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Coray proposes

Φθίνει μὲν ἴς ψυχῆς, φθίνει δε σώματος

and he supports this reading by several parallel passages, in which he shews that this mode of expression was a common philosophical contrast, as well as poetical antithesis. As we are speaking on the subject of various readings, we will just advert to the well-known passage (quoted in one of the subsequent essays) in the beginning of that beautiful little chorus on Love in the Antigone, in which the Deity is addressed in most editions under the truly elegant denomination of "a murrain among Cattle," at least if xrnuari, according to Brunck's opinion, may be used in a chorus synonymously with xт. If the former be the word that most frequently occurs in the MSS., we should prefer the alteration which we have somewhere seen, ἐιν όμμασι for ἐν κτημασι; or, if κτηνεσι be the prevailing phrase, vyλnveσ Thus we shall have "Love in thine eyes for ever plays," in the Greek as well as the English. Again, if les be objectionable, let us substitute al or ges, adding they to the dative.

The second essay of the third volume contains a letter from the Abbé St. Leger on some articles in the sixth volume of the Soirées Littéraires; and the Reply of the present author. They both principally turn on a Latin poem, seemingly little worthy of annotation, concerning the "Chaste Susanna." Some observations on M. Larcher's Herodotus follow; and ample justice is done to this meritorious translator and commentator.We are next favoured with a Dissertation of the Abbé Morelli, which gives a curious account of some Venetian travellers, whose voyages and adventures have not been so generally known as those of others who did not deserve more notice.The next subject is the Life of Lorenzo, by our accomplished and highly respectable countryman Wm. Roscoe; of which M. Thurot has published a French translation of much repute. He had indeed before distinguished himself as the translator of Harris's Hermes. This is succeeded by a letter on the Tides, by Signor D'Ancora; by the preface of the Père Lobineau to Aristophanes; and by some translations from the Lysistrata, a tolerably free play for the good father to select for his annotations or versions! Aristophanes, however, has been singularly favoured by the perusal of the gravest divines. - We have then another letter to M. Millin, relating to the MSS. of J. F. Seguier, containing his valuable researches on Antient Inscriptions; and remarks on Barbier's Dictionary of Anonymous and Pseudonymous Authors *. We also find some account of G. N. Heer

We gave a report of this work in the 63d Vol. N.S. of M. R. p.462.

kens,

kens, the author of many esteemed works, and would-beeditor, or inventor, or whatever he is to be called, of the supposititious tragedy of Tereus.

Successive essays on De Paur; on the 3d volume of the Bibliotheca Critica of Wyttenbach; on the Kisses of Secundus, as translated by P. F. Tissot, and accompanied by some Unpublished Kisses, which certainly ought to be the most valuable part of the collection; on the History of the Early Ages of Greece by M. Clavier; on Leonard Racle, the architect of Ferney, so celebrated by Voltaire; on the influence exerted by Medicine over the Revival of Letters (a very curious and interesting essay); and on an Imitation of the Cantatas of Metastasio by M. Auguste de Labouisse; conclude the third volume of these ingenious and learned Miscellanies.

We have now to return, according to our intention, to the three principal essays which severally stand at the head of each volume:-but we have been led into so much ampler a detail of the contents of the other articles than we had proposed, that we must be proportionably shorter in our remaining examination. We shall first attend to the account of Villoison, which commences the third volume.

For twenty years of uninterrupted literary intercourse, M. CHARDON DE LA ROCHETTE enjoyed and preserved the friendship of Villoison; and, with all the accuracy of extensive knowlege, and all the ardour of fellow-feeling on classical subjects, he details the successive honours of his illustrious friend. Some of our readers, perhaps, may find the attraction of novelty in an account of this celebrated scholar; and those who are best acquainted with his fame will be least likely to be averse from hearing a friendly history of it.

Jean-Baptiste-Gaspard d' Ansse de Villoison was born at Corbeil on the 5th of March 1750, of a noble family, originally Spanish. From his early youth, he discovered a marked predilection for Greek Literature; and, having commenced his studies at the college of Lisieux, and prosecuted them at that of Plessis, he repaired with eagerness to the Collège des Grassins to hear the Greek Lectures of Le Beau, and those of Capperonier at the Collège de France.-At the age of fifteen, he carried off all the Greek prizes from his cotemporaries. Once only he was unsuccessful; and then it appeared, to his extraordinary honour, that the judges had decided from a Latin translation of the Greek trial, and that Villoison had corrected the text of the original, where it was faulty, before he translated it.

*For a Review of this work, see M. R. Vol. lxvi. N.S. p.449.

