but they were not obscure to those, to whom they were addressed: now, in this case, there is an ambiguity; for these words may be joined with κραταιὸν, οὐράνιόν τε πόλιν, and belong to the same verb; and this is the interpretation which I espouse: the 2d Scholiast viewed the passage in the same light: he says, ὅτι δὲ μέγα σθένος καὶ τὸ κραταιὸν οὐράνιον πόλον ἐκ παραλλήλου : ὑπέροχον σθένος is validum pondus : it is the same as ἄχθος οὐκ εὐάγκαλον in v. 358. Mr. Blomf. interprets ὑποστενάζω by subtus ingemisco, but the preposition ὑπὸ has the same meaning and force here, as it has in v. 442. ἄίδος ὑποβρέμει μυχος γᾶς : I doubt whether Mr. Blomf. can produce any instance of the preposition being used in the sense of subtus; and, in that case, it is impossible to make σθένος and πόλον governed of υποστενάζει : hence I prefer ὑποβαστάζει. : thus the Schol. upon Apollonius III. 106. (quoted in Mr. B.'s Gloss. p. 135.): Ιβυκος δὲ ἐπὶ τῶν τὸν οὐρανὸν ΒΑΣΤΑΖΟΝΤΩΝ ΚΙΟΝΩΝ ῥαδινοὺς ἀντὶ τοῦ εὐμεγέθεις λέγει. V. 507. ἐξωμμάτωσα. καὶ φλογωπά σήματα 66 σε ἐξομματόω, lucidum reddo, proprie dicitur de cæcis, cui visus redditur: Aristoph. Plut. 635. ἐξωμμάτωται καὶ λελάμπρυνται κόρας, quem versum e Sophoclis Phineo esse monet Schol. : ὀμματίω occurrit Choeph. 852. Suppl. 463. ξυνήκας· ὠμμάτωσα γὰρ σαφέστερον,” Gloss. p. 152. I would direct the attention of Mr. Blomfield to the following important Note of Valckenaer : -——— Sophocli Phineus εξομματῶται, oculorum fuit acie privatus, ut Eurip. suum adhibet εξομματοῦμεν : contrario sensu posuit ex Aristoph. versu Ælian. de Nat. Anim. XVII. c. 20. Αριστοτέλης λέγει γίνεσθαι ἐν Σάμῳ λευκὴν χελιδόνα· ταύτης γε μὴν ἐάν τις κεντήσῃ (f. ἐκκεντήση) τοὺς ὀφθαλ μους, γίνεσθαι μὲν αὐτὴν παραχρῆμα τυφλήν, μετὰ ταῦτα δὲ ἐξομματοῦται καὶ τὰς κόρας λελάμπρυνται, καὶ ἐξ ὑπαρχῆς ὁρᾷ, ὡς ἐκεῖνος φησί Aristoph. autem verbum posuit pro oculatus factus est, sed et oculos eripere, exoculare, dicebatur εξομματῶσαι : quæ sunt in Onomastico veteri, Exoculasso, ἐξοφθαλμίζω. Eroculatus, ἐξομματωμένος : spectant loca Plauti Rud. 3. 4. 26. et Apuleii Met. vIII. p. 207.6. cujus Apuleii plurima præbet illud a Vulcanio vulgatum Onomasticon: ista diversa prepositionis est in aliis etiam nonnullis conspicua: ἐξοπλίζειν significat non tantum armare, sed et exarmare : ἔκδικος est ὁ ἄδικος, et ὁ ἄγαν δίκαιος, Eustath. in Il. o. p. 1039. 23. ad ἐξαίσιον : apud eundem in Οd. Δ. p. 193. 44. ἔκτιμον παρὰ Σοφοκλεῖ ἐν Ἑλένῃ τὸ ἔξω τὸ ἐκτιμᾶσθαι τιμῆς ἐπίτασιν δηλοῖ: vigent et alia quædam hac duplici virtute; apud Romanos incoctus et infractus significant bene coctum et valde fractum: alia dedit Criticorum princeps R. Bentlei. in Horat. 3. Od. II. 18." Diatr. Ρ. 196,7. V. 682. ἧκον δ ̓ ἀναγγέλλοντες αἰολοστόμους χρησμούς, ἀσήμους, δυσκρίτως τ' εἰρημένους. "Ita Rob." says Mr. Blomfield, in the Note, “ ἀσήμως cetera omnes: ἀσήμους Η. Κ. Ν. Colb. 1. Med. Barocc. quod recepi, quia duplex epithetum amat Es." As it is, there seem to be three epithets; for we have χρησμούς, 1. αιολοστόμους, 2. ἀσήμους, 3. δυσκρίτως εἰρημένους, and I cannot think that s. left the passage thus : if we read, as I would read, ἀσήμως, we shall still have a double adjunct, B. 1. ἀσήμως, 2. δυσκρίτως, εἰρημένους. The Schol. Β. evidently found dous