injustice has been done by the Andover Professor both to Gesenius and to Rödiger. We feel bound, in justice, to take back even the measured commendation which, after a superficial examination, we bestowed upon his translation, when we said, in the notice above mentioned, that it was in the main a good one. We now feel bound to say, that it never ought to be used as a representation of the grammar of Gesenius. Its errors are absolutely astounding, both for their number and their character. We therefore recommend that all, who have occasion to use a Hebrew Grammar, will call for Conant's Translation of Gesenius, which, though susceptible of some improvement, is immeasurably superior to that of Mr. Stuart. We have made the preceding remarks with unfeigned regret. We are afraid that the effect of Professor Conant's pamphlet will be to lower the public estimation of Professor Stuart's previous labors, and of his general scholarship, beyond what is just and reasonable. It should be remembered that many of the errors detected by Professor Conant were the consequence of unaccountable haste and carelessness in the translator; and that, though errors of a similar kind appear in all his writings, yet much, also, that is valuable and useful is found in them all. It is in consequence of the impulse which he has imparted to sacred, especially to Hebrew, literature in this country, that the younger race of scholars are able to detect his errors. N. The Agamemnon of Eschylus, with English Notes. By C. C. FELTON, A. M., Eliot Professor of Greek Literature in the University at Cambridge. Boston: J. Munroe & Co. 1847. 12mo. pp. 189. THIS edition of one of the most splendid of the Greek tragedies has just been issued by Professor Felton, who designs it for a text-book in our colleges. The text, which, as is well known, has always presented peculiar difficulties to commentators, appears here in an excellent form. The purpose of the work forbade the editor's swelling its size by undue quotations or commentaries, and he has consequently been compelled to exclude some ingenious emendations of difficult passages which have been suggested but not yet fully approved. From the same cause he has been led occasionally to render very involved and obscure passages in a somewhat inelegant manner, sacrificing grace of expression to the literal fidelity which is essential in a work intended for young students. These are the chief defects of the book, if they can properly be regarded as defects; and, taking into 1847.] Notices of Recent Publications. 141 account the peculiar difficulties of the work and the restraints imposed upon him by his immediate object, Professor Felton's edition of this play cannot but be considered as in a high degree creditable to himself, and likely to be widely and permanently useful. Entertaining this opinion, we have been surprised and grieved to see in so respectable a magazine as the New York Knickerbocker a notice of this work, which, to our mind, is sadly wanting in fairness and courtesy, as well as in accuracy. Besides the ungentlemanly feelings which he has displayed towards Mr. Felton personally, the writer has made what should have been a manly and dignified notice of a production claiming at least the rank of respectability a vehicle for the most unworthy local prejudices. So marked, indeed, is the tone of illiberality and flippancy which pervades the review, that we are persuaded it must furnish to every calm and considerate person the strongest internal evidence of its injustice; and we should not have felt called upon to notice it in any way, were it not that the wide circulation and honorable character of the magazine in which it appears may give it a currency to which it is not of itself entitled. Our limits will not permit us to furnish at length all the reasons upon which we found our opinion of the article, but a careful and (so far as time has allowed) a thorough examination of every point which it contains justifies us, we think, in saying that the reviewer's charges may be divided into four classes, as follows. First, some five or six instances in which Mr. Felton's judgment or taste may be considered as questionable, or in which he is clearly liable to no heavier charge than that of inadvertence. Secondly, assertions of the reviewer of an entirely arbitrary nature, in which he settles doubtful points or corrects state. ments by an ex cathedrâ decision. Thirdly, remarks apparently pointless and unnecessary, the only object of which seems to have been, as certainly their only effect is, to swell the article to an imposing size. And, lastly, a large class of charges of inaccuracy or ignorance made by the reviewer against Mr. Felton, which prove, on examination, to be unsupported and erroneous. Of this last class, as most important to our purpose, we ven. ture to present a few obvious specimens. v. 231. The reviewer here, after asserting that quantity is of "very small account with the Bostonians," and accusing Professor Felton of ignorance of the quantity of the word anios, exhibits himself a great want of accuracy in respect to that word; for anios does not universally mean "the Peloponnese," but is also used (as by Soph. E. C. 1678) in the sense of "distant." (We know that Blomfield, Glos. Ag. 247, contends for the former meaning in that passage also; but his opinion is not generally re ceived.) Moreover, unios is used by later writers in the sense of "the Peloponnese." (Vide Liddell and Scott, Buttmann's Lexil.) 535-538. dexatov both Liddell and Peile translate "ancient," as does Felton. Just so, ágyatov öveidos, Pind. O. 6. 89. 713. Aivos occurs only three times in the Agamemnon. In two of those instances, including the present, it is translated by Wellauer "laus." How far, then, it is true, that "the word is not usually employed in a good sense in this play," the reader may judge. 816. A glance at the lexicon will, we think, satisfy the reviewer that the metaphor here is not taken from "throwing dice," since xaragģiлtav is never found to bear that meaning; the words so used being αναῤῥίπτειν and βάλλειν. 979. On this we would say that nάça plainly stands for náρεστι, -a fact which seems not to have occurred to the reviewer. Comp. Soph. Elect. 285, Æsch. Pers. 167, in both of which cases the word stands, as here, at the end of an iambic line. 66 1206. vлriaoua. Professor Felton's rendering of this word, prostration," is certainly a possible one, and we must be permitted to think it the best one in this place, the somewhat extraordinary quotation from Horace's Ode to Phydele to the contrary notwithstanding. 