tiarum notitiam haurire licet et convenit. Iidem principes ingeniorum sua ætate, in suo quique dicendi genere accurati et elegantes, consensu omnium ætatum probati et classici, sive primæ classis, ad quos tanquam ad normam scripta recentium exiguntur, ubi cultus et castimonia sermonis quæritur. Quid itaque agunt, qui, his rejectis, ad recentiores nulla auctoritate scriptores amandant juventutem? quid agunt aliud, nisi ut adultioribus deinde factis seras querelas exprimant, merito mirantibus quod ad imitandum sibi non optima quæque, sed longe inferiora perverso docentium judicio fuerint proposita. Nam qui phrasibus et verbis solis putant veterum pretium ac decus omne constare et causas, ob quas legendi ipsi sint, his solis definiunt, quas adeo in recenticrum etiam scriptis putant posse inveniri, illi vehementer falluntur. Ciceronis certe qui phrases et verba omnia tenuerit ad unguem, is ne umbram quidem Tulli habebit, nisi colorem etiam ipsum orationis, inveniendi, et argumentandi copiam, rerum pulcherrimarum delectum et ubertatem, vim divinam ingenii, dignitatem denique et honestatem sententiarum ejus cognoverit: Schonæus autem quo minus Terentio præferatur, non modo eruditionis, sed etiam pietatis judicio interesse: Videant illi, qui argumenta sanctissima per comoedias juventuti proponendas existimant, mihi res magis seriæ videntur, quam ita per ludum ac jocum tractandæ, ut deinde narrationes verissimas pueri in sacris literis legentes procul absint ab illa debita divinis veneratione, sed fabulam aliquam Comicam vel Tragicam legere sibi videantur." H. S. Reimari Commentarius de Vita et Scriptis J. A. Fabricii, Hamburgi, 1737. p. 340-5. E. H. B.

On the Persea of the Ancients.

[An Extract from the Memoirs of the Royal Academy of Sciences.] Les anciens parlent beaucoup d'un arbre de l'Egypte auquel ils donnent le nom de persea, qui ressemblait à un poirier, mais dont les feuilles duraient toute l'année, dont le fruit à noyau était trèsdoux, et très-sain, et dont le bois dur et noir avait une grande valeur. On trouve encore, dans les auteurs arabes du moyen âge, des descriptions d'un arbre qu'ils appellent leback, et qui offre tous les caractères attribués par les anciens à leur persea; mais aujourd'hui cet arbre est devenu si rare, au moins dans la BasseEgypte, que les botanistes ne l'ont pas reconnu avec certitude: les uns, comme Lécluse, et Linnæus d'après lui, ont donné le nom de persea à une espèce de laurier; opinion d'autant moins admissible que ce laurier vient d'Amérique. D'autres, comme Schreber, ont

cru le retrouver dans le sébestier (cordia mixa), dont le fruit visqueux est tout différent. M. Delisle a été plus heureux ayant observé dans un jardin du Caire un individu de l'arbre appelé par Linnæus ximenia agyptiaca, il lui trouva la plupart des caractères du perséa: une hauteur de dix-huit à vingt pieds, des branches épineuses, des feuilles ovales persistantes, longues d'un pouce તે dix-huit lignes, traits qui ont pu donner lieu à la comparaison avec le poirier; un fruit de la forme d'une datte, doux lorsqu'il est mûr, contenant un noyau un peu ligneux, etc. Parvenu dans la haute Egypte, M. Delisle en rencontra deux autres, et il apprit, par les habitans des coutrées supérieures, que l'espèce est commune en Nubie et en Abyssinie, et très-estimée dans le Darfour; cependant il n'a pu savoir si le cœur du bois est noir comme le disent les anciens de leur perséa.

Cet arbre se nomme aujourd'hui, en Nubie, eglig. M. Delisle lui trouve des différences assez marquées pour le séparer des autres ximenia, et il en fait un genre sous le nom de balanites.

On the philosophical meaning of the words βιος, κίνημα, ενεργημα, and αισθημα.

The following explanations satisfactorily show the necessity of studying the commentaries of the Platonic and Peripatetic philosophers that have been preserved to us, as the accurate signification of the above words is only in these writings to be obtained.

Concerning the first of these words therefore, Proclus observes as follows in Tim. p. 299, Ψυχης γαρ οικειότατος ο βιος. ει δέποτε και επι νου λεγοιτο, καθάπερ εν Φιληβῳ, την ιδιοτητα σημαίνει της ζωής. δυο γαρ ο βιος ταυτα δηλοι, το, τε ιδιον εκαστου της ζωής είδος, και την ανελίξιν της αιρέσεως αφ' ης έχει την προοδον. λεγεται ουν κυρίως μεν επι των ψυχων. εν ταύταις γαρ η ανέλιξις. 1. e. "The life signified by the word Bios is most adapted to the soul. For if at any time this word is used in speaking of intellect, as in the Philebus, it signifies the peculiarity of the life. For Bios manifests these two things, viz. the peculiar form of each life, and the evolution of the choice, from which it has its progression. It is properly, therefore, asserted of souls: for in these there is an evolution [of choice]." What is here said by Proclus, that Blog signifies the evolution of choice, is confirmed by the following passage from the 10th book of the Republic of Plato. Αναγκης θυγατρος κορης Λαχέσεως λόγος. ευχαι εφημεροι, αρχη αλλης περιόδου θνητου γενους θανατηφόρου ουχ υμας δαίμων λήξεται, αλλ' υμεις δαίμονα αιρήσεσθε πρωτος δ' ο λαχων, πρωτος αιρείσθω βιον, ῳ συνεσται εξ αναγκης· αρετη δε αδεσποτον, ην

