ART. V. Pindari Curmina, ex editione C. G. HEYNE. 18mo. THIS elegant little edition contains only the text of Pindar, and is the first of a series which it is proposed to publish in a uniform manner, comprising the principal Greek poets from the most approved texts. It is intended to be followed by the tragic writers, of whom So ART. VI. LEE's Grecian Authors, in THIS work is intended to comprize in a cheap form and within a moderate compass, the most valuable, scarce, and faithful English translations, in poetry and prose, of the Greek authors. It is computed by the editor, that the works of nearly fifty authors, in about eighty volumes of various irregular sizes, phocles is mentioned as being in a state of forwardness. It is obvious, that the qualities at which such republications aim, are those of elegance, commodiousness, and correctness, which appear to be fully attained in the present edition. English. Part the First-Hesiod. 8vo. selected from hundreds of translations, will be compressed to between twenty and thirty volumes, printed in double colums of an octavo size. Appropriate lives and notes are intended to accompany the series. The present part contains the works and days of Hesiod, and his Theogony, in the translation of Cooke. ART. VII. The Remains of Hesiod the Astræan, translated from the Greek into English Verse, with a preliminary Dissertation and Notes; by CHARLES ABRAHAM ELTON. foolscap Svo. THE poems ascribed to Hesiod, though they display no great vigour of genius, or elegance of polish, are valuable and curious, as documents of ancient mythology, and monuments of ancient manners; and it is, perhaps, rather from this accidental importance, and the respect due to antiquity, than from their intrinsic merits (though not destitute of these) that they are now perused by the classical scholar. Under these circumstances it is not surprising, that the emulation of translators should not have been frequently exercised on a subject so inferior in promise to many others which ancient literature affords. The version of Chapman, published in 1618, is stated to be uncommonly scarce, and extends only to the "Works and Days." Its style is also obsolete. Cooke's translation comprizes the "Works and Days," and the Theogonia, but omits the "Shield of Hercules," an important fragment. This translator has often mistaken the sense of his author, and where he has accurately given In his preliminary dissertation the author investigates with diligence the history of Hesiod, so far as the scanty sources of information which we possess respecting it will permit. The only circumstances on which we can place much dependence, are the few to which the poet has himself adverted in his "Works and Days." The incidents related by subsequent writers are often manifestly improbable, and always destitute of sufficient evidence. We shall not on this occasion recapitu late them, and shall only remark that they are diligently and faithfully collected by Mr. Elton. Mr. E. has not been seized by the passion, ascribed to editors and translators, of admiring without discrimination both the beauties and blemishes of their authors. No composition of ancient times, he remarks, is stamped with so rude a simplicity of character as the Theogony. The greater part of it is in fact little more than a barren detail of names, scarcely more interesting to the general reader than an Arabian pedigree. One episode, however, the battle of the gods, forms an exception to this remark. It contains some passages of forcible and sublime description, which were not unworthy of the imitation of Milton. The didactic poem, entitled the Works and Days, is a much more valuable composition. Its genuineness has never been contested. With the exception, perhaps, of a few interpolated passages, it possesses every character of a poem of the most remote antiquity. It is of course highly valuable as an authentic memorial of ancient manners, nor is it destitute of practical beauties which may detain for a while the attention of the reader of taste. The poem entitled the Shield of Hercules is a singular relic of antiquity. We are inclined to agree with the hypothesis advanced by Mr. Elton, that it is a cento of fragments. The first part, ending with the birth of Hercules, belongs to the yaha na, a poem often ascribed by the ancients to Hesiod, employed in celebrating the praises of illustrious women. Alemena is in this instance the subject of pane. gyric. The combat of Hercules with Cygnus must certainly have belonged originally to some other poem. The long and laboured description of the shield, which is altogether disproportioned to the circumstances in which it is placed, must be regarded also as an interpolation. It is an evident imitation of the description of the shield of Achilles in the Iliad. Such are the works on which the labour of Mr. Elton has been bestowed. He is evidently well acquainted with the language of his author, and has exercised considerable skill in ascertaining his meaning in passages which may at first sight be dubious or difficult. With regard to the poetical character of his version, we may fairly say, that it is equal to that of the original. Mr. Elton manifests much ease and power of versification, though sometimes, perhaps, interrupted by a harsh or negligent expression. His version is, however, incomparably superior to that of his predecessor, and Hesiod has no reason to complain of the English garb in which he now appears. As a specimen we shall select the allegory of Pandora. "The food of man in deep concealment lies, The angry gods have veil'd it from our The whole attire Minerva's graceful art Dispos'd, adjusted, form'd to every part: And last the winged herald of the skies, Slayer of Argus, gave delusive lies; Insidious manners, honeyed speech instill'd Diseases haunt our frail humanity: Self-wandering through the noon, the night they glide, Voiceless-a voice the power all-wise denied. Know then this awful truth; It is not giv'n T'elude the wisdom of omniscient Heav'n. Now listen other lore of skilful art As he that rolls the deepening thunder And pleasing pow'r and grave it on thy will'd: heart." The notes are copious and useful. They are partly critical, and partly illustrative