Pagina-afbeeldingen
PDF
ePub

These Practical Farmers do not write in character, when they oppose the idea thrown out in most of the agricultural Reports composed for the consideration of the Board, that tithes taken in kind are an obstacle to improvement; and when they discountenance the plan of commutation, they moreover display an expansion and cultivation of mind not usual with Practical Farmers, in their statement of the superior and permanent advantages derived to a country from agriculture, compared with those which result from commerce. Their remarks on this subject are so good, that we cannot refrain from transcribing a part of them:

Happy would it be for Britain, if the baneful predominant spirit for foreign commerce and colonization were somewhat restrained, and a portion of the capital and industry employed in it were diverted to the cultivation of the soil, and to the amelioration of the condition of its inhabitants, before it is too late to avert the impending evil.

Trade, like its element the sea, has a certain pitch above which it never rises in the highest tides; and it begins to ebb whenever it ceases to flow; and always recedes in one place in proportion as it gains in another. It would be wise, therefore, in this country to examine with a discriminating eye whether or not its commercial tide has arrived at its utmost height.

[ocr errors]

To be convinced of the fluctuation and instability of commercial greatness, we have only to take a retrospective glance of the history of Tyre, Carthage, Athens, Syracuse, Agrigentum, Rhodes, Venice, Florence, Lisbon, the Hans-Towns, Antwerp, and Holland. We shall there find, that the prosperity and the wealth of each declined when a rival arose; and in proportion as other states became their own carriers, the tides of these ebbed in succession, to flow no more. Their great opulence, on which alone depended their existence, excited other nations to their conquest; while the consequent luxury and dissipation of the inhabitants, by weakening their attachments and enfeebling their characters, hastened and facilitated their final destruction. Agricultural pursuits, on the contrary, not only invigorate the body and mind, but foster and preserve local attachments, and incite gratitude to that soil to which we are taught to trust for the comforts of life.'

As we appear at present to be fascinated by the splendor of commerce, we may not be pleased with having it suggested to us that it is a very transient pageant: but, at all events, let us not depend too much on blessings which, if they come at all, must float to us, but endeavour to make the soil of Britain adequate to the sustentation and comfort of its inhabitants,

ART. VII. EYPIHLAOY QOINIZZAI. Euripidis Phanissa, ad fidem Manuscriptorum emendata, et brevibus notis emendationum potissimum rationes reddentibus instructa. In usum studiosæ Juventutis. 8vo. pp. 128. Wilkie, Londini. 1799.

WHE

7HEN it is recollected that three Greek plays have been edited by Prof. Porson in less than three years, it will surely be granted that he has deserved well of the literary world. We can with pleasure inform the laborious student, and the sagacious scholar, that they will find ample materials in the notes on the Phænissa, to reward them for the trouble and time which they may bestow in a perusal; since the same accurate learning, and the same minute diligence, will be observed in them, which we have commended so frequently in the articles relative to the Greek Professor's edition of the Hecuba and Orestes. We do not, at present, feel inclined to retract the smallest particle of these commendations, from having lately perused the preface and notes which Godofred Herman has presented to the learned, in his recent publication of the Hecuba, at Leipsic, 1800. We are obliged to M. Herman for his civility, in general, to our reviews of Mr. Porson's Plays and Mr. Wakefield's Diatribe; and we are pleased at finding our decisions, on various points, farther established by this learned foreigner's observations: but we must recommend to him more caution and more politeness in his remarks, when he differs from Mr. Porson or from others. The language of criticism ought to be the language of a scholar, and of a gentleman.

It is not now our intention to enter into a complete examination of the notes on the Phoenisse: but we shall give a few specimens.

