Heinec. Fund. Stili cult. p. 22. Ed. Gefn. Ex omni; the ellipfis of homine, or viro, is harth. Aliquod boni fhould be aliquod bonum, or aliquid boni. Terent. And. I. 5. 15. “Aliquid monftri alunt." On which Donatus remarks: " Duplex contumelia et monftri, et aliquid: minus enim effet aliquod monftrum." Further examples are unneceffary. The poems are thirty-one in number. Our examination of them will be rather minute; but many of our objections are to be confidered as relating more to fubjects of general taite, than to points which may be decided by authority. ODE I. THE WISH. This ode, of which the verses are Iambici dimetri catalectici, is written in praife of an elegant mediocrity, and feems to flow from a mind devoted to literary purfuits. Is there any authority for supsis, for supras, in ver. 3 ? We know that taxes and ßpades are common, but do not remember ευρείς. II. To A ROSE. A pretty little ode, of which the metre is the fame as that of the laft. The Garland of Prior probably fuggefted the fubject. The conclufion has fome little resemblance to a beautiful fpeech of Deianira, in the Trachiniæ of Sophocles, V. 553, which Franklin has thus tranflated: "Her youth is ftealing onward to its prime, Whilft mine is wither'd; and the eye, which longs To pluck the opening flow'r, from the dry leaf These verses would be much improved by the removal of the paufe after Bios, in V. 4. III. The last line of the couplets on Paupertas, Plutus, and Mediocritas is obfcure. It spywv be used for xpnualwv, we imagine it is without authority. IV. A pathetic ODE, on the death of a young man, written in a variety of measures. V. 5. Και τι χεροίν λελυνται. The Trochæus, in prima fede, is unufual, as it changes the verfe from an Iambicus dim. catal. into a Choriambus dim. catal. In Anacreon, however, we find, Ode 18, Των τελείων παραινώ. And Και χαρίες γελώσας. It should not, however, be imitated. T. Is never long: Hom. II. Z. 80. Αλλα τι μοι των ήδος, &c. V. 7. Κακα μη τινα πικρα πεπονθης. The Verfus Paræmiacus feldom if ever occurs, except in the Anapeltic feries, and it is introduced here after Iambics, very inelegantly and inharmonioufly. In the 2d and 3d Book of Boethius, Conf. Phil. we find fyftems of Paramiaci, but they are not intermixed, temerè, with other verfes. V. 8. We do not remember any authority for Qwveovlos in Iambic poetry. 14. Πεσεν, ω Πεσεν, ωσπερ εν αγίοις An imitation of Virgil, En. ix. 43. 16. Purpureus veluti cum Hos fuccifus aratro τι δε ελπιδα πασαν απήυρας, &c. Why is not the vowel in de cut off? It produces an hiatus, very harf and difagreeable to the ear. It may be defended, perhaps, as a point of authority; but furely it is an inftance of falfe taite. Examples of the fame kind occur very frequently in these poems; and as we cannot approve, we thall point them out, as objects for the Author's correction in a future edition. V. The metre of this poem is the fame as that of the first. The verfes are feeble, and incorrect. There is little to commend but the fpirit of friendship, which appears to have given birth to this addrefs to Brifici Well. Tyına, we believe, does not occur in Anacreon; nor can the first fyllable be long. Aur. Carm. Pythag. 32. Oud' υγιείας της περι σωμ' αμέλειαν εχειν χρησ 7. άξιος - Ω ταύτα κεν θελησης. Dignus-cui hæc volueris. We fufpect this to be a Latinifm. 9. T for Tude for Taly. This ufage of o, n, ro, for ode, &c. Occurs very frequently in thefe poems. We find it, indeed, in the Ionic writers, and fometimes in the Attic, but we cannot commend it in modern productions; and with respect to the prefent inftance, we recollect no example of it in Anacreon. 12. XXIV EUxas, effundunt vota. Is not this a Latiniẩm ? 