1244-1247. The calmness with which Klausen, Peile, Schneider, and Felton are pronounced to have mistaken the construction of this passage is really rather astonishing, and somewhat prepares us for the assertion, that rivuv is said of those who pay the penalty, but not of these who inflict it. Cf., to the contrary, Æsch. Theb. 638, Soph. E. C. 227, Pind. P. 2. 24. 1311-1314. Porson's emendation of this passage, so far from being "universally" received, is rejected by Wellauer, Dindorf, and Klausen; the last of whom (pronounced by Peile the first of foreign commentators on Eschylus) reads, with Felton, νότῳ γάνει. We prefer Professor Felton's translation of 20zévμaow as simpler than Linwood's. We have thus briefly noticed some of the instances in which the heavy accusations of the reviewer recoil upon himself. It is not easy for us to express the regret with which we regard all such indications of the existence of a narrow and ungenerous spirit of rivalry as that contained in the following extract. "The inhabitants of the American Athens, setting up for universal geniuses, have, among other things, assumed to be the classical instructers of the whole American community; while it is notorious that there is not a man among them who can write three pages upon any subject involving real scholarship without exposing himself egregiously. And not only do they claim to be the classics of the country, but the only classics, affecting to despise New York scholarship, which is really very 1847.] Notices of Recent Publications. 143 respectable, as far as it goes, and not altogether contemned on the other side of the water; Professor Anthon's books being extensively read and republished in England and Scotland; and all this they profess to do, quite ἐν παρέργω. It is impossible that the indulgence of such a spirit should be otherwise than injurious to the progress of learning and literature throughout our country. No abundant nor permanent results of intellectual labor can be looked for, until that honorable appreciation of the performances of all true and industrious men shall prevail, which is content and glad to recognize a real advance in the acquisition of truth in whatever quarter, and by whomsoever made. H-t. Hymns for Christian Devotion; especially adapted to the Universalist Denomination. By J. G. ADAMS and E. H. CHAPIN. Boston: Abel Tompkins. 1847. 12mo. pp. 642. THIS Compilation, though prepared to aid the worship of a particular sect, is entirely free from sectarianism. The 1008 pieces of which it is composed could hardly fail of including a great deal of excellence, even if they were not selected by two clergymen who are themselves no indifferent poets. We do not know what the character of the hymn-book is of which this takes the place; but we feel sure that the present one must be a great improvement on its predecessor, however creditable that previous performance may have been. We have before us a book, preserved carefully for the sake of old remembrances, that was "designed for the use of the Church Universal"; or, in stricter truth, for the congregation worshipping" in the Meeting-House, corner of Bennet Street, in Middle Street, Boston," which took the title of "the Universal Church." It was published in 1802, and could not possibly have been an improvement upon any thing. It is exclusively doctrinal, presenting everywhere the idea of a bloody atonement in its most offensive form; and this fault is fully matched by the extreme badness of the verses. Some faint idea of this latter quality may be gathered from a quotation or two, such as might be multiplied to any extent. "Long he struggled with confused The seed of the woman And Satan is down; His kingdom disown; Hath made us that new man, Which love had decreed." "Comfort ye my, comfort ye my - People, saith your God." It is truly comforting to observe the advancement that less than half a century has produced, both in religious views and poetical taste. The present work we think calculated to find much favor among persons of cultivated minds, in other denominations than that to which the compilers belong. We do not think, however, that it can be considered as an improvement upon all other similar books "already in existence." The Preface implies such an ambition in the attempt, but the claim would be far too high. It contains many admirable hymns, both old and new. But we cannot help finding some fault with it, for a reason that will be its highest recommendation to many persons. Its whole style is too modern. There is too large a proportion of the verses of the day. We are allowed too little of the simplicity, sweetness, and force of the old masters. If we might speak our mind freely, we should say that there was too much sentimentalism in it, too much dallying with the smaller beauties of poetry. Several of the pieces remind us of certain gentlemen, who are called “exquisites on account of their over-nice manners or over-showy dress. Take, for an example, the 961st or the 586th. We hold that the ornaments of sacred poetry should be peculiar and appropriate to that class of compositions. Its imagery should resemble that of the Scriptures, and not that - however charming in its place of Thomas Moore. All mere prettinesses should be carefully excluded. We have observed in this collection an unusually large number of what may be called " burden-hymns," where the last line of every verse is in the same words, or nearly the same, or where the first line in each is repeated in like manner. We counted about thirty of these. Though some of them are undoubtedly beautiful, we do not think that this style is most to be approved. On the other hand, we think our friends must have been nodding a little when such platitudes as the 437th found the honor of their "admittatur." We confess that we could well dispense with a considerable number of the pieces that have multiplied here to such an amount. But these can easily be omitted in the reading by those who like them no better than we do. And there will still be left a collection of hymns suitable to be sung by any worshipping assembly whatever; chaste, fervid, elevating; worthy expressions of the truest and devoutest thoughts. - F. The Explanatory Bible Atlas and Scripture Gazetteer, Geographical, Topographical, and Historical; containing Maps of all the Countries and Places mentioned in the Old and New Testaments, drawn from the latest and best Authorities, and engraved expressly for the Work, with Illustrative Essays |