V. 5. — Κάδμος ηνίκ' ἦλθε γῆν.

• In fine hujus versus Aldus addit Oy, quæ vox unde irrepserit, nescio. Alibi tamen eam abundare vidi. In fragmento Pirithoi, ubi vulgo legitur, Σὲ τὸν αὐτοβύη, τὸν ἐν αἰθείς Ῥύμβη πάλων φύσιν ἐμπλέξανθ', habet σὲ τὸν autopun, márìwv deŵ altépa júpße Scholiastes Apollonii Rhodii IV. 144. Ex Hippolyto 1139. (1143. Musg.) as recte ejecit Brunckius; quanquam ne sic quidem iste locus perpurgatus videtur. Sed sapius deest hat vox, quam redundat. Androm. 270. dxy Spoîois Eswy Byxalzstüsal tuz, Spolow tantum habet editio princeps. Sopherl. Philoct. 992. beous #połεbvwY, Tod's Dead'; & subels Ting, secundum eos omittit Aldus. Aristoph. Pac. 938. 485 πάνθισ 'do'dv lids Ofan, Xň túxn xzłoptoi, Aldus et utraque funtina omittunt Beds, sed præbent Scholiastes et Suidas v. rávi ör 2». T. III. p. 18. In Sophoclis Oed. C. 1623. ubi nunc legitur, Qiyur & alpons Tivòs ☺wüger αυτόν, legendum est, φθέγμα δ' ἐξαίφνης τινος Θεῶν ἔώνξ'. Conira in Nostri Herc. Fur. 310. • XFN gap Qubels Mn Dewy SHJE Toll. Que nemo, opinor, intelligit. Lege, ὁ χρὴ γὰρ οὐδεὶς μὴ χρεών θήσει ποτέ. Tragicus apud Plutarch. Cons, ad Apollon, p. 103. B. Tò TO Xpeŵy ouk loin my xpe

Bb4

[ocr errors]

ποιεῖν.

In proximo versu Φοίνισσαν ἐναλίαν χθόνα Tyrum insulam inter pretatur Scholiastes.'

[ocr errors]

V. 511. Νυν δ' ου ̓ ὅμοιον οὐδὲν, οὓ] ἴσον βροτοῖς,

Πλὴν ονόμασιν

512. ονομάσαι omnes edd. et MSS. Edidi ονόμασιν, quod_cum sine v, ut passim fit, scriberetur, facile mutari potuit. λόγος et ἔργον quoties opponan tur, prasertim a Tragicis, nemo ignorat. Neque raro ὄνομα et ἔργον, ut Orest. 448. ὄνομα γὰρ, ἔργον δ' οὐκ ἔχουσιν οἱ φίλοι. Iph. Α. 1121. τοῖς ἀπόμασιν μὲν εὖ λέγεις, τὰ δ' ἔργα σου Οὐκ οἶδ' ὅπως χρὴ μὲ ὀνομάσασαν εὖ λέγειν. Sed hoc vitiosum in hac oppositione alicui fortasse videatur, quod in altero membro nomen est plurale, in altero singulare; in altero additur articulus, in altero omittitur. Verum tales minutias non curiose sectantur Tragici. Sophocl. Εlect. 59. τί γάρ με λυπεῖ τοῦθ ̓, ὅταν λόγῳ θανὼν Ἔργοισι σωθῶ. Ιδι quidem λόγοισι citat Eustathius ad Od. A. p. 1701, 63. (459, 24.) sed λόγῳ retinent Eumathius IX. ρ. 363. Suidas v. τί γάρ με. Oed. C. ειδη. τά τοι καλῶς Ευρημέν' ἔργα, τῳ λόγῳ μηνύεται. Utrumque negligit Oed. C. 182. λόγῳ μὲν ἐσθλὰ, τοῖσι δ' ἔργοισιν κακά. Euripides Androm. 264. τοιόνδ' ἔχω σου δέλεας· ἀλλὰ γὰς λόγους Κρύψω, τὸ δὲ ἔργον αὐτὸ σημανεῖ τάχα. Troad 1241. τλήμων ἰατρὸς, ὄνομ ̓ ἔχουσα τάργα δ ̓ οὔ. Οvid. Amor. I. 12, 27, Ergo ego vos REBUS duplices pro NOMINE sensi.'

V. 866. Κόπῳ παρεῖμαι γοῦν, Ερεχθειδῶν ἄπο.

• 866. πάρειμι Ald. et pars codicum. Sed πάρειμαι Grot. παρείμαι Schol. et decem minimum MSS. Ερεχθειδῶν quod recte dederat Aldus, editiones quadam in Ερεχθειδῶν. et Ερεχθιδῶν corrupere. Pro your quod habent Aldus et major pars codicum, yns præbent Cant. et alius Kingii (non enim optimus, ut ipse vocat) γας M. R. γάς Grot. κόπῳ παρεῖμαι bene illustrat Valckenarius e Bacch. 634. κόπου δ' υπο, Διαμεθείς ξίφος, παρεῖται pro your conjicit you. Habuit ante oculos, quod quærebat. Codicum enim lectio sana est, modo elisionis notam apponas ; γουν, genua. Neque ratio fingi potest, cur Tragici hac forma abstinuerint, cum libenter γούνατα adi beant. Si Medeam olim edidero, editionis prima lectionem 325, μὴ πρὸς σὲ γούνων, restituam. Porro γούνα occurrit in choliambo Phanicis Colophoni apud Athenaeum VIII. p. 359. F. καὶ μητρὶ κούρην εἰς τὰ γοῦνα κατόετ, Occurrit etiam your' elisum in illustri Empedoclis loco de divina natura apud Ammonium in quarto de interpretatione G. vii. 1, 19. ed Ald. 1503. fol. 199. ver. sed. 1545. Locum integrum inde correctius adscribam, quam prout ex Tseize Chil. XIII. 81. H. Stephanus dedit in Poesi Philosophica, β. 30. Οὔτε γὰρ ἀνδρομη κεφαλῇ κατὰ γυῖα κέκασται, Οὐ μὲν ἀπαὶ νώτων με δύο κλάδοι ἀίσσουσιν, Οὐ πόδες, οὐ θεὰ γοῦν, οὐ μήδεα λαχνήεντα, ̓Αλλὰ φρὴν ἱερὴ καὶ αθέσφατος ἔπλετο μοῦνον, Φροντίσι κόσμον ἅπαντα καταίσσουσα θοήσι.