15. ανελθη οδε 20. nas quepa. We remember no authority for these hiatus in Anacreon. VI. This Ode, on the death of the mother of a friend, is pleafing and pathetic. The metrical combinations are harmonious. In V. 12. however, we find To for Talas; and in V. 16. Toing Hv aperns duxnu, is a Latiniẩm. Eu with a genitive cafe denotes the perfon, cui fervimus, gratias debemus, adharemus, or, cujus verbis adducimur. It fignifies alfo poffeffion, or duty, and in the latter fenfe pos is unde: ftood. See Hoogeveen on Vigerus, p. 200. VII. An ODE, in the Anacreontic meafure, addreffed to a friend, who is mufica peritiffimus. In V. 1. and 23. we find the first fyllable of pics long. Homer, and fome of the Ionic writers, lengthen it; but Anacreon fays, Ode 23, Έμοις φίλοις συνείναι. And Ode 33, Συ μεν φίλη χελιδων. In In V. 3. and V. 9, we wish that the difagreeable hiatus were removed; befides, a, if it be not cut off, is short before T'. V. 10. Kexaσμeva av. The final fhould be long before. Examples occur in every page of the Greek poets. V. 13. ειν ακ 8 ετ' ωσιν. This Tmefis is awkward; and, if it be defenfible, fhould not be imitated. lect no authority for this ufage of pave. Aλ to inanimate things: Λαλου πιόνες υτωρ. V. 22. We recol- To which we may add the lymphæ loquaces of Horace. We find, however, in Matthew, xxiv. 31. Μετα σαλπιγγος φωνής με γάλης. VIII. A poem in trimeter Iambics, addreffed to HOPE. V. 2. An lambic without a cefural paufe. There are feveral examples of this kind in thefe poems. Let it be remembered, however, that if Efchylus admit fuch lines, they occur very rarely in Sophocles, and fhould therefore be ftudiously avoided by a modern writer. V. 9% ονία τηλε και περι Και περ fhould begin the fentence, or be disjoined, Homer. II. A. 217. Και μάλα περ θυμῷ κεχολωμένον. V. 14. Σληθεί βαλλε. Βάλλω is ufed with a dative of the inftrument; but βαλλειν εν θυμῳ, and εν φρεσι, which are very common in Homer, fignify in animo cogitare. Es olnbos, or ev In would have been better, as Odyss. X. Και τα μεν εν πυρί βαλλε, an elegant mode of Greek conftruction, which has been frequently and acutely explained by Dr. Clark, in his Notes on Homer and Cæfar. IX. This Ode, in the Anacreontic metre, is easy, light, and harmonious. It is addreffed to the ruftic inhabitants of a mountain, against which a Exorros, or fhooting mark had been placed; and may be confidered as an happy imitation of the Teian bard. In V. 3. we diflike un s; and fancy that Ev ade, for Ev T adev is unauthorized. X. An Addrefs to SILENCE. It is poetical, but does not appear to be finished. The two laft lines are introduced abruptly. 3. Προσθείσα χειλη δακτυλον. Is there any authority for two accufatives after #poobs? If the fyntax be θεισα δακτυλον προς χείλη, or if προς be underfood, we think it exceptionable. 4. If we might venture to propose an alteration, we would read inftead of w. 8. Moves ne Tupyos sols; vel fola turris eft? Does Movos ever fignify folitary when applied to things inani mate? 12. — maguoa olevayes. A fhort vowel, at the end of a words word, is made long, if the following word begin with E, and another confonant. Homer. Iliad II. 391. Ες δ' αλα πορφυρέην μεγαλα στεναχεσι ρεύσαι. Και το στενάζειν πολλα μη κάμνης λεγων. Leeds, de Ancip. Vocal. Edit. Bowyer. Vocalis brevis, ante duas confonantes, quarum prior eft Σ, femper longa eft, ut Callim. H. in Dian. 125. « Κτηνέα φιν λοιμος καλαβησεται, έργα δε πάχνη. "Ubi fcholiaftes negat op legi poffe, quia tum a foret producta." Dawes, in his Annotations on Terentianus Maurus, who has eftablished this rule with respect to Latin poetry fays : "Illud porro monendum eft, hanc axpicia, quæ apud Græcos perpetua eft, apud Latinos, non nifi poft Lucretii tempora obtinuiffe." Mifc. Crit. p. 6. The learned Burgess, whofe note on this paffage deferves an attentive perufal, fays, "Atque iftam vim inceptivæ literæ E, cum certis confonantibus conjunctæ, Græcis fortaffe omnibus concedere licet: Latinis item non æquè tutum erat." P. 343. We shall not, in this place, examine the truth of