Literary

Literary testimonies to the merit of the young scholar were now multiplying in every quarter; and the author extracts a passage from a letter of the learned Swede Biörnstähl, in which we find a most striking record of the industry and ability of Villoison; viz. that, in the course of a few months, he had acquired the Arabic, Syriac, and Hebrew languages. M.Biörnstähl, in another letter, dated the 24th of June 1770, informs us that by his encouragement Villoison was excited to publish the Homeric Lexicon of Apollonius, which laid the foundation of his high credit as a classical editor. The Academy of Inscriptions and Belles Lettres now became desirous of admitting him into their society: but a regulation as to age prevented the election. They therefore applied to Louis the Fifteenth to grant a licence for violating this regulation on the present occasion, and Villoison in consequence was elected a member in the year 1772, three years previous to his attaining the regulation age. This deserved favour opened his way into all the learned associations in Europe: so true is it, that the first honourable advance is more than half the journey. We next see D'Alembert coming forwards to recommend the young scholar to the great Frederick; and, in a word, both his countrymen and foreigners conspiring to add the stimulus of public praise to his innate love of learning. His edition of Longus appeared in 1778; but we hasten to take notice of that era in his literary life which commenced in the year 1781, when he repaired to Venice, in order to examine the numerous treasures of the library of St. Mark. Here he passed his mornings, during four years, in the happy acquisition of new stores of knowlege, and at the same time enjoyed the most delightful of all evening recreations in the society of men of letters. He now published his Anec dota Graca, and his letter to Lorry: but the discovery which he made of the inestimable manuscript of the Iliad, enriched with scholia from the most learned critics of antiquity, occupied all his thoughts, and engrossed his whole literary ambition. As he proceeded in transcribing it, he conceived the idea of the possibility of discovering a similar copy of the Odyssey in some Greek library. He therefore returned to Paris to prepare for this expedition: but, previously to setting out for Greece, he paid a second visit to the Duke of Saxe-Weimar, who, as well as the illustrious mother of the Duke, had received him in Germany with the utmost kindness. On his departure, he wished to leave with his distinguished hosts the antient Tessera Hospitalitatis; and this was the cause of the publication of his Epistola Vinarienses.-By the interest of M. De Vergennes, he obtained a sum of money from the French King to defray the expences of his literary journey; and, as the companion of

the

the French ambassador to the Porte, he had every facility afforded him for the furtherance of his projects: but, finding nothing in the libraries of Greece which repaid his trouble of research, he visited the monasteries of Mount Athos, and was there also equally unsuccessful in his inquiries. He, however, proved from the ignorance of the Monks, that it was not from any arts of concealment, or desire to enhance the price of their literary possessions, that they withheld those possessions from general communication. It seems, in short, to be ascertained that nothing of importance is to be expected from this quarter. On his arrival at Paris in 1786, Villoison applied himself vigorously to his edition of the Iliad: but, with all his diligence and activity, his plan was so comprehensive, that it was not till the year 1788 that this most learned and useful work made its appearance. His next employment was to reduce into form the immense materials of every description which he had collected, that were illustrative of the state of antient and modern Greece. The result of his labours, in fifteen large quarto volumes, is deposited in the (ci-devant) Imperial Library at Paris; and we trust that the restoration of a rightful government in France will be more auspicious to the cause of literature, in this and many other instances, than the rule of an usurper whom M. DE LA ROCHETTE compares to Charlemagne; and whom at every turn he loads with the most fulsome panegyric as the patron of the arts, that is, the spoiler of the classical remains and consecrated monuments of every country which unfortunately yielded to his force or his friendship.

Some time before his journey to Venice, M. De Villoison had married a young lady named Caroline Neukart, who was as interesting in her person as she was cultivated in mind. To the greatest modesty, and all the other virtues peculiar to her sex, she added a rare degree of information, which she took the utmost pains to conceal. Little known in the world, loving solitude and study, she found means very considerably to increase the revenues of her husband, during his absence from her on his literary expeditions: but alas! soon after his return, he had the misfortune to lose this inestimable treasure. He never recovered from his affliction at this event; and at last the Revolution broke out, and overwhelmed all fortunes, pursuits, and minds! Villoison was frequently in the habit of repeating to all those who were desirous of extending the range of this explosion,

Οὐκ ἀγαθὸν πολυκοιρανίη. Εῖς κοίρανος ἐσίω,

Εις βασιλευς"

The remainder of his life may be depicted in a few words. He chose Orleans for his retreat during the troubles of his country,

and

and in the library of that city continued to prosecute his favourite studies. He was especially occupied with his Pales graphia Graca: but the manuscript folio on this subject, which the present author tells us stood at the side of Montfaucon's Paleography in Villoison's library, was not found at his death; although the Montfaucon, filled with MS. notes, was purchased at his sale for 361 francs, a price which some of our English collectors would deem insignificant indeed for such a treasure. If the folio in question be in existence, we trust that it will yet see the light.

On Villoison's return to Paris, he found himself obliged to open a course of lectures on Greek Literature: but these were not favourable times for the dissemination of classical knowlege. When, however, the Institute was organized on its new plan, Villoison (we record this to the real credit of the French Ruler) was recalled to his former rank in the class which replaced the former Academy of Inscriptions and Belles Lettres; and, soon afterward, a Professorship of antient and modern Greek in the Collège de France was ex pressly created for this most distinguished of French scholars. The good old days of the Academy were now expected to return, and learned men in every part of Europe were anticipating the fruits of this judicious and honourable appointment: but Villoison was snatched from all his projects and all his honours, by an untimely death, on the 26th of April 1805.

To this memoir of his life, which we have very considerably abridged from the original, the author adds a few affectionate praises of the liberal and kind disposition of his friend; subjoining a sort of Catalogue Raisonnée of his works, of which we have not room to give even an abstract. We have noticed the principal publications of Villeison in the course of his biography.

We now come to the two essays on the Greek Romances, which we have mentioned as the most interesting portion of the work. The reader is indeed presented with a very ample fund of entertaining information on this comparatively unexplored subject: but we regret our total inability, within our remaining limits, to offer more than a brief and meagre abridgment of these ingenious treatises. The first contains a translation of an extract from the Bibliotheca of Photius, in which he gives an account of the Romance of Antonius Diogenes, intitled "Marvellous Things seen beyond Thule." Of this Diogenes, little is known but it may be discovered by the fragments that remain of his writings, in which he makes mention of Aristoxenes, of Heraclides, of Timæus, of Neanthes, of Moderatus, and of Nicomachus, that he lived much later than the æra which has

been

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