:

possession of two most ancient and most valuable manuscripts; one of which, containing the Gospels and the Acts in Greek and Latin, he afterwards gave to the University of Cambridge and the other, called the Clermont manuscript, which contained the Epistles of Paul, was transferred to the Royal Library at Paris. Beza took but little pains, and exercised but little judgment, in the correction of the text, and the selection of the best readings. Nevertheless the text of Beza, being esteemed the most accurate of those, which had been then published, was selected as the standard of the English version published by authority. Beza's text, however, appears, in fact, to be nothing more than a republication of Robert Stephens's, with some trifling variations.

A. D. 1624, an edition of the Greek Testament was published at Leyden at the office of the Elzevirs, who were the most eminent printers of the time. The editor, who superintended the publication, is unknown. This edition differs very little from the text of Robert Stephens. A few variations are admitted from the edition of Beza, and a very few more upon some unknown authority; but it does not appear, that the editor was in possession of any manuscript. This edition, however, being elegantly printed, and the Elzevirs being in high reputation for correctness of typography, it was unaccountably taken for granted, that it exhibited a pure and perfect text. This, therefore, became the standard of all succeeding editions, from which feweditors, till very lately, have presumed to va ry: and this constitutes the "Reecived Text."

Thus it appears that the Received Text stands upon the authority of the unknown editor of the Elzevir edition, who copied the text of Robert Stephens, introducing a few variations from that of Beza. The edition of Beza was also taken from that of Robert Stephens, with a few trifling, aud sometimes even arbitrary alterations. But Robert Stephens's famous edition of A. D. 1550 is a close. copy of the fifth edition of Erasmus, with some alterations in the book of Revelation, from the Complutensian Polyglot, and the addition of a few various readings, collected by a youth of eighteen, from fifteen manuscripts of little value. And, finally, Erasmus's edition itself, which is the prototype of them all, was formed hastily and negligently from a few manuscripts of little authority, which accidentally came into his possession at Basle, where he was engaged by Froben in editing the works of Jerome, and where he had no further assistance than what he could derive from the Vulgate Version, and from inaccurate editions of some of the early ecclesiastical writers.

From the few advantages, which were possessed, and from the little care, which was taken by the early editors, it may justly be concluded, not only that the Received Text is not a perfect copy of the apostolick originals, but that it is still capable of very considerable improvement by the same means, which are adopted by men of learning and sagacity for correcting and restoring the text of other ancient writers.*

* See Griesbach's Prolegomena, sect. i.: Dr. Marsh's Michaelis, vol ji, chap, *ii, seçt, i.

Optima Silvarum.

SAUL.

The poem of Saul contains many passages that justify any expectations, that the high reputation of the author may have raised. His heart is alive rather to the gentler tones of feeling than to swelling sublimity, and in that department some of the most beautiful specimens in our language are contained in Saul. Though the characters of sacred story are not very proper for epick productions, that of David is perhaps an exception. David was an hero, and, in the modern dialect, a gentleman. His character combines almost every thing to interest: the sweet simplicity of his original state first catches the attention; his call by the immediate voice of heaven to the throne of Israel elevates the feelings to awe, yet this sensation is alleviated and harmonized, when we see the youthful monarch assume the character of the sweet musician, the elegant bard, the warm and unfortunate lover, the ardent friend, and, finally, the successful conquer

our.

Such a character cannot but awaken interest. In the following lines the poet describes his sensations on returning to his native shades after the conquest of Goliah.

Ah, in vain thy favourite grot Invites thee to repose. The fresh springs gush Pleasantly round; and sweet the noon breeze sings

Thy melody so oft with praise awoke The dawn and closed the evening shades with song.

These, all, have ceased to breathe ca thee delight,

They sooth not woe like thine.

The character of Samuel, though not dilated, is marked with strong touches. It is one almost unknown to the walks of poetry. It has something indeed in common with the prophets of autiquity; the Cas sandras, the Pythias, &c. But the conception is infinitely more grand and solemn of a man, from very birth devoted to a holy mission, filled through the course of life with the immediate dating inspiration of heaven, and whose voice was the organ of Deity. He was

A venerable man that had out-lived Many a generation. Hoar with age His unshorn hair, and white as snowy flake

The beard that swept his breast. Yet firm his foot

Stept without staff, and his dark eye, undimmed,

Shot forth celestial fire that gave cach

word

Strange force.

