to acquire such a complete knowledge of it as enables them not only to write in it with correctness, but even to compose German poems. Mr. Marsh and Mr. Beresford, two learned Englishmen residing in Germany, are already sufficiently known as elegant composers, in that language; and the author of this collection is a Swede-a circumstance which intitles him to indulgence for the defects, and to additional praise for the beauties, especially the elegance of diction, which, we discover in his poems. Many German authors, who have had the advantage of being born and educated in Germany, cannot boast of the pureness and ease of expression and the harmony which distinguish these poems of a foreigner.

Das Theater zu Abdera, &c.---The Theatre of Abdera, by I. F. SCHINK, vol. I. pp. 392. vol. II. pp. 472. 8vo. Berlin, Lagarde 1787.1788.

Although the author protests that this history is intended to be neither a continuation nor an imitation of the Abderites, by the celebrated Wieland; yet it is obvious that that work of the venerable bard suggested to him the fortunate idea to chuse Abdera for the scene of his history. Nor has he much reason to be afraid of a comparison of his work with Wieland's masterly performance; for although the tendency and stile of these two works are, upon the whole, different from each other, yet the leading object of these volumes is of such a nature as frequently to coincide with that of Wieland's 'humorous work.

Konradin von Schwaben, &c. &c.---Conradin of Suabia; or the history of the unfortunate grandson of Emperor Frederic II. Leipzig, Weygand 1788. pp. 524. 8vo.

We will not deny that the author of this novel is intimately acquainted with the eventful history of the unfortunate Conradin, nor that he is conversant in the characteristical customs and manners of the age in which his hero lived, much less can we deny that he has represented them eminently more charming and affecting than they really were, according to historical records; but surely, gentlemen of this class, who properly write for our reading societies and circulating libraries, should not presume to graft the romantic fictions of their fertile imagination upon the venerable tree of history, as this cannot but confuse the notions of their readers and mislead their unexperienced judgentent.

Das

Das blinde Ehepaer, oder die Gebetserhörung, &c. &c.---The blind couple, or the successful prayer, a tale, by Schummel, Breslau, 1788. pp, 40, 8vo.

This tale is intended to shew, that although God do not always grant us the exact object of our wishes and prayers; yet he generally gives us something else, more permanently useful to us; and that even the calamities we suffer, frequently become means of promoting our temporal happiness. This truth is here ably and strikingly illustrated in the short history of an industrious, but unfortunate, tradesman and his family.

Albertine, &c.-Albertina; an imitation of Richardson's Clarissa, &c. Vol. I. II. printed in 1788, the remaining volumes in 1789 and 1790) Berlin, Arnold Wever vol. I. pp. 382. vol. II. 379, 8vo.

A German translation of Richardson's Clarissa was published a short time after the original had appeared in England; but as at that time the German language just began to emerge from a state of infancy, this translation was no longer fit to be put into the hands of young people. and greatly stood in need of being carefully revised and dressed in a modern and more elegant garb. But the author of Albertina has done more than this in order to improve it. The original being much too voluminous and expensive for the generality of readers of this class of composition, the author has judieiously reduced it to one third of its bulk, without thereby mutilating the beautiful body of the original, and by translating the scene of action to Germany, has rendered it stil more interesting for German readers.

Abulforaddin der Weisse, &c.--The wise Abulforaddin. A collection of Eastern tales. Frankfort and Leipzig, 1788, pp. 107. 8vo..

Pure moral principles are here recommended to young people through the pleasing medium of five eastern tales, which are related in an elegant and lively stile and very well calcu lated to inspire the mind with virtuous principles, whilst they amuse the imagination.

Der Schein betrügt, &c.--Appearances are deceitful. By

1. F. JUNGER, vol. I. 1787. pp. 251. vol. II. 1788. pp. 234. 8vo. Berlin and Libau, Largarde.

Mr. Jünger is one of the small number of authors, who are modest enough to be conscious of their defects, and willing to follow the friendly advice of fair dealing criticism-a quality that has greatly contributed to advance his literary fame with every new composition published by him. The novel of which we now are speaking, possesses great merit as a satyre upon the fashionble follies of the age in which it was written, and will be perused with a considerable degree of interest by readers of all classes.

Zwey Lustspiele von A. F. E. LANG BEIN, &c.-Two plays, &c. Leipzig, Dyk. 1788, pp. 192. Svo.

These two plays were the first proof the author gave of his eminent talents for comical composition, but are destitute of that refinement of taste exhibited by him in his later publications. The first is intitled: Lovers, as they are, and as they ought to be; founded upon Farquhar's play: The Constant Couple, or a Trip to the Jubilee, from which it, however, materially differs. The other, intitled: the Apparition; a farce in one act, after the French of Auteroche, has very little merit.

