ENEIDEM totam, Amice Lector, innumerabilibus pœne mendis scaturientem, ad pristinum sensum revocabimus. In singulis fere versibus spuriæ occurrunt lectiones, in omnibus quos unquam vidi codicibus, aut vulgatis aut ineditis, ad opprobrium usque Criticorum, in hunc diem existentes. Interea adverte oculos, et his paucis fruere. At si quæ sint in hisce castigationibus, de quibus non satisliquet, syllabarum quantitates, πpoλɛyóμɛva nostra libro ipsi præfigenda, ut consulas, moneo.

* This was written to ridicule Bentley's edition of Milton, and, as the subject is fair, so many of the emendations, in the style of Bentley, are very happy and well conceived.

The reason of Pope's anger against Bentley is said to have been, -that soon after the publication of Homer, meeting Bentley at dinner, he said, "I trust you have received my Homer, which I ordered the bookseller to send." Bentley, who wished to have avoided the subject, is said to have replied:-" I have received your translation, but pray do not call it Homer."

Bowles.

I. SPECIMEN LIBRI PRIMI.*

VER. 1.

ARMA Virumque cano, Trojæ qui primus ab oris Italiam, fato profugus, Lavinaque venit

* It is very easy, but very ungrateful, to laugh at collectors of various readings, and adjusters of texts, those poor pioneers of literature; who drag forward

A waggon load of meanings for one word,

While A's depos'd, and B with pomp restor❜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 persuaded," says Bayle, "that the ridiculous obstinacy of the first critics, who lavished so much of their time upon the question, whether we ought to say Virgilius or Vergilius, has been ultimately of great use; they thereby inspired men with an extreme veneration for antiquity; they disposed them to a sedulous inquiry into the conduct and character of the ancient Grecians and Romans, and that gave occasion to their improving by those great examples." Dict. tom. v. p. 795. I have always been struck with the following words of a commentator, who was also a great philosopher, I mean Dr. Clarke; who thus finishes the preface to his incomparable edition of Homer. "Levia quidem hæc, et parvi forte, si per se spectentur, momenti. Sed ex elementis constant, ex principiis oriuntur, omnia. Et ex judicii consuetudine in rebus minutis adhibitâ, pendet sæpissimè in maximis vera atque accurata scientia." Real scholars will always speak with due regard of such names, as the Scaligers, Salmasiuses, Heinsiuses, Burmans, Reiskiuses, Marklands, Gesners, Heynes, Toups, Bentleys, and Hares. "Sans ce qu'on appelle les erudits," says Marmontel, very sensibly, "nous serions encore barbares. C'est grace aux lumières qu'ils ont transmises, que leurs écrits ne sont plus de saison." Jortin used frequently to mention this attempt to discredit emendatory criticism, with strong marks of derision; and I have now before me, a letter from Toup to Mr. Thomas Warton, in the same strain.

Warton.

Littora. multum ille et terris jactatus et alto,

Vi superûm

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

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

Ab aris, nempe Hercæi Jovis. vide lib. ii. v. 512. 550.- Flatu, ventorum Æoli, ut sequitur-Latina certe littora cum Æneas aderat, Lavina non nisi postea ab ipso nominata, lib. xii. v. 193.-Jactatus terris non convenit.

II. VER. 52.

Et quisquis Numen Junonis adoret ?
Et quisquis Nomen Junonis adoret ?

Longe melius, quam, ut antea, Numen; et proculdubio sic 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 vehebat Orontem.

Non fidum. quia Epitheton Achata notissimum

Oronti nunquam datur.

V. VER. 119.

Excutitur, pronusque magister

Volvitur in caput.

Excutitur: pronusque magis ter

Volvitur in caput.

Aio Virgilium aliter non scripsisse, quod plane confirmatur ex sequentibus-Ast illum ter fluctus ibidem Torquet.

VI. VER. 122.

Apparent rari nantes in gurgite vasto
Arma Virúm.

Armi hominum: Ridicule antea Arma virúm, quæ, ex ferro conflata, quomodo possunt natare?

VII. VER. 151.

Atque rotis summas leviter perlabitur undas. Atque rotis spumas leviter perlabitur udas. Summas, et leviter perlabi, pleonasmus est. Mirifice altera lectio Neptuni agilitatem et celeritatem exprimit. simili modo Noster de Camilla, Æn. xi. Illa vel intacta segetis per summa volaret, &c. hyperbolice.

VIII. VER. 154.

Jamque faces et saxa volant, furor arma ministrat. Jam fæces et saxa volant fugiuntque ministri : uti solent, instanti periculo-Faces facibus longe præstant; quid enim nisi fæces jactarent vulgus sordidum?

IX. VER. 170.

Fronte sub adversâ scopulis pendentibus antrum, Intus aquæ dulces, vivoque sedilia saxo.

Fronte sub adversâ populis prandentibus antrum. Sic malim, longe potius quam scopulis pendentibus. Nuga! nonne vides versu sequenti dulces

aquas ad potandum et sedilia ad discumbendum dari? In quorum usum? quippe prandentium.

X. VER. 188.

Tres littore cervos

Prospicit errantes: hos tota armenta sequuntur A tergo

Tres littore corvos

Aspicit errantes: hos agmina lota sequuntur
A tergo-

Cervi, lectio vulgata, absurditas notissima: hæc animalia in Africa non inventa, quis nescit? At motus et ambulandi ritus Corvorum, quis non agnôrit hoc loco? Littore, locus ubi errant Corvi, uti Noster alibi,

Et sola in sicca secum spatiatur arenâ.

Omen præclarissimum, immo et agminibus militum frequenter observatum, ut patet ex historicis.

XI. VER. 748.

Arcturum, pluviasque Hyades, geminosque Tri

ones,

Error gravissimus. Corrigo,-septemque Triones.

XII. VER. 631.

Quare agite, o juvenes, tectis succedite nostris.