τιμων και ατιμάζων, πλεον και ελαττον αυτής εκαστος εξει" αιτια ελόμε VOU Oeos avaitios. i. e. The speech of the virgin Lachesis, the daughter of Necessity: Souls of a day! The beginning of another period of men of mortal race. The dæmon shall not receive you as his lot, but you shall choose the dæmon. He who draws the first, let him first make choice of a life (Bos), to which he must of necessity adhere. Virtue is independent, which every one shall partake of more or less, according as he honors or dishonors her the cause is in him who makes the choice, and God is blameless." The evolution of lives which follows this speech, is therefore evidently the evolution of choice. And the word Bios perpetually occurs in the whole of what is said by Plato about the different lives of the human soul.

ομοίως

δε και

In the next place, we are informed by Simplicius in his Commentary on the 6th book of Aristotle's Physics p. 230, that κινημα signifies the boundary or end of motion. For he says, quosas de xas τὸ νυν του χρόνου, και το κινημα της κινησεως. καλουσι γαρ ουτω το της κινησεως πέρας. i. e. "The now of time, and the ximpa of motion, are similar. For thus the end or boundary of motion is called." In like manner eveрyna, which occurs in Proclus on the Parmenides, and also on the Timæus, is the boundary of energy. For in the latter of these Commentaries p. 233, he says, λoyou de ενεργημα το λεγειν, ως νου το νοειν, ως φύσεως το φυειν. i. e. “ Το speak is the ενεργημα of reason, in the same manner as to perceive intellectually is the Evepynμa of intellect, and to germinate, of nature." Thus too, in the last place, aiona, which occurs in the MS. Commentary of Proclus on the Parmenides, is the boundary of anos, or sensible perception. And as ajo nua, being the termination of sensible perception, is an impression of it in the sensorium, that which is analagous to this must be conceived to take place in κινημα and ενεργημα. For the now, or an instant, is, as it were, an evanescent impression of time, and xx may be said to be an impression of motion. For the latter is analogous to a point which marks the end of the flux of a line on another line. THOMAS TAYLOR.

Manor Place, Walworth.

On Mr. Bellamy's Translation of the latter part of the 9th and 19th Chapters of Genesis.

In his translation of these two passages, Mr. Bellamy has entirely done away the account of Noah's drunkenness, and of Lot's incest. Will any of your readers oblige the world with a minute criticism of the alterations in question? Mr. Bellamy has

been severely treated by some of the periodical Journals; and many seem to have considered it to be their duty to reprobate his translation. If in any instance he has wilfully perverted the meaning of the sacred text, he deserves all that he has received. If he has been guilty only of those mistakes and errors which are the lot of all, the severity of his critics will be a lasting reproach. The whole question with the world, and with posterity, will be, "Is Mr. Bellamy right, or wrong?" "Has he thrown any light on obscure passages, or not?" I have fixed on these portions of his version, in which he has so materially departed from the received translation, as a criterion, by which a Biblical scholar may judge if his claim on the attention and approbation of his countrymen be well founded.

A CONSTANT READER.

PALINDROME.

From Tά and Spouw, a word, line, or sentence, which is the same, read backward or forward. Thus constructed is an inscription round the font of the church of Sandbach, in Cheshire, and at some other places:

NIVON ANOMHMA MH MONAN OYIN.

Similarly constructed is the Latin verse :

Roma tibi subito motibus ibit amor.

And the English line:

Lewd I did live, evil did I dwel.

The word Madam is a palindrome.

It is related, that a noble lady, who had been forbidden to appear at the court of Queen Elizabeth, on account of a suspicion of too great familiarity with a certain lord high in her majesty's favor, chose for a device upon her seal the moon partly obscured by a cloud, with this palindrome for a motto:

Ablata, at alba.

A lawyer is said to have taken for his motto:

Si nummi, immunis.

The following line is a refinement upon the palindrome, for each word is the same, whether read from the first letter, or the last:

Odo tenet mulum, mappam madidam tenet Anna.

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Mr. Carson of Edinburgh has just published an edition of Tucitus for Schools, in One Volume, Octavo.

Dissertation sur le passage du Rhône et des Alpes par Annibal (par le Comte de Fortia d'Urban.) Seconde édition, avec une Carte. Paris 1819, 8vo.

Strabonis a Corayo editi Tomus Quartus et ultimus.

The Third Volume of Clavier's Pausanias is now printing. Notice sur quelques Monumens Anciens situés dans les environs de Genève; par Eusèbe Salverte. Genève 1819.

Etymological French Dictionary. CHARLES POUGENS, a Member of the Royal Academy of Inscr. and Belles Lettres, has addressed a letter to Professor Wyttenbach of Leyden, developing the plan of a work, which if executed with ability equal to the vigor of the conception, will be of considerable importance not only to scholars in his own country, but in every other. The design must at least be well matured, as it appears to have been not merely in contemplation, but in progress of execution, since 1771. It is to be entitled "Dictionnaire des Origines de la Langue Française" forming Six Folio Volumes; comprising, 1st. the Opinions of all preceding Etymologists; a Comparison of the principal, with a Discussion of their Opinions: 2d. The Author's own Decision: Sd. Researches on the Origin and History of Words; not applying to European languages exclusively, but to others whence he derives those existing in French. Subjoined to this Dictionary is to be placed a Polyglott Vocabulary of words of