PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS ON THE GREEK VERSES. WHEN it is confidered, how frequently the life of MILTON has been written, and how numerous the annotations have been, on different parts of his works, it seems strange, that his Greek verses, which, indeed are but few, should have passed almost wholly without notice. They have neither been mentioned, as proofs of learning, by his admirers, nor expofed to the ordeal of criticifm, by his enemies. Both parties feem to have fhrunk from the fubject. To inveftigate the motives for this filence is not neceffary, and the fearch might poffibly prove fruitless. The present observations attempt to fupply the deficiency of former Commentators, whofe ftores of critical knowledge have been lavished, λ Juλax, merely on the English poetry of Milton. It will, perhaps, be afferted, that the following remarks are frequently too minute. Yet it feems the duty of a commentator, on the Greek productions of a modern, to point out, in general, the fources from which each expreffion flowed, and to defend by collected authorities, what to fome readers may appear incontro vertibly right, as well as to animadvert on paffages, of which the errours will be discovered by those only, who have devoted a large portion of their time and attention to the ftudy of the An cients. Critical ftrictures on fuch works fhould be written to direct the judgement of the lefs learned, and not merely to con firm the opinions of profound scholars. In thefe Remarks, the reader will find fome objections started, which are to be confidered as relating rather to points of taste, than of authority.-In paffages of which the propriety or impropriety could be decided by appeals to the Ancients, reference has generally been made to Euripides, in preference to all other Writers. It is well known, that he was much ftudied by Milton, and he is properly termed his favourite poet by Mr. Warton, in his Note on Comus, ver. 297. Those, who have long and justly entertained an high idea of Milton's Greek erudition, on perusing these notes, will probably feel disappointed; and may ascribe to spleen and temerity, what, it is hoped, merits at least a milder title.-To Milton's claim of extensive, and, indeed, wonderful learning, who fhall refuse their fuffrage! It requires not our commendation, and may defy our cenfure. If Dr. Johnfon, however, obferves of some Latin Verse of Milton, that it is not fecure against a stern grammarian,a what would he have faid, if he had bestowed his time, in examining part of this Greek poetry, with the fame exactness of taste, and with equal accuracy of criticifm. If Milton had lived in the prefent age, the neceffity of these remarks would, in all probability, have been fuperfeded. His native powers of mind, and his ftudious researches, would have been affifted by the learned labours of Bentley, Hemfterhufius, Valckenaer, Toup, and Ruhnkenius, under whofe aufpices Greek criticifm has flourished, in this century, with a degree of vigour wholly unknown in any period, fince the revival of letters, I. PSALM CXIV. This Greek verfion, as Dr. Jofeph Warton has juftly obferved, is fuperiour to that of Duport. It has more vigour, but is not wholly free from inaccuracies. In verfe 4. the prepofition might have been omitted, as in Homer, Od. H. 59.—Γιγαντεσ σιν βασιλευεν. εῤῥωησας, Ver. 5. pianos, and v. 12. sppangas, fhould have been in the middle voice. a Life of Milton. Works, vol. ii. p. 92. |