V. 986. —τιστ ̓ ἐπαλλαχθὲς χθονός.

• 986. ἀπαλλαγείς Ald. Asperas et antiquas formas adamarunt Tragic, ideoque aoristos priores pratulere. Sic habet εθρέφθην Noster Hec. 355. θρεφτηναι ex eadem fabula Goo, et κρυφθεὶς ex Orest. 42. citat Eustathius ad Π. Ε. p. 519, 41, 44 (393, 27. 29.) θαφθεῖσι, quod ex Herodoto ibidem memorat, invenies VII. 228. ἐθάφθη Simonidi restituendum pro εκάμφθη apud Athen, III. ρ. 125. D. In loco supra ex Hecuba laudato τραφήναι

habent

habent J. N. et in textu R. sed hic egebas pro v. 1. Duo MSS. Hero.' deti II. 81. Tavas pro aftñas. Recte, igitur, àmanhaxbels ex pluribus MSS. reposuit Valckenarius, sed successu paullo confidentior factus, e Tragicorum reliquiis infelicem illum aoristum extirpare conatur. Et hoc quidem per metrum fieri potest in Eschyli Agam. 344. et Sophoclis Antig. 428. (422.) quid autcm faciet Æschyli Prom. 749. ἀπηλλάγην ; κρεῖσσον γὰρ εἰς ἅπαξ θανεῖν. Μale etiam affirmat, ne semel quidem απαλλαγείς aut ἀπαλ Kayra apud Nostrum inveniri, cum áλáyng exstet in Androm. 593quanquam et illud sine metri jactura mutari poterat. Sed quomodo factum est, ut duo loca bujus ipsius fabula 601. 1424. præterviderit?'

V. 1150. Ταῖς δ ̓ ἑβδόμαις

1150. Tais d' dopas. De septem Thebarum portis, quinque præci pui auctores, Eschylus, Euripides, Apollodorus, Pausanias, Statius, (Hygini enim nullam rationem habemus) non omnino eadem tradunt.

Maxima

est in Apollodoro difficultas, qui inter Ogygias portas et Oncaïdas diserte distinguit. Oncaidas et Ogygias easdem portas vocari auctor est Hesychius. Ογκας Αθήνας. τας Ωγυγίας πύλας λέγει. Oncaidas memorat Æschylus, non Ogygias; Ogygias, non Oncaidas Euripides, Pausanias, Statius. Quas mittit Apollodorus, Neitas, ceteri omnes habent. Quid si ponamus ApolLodorum scripsisse primo τας Ωγυγίας ἢ Ὀγκαίδας, deinde της Νηίτας suo Inco, sed Oynaldus omissum postea in margine repositum, sede sua alterum illud expulisse. Porro Hebdoma non sunt proprium portarum nomen, sed Eschylus et Euripides, sex portis jam nomine designatis, ultimas commemorare supersederunt. Scholii, quod supra citavi ad 1148, reliqua sunt hac: τινὲς δὲ φασὶ τοὺς εὐδόμους πύλας τῆς Βοιωτίας καλεῖσθαι, ἀπὸ Βοιωτου, τοῦ Ποσείδωνος καὶ τῆς σοφῆς Μελανίππης αφ' οὗ πᾶσα ἡ Βοιωτία ἐκλήθη. Lege ras ἑβδόμας πύλας Βοιωτίας καλεῖσθαι. His positis, portarum nomina sic distribuo.

