"This glory of the age:" that is, the age predicted. It was in the confulship of Pollio that the marriage of Octavius to Scribonia took place; the great months therefore are the months of her pregnancy, which at this time was advancing.' This interpretation is ingenious, though we are not convinced of its propriety. Mr. H. produces no inftance in which the the verb inco is thus ufed abfolutely, inibit for vitam inibit, or vita limen inibit. We will, however, furnish him with two paffages from Tacitus, which may, perhaps, tend in fome degree to remove this difficulty, which is complained of both by Burman and Heyne. Annal. lib. iii. 11. Quanquam patres cenfuiffent, ob receptum Maroboauum, et res æftate priore geftas, ut ovans iniret, &c. Lib. xv. 32. Namque ad eam diem indifcreti inibant, quia lex Rofcia nihil, nifi de quatuordecim ordinibus, fanxit. In the former paffage, iniret is used for urbem iniret: in the lat ter, inibant for fcenam inibant. Lines 26, 27, 28, 29. "At fimul beroum laudes et facta parentis Jam legere, et quæ fit poteris cognofcere virtus ; are thus explained by Mr. H.: "Before you be old enough to view on those plains, which have fo lately been the theatre of heroifm and horror, the devaftations of civil difcord; its veftiges fhali gradually disappear, and the tranquil occupations of hufbandry fhall hide them." The paffage is thus fancifully interpreted by Ludovicus Vives, and wrefted to the support of his fyftem" Sequenti ætate, inflituta doctrina Dei, exemplis Chrifti, difciplina Apoftolorum, extendet fe pietas latifime; non jam ad munufcula et res minutas, fed ad colligenaam messem, vindemiam, mel. Ingredientur Judæi, et magna multitudo gentilium: flavefcet paulatim arifta gentilis tenera, et in fpinis humanæ contumacia colligetur uva fuavis, et in dura ignorantia nafcetur dulcedo mellis." Mr. Henley concludes his obfervations on the fourth Eclogue in the following words: Notwithstanding what is advanced in the Lecture, on the incongruity of Virgil's language to his fubject, upon any other idea than that of a myfterious relation to the Meffiah and his kingdom; it is the voluntary conceffion of his Lordship, in the note, "that, no perfon could be any where found more worthy of this prophetic Eclogue, nor whom it would more aptly fit, or with whom its contents would better quadrate, than a fon of Octavius; provided it could be fhewn that a fon was born to him, in the year when Pollio was Cónful." Now, though it be impoffible to fupply the proof which his Lordship requires; yet, fo far as the fpirit of the poftulate is concerned, a fatisfactory anfwer can be given. For notwithstanding upon the prefent hypothefis (which perfectly harmonizes with the hiftory of facts) Octavius had no child, till the year after Pollio was Conful, Conful, and then only a daughter; yet, as Scribonia became pregnant in the confuifhip of Pollio, and the Eclogue was written in that very year, Virgil (whatever the coincidence of the time with the adopted prediction might have led him to expect) certainly could not know, without the gift of prefcience, the fex of this unborn child.' On lines 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, of the third Georgic, our Author obferves Thefe lines are part of an Allegory, intended to prefigure the NEID; which Virgil was at this time meditating, in honour of his patron Auguftus. They exhibit the Poet in an agonistic capacity; and, from a confcioufnefs of his powers, fecure of fuccefs. In the folemnities of the Pythian Games, not thofe only who were eminent for athletic fkill, but fuch alfo as excelled in mental endowments, were equally admitted to contend. It was therefore in a competition of this kind, that Virgil propofed to engage. The fummit of the Aonian mount being the fcene of this projected conteft; and the leading thence the Mufes of Greece the object; it follows, that the highest honours of poefy were to be the prize, and HOMER the destined Antagonist. Hence, the fable of the Grecian Bard was adopted by his Roman Rival, and every incident felected from it, that could give energy to emulation. How far the fuccefs anticipated by Virgil, was realized in the judgment of his countrymen, the exultation of Propertius may help to decide: Cedite, Graii! Nefcio quid majus nafcitur ILIADE. Having come off victorious, at leaft in idea, the conqueror, as was ufual with victors in the Grecian games, falutes his natal foil with the promife of a triumphal return; and of bringing back to it, a fecond time, the emblems of his conqueft: PRIMUS Idumæas Referam tibi, Mantua, palmas. In explanation of the Allegory, it may be obferved that, by Mantua, is to be understood his native language; which he now purpofes to honour with an EPIC as fuperior to Homer's, as he had furpaffed Theocritus in ECLOGUE: -the Mufes of the Aonian Mount characterizing the one, and Thofe of Sicily the other: SICELIDES MUSÆ! paullo majora canamus.