teram; itaque ad alia me transferam, cum te ad Vossium demandavero, de boc orthographia negotio scite statuentem, in art gramm. i. 43. init. atque, prout ingenuum virum decet, commonuero, unam et alteram dictionem esse in primis plagulis aliter, atque in sequentibus, memoriæ vitio, exaratam ; quamvis secundas partes ageret impendio viriliter perdiligens inspector operarum ; cujus acumini non pagina solummodo, sed commentationes mea, tempestivam al quoties expurgationem debent. Nihil autem dissimulandum duxi, quamvis be minatie turbam lectorum probabiliter effugituræ viderentur. Libenter sperem, simplicem hunc errorum leviusculorum confessionem editioni mea convenire; vel plures et crassiores fortasse virtutibus suis redemptura, nisi parenti suo nimium blandiatur, nibil suis viribus parcenti, ut in manus hominum quam emendatissima veniret. Nil cumulat, verbisque nihil fiducia celat: Fucati sermonis opem mens conscia laudis Abnuit Of the introduction of parallel passages from other writers, especially from Virgil, the editor has been very profuse but from this part of his task he must himself have derived considerable pleasure, and it will impart to his readers both entertainment and information in no common degree. Such a practice stores the memory and delights the fancy with beautiful images, and frequently informs the understanding in the progress of imitation. Mr. W. applauds himself, and, we think, with reason. or his success in this line of illustration: • Porro quum Virgilium, poëtica compositionis artificem absolutissimum, Lucretius noster, ingenio poëtarum Romanorum maximus, (nisi fortassis unius illi de palma merito contenderint luxuriosissimi Nasonis ubertas et amplitudo) magna ex parte, quantus est, effecerit; venustis hominibus me rem valde jucundam facturum esse credidi, si Minciani vatis imitationes undique conquirerem, et cum exemplaribus suis apposite commissos specialiter exhiberem. Hanc esse mei laboris partem nullo modo infrustuosissimam, ab ostentatione licet longissime remotam, deputare soleo: et amænissimam futuram hinc institutam comparationem hominibus elegantioris ingenii libenter auguror. In hoc officio multa sunt, quæ diligentiam eluserint doctorum, qui se ad hanc rem ex professo contulissent; et agre, nisi ex compertis, credi poterat, poësin Virgilianam quam penitus imbuerit, quam medullitus incoxerit, oratio Lucretiana. Hunc autem ex abundanti fructum hac collatione provenisse mihi vehementer gratulor, quod hinc complusculis ulceribus Virgilii, sanitatis speciem mentientibus, ideoque difficili et periculosá tractatione, medelam efficacissimam admovere quiverim: unde apud quicquid est hominum venustiorum me gratias ingentes initurum spero, confidoque.' We have allowed Mr. Wakefield to speak for himself, as to the plan which he has pursued, and the aids with which he has been furnished, in this splendid and valuable publication. In his account of the preceding impressions of his author, he has chiefly followed Ernesti in his edition of the Bibliotheca Latina of Fabricius; though he has mentioned one edition. not inserted in that useful collection; • Lucretius • Lucretius noster primum (says Mr. W. in his preface) post renatas literas typis evulgatus est Brescia, per Ferrandum, sine anni mentione; de quo libro tamen inaudivi tantum ab hominibus rerum typographicarum, et xemplarium veterum, callentissimis. Hujusce editionis ne unum exemplar quidem in Anglia asservari creditur; et de illá nihil amplius comperti memet habere fateor. Lucem vidisse perhibetur circa annum salutis M.CCCC.LXXII.' The second edition, which is usually considered and styled Princeps Editio, is in folio, and was printed at Verona, in 1486, by Paul Fridenperger. A copy of this rare book was in Dr. Askew's sale. On the merits of former commentators, and on the labours of Gifanius, Lambinus, Creech, and Havercampius, the present editor decides with a conscious superiority of diligence and attainments; and he speaks of our countryman, Mr. Creech,in terms of less respect than were used by Fabricius and Ernesti; though, in his censure of Havercampius, he has adopted not only the sen timent but the words of the latter critic. When engaged in the same undertaking, however, Mr. W. should rather recollect with gratitude the assistance which he has derived from preceding labourers, than dwell with unfeeling asperity on their errors or their omissions. If