Life of Biddle, 570 W Georgics,

TOUR, royal, to Weymouth,

ERRAT A in Vol. lxxxi.

Page 19. line 7. for into, read on.

40. 36. for Worcester, read Winchester.
36. for 7s. 6d. read gs.

50.
78.

80.

100.

-

40. dele the comma after well, and place it after riches, 28. for genus, read genas.

3. dele for.

190. 22. for æquetque, read æquatque.

408.

481.

483.

486.

487.

$39.

7 from bot. for barometer, read thermometer. - 26. for Panobalum, read Pantolabum.

9 and 10 from bot. for Sardanapoli and Sardanapolus, read Sardanapali and Sardanapalus.

-15. read fœno, cophinoque relicto.

22. for doctus, read doctas.

-20. in fome copies, for Engatto, read Engallo.

THE

THE

MONTHLY REVIEW,

For JULY, 1789.

ART. I. ΣΑΜΨΩΝ ΑΓΩΝΙΣΤΗΣ. Jobannis Miltoni SAMPSON AGONISTES, Græco Carmine redditus, cum Verfione Latina. A Georgia Henrico Glaffe, A. M. Edis Chrifti nuper Alumno. 8vo. 7s. 6d. fewed. Oxon. London, Faulder. 1788.

IX years are nearly elapfed*, fince we urged the learned tranflator of Mafon's Caractacus to publish the work which he had some time before printed. In compliance with our wishes, which, indeed, did but echo the fentiments of every fcholar, the remaining copies of it were advertised, and fpeedily fold;nor did we neglect, in due courfe of time, to prefent a fhort review of it to the public.

The ftores of erudition which Mr. Glaffe's diligence and tafte bad accumulated, in order to accomplish this laborious undertaking, were not to be patiently wafted in idlenefs. The advice of his learned friends probably foon feconded the inftigations of an inward monitor, which, to ufe the words that Milton has put into the mouth of Samfon, taugnt him to feel

"Some roufing motions in him, which difpos'd

"To fome thing extraordinary, his thoughts." V. 1381. Hence fprung the tranflation which is now before us, and which we propofe reviewing with that laboured minutenefs, and critical exactness, to which, in our opinion, fo very uncommon and fo eminently remarkable a performance is juftly entitled. Our Journal would, indeed, but poorly merit the character for candour and liberality, to which it has fo long afpired, if a Greek tranflation of Milton's Sampfon Agoniftes were to be reviewed as a common work, and condemned merely with general cenfure, or praised only with general commendation.

This publication is of fuch a nature, that few can hope to rival it, though many may attempt to imitate. It will, therefore, be attempted to unite openness and freedom, with delicacy

Monthly Rev. Aug. 1783, p. 155.-The Greek Caractacus was printed in 1781, and diftributed among Mr. Glaffe's friends. B

VOL, LXXXI,

and

and candour, in examining those paffages of this work, in which Mr. Glaffe appears to us not to have fucceeded happily, in clothing Milton's verfification in the dress of the Attie Mufe; as well as thofe, in which, with fingular grace and felicity, Gorgeous tragedy,

Il Penferofo, 96.

In fcepter'd pall, comes fweeping by. In this review, we fhall by no means attempt to ftate every beauty; nor do we prefume to affert, that we can detect every ekror. Our objections will be numerous; but many of them will relate to points of taste, rather than to fuch as can be readily decided by authority. Many of our obfervations will confift of queftions to the author, which may be answered, perhaps, readily, by that promptitude of memory which he seems to poffefs, and that profound reading of the tragedies, by which he has been enabled to perform a labour fo arduous and fo extraordinary. With respect to the preface, little will be remarked. The candour, however, with which Mr. Glaffe allows the faults of his Greek Caractacus, leads us to hope, that he will not be offended at this review. He will, we truft, rank us among the Plotii, Varii, Macenates, and Virgilii, who have cherished his talents, with their commendations, rather than compare our remarks to the carping reprehenfions of Pantilius.

The Latinity of the preface merits praife; and the remarks on Mafon and Milton are eminently juft. It is not intended, at prefent, to enter into an examination of the propriety, with which Mr. Glaffe has adopted Dr. Johnfon's ideas of the Agoniftes, in his tranflation. Yet we readily acknowlege, that many of the remarks in the Rambler have long claimed our approbation by their truth, and excited our admiration by their acuteness; nor have the criticisms published by the ingenious author of the OBSERVER, inclined us to alter our opinion. It must be observed, however, that there is great merit in many of the changes, omiffions, and additions which appear in the Greek Samfon. It does not feem neceffary now to enter minutely into an examination of them; as Mr. Thomas Warton will probably difcufs this fubject, which is well entitled to his notice, in the promised edition of Milton's Poems on feveral Occafions.

When Mr. Glaffe informs us, in his preface, that he undertook this tranflation, partly in confequence of the exhortations of the late Dean of Chrift Church, of Dr. Parr, and of Dr. Johnton, Maxapins, we feel more inclined to conceal a Reviewer's fentiments on this fubject, than to submit them to the public, in oppofition to names fo truly refpectable for their judgment and erudition. Yet in deliberating on a second intercourfe with the Attic Mufe, we believe, that for our own part, we should have exclaimed,

4

" Oud'