in his copy. With respect to the word aioλorróuous, the Schol. A. interprets it by Toxiλous, ducvonrous: Schutz. says: " Idem aliis verbis exprimit, quod jam vocabulò aloλorronous significabatur: quæ quidem synonimorum coacervatio et rem ipsam, sc. ambiguitatem oraculorum auget atque exaggerat: sed etiam commotum Ius animum ostendit:" "aionó rouos, ambiguus, qui varie explicari potest: Stanl. citat Lycophron. III. οὐ γὰς ἥσυχος κόρη Ἔλυσε χρησμῶν, ὡς πρὶν, αἴολον στόμα,” Gloss. p. 163. : τὸ ̓Ασήμως καὶ Δυσκρίτως, says the Schol. B., εἰρημένους ἑρμηνεία ἐστὶ πρὸς τὸ Αἰολοστόμους. If we understand αολοστόpeovs xenomous to mean oracles, cunningly devised, in which sense the word corresponds precisely to oxious, there will then be nothing of tautology, whether we read ἀσήμους or ἀσήμως, for the words ἀσ μως, δυσκρίτως τ' εἰρημένους will then be made to explain the word αίολοστό σε Αἰοουλγός· δεινὸς, ψευδής : lege αιολουργὸς, versutus: sic αίολοpenis Homero: vide nos P. iv. v. Aioovayés," Toup's Emendatt. in Hesych. Edn. 1790. vol. I. p. 516. μους : V. 791. τί δ ̓ ὅντιν' ; οὐ γὰρ ῥητὸν αὐδᾶσθαι τόδε. I shall here cite the note of Valckenaer, in his Adnotatt. in Adoniazus. Theocr. p. 381,2. " Homerica sc. sunt, ris; wóbev eis dvdgwr; ad hæc ista respondent, ris; odev yeyùs; in Eur. Phon. v. 124. tria interrogat Eur. Helena v. 85. ἀτὰς τίς εἶ; πόθεν; τίνος; ad τίς ; et Tivos; suum nomen et paternum reponit; ad obey; unde esset domo : multum distant in talibus τίς ἐστι ; et τί ἐστι ; non vulgaria traduntur in Schol. ad Soph. Aj. v. 1283. diversissima etiam quærit dicens, τίς ἐστιν οὗτος ; et, ut hoc utar, τίς ἐστι Ξενοφῶν; in Xenoph. Κ. Α. VII. p. 242. 21. ἐρωτώντων—τίς ἀνὴρ εἴη Ξενοφῶν, ἀπεκρίνατο, ὅτι τὰ μὲν ἄλλα οὐ κακὸς, φιλοστρατιώτης δέ: vid. p. 244. 42.” Thus too, Pindar says, in a passage remarkable, as well for the sentiment itself, as for the brevity, the energy, and the sublimity of the language, in which it is conveyed, τί δὲ τίς ; τί δ ̓ οὗτις ; σκίας ὄναρ άνθρωποι ! Trin. Coll. Cam. July 4. EDMUND HENRY BARKER. HISTORY OF TRANSLATIONS. TO THE EDITOR OF THE CLASSICAL JOURNAL. ALLOW me to suggest to your readers and correspondents, that a History of the Translations into English from the Greek and Latin Classics, would probably form one of the most curious works in the whole compass of our National Litera It would prove exceedingly amusing, by presenting at one view a comparative estimate of the literary taste of the different ages in which the translations were executed. It would also afford the metaphysical student interesting evidence of the change which is constantly taking place in our notions of beauty in connexion with expression. The same thoughts would be exhibited in so many different dresses, that even without criticism or commentary, the mere extracts alone would be an important addition to our means of discriminating the intrinsic qualities of ideas, independent of the hue and complexion, which they derive from the medium through which they are contemplated. At present the tendency of the public taste is to prune the luxuriance of phraseology, which was so much admired at the commencement of the present reign; and we are insensibly acquiring a predilection for that concise and distinct