of the sentiments or mythology of the poet. On the Jatter subject, which in Hesiod is important, the author adopts the system of Mr. Bryant. The subject, as it appears to us, is too ob and ART. VIII. Institutes of Latin Grammar. THE object of this work is to furnish a grammar "which should combine a more minute and correct detail of the mere elements than is to be found in our common grammars, with an ample elucidation of the higher and more difficult principles." As it is intended chiefly for the benefit of the senior scholar, the etymology is thrown into tables synopses, and the chief attention has been bestowed upon syntax and prosody. In a work of this nature it is obvious that utility and not novelty should be the chief object. Ruddiman forms the basis of the present grammar; but the author has not been deficient in consulting other authorities which might furnish additional information. His own remarks shew that he is able to appreciate the materials which he employs; and he has, we think, attained the end at which he professes to aim, of furnishing scure for any thing like a complete and satisfactory elucidation. By JOHN GRANT, A. M. 8vo. pp. 453. to the student a correct digest of the Latin rules, with a copious enumeration of anomalies and exceptions. In treating of the Anapastic verse, the law of Synaphea should not have been omitted. All works on prosody should likewise avail themselves of the accurate and important rules respecting the Alcaic verse which are given in the Monthly Review, by a writer of well known learning and sagacity. The remark respecting a Pyrrhic admitted instead of an Anapest (p. 435.) into a verse of Eschylus is strangely inaccurate. The verse is obviously Dimeter catalectic, consisting of three anapasts and a long syllable. With respect to the species of verse, the arrangement of Hephaestio is much more perspicuous than that, adopted by Mr. Grant. ART. IX. Latin Prosody made easy. THIS is a much enlarged and improved edition of a work which was published by Dr. Carey some years ago under the same title. It contains a very full digest of the rules of Latin prosody, interspersed with much ingenious and useful, though somewhat desultory remark. The illustrations from the poets are very copious, and manifest the fami. liarity of the author with those writers. His ideas respecting the controversy relative to accent and quantity are not however we think very clear (p. 143); and we are so far from anticipating the period, ART. X. Lutin Prosody made easy, abridged for the Use of Schools. By J. CAREY, L. L. D. 12mo. By J. CAREY, L. L. D. 8vo. pp. 337. when every scholar in the kingdom will read according to the system of "Metron ariston," that we are disposed to believe, that in a short time the doctrines of that treatise will be universally, as they are now generally, exploded, as being des tructive of all probable principles of prosody. The rules of Alcaic verse delivered by Dr. Burney should have been given. The publication in which they appear is anonymous, but the author is so well known, that we trust we are taking no unwarrantable liberty in using his name. DR. Carey has rendered an ac- by this abridgement of his useful ceptable service to younger students work on prosody, and we cordially recommend it to the notice of Aut leves ocreas lento ducunt argento. teachers. It is observed, (p. 137.) that "whenever the fifth foot is a spondee, the fourth ought to be a dactyl." That this rule is, and for obvious reasons ought to be, generally observed, we readily admit. As, however, we have heard it asserted to be, as perhaps it is commonly esteemed, universal, we shall transcribe from the poets a few instances of contrary practice. que. At contra lapidum conjectum spicarum- En. vii. 634. Ennius, indeed, who is not to be recommended as a model of versi fication, has verses consisting en, tirely of spondees. Olli respondit rex Albai longai. Queis te tenirem nobis seu conarere, cxvi, 3. A verse of Lucretius, quoted by Herman, as it is variously read, we shall not advance as authority. An Cœlum nobis natura ultro corruptum, vi, 1 193, ART. XI. Scanning Exercises for young Prosodians, &c. By J. CAREY,L. L. D. 12mo. THIS little work consists of a very minute metrical analysis of two epistles of Ovid, Deianira Her. culi, and Medea Jasoni. From the known character of the author it is needless to observe, that it is performed with accuracy. The work will answer to a person distrustful of his own power of applying with certainty the common rules of prosody, the same purpose, that is served by a "key" for a treatise of arithmetic. fourth feet; as, alto: Hæc secum: | mene incepto | desistere victam ? Necdum etiam causæ irarum, | sævique dolores. ART. XII. A Dissertation on Metrical Pauses, and the due Construction and proper Manner of reading Latin heroic Verse. By JAMES PICKBOURN. 8vo. pp. 43. MR. Pickbourn's ability in il- cæsura, (i. e.) the pause in the third foot, lustrating subjects of grammatical to be interrupted by a proper name, com disquisition has been previously pound word, &c. But when he does this, shown by a valuable and ingenious he has generally pauses in the second and dissertation which he has published Inde toro pater Eneas | sic orsus ab on the English verb. The present essay discusses, in an able and perspicuous manner, some important principles of metrical doctrine. The author first treats the subject of cæsural pauses, the various kinds of which he minutely investigates, shews their influence on the structure of the heroic verse, and makes some ingenious, and we believe original remarks on the dependence of different pauses on each other, and the various combinations of them which characterize different poets. From this part of the essay we shall present our readers with a brief but important extract. "Virgil frequently suffers the second Quid facerem ; | neque servitio | me exire licebat. "In a few cases he likewise omits the cæsura in the second foot, as, Nec mirus interea extremam | Saturnia bello. Navibus (infandum) amissis, | unius ob iram. "Horace likewise sometimes omits the second cæsura, as, Prima cadunt: ita verborum | vetus inte rit ætas. "This is a liberty which Ovid very seldom takes. I only recollect the five |