of heretics; no doing to others what we would not that they should do to us." What would this Author have faid to the perfect fimplicity of the Papal Syftem, and of the decrees of the Council of Trent? "The Lutherans, quoth he, infifted upon changes in Religion." Changes in Popery, if you please. The Lutherans wanted to abolish all changes and innovations, and to reftore Chriftianity, as nearly as they could, to its original state. For example; they defired to have the Communion administered in both kinds, which had been the known practice of the Church for the first thoufand years; and multitudes of Romanists,-to do them juftice, earnestly defired the fame: But the Court of Rome and its creatures would not confent. If they had fully and freely granted the Cup to the Laity, and Marriage to the Clergy, it might have been an ugly blow to Lutheranism: but, by refufing to give up any thing, how abfurd foever; and by attempting to prevail with the help of their old fupporters, Fire and Faggot, they effectually established the Reformation. Since that revolution, the Pope is the fhadow of what he once was. He is Lucan's Oak; Stat Stat magni nominis Umbra. Qualis frugifero quercus fublimis in agro, P. 251. "Pole put the Emperor in mind of "Josias; whose naval force was destroyed, and "who was told by a Prophet,-" Because thou "haft entered into a league with a man, who has "done fo many ungodly actions, therefore God "has destroyed thy fleet." Pole and his Panegyrift (to borrow a phrase from Shakespear) had not "prayed their Pible well:" For fofias had no fleet to lofe: it was Jehofaphat. 2 Chron. xx. 35-37. An English Papift, writing with a view to excito in us a favourable opinion of himself and his party, undertakes a difficult task, which requires fingular qualifications. He fhould fhew in his works a spirit of moderation, candour, ingenuity, fincerity, fairness, impartiality, humanity, and charity. France hath produced fome Authors of that communion, who have fome kind of claim to this character: but hardly fhall you find fuch amongst the Papists of England, Ireland, Flanders, Spain, Portugal and Italy. He fhould alfo have a toler able able share of learning and knowledge; and not be a mere borrower from others, and a brother of the Religious order of MENDICANTS, Give me leave, Sir, to take the opportunity of concluding thefe pages with a remark upon myself. In the second volume of the Life of Erafmus, p. 140, I gave a fpecimen of the Pronunciation of the modern Greeks; in which there is a mistake, which I overlooked, till it was too late to rectify it. It is in the diphthong, which is not founded by them like, but like the Latin vowel u. The lines from Homer should therefore be written thus; -putting the Latin u, for the . Μίνιν αίδε Θα Πιλιαδα Αχιλιος Ολομίνιν, ο μιρί Αχείς αλγε' εθικέ, Πολλας δ' ίφθιμος ψιχας αϊδι προϊάψεν, &c. CRITICAL REMARKS ON GREEK AUTHORS. ALCIP HRON. We find in Alciphron, that there was at Athens a temple of Hermaphroditus. I conjecture that he might be confidered as the Deity who prefided over married people; the strict union between husband and wife being aptly reprefented by a deity, who was male and female infeparably blended together. Alciphron's epiftle suggested this notion to me. A young widow writes thus to her female friend. "Having woven a garland of flowers, I repaired to the temple of Hermaphroditus, to fix it there, in honour of my deceased husband Phædria: but I was feized there by Mofchion and his companions. He had been teizing me to marry him; but I refufed, partly through compaffion for my young children; and also because my dear Phædria is ever in my thoughts, and before my eyes, &c." P. 351. If Alciphron be a more ancient writer than Lucian, which is probable, but not certain, it will follow that the latter took the hint and groundwork of his Dialogue, intitled, "The Banquet, or the Lapithe", from an epiftle of the former: but he hath fo wrought it up, that it that it may fairly be called his own. Alciphron is fhort and jejune; Lucian is copious, varied, artful, and sprightly; and the characters of the actors are kept up from the beginning to the end. Indeed he is, on this occafion, what the French call outré, as comick writers often are; and to heighten the ridicule, he goes beyond the bounds of probability. Alciphron is the author of several Epistles, under the names of Fishermen, Husbandmen, Courtezans, and Parafites. As an ancient Greek writer, he deferves to be perufed; but he who shall expect much entertainment from his compofitions will find himself disappointed. They are for the most part uninterefting and frivolous; though admired and commended by Bergler, the editor, and by fome of the learned. Perhaps Alciphron, who was a profeffor of Rhetorick, drew up thefe Epiftles for the ufe of his scholars, to teach them to speak and write Greek with purity and facility. Therefore he fcruples not to make his ploughmen and fifherwomen talk as correctly as Demofthenes and Lyfias. ANACREON. |