— The palms to grace this fecond triumph, like thofe he had borne to fignalize the former, were to be IDUMEAN: that is, the APPROPRIATE IMAGERY of the JEWISH PREDICTIONS.-To fupport this The following ftatement of facts, from Appian and Dio, will place this matter in the cleareft light: The confulfhip of Pollio commenced with the year 714; in the former part of that year, Octavius married Scribonia; towards the clofe of it, the treaty of peace was confirmed; and early in the following, Julia was born.-Profeffor HEYNE, from verfes 11 and 61, concludes, that the birth of the child foretold was expected to happen in 714; but it is evident from verfe 10, that the 61 muft be taken proleptically; and there is nothing in verfe 11 to carry back the pregnancy fo far as his pofition demands.' interpretation; it may be alleged that, were palmas, in the midst of a context indifputably allegorical, to be taken, as it has been by the Commentators, literally; every principle of just construction must be fubverted. Had palmas been used without any attribute, it might have been difficult to afcertain its meaning; but, with Idumæas as an index, and the reference to the Fourth Eclogue, which the Primus referam tibi Mantua contains; it becomes obvious, on confulting the Eneid, what fenfe palmas was defigned to refume.' We feel no fcruple to confefs, that we are not clear-fighted enough to difcover either the index, of which Mr. H. fpeaks, in the word Idumæas, or any the most diftant reference to the fourth Eclogue in the words, pr.mus referam tibi, Mantua. We apprehend, that the verb refera never bears the fignification which, in order to fupport his pofition, Mr. H. has been obliged to affix to it, viz. that of bringing back a SECOND time. We recommend to his confideration the following verfe of Martial, lib. x. Ep. 50. ver. 1. "Frangat Idumas triftis victoria palmas.” We know that fome few inftances of imitation of the Hebrew poets, either real or imaginary, may be, and have been, difcovered in the Æneid. But we would afk, whether this be fufficient to juftify the prophetic boaft of Virgil, that his fecond triumph fhould be graced by Idumæan palms, i. e. (according to Mr. H.) that the grand characteristic of his future poem fhould be its adoption of the appropriate imagery of the Jewish predictions? On the whole, we are difpofed to acquiefce in the fober and rational expofition of the learned and judicious Heyne, to whofe excellent edition of his works the Mantuan Bard is, perhaps, more deeply indebted, than to the collective labours of all his numerous Commentators. "Primus ego," &c.] "Idea primus, quod ante illum nullus Mantuanus poeta fuit. Argute magis quam vere modo Græcis poetis palmam arripere, modo, quod Catroeus commentus eft, iter in Græciam fufcipere velle putatur. Qui primus inter aliquem populum poeta clarefcit, is Mufas fecum in patriam ducere dici poteft, et ornatius, ab Helicone, Baotia, onibus olim -habitata, monte; idem referre laudem, gloriam, præmia, victoriæ infignia, palmam, dici poteft, refpectu certaminum muficorum, quæ inter Græcos haberi folebant. Idumæas autem palmas, poetico plane epitheto, appellabat a nobili aliquo genere. Idumen Poeta pro Idumaa, ac tota Judæa, dicunt; quam quidem palmis frequentem fuiffe notum eft."" Arbufto palmarum dives Idume." Lucan. iii. 216. What is added by Mr. Henley, that the predictions of the Sibyls, and probably the Jewish Scriptures, were originally written on palm leaves, affords, we think, but a feeble prop to his hypothefis. Of the Eneid, he delivers his opinion thus: "That the confiftency of its parts, and its fymmetry as a whole, entirely depend on its prophetic character;'-and that the grand defign of the Poet was to reconcile a vain and fuperftitious people to the late late fubverfion of their Republic; by infinuating, that the eftablishment of The House of Cæfar in the perfon of AUGUSTUS, and the confequent extenfion of their empire, were irrefragable proofs of his being THE UNIVERSAL SOVEREIGN, SO LONG PROMISED; and THE DIVINE OFFSPRING OF JUPITER HIMSELF.' To thefe obfervations on Virgil, are fubjoined fome acute and learned remarks on seven Jewish Coins, of which neat engravings are given from Kircher and Bayer. In the course of these remarks, the Author corrects fome errors of Bayer refpecting the occafion on which one of these coins was ftricken. He connects this part of his work with the preceding, by proving, that the Palm was the