Virgilius Restauratus:

SEU

MARTINI SCRIBLERI,

SUMMI CRITICI,

Caftigationum in Aeneidem

SPECIMEN.

AENEIDEM totam, Amice Lector, innumerabilibus poene mendis fcaturientem, ad priftinum fenfum revocabimus. In fingulis fere verfibus fpuriae occurrunt lectiones, in omnibus quos unquam vidi codicibus, aut vulgatis aut ineditis, ad opprobrium ufque Criticorum, in hunc diem exiftentes. Interea adverte oculos, et his paucis fruere. At fi quae fint in hifce caftigationibus, de quibus non fatisliquet, fyllabarum quantitates, goneyeva nostra Libro ipfi praefigenda, ut confulas, moneo.

I. SPECIMEN LIBRI PRIMI'.

ARMA

VER. 1.

RMA Virumque cano, Trojae qui primus ab oris

Italiam, fato profugus, Lavinaque venit

It is very easy, but very ungrateful, to laugh at colle&ors of various readings, and adjusters of texts, thofe poor pioneers of literature; who drag forward

A waggon load of meanings for one word,

While A's depos'd, and B with pomp reftor'd.

To the indefatigable researches of many a Dutch commentator and German editor, are we indebted for that ease and facility with which we now are enabled to read. "I am perfuaded," fays Bayle, 4 that the ridiculous obftinacy of the first critics, who lavished fo much of their time upon the question, whether we ought to fay Virgilius or Vergilius, has been ultimately of great ule; they thereby inspired men with an extreme veneration for antiquity; they difpofed them to a fedulous enquiry into the conduct and character of the ancient Grecians and Romans, and that gave occafion to their improving by thofe great examples." Dia. tom. v. p. 795. I have always been ftruck with the following words of a commentator, who was also a great philofopher, I'mean Dr. Clarke; who thus finishes the preface to his incomparable edition of Homer. "Levia quidem hæc, et parvi forte, fi per se spedentur momenti. Sed ex elementis conftant, ex principiis oriuntur, omnia: Et ex judicii confuetudine in rebus minutis adhibitâ, pendet fæpiffimè in maximis vera atque accurata fcientia." Real scholars will always fpeak with due regard of fuch names, as the Scaligers, Salmafius's, Heinfius's, Burman's, Reifkius's, Markland's, Gefner's, Heynes's, Toup's, Bentley's, and Hare's. "Sans ce qu'on appelle les érudits fays Marmontel, very fenfibly, "nous ferions encore barbares. C'eft grace aux lumières qu'ils ont tranfmifes, que leurs écrits ne font plus de faifon." Jortin ufed frequently to mention this attempt to difcredit emendatory criticism, with ftrong marks of derifion; and I have now before me, a letter from Toup to Mr. Thomas Warton, in the fame ftrain.

(

Littora. multum ille et terris jactatus et alto,
Vi fuperûm→→→

Arma Virumque cano, Trojae qui primus ab aris
Italiam, flatu profugus Latinaque venit

Littora. multum ille et terris vexatus et alto,
Vi fuperûm-

Ab aris, nempe Hercaei Jovis. vide lib. ii. v. 512. 550.—Flatu, ventorum Aeoli, ut fequitur-Latina certe littora cum Aeneas aderat, Lavina non nifi poftea ab ipfo nominata, lib. xii. v. 193.-Jactatus

terris non convenit.

II. VER. 52.

Et quifquis Numen Junonis adoret?
Et quifquis Nomen Junonis adoret?

Longe melius, quam, ut antea, Numen. et proculdubio fic Virgilius.

III. VER. 86.

Venti, velut agmine facto,
Qua data porta ruunt.
Venti, velut aggere fracto,

Qua data porta ruunt.
Sic corrige, meo periculo.

IV. VER. 117.

Fidumque vehebat Orontem.

Fortemque vebebat Orontem.

Non fidum. quia Epitheton Achatae notiffimum
Oronti nunquam datar.

V. VER. 119.

Excutitur, pronufque magifter

Volvitur in caput.

Excutitur pronufque magis ter

Volvitur in caput.

Aio Virgilium aliter non fcripfiffe, quod plane confirmatur ex fequentibus-Aft illum ter fluctus ibidem Torquet.

VI. VER. 122.

Apparent rari nantes in gurgite vafto
Arma Virûm.

Armi hominum: Ridicule antea Arma virum, quae, ex ferro conflata, quomodo poffunt natare?

VII. VER. 151.

Atque rotis fummas leviter perlabitur undas. Atque rotis fpumas leviter perlabitur udas. Summas, et leviter perlabi, pleonasmus eft: Mirifice altera lectio Neptuni agilitatem et celeritatem exprimit. fimili modo Nofter de Camilla, Aen. xi. Illa vel intactae fegetis per fumma volaret, etc. hyperbolice.

VIII. VER. 154.

Jamque faces et faxa volant, furor arma miniftrat. Jam faeces et faxa volant, fugiuntque miniftri : uti folent, inftanti periculo-Faeces facibus longe praeftant; quid enim nifi faeces jactarent vulgus fordidum?

IX. VER. 170.

Fronte fub adverfa fcopulis pendentibus antrum;
Intus aquae dulces, vivoque fedilia faxo.

Fronte fub adverfa populis prandentibus antrum. Sic malim, longe potius quam fcopulis pendentibus: Nugae! nonne vides verfu fequenti dulces aquas ad potandum et fedilia ad difcumbendum dari? In quorum ufum? quippe prandentium.

X. VER. 188.

Tres littore cervos

Profpicit errantes: hos tota armenta fequuntur
A tergo-

Tres littore corvos

Afpicit errantes: hos agmina tota fequuntur
A tergo

Cervi, lectio valgata, abfurditas notiffima: haec animalia in Africa non inventa, quis nefcit? At motus et ambulandi ritus Corvorum, quis non agnorit hoc loco? Littore, locus abi errant Corvi, uti Nofter alibi, Et fola in ficca fecum fpatiatur arena.

Omen praeclariffimum, immo et agminibus militum frequenter obfervatum, ut patet ex Hiftoricis.

XI. VER. 748.

Arcturum, pluviafque Hyades, geminofque Triones. Error graviffimus. Corrigo,-feptemque Triones.

One would think this note was written to ridicule Warburton's, not Bentley's, mode of criticising: It is so exa&ly appofite to many of his interpretations.