this rule, with regard to the poetry of the Romans; but as to the Greeks, we find it fettled by Grammarians and Critics, and confirmed by the ufage of the beft Poets, "Quos penes arbitrium eft." We, therefore, moft earnestly recommend a rigid attention to this law of profody. Let no Poet, who is emulous of reputation, infringe it, in his Iambics, his Heroics, or his Lyric compofitions! XI. The POET to his LYRE. An Anacreontic Ode. In the fourth verfe in Euμevas diflurbs our ears; and in 7th and 15th lines, the Amphimacer, in the firft foot, appears to us very diffonant, if not unwarrantable. In the few examples which Anacreon affords, we fufpect the text to be corrupted; and his forty-first Ode must not be confidered as an authority for this licence, as it confifts wholly of Trochaici dimetri acataletici. In verfe 7. we cannot make the firft foot an Anapaftus, as 2, we believe, is never fhort; though, perhaps, it may be a Dactyl, as the fecond fyllable of Avarpswv is not neceffarily long. In V. 15. we are aware, that the first tyllable in arμaтw may be made fhort, by the authority which Toup has produced, in his controverfy with Heath, and from a verfe in the Trachiniæ of Sophocles; but the ear would reject it in this place. 10. Τρίτος μεν άλλος Tрayxwv. This tranfition is harsh and obfcure. The fense seems to require, años Tis, wv Tilos, namely Euripides. Emend. in Suid. Part II. Præ, p. 7. Tis, indeed, may be omitted, but pilos fhould have preceded αλλες. XII. TO PEACE. This Ode is in many places very elegant and poetical. The beginning, however, is too noble and fpirited for the conclufion. The first nine verfes appear to have been written when the mind was impregnated with noble ideas; and the fucceeding verfes, in fome unpropitious hour, when the imagination was overclouded, and fancy had loft its influence. The metres are various, and not unpleasant to the ear; but in the eighth line, if a Verfus Paræmiacus is intended, there is a falfe quantity, or else Υπερράγη ασπέος αιθηρ is no verfe. The learned writer, we fuppofe will not elude our decifion, by afferting it to be an Epichoriambus dim. hypercat. with a Pæon fecundus, or a Dijambus, in prima fede; or that acmelos along, is pes Orthius pentafyllabus, as we do not recollect fuch a combination in any author. In verse 15. the final fyllable in Anup must be long before ΣT. XIII. An Anacreontic ODE on PLEASURE, not in her loofe attire, as he is painted by the Poet, whom our Author imitates. The Hoovn of Mr. H. is a fober and more attractive dame, whose actions are guided by reason, and whofe path leads to folid delights. In the 12th verfe, the final a in aλλ must be long, before lev. Anacreon, Ode 57. Κορυφης εδείκνυε Ζευς. Euripides, Cycl. 14. Σεθεν κατα ζήλησιν, εν πρύμνη We must obferve, however, that in Anacreon we read Αγε Ζωγράφων αριστε, and in Homer, II. B. 634, O TE Zaxuvboy exov, and V. 824. Οι δε Ζέλειαν εναιον. In Il. A, alfo, V. 103. and 124. we find Οικαδε νοστησας ιερής εις ασίύ Ζελείης. Such inftances, it is true, are rare, and a modern should only infringe general rules, where an ancient has offended againit them. Of the paffage in Il. B. 634. Dawes, indeed, fays, "Iftam fcripturam non follicito, quanquam ab Homeri manu potius fuifle crediderim Laxus." Ed. Alt. p. 92. V. 12. έμοιγε fhould be εμπιγε δε. V. 20. The pofition of the words is embarraffed, and the firft fyllable of waxw made fhort, contrary to all the authorities, which we can recollect. V. 24. OpavEWY MERITOWv. This may, perhaps, be right; but the two fubftantives are inelegant. XIV. An ODE, in various measures, to ANGER. Of the 3d line we doubt the Greek. In the 4th, we would read Car for Qavns. The crowd of Sigmata, in the fixth, reminded us of the accufation which was urged againft Euripides, and of the verse from Plato the comic writer, which is quoted by the Scholiaft on Medea, V. 476. |