something were left by them to be accomplished by the industry of future commentators, yet much was effected in the elucidation of this obscure but sublime poet, by their learned and successful exertions. Having thus explained the design of the present edition, we must now state that we have examined, with considerable attention, several parts of this fascinating poet; particularly the third book, and the sublime and terrific description of the plague at Athens, with which the poem concludes; and we have compared the notes of Mr. W. with those of former editors. Respecting the text of his author, we observe that Mr. Wakefield has not introduced so many bold and licentious alterations as were discernible in his Horace and Virgil; though, in line 1193, Lib. VI. the word tactum, for rictum, is sufficiently adventurous, and entirely unauthorised by MSS. or early editions. The notes we have perused with almost uninterrupted satisfaction, and with frequent pleasure; this remark, however, applies only to those passages in which Mr. W. has confined himself to the legitimate and sober office of an annotator, most decidedly excepting those in which he has indulged a vindictive or acrimonious spirit. Jortin, in his critical remarks on Latin authors, observes that the following passage of Lucretius, in Lib. V. v. 1240. wants emendation: « Quad Quod superest, as atque aurum, ferrumque repertum est, Montibus in magnis” — Plumbi potestas, continues Dr. J., is nonsense: distinguish thus, "Et simul argenti pondus, plumbique, Potestas Ignis ubi," &c. Argenti pondus plumbique, as in Virgil Æn. I. 363. "Argenti pondus et auri." Potestas ignis expresses the power of fire which consumes and destroys. We have Potentia solis, and Potestates Herbarum, in Virgil.-Mr. W. has mentioned, but not adopted, this emendation. At verse 1426, in the same book, - At nos nil lædet veste carere Purpurea, atque auro, signisque INGENTIBUS apta ;" Dr. J. recommends the reading of RIGENTIBUS, and sup ports it by the following line from En. XI. 72. "Geminas vestes auroque ostroque RIGENTES." This alteration Mr. W. has introduced into his text, referring it to its original source.-We must refrain from entering farther into the ample field of notes and illustrations, and must now take leave of this publication with remarking that it is one of the most elegant and correct editions of a classic that we have ever seen; that it reflects great credit on our national press by the beauty of its typography; and that it is calculated to remain a lasting monument of the taste, the acuteness, and the erudition of its indefatigable editor. MONTHLY CATALOGUE, BOTANY, &c. Art. 17. Collection of Exotics from the Island of Antigua. By a FROM a dedicatory address to the Viscountess Galway, we learn that 9 and S.R. and the attention of this lady are better employed than they often are by the dissipated part of her sex. The plants represented in these plates are the Bombax gossipium, Apocynum erectum, Poinciana pulcherrima, a species of Guaiacum, Bixa orellana, Ricinus palma Christi, Syringa Laciniata*, Hamatoxylon campechiense, Canella alba, a species of Mimosa, Solanum virginiacum, Carica papaya, Convolvulus batatas, Coffea occidentalis. Art. 18. Mentha Britannica: being a new Botanical Arrangement of the British Mints hitherto discovered. By W. Sole. Folio. Pp. 63. with 24 Plates. Il. Is. Boards. White. The elucidation of a genus such as the Mints is perhaps one of the most difficult tasks that a botanist can undertake. The genus is truly natural, but the specific differences are very few, and the intervals between the species are almost imperceptible. Under these circumstances, Mr. Sole certainly deserves well of science, for having endeavoured to give distinct figures of all the Mints which persevering attention has afforded him an opportunity of seeing, and for having recorded every difference which he could observe between them. He thus prepares materials for farther inquiries: of which undoubtedly we stand in need, in order to determine with accuracy which are really distinct species, and which are mere varieties. In his preface, Mr. Sole gives some account of what had been done by former botanists in respect to Mints; and he ascribes the confusion hitherto prevailing in this genus, chiefly to the want of good figures, and to the small number of Mints of which plates have been given. These, no