1. Προτίδες. 2. Ηλεκτραι. 3. Νηίται. 4. Ογκαίδες ή αγύγια. 5. Βέβαιαι ἡ Ὑψισται ἢ Βοιώτιάι. 6. Ὁμολαΐδες, 7. Κρηναῖαι ἡ Διρχαῖαι. 分 V. 1373. πὼς καὶ πέπρακται διπτύχων παίδων φόνος ; 1373. xxl ; Edd. omnes ante Valckenarium, et sic K. R. fortasse st Leid. sec. nus de Flor. unde edidit Valckenarius, Tŵç dn'. Sed glossa est istud di, ut liquet e C. ubi superscriptum est. Ceteri codices magno numero, mas xal, Bodleiani, C. Cant. D. J. L. M. De membranis silet Brunckius, qui tacite edidit ; dr. Eo nomine xal ; vitiosa est lectio, quod objicientis fere est vel contradicentis, ut modo 1367. Sensus est, Dic præterea quomodo. Ita solet copula interrogativis tij, mŵ;, moi, moù, moto; postponi. Hec. 519. πῶς καί νιν ἐξεπράξατ' ; ας' αἰδούμενοι ; 1055. ποῖ καὶ με φυγα. Πτώσσουσι μυχῶν; Alc. 846. ποῦ καί σφε θάπτει; Aristoph. Pac. 1288. τοῦ καί ποτ' εἶ; Sophocl. Αj. 1290. ποῖ βλέπων τοτ ̓ αὐτοὶ καί θροεῖς; Trach. 339. τί δ' ἐστὶ, τοῦ με τήνδ' ἐφίστασαι βάσιν ; Vertit Brunckius ; Quid est vero? cur meum sistis gradum? Quem sensum vereor ut verba admittant. Prima Scholiorum editio, τοῦ κε τήνδ' ἐφίστασαι (non ἐφίστασθαι, ut Brunckius) Bdow. Lege igitur et distingue, Ti dioli; Toù xai Trid floracas Brow; Nonnunquam inter primam vocem et xal interponunt Si, ut Hec. 1191. τίνα δὲ καὶ σπεύδων χάριν Πρόθυμος ἦσθα; Androm. 396.

με καὶ τεκεῖν ἐχρῆν ; Iph. Α. 1202. τίς δὲ καὶ προσβλέψεται Παίδων σ' ὅτων ἂν προθέμενος κτάνης τινά; Sophocl. Antig. 1314. ποίῳ δὲ καπελύσατ ̓ ἐν φοναῖς τρόπῳ ; Atque hac suficient ad vindicandum Hippol. 92. Οὐκ οἶδα· τοῦ δὲ καί μ' ανιστορεῖς πέρι ; Quem imperite sollicitavit Brunckius.

It would be an easy and indeed a pleasant employment to extend these quotations: but they must suffice; as they will readily allure the critical reader to peruse the tragedy of the Phoenisse by Euripides, thus accompanied by the notes of ML

Porson.

ART. VIII. The Sovereign. Addressed to his Imperial Majesty Paul Emperour of all the Russias. By Charles Small Pybus, M. P. One of the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury. Folio. pp. 60. Price 11. Is.; or with a Portrait, 11. 11s. 6d. White. 1800.

Τ THE inventive genius of modern times appears with peculiar lustre in that new species of the sublime, of which the magnificent poem before us is an astonishing example. The gigantic types, the folio wove-paper, and the awe-inspiring portrait, like the

« Vultus instantis tyranni,”

have superseded the old rules of Longinus, and have forced admiration from the appalled beholder, even before he reads. Mr. Pybus is certainly "as tall a poet of his hands," as any wight that has issued from the press within our memory; and he may vie for title-page, print, and margin, with the first of our bards. When, however, we have bestowed this praise on his work, we have exhausted every source of panegyric; for his verses are formed only to be viewed, not to be perused: his poetry is so like a picture, (according to the Horatian precept,) that it will not bear the near approach of the eye.

The happy alliteration resulting from the title, a Poem to Paul, by the Poet Pybus, reminds us of a Latin work intitled, Pugna Porcorum, per Publium Porcium, Poetam.-Though this work is addressed to the Emperor Paul, it is, with inimitable dexterity, dedicated to our own King. This is a flight of courtly wit, which perhaps will never again be attempted; and the amazing resemblance which Mr. P. has asserted between the illustrious personages, to one of whom he addresses his address to the other, will be ranked by posterity among the most unexpected discoveries of the present age.

To compress the shining lines of Mr. Pybus into our narrow and unadorned pages is (like translating Virgil) to lose all the beauty of the original: but we shall endeavour to gratify our friends in the country with a specimen of this state-performance, in the address to Peter I. and his ill-fated descendant:

Illustrious shade! O! could thy soul infuse
Its faint resemblance in the anxious Muse,

Then

« VorigeDoorgaan »