national fymbol of the Jews. He remarks that this fymbol was exhibited on their cons under different forms, according as their circumftances differed: the tree itself, yielding fruit, being adopted to exprefs their independent condition; but while they languifhed in a state of dependence, a detached branch was the fign, together with a crown, to mark their subjection. The curious reader will find, in this part of the work, many judicious obfervations on the fubject of Jewish coins, and fome fuccefsful illuftrations of paffages in profane as well as facred writers. On the whole, Mr. Henley is juftly entitled to our gratitude for his endeavours to illuftrate an obfcure but interefting fubject of claffical inveftigation and though we do not implicitly affent to his opinions, yet we cannot but applaud the manly freedom with which he has avowed them, as well as the ingenuity and erudition with which he has laboured to fupport them. ART. V. A Tour in England and Scotland, in 178;. By an English Gentleman. 8vo. 7s. 6d. Boards. Robinfons. 1788. A Succeffion of literary travellers have, in defiance of popular prejudices, ventured, within these few years paft, to explore the northern parts of this kingdom; and have now rendered the country and inhabitants of Scotland almoft as familiar to us as the fouthern divifion of the island. Being men of obfervation and knowlege, they have defcribed places and manmers; they have remarked errors, and fuggefted improvements; and have thus made fuitable returns for the hospitality of their reception. The prefent writer offers many pertinent remarks on objects which he met with on his journey northward through England; which, though very properly noticed as they came in courfe under his view, are too well known, or not important enough, to be detached and although it may be thought that * Pennant, Johnfon, Bofwell, Anderfon, Knox, &c. X 4 British British travels cannot furnifh many novelties, yet as manners are formed by local circumftances, a great difference may be difcerned by an intelligent obferver within fmall diftances. He defcribes feveral of thofe fublime and wild fcenes that are to be found in the north of England, and in the leaft cultivated parts of Scotland; for the farther we recede from large towns and improved fociety, the more rugged grandeur appears on the face of the country. Where the inhabitants are fcattered and few, their habits and cuftoms are fashioned by the nature of the country; but where they are numerous, they gradually form the country in the most convenient manner for human purposes. In the one cafe, we view, in land and water, the rough work of nature; in the other, the fucceffive operations of labour and invention have polifhed and adorned the landscape, which thus exhibits to us more of art than of nature. The western coaft of Scotland is fo deeply indented by the fea, and the humidity of the climate renders the produce of agriculture fo precarious, that nature feems to point out the fea as the proper element for cultivation. Our Author defcribes the hufbandry about Inverary as very flovenly, the corn, after sowing, being neglected, and left to be over-run with weeds. This neglect is eafily accounted for, from the long interval between lowing and reaping, and the uncertainty of reaping at laft; whereas the labour beftowed on the fea is immediately productive, and, what is perhaps equally enticing, allows many idle intervals. We have here a fcheme for the improvement of the fishery, which we hope will not be overlooked, when fuch plans are under confideration: but whatever defign is adopted, we are perfuaded that farming and fifhing muft be kept as diftin&t occupations, or neither of them will fucceed. We are forry, however, that the tyrannical spirit of landholders, every where too evident, is fo blind in the remote parts of Scotland, as to obstruct their own intereft rather than fuffer their peafantry to rife above barbarifm. Scotland has long been reproached with her deficiency in wood, a reproach which originated in the turbulent difpofition of the people, who, in their inteftine commotions, defolated the country worse than invaders would have had the industry to do, Our Author's Tour evinced the fact, foon after he entered the Country: Wednesday, 22d June. Leave Moffat, and afcend an hill, which is nearly three miles in height. From this height you have a most extenfive and dreary profpect of the Weft Highlands, without fo much as one fingle tree or fhrub to be feen, which ever way you turn your eye, for thirty miles around.' We are not, however, to form an idea of the whole country from this naked profpect; for, as we travel farther north, we find 6 • The |