The requiescat of the poet over his grave is worthy of its object.

Rest, venerable prophet, rest in peace,
Thou bast fulfilled thy mission-
Rest, venerabic scer, brow boar with ag

The

PERHAPS in nothing is the superiority of the moderns over the ancients more apparent, than in that enterprising spirit, which leads them to explore the most distant and barbarous countries in the pursuit of knowledge, or of wealth. national vanity of the Greeks prevented their attention to the laws, customs, or manners of foreigners, who were indiscriminately stigmatised with the epithet of barbarous. The knowledge of the Romans was bounded by the pillars of Hercules. "Solis cubilia Gades" were the words of Statius, to express the termination of the earth. The following inscription, said to have been found at Cadiz, is preserved in the supplement to a work, entitled, "Theatrum Orbis, auctore Abramo

99

"THE death of Peiresc," sayı Dr. Johnson, in one of his letters, "was celebrated in forty languages.' This hero, at whose death the muses of every clime were in mourning, was a nobleman of Provence, in France, of the sixteenth century. His great reputation was created and supported by an astonishing versatility of powers, that attempted and succeeded in every department of science. In his travels through every part of Europe, he was courted and caressed by the literati wherever he went. After conversing with Fra Paolo, at Florence, with Spencer and Camden, in London, with De Thou and Casaubon, at Paris, with Joseph Scaliger, at Leyden, and Hugo Grotius, at the Hague, admired and caressed by them all, he returned to Aix, where he received the dignity of counsellor of parliament. The numerous eulogies written at his death were published in a volume entitled Panglossia. The academy at Rome paid him distinguished honours, and his funeral oration was pronounced at Paris. The only monument, how

ever, left to posterity of his literary exertions, by the delight of his contemporaries and the wonder of his age, is a Dissertation on an ancient Tripod.

SHAKESPEARE'S MEASURE FOR

MEASURE.

I Do not like the character of Isabella. She was cold, and formal, and precise.

"Her blood

« Was very snow-broth."

When informed that her only brother was condemned to death, and entreated to use her influence with Lord Angelo to procure his pardon, she merely says,

"I'll see what I can do."

When admitted into the presence of the Deputy, she urged her suit so faintly, that Lucio exclaimed,

" « If you should need a pin, You could not with more tame a

แ tongue desire it."

Claudio at first, with honest indignation, rejects the pardon, which was offered to him at the expense of his sister's honour. But after reflecting upon the terrours of death, and conjuring up a thousand fearful phantoms, the love of life predominates. "Sweet sister, let me live." Isabellathen breaks out in a strain of passion and invective unbecoming her character and her brother's situation; and which, when compared with the mildness, with which she herself received the proposal from Angelo, stamps her conduct with unkindness, and even eruelty. Instead of soothing him with her tenderness, and attempting

reach its designation. As it happened, the prediction has not been verified. Soon after the publication of Gray's sister odes, "The Wonderful Wonder of Wonders," a pair of poems was published in ridicule of them, which, like the work of Rousseau, have been delivered according to their direction. They were addressed by their authors, Colman and Lloyd, to Obscurity and Oblivion, and the address has been most scrupulously followed. Both of them are equally and total. ly obscure, and forgotten.

"Fond impious man, think'st thou yon sanguine cloud, "Raised by thy breath, has quench'd the orb of day?

"To morrow he repairs his golden flood, "And warms the nations with redoubled ray."

MODERN POETRY.

THE fondness of the present age for the tales of ignorance and superstition, for the ghosts and goblins of the nursery, might give rise to much curious speculation. Is the progress of taste and knowledge similar to that of the human body, and have we arrived at second childhood? Whatever may be the cause, the fact is certain. This propensity to the marvellous, united with an affectation of ornament or of plainness, of glittering epithet or of childish simplicity, has rendered the greater part of modern poetry disgusting to a classical taste. The following lines, it is presumed, will agree with the prevailing fashion. Some apolgy may be necessary for their in