doubt, are some of the causes, but perhaps not the greatest. The want of proper observations, and of a criterion by which we could judge of the degrees of stability of the several differences that may be remarked among plants so nearly related, has probably hitherto prevented the limits of the species of this genus from being more strictly fixed. Corrêa. In the arrangement of the British Mints, Mr. Sole follows the Linnæan division in three series; 1st, of spiked Mints; 2d, round-headed Mints; 3d, whirled Mints; and under these different heads, he makes us acquainted with his observations on 25 sorts of Mints growing in Great Britain, 24 of which are represented in as many plates. His descriptions are minute, and bear the stamp of accuracy and fidelity. D. Art. 19. Synopsis Plantarum Insulis Britannicis indigenarum; complectens Characteres Genericos et Specificos, secundum Systema Sexuale distributos. Curante S. Symons, A B. Soc. Linn. S. J2mo. PP. 207. 5s. Boards. White. The utility and expediency of enchiridions for every branch of na tural history, and for botany in particular, are obvious to all lovers *This plant, if we can judge from the figure, belongs to the natural family of the Melia; consequently, it is as far as possible from being a syringa. The author herself has been sensible that, whatever it might be, it certainly was not a species of this genus—why then give it this name? of of science. In this class of publications, the synopsis now before us deserves particular commendation, for the knowlege and taste displayed in the choice of the materials. The 3d edition of Dr. Withering's Botanical Arrangement of British Plants is the ground-work of the present book, but in some respects improved by Mr. Symons. Though he most generally gives the essential and specific characters from the 13th edition of the Systema Nature, and the 14th of the Systema Vegetabilium, as well as from the 2d edition of the Species Plantarum, he has occasionally adopted the improvements suggested by some recent authors, whom he enumerates. The species, in particular, of Carex, Agrostis, Polypodium, Viola, and Orobanche, are here exhi, bited according to the corrections which they have lately received from the skill and industry of Drs. Goodenough and Withering, Mr. Forster jun. and Dr. Smith. In defining the species of Geraniums and Willows, the observations of L'Heritier and Hoffman have been of some use. Of the Cryptogamia, only the 1st and 2d divisions, viz. the Miscellanea and Filices, are given in this Synopsis; and the insufficiency of the present characters is assigned as a reason for omitting the remaining orders. We believe, however, that the readers of this valuable little work will join with us in wishing to see these orders inserted in any future impression of it. Art. 20. AFRICAN SLAVE-TRADE. Substance of the Speech of the Right Hon. the Earl of Westmoreland, in the House of Lords, on the Motion for the Re-commitment of the Slave-Trade Limitation Bill, July 5, 1799. Published at the Request of the West-India Merchants and Planters. 8vo. pp. 28. is. 6d. Rivingtons. We are glad to see our nobility bestowing their attention on subjects of consequence to the commercial welfare of the country, and to the general interests of humanity. In our last month's Review, p. 230, we attended to the Speech of his Royal Highness the Duke of Clarence, on the same occasion which called forth the Earl of Westmoreland; and we duly acknowleged the merit of that production.-The oration now before us is also eloquent, and Lord W. appears to have been well informed on the subject: he took the same side in the debate with his Royal Highness - Our readers, doubtless, will recollect that the West-India merchants, &c. were victorious in the issue of the proceedings when the subject came before the House. IRELAND. Art. 21. A concise Account of the material Events and Atrocities which occurred in the late Rebellion, with the Causes which produced them; *Perhaps there is a mistake of the press in regard to the price of this small pamphlet-We are particularly led to this conjecture, by the declaration of the merchants, &c. at whose expence the tract seems to have been printed. In their advertisement, acknowleging their obligations to the Earl of W. they say they are earnestly solicitous to render the circulation of his sentiments as extensive as possible.' 15 6 and Do |