style of writing, which is at once the most transparent and beautiful medium of conveying knowledge. The age of scholar-like compositions is past; and the most judicious authors now endeavour. to unite colloquial ease and vigor with the grace and variety of careful study. A work, therefore, which would exhibit the historical progress of the English language, as shown in the manner of expressing the same thoughts at different periods, could not fail to prove interesting, if illustrated with those general reflections on customs and manners, which are necessary to enable the reader to participate in the sentiments of the respective ages in which the translations were made. But I apprehend that it would be found an undertaking of greater labor and research, than any single person ought to venture upon. For books of early translations are very rare, and many of them are not found even in the great national libraries. Were you, Sir, however, to allot a portion of your Journal to this subject, and call on your correspondents for communications, in the course of a few years a quantity of materials would be collected in the Classical Journal, sufficient to facilitate the ultimate completion of a work, that properly executed, would be an ornament and honor to the English language. London, July 2. 1812. JOHN GALT. We recommend to the notice of our ingenious Correspondent the First Volume of Dr. A. Clarke's Bibliographical Miscellany.EDIT. LATIN INSCRIPTIONS. QUISQUIS ES QUI HOC MARMOR INTUERIS, VENERARE MEMORIAM IOSEPHI ADDISON: QUEM FIDES CHRISTIANA, QUEM VIRTUS, BONIQUE MORES, ASSIDUUM SIBI VINDICANT PATRONUM. CUIUS INGENIUM, CARMINIBUS, SCRIPTISQUE IN OMNI GENERE EXQUISITIS, QUIBUS PURI SERMONIS EXEMPLUM POSTERITATI TRADIDIT, PECTIQUE VIVENDI DISCIPLINAM SCITE EXPOSUIT, SACRATUM MANET ET MANEBIT. SIC ENIM ARGUMENTI GRAVITATEM LEPORE, IUDICII SEVERITATEM URBANITATE TEMPERAVIT, UT BONOS ERIGERET, IMPROVIDOS EXCITARET, IMPROBOS ETIAM DELECTATIONE QUADAM AD VIRTUTEM FLECTERET. NATUS ERAT A. D. MDCLXXII. AUCTISQUE PAULATIM FORTUNIS AD SUMMA REIPUBLICÆ MUNERA PERVENIT. EXCESSIT OCTAVO ET QUADRAGESIMO ANNO: BRITANNORUM DECUS ET DELICIÆ. Α Ρ Ω SAMVELI IOHNSON GRAMMATICO. ET CRITICO SCRIPTORVM. ANGLICORVM LITTERATE PERITO ET PONDERIBVS. VERBORVM. ADMIRABILI HOMINI OPTIMO. ET SINGVLARIS. EXEMPLI AMICI. ET. SODALES LITTERARII PECVNIA CONLATA H. M. FACIVND. CVRAVER MATTHAEO RAIN E•S•T.P. COLL.TRIN.IN ACADEMIA CANTABRIGIENSI QVONDAM SOCIO SCHOLAE CARTHVSIANAE CVIVS ANTEA FVERAT ALVMNVS PER X X ANNOS.ARCHIDIDASCALO IN.CAPELLA SOCIETATIS ANGLICE DICTAE.GRAY'S.INN DECESSIT·X V⋅CAL OCTOBR.AN N-S ACRO.MDCCCXI. CIVIIN PATRIAM OPTIME ANIMATO VERITATIS CVPIDIORIQ VAM CONTENTIONIS MAGISTRO LIBERALIVM.ARTIVM GRAECIS.ET·LATINIS LITTERIS APPRIME DOCTO ET PRAECEPTORI RECTE VIVENDI PROPTER SVAVITATEM SERMONIS ATOVE MORVM DIGNISSIMO QVI.IN LOCO.SANCTI PARENTIS HABERETVR DISCIPVLI EIVS.S VA⚫S PONTE∙S VO·Q YE.SV MTV H.M.P.CC. APPENDIX To the Rev. Mr. PATRICK'S Essay on the CHINA OF THE CLASSICS, Inserted in No. VI. NO. II. Extract from a Letter addressed to the Rev. Dr. VINCENT. "My dear Sir, creations. W ITH respect to the quotation from Pausanias, which you call strange, Mr. Patrick's object seems to have been to prove that the classical |