pare the scenery around him with the descriptions of it exhibited by Homer, it may be wished, that this eloquent Athenian (whose command of language was in some points perhaps superior to that of his triumphant rival Demosthenes) had made his intended comparison the subject of another letter.

Although the letters of philosophers and rhetoricians to princes, are scarcely to be classed with such epistolary composition, as arises from familiarity and friendship, I am tempted to notice two remarkable Letters included in the works of Plato, and Isocrates. The first may be fairly considered as a private letter, since the philosopher entreats his correspondent, the younger Dionysius, to read it repeatedly, and then to burn it. In truth, he had abundant reason for such a request; as the letter contains a singular confession, that this admired instructor had never published his own genuine sentiments on some abstruse points of philosophy, but contented himself with delivering the opinions of his master.-Vide Platonis, vol x1. p. 72-Edit. Biponti.

The letter of Isocrates, to which I have alluded, is addressed to Alexander of Macedon, during the life of his father, Philip. It is a brief, benevoVOL 1.

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lent, and graceful compliment, from an illustrious veteran of literature, to a highly promising youth.— Vide Isocratis, vol. 1. p. 454.-Edit. Auger.

When we consider the passion for news which animated the Greeks, and the extreme vivacity of their character, it seems rather surprising, that in the remains of antiquity, we find such a small number of early Greek, epistles; and so little said by their rhetoricians, concerning the most admired of their epistolary writers. Some information on this subject, may however be gleaned from the treatise on elocution, that bears the name Demetrius Phalereus, from the collections of Stobæus, and the Bibliothe ca of Photius.

The learned Abbé Barthelemy, who, in his elaborate and masterly work of many years, Le Voyage du jeune Anarcharsis, describes the library of an Athenian, does not represent it (if I remember right) as containing any collection of letters. Yet probably the libraries of Athens, at that period, were not destitute of such an amusing, and instructive branch of literature. The first collector of letters, if we may rely on the authority of Clemens Alexandrinus and of Tatian, was a Persian princess, who bore the name of Atossa; for the Greek expression used

by these authors, seems rather to mean the forming a collection of letters, than the teaching how letters should be written, as some of their interpreters have strangely supposed. Who this interesting Atossa really was, although she is called by Bentley, the mother of Xerxes, it would not perhaps be easy to ascertain; as the name belonged to several Asiatic princesses, and Clemens Alexandrinus is supposed by some critics, to have confounded Atossa with Semiramis.

Demetrius Phalereus, or the rhetorician who assumed his name, celebrates Aristotle for having perfectly conceived the proper idea of a letter; observing also, that the morals of a man may be discerned in all his compositions, but above all in his letters. The name of Aristotle reminds me, that the memorable letter of Philip to that Philosopher, on the future education of Alexander, may be regarded as a model of princely politeness.

To become intimately acquainted with the illustrious characters of Greece, in her days of glory, by the aid of their familiar letters, would afford snch a gratification to the lovers of literature, that it is not surprising, if some letters have been fabricated for

the purpose of ascribing them to the splendid names of Themistocles, Euripides, &c.

In the collection of Greek Letters, whose authenticity has been so frequently questioned, there are three of a very interesting nature, ascribed to Theano, the wife, or, some authors imagine, the daughter of Pythagoras. These letters are so good, that the accomplished German poet and moralist, Wieland, has translated them into his own language, asserting, that their merit has induced him to believe them genuine; and strongly recommending to the ladies of his country, the laudable sentiments they display. The first letter contains advice to a mother on the education of her children; the second, advice to a wife,not to resent too roughly the infidelity of a husband; and the third, to a young married friend, on the management of her female domestics.

The authenticity of the five letters ascribed to Euripides, is strenuously asserted by Barnes, and as vehemently denied by Bentley; two laborious and deep searchers into all the reliques of Grecian literature; yet two pedantic scholars, so ungraceful in the use of their own language, that neither of them can be justly supposed competent to decide a doubtful question of this kind, by that perfect delicacy of taste, which is sometimes imagined to constitute a

sort of intuitive sagacity, sufficient to detect any literary imposture.

Experience has abundantly shewn, that in questions concerning the authenticity of ancient compositions," much may be said on both sides,' to use the gentle phrase of the benevolent Sir Roger de Coverly; and the Epistles of Phalaris are a memorable example to confirm his remark. Those Epistles afforded an extensive field to the active, and contentious spirit of Bentley, who delighted to display his admirable erudition, and his controversial fortitude, against a host of assailants. They seem to have considered him as the Polypheme of literature, and to have amused themselves in deriding the intemperance of his anger, though they might shudder at his strength. Had not that extraordinary scholar béen influenced by a singular passion for such disputes, he would hardly have produced his curious disertations on the epistles of Phalaris; as the young nobleman, who re-published those epistles, suggested, in his preface, some arguments, that tended to prove them spurious, instead of asserting that they were not so. Bentley prided himself on detecting the imposture. He is believed to have had truth onhis side, in denying them to be genuine.