Sacred Biography: or the Hiftory of the Patriarchs: being a Courfe of Lectures, delivered at the Scots Church, LondonWall. By Henry Hunter, D.D. Vol. III. 8vo. 6s. Murray, 1786. IN this volume, the author (in continuation of his plan, which has already come under our notice, fee Rev. vol. Ixxi. p. 434.) confines himself wholly to the hiftory of Mofes. The incidents of his life, and the concomitant events of the Jewish hiftory, he unfolds, not with the coolness of criticifm, but in the animated ftyle of popular oratory: feizing every circumftance, in the courfe of the narrative, which can afford occafion for moral and. pious reflections, lively defcription, or pathetic addrefs. Whatever philofophy may find to controvert in our author's opinions, or criticism to cenfure in his mode of declamation, it must be acknowledged, that he poffeffes confiderable powers, both of conception and language, for that kind of preaching which is adapted to produce a ftrong impreffion upon mixed auditories. Of the flyle of thefe difcourfes, we fhall give the following fpecimen : Speaking of Midian in Arabia, the place to which Mofes retired, when he left Egypt, Dr. Hunter proceeds: As to the employing of French words occafionally, and as fuch, either for the purpose of giving energy to our expreflions, or for the more clearly conveying our meaning, we think the practice may not only be juftified but commended. We repeat: it is the foreign idiom in English performances that particularly excites our difguft. There There lived in this city a perfon of diftinguished rank and station; but whether poffeffed of a facred or a civil character, the ambiguity of the term in the holy language permits us not to determine; and the Scripture leaves us totally uncertain whether he were a priest or a prince of Midian. But we are left in no doubt refpecting his moral and intellectual qualifications; and we fhall have no reason to be difpleafed at finding the history of Mofes blended with that of fo fenfible and fo good a man as Jethro, or Raguel, turns out to be. Whatever his dignity was, the facerdotal or royal, we find his daughters trained up in all the fimplicity of thofe early times; following the humble, harmless profeffion of thepherdeffes. Wife is that father, kind and just to his children, who, whatever his ftation, poffeffions, or profpects may be, brings up his fons and his daughters to fome virtuous and ufeful employment; for idleness is not more odious, difhonourable, and contemptible, than it is inimical to happinefs, and irreconcileable to inward peace. Mofes being arrived in the neighbourhood of Midian, weary and faint with a long journey, through a barren and unhofpitable country, fits down by a well of water to reft and refresh himself. And as a good man's footsteps are all ordered of the Lord, Providence fends him thither, juft at the moment, to fuccour the daughters of Raguel from the violence of fome of their neighbours. In that country, the precious fluid beftowed upon us in fuch boundless profufion, being difpenfed as it were in drops, became an object of defire, and a ground of contention. The daughters of Jethro, fenfible of their inferiority in point of ftrength, endeavour to fupply it by diligence and addrefs. They arrive at the well before their rival thepherds, and are preparing with all poffible dispatch to water their flocks, when behold they are overtaken by thefe brutals, who rudely drive them and their flocks away, and cruelly attempt to convert the fruits of their labour to their own ufe. Mofes poffeffing at once fenfibility, courage, and force, takes part with the injured, and affords them effectual fupport against their oppreffors. An helplefs, timid female, affaulted and infulted, is an object of peculiar concern to a brave and generous fpirit, and for this reason, courage and intrepidity are qualities in men, held in great and juft eftimation by the Female Sex. If the heroic behaviour of Mofes merit approbation and refpect, the modest referve of the virgin daughters of Raguel is equally amiable and praife-worthy. It does not appear that they folicited protection, but modeftly received it, they look their thanks rather than utter them; and they deem it more fuitable to their fex and character to appear ungrateful to a generous ftranger, than to offend him by forwardness and indelicacy. They haften home to their father, who, furprized at the earlinefs of their return, enquires into the caufe of it. Happy, I doubt not, to celebrate the praises of a man whofe appearance and behaviour must have made a deep impreffion upon them, they relate the adventure of the morning, and Raguel, flruck with the magnanimity, gallantry, and fpirit of this ftranger's conduct, eagerly enquires after him, fends to find him cut, invites him to his house and table, and endeavours to exprefs that gratitude which the young women could not, by every effort of kindness |