Trauerspiele von Gatthold Ephraim Lessing, &c.-Tragedies by G. E. LESSING, second edit. Berlin, Vosz, 1788.

This volume contains three Tragedies of that great man, whose loss is still severely felt, in Germany, by the admirers of the dramatic art, namely: Miss Sara Sampson-Philotas and Emilia Galotti.

PHILOLOGY. ANTIQUITIES.

•

Car. Tr. Gottl. Schoenemann. Islebensis commentatio de Geographia Homeri. In convertatione civium academ. Georgie Auguste IV. Jun. 1787 præmio a rege M. Britanniæ Aug. constituto ab ordine Philosophorum ornata. Göttinge, typis Joann. Chr. Dietrich, acad. Typogr. pp.

136.4to.

Hermanni

Hermanni Schlicthorst. Bremensis Geographia Homeri. Commentatio quam ordo philosoph. ad præmio ornatam altero loco accedere judicavit. Præfatus est Jo. CHR. GATTERER. Goetting. Sumtib. Vandenhoekianis et Ruprechtii. pp. 168. 4to.

Aug. Guil. Schlegel. Hannoverani de Geographia Homerica. Commentatio, quæ-proxime ad præmium accessisse promunciata est. Hannoveræ apud Joann. Wilh. Schmidium, 1788, pp. 208. 8vo.

The author of the first of these three interesting dissertations commences with an exposition of the general ideas of the ocean, the boundaries and the division of the ancient world, and treats of the individual countries, never losing sight of Strabo's work, which was expressly recommended in the prize question. This learned dissertation, the interesting contents of which we cannot specify to our readers, comprizes a correct survey of all countries and places mentioned by Homer, together with the illustrations of all ancient and modern commentators. We are however sorry to observe that the language of this dissertation is extremely incorrect, which renders it very obscure in many places.

The second dissertation is particularly interesting, on account of Prof. Gatterer's preface, in which he points out by what means we may obtain a better geography of the ancient world. The dissertation itself honorably distinguishes itself from the former by a correct, flowing and perspicuous stile, and a greater display of literary knowledge.

The third dwells only upon a few dubious names, and is less complete and satisfactory than the others.

Lycophronis Chalcidensis Alexandria sive Cassandra cum

versione et commentario Guilielmi Canteri, paraphrasin, notas, indicem græcum e scholiis auctum, adjecit, et præfactus est Henricus Godofredus Reichardus. A. M. Scholz prov. Grimmensis Collega III. Lipsia ap. Crusium. 1783. pp. 230. 8vo. (exclusive of the preface, prolego mena, and index.)

The principal object, which the author had in view, in wi ing this volume, was, to render Lycophron's poem more intelligible. He made use of three Wittembergian mscpts, and of one in the possession of the library at Mos cau, which, however contained but very few various lections. The former have, in addition to the commentary of Tzetzes,

glosse

glossa interlineares, which had not been known before, and furnished the author with many illustrations of obscure and difficult words, inserted by him in the index. He gives us the canterus---Potterian context, altered only in very few passages, together with Canter's latin translation, to which are subjoined the valuable annotations of the same, as well as a short paraphrase, intended to shew the connection of the poem. For the same purpose, he has also premised a Conspectus, in which Cassandra's prophecies are particularized. Wherever Canterus has mistaken the sense, or suffered difficulties to remain, the editor introduces short annotations. The vocabulary, which is added to this edition, for the purpose of explaining the poetical and difficult words, greatly enhances its value. The original causes of the obscurity of L's poems are satisfactorily pointed out in the preface. They are intentional.

Quinti Horatii Flacci Carmina, curavit Jeremias Jacobus Oberlinus, phil. prof. Argentorati typis et sumptu Rollandi et Jacobi, 1788, pp. 380. 4to.

This edition is a masterpiece of typographical beauty, and was published for the sole purpose, of exhibiting a specimen of the diligence and art of the two printers mentioned in the title page, one of whom made the matrices for the types to be used, whilst the other composed the letters. They appointed Prof. Oberlin to correct the proofs, and thus produced an edition of Horace which in correctness, elegance and typographical simmetry is equalled by few, excelled by none.

Imman I. G. Scheller's ausführliches und möglichst vollständiges luteinsth deutsches, &c. und deutsch-lateinisches Lexicon, &c. &c.---A complete Latin and German, and German and Latin Dictionary. By I. G. SCHELLER, second edition, Leipzig, Caspar, Fritsch, 1788. pp. 4728. 8vo.

Mr. Scheller's Dictionary is the most complete and correct Latin Dictionary amongst all those we know, not even Gesner's Thesaurus excepted. The most distinguishing features of it consists in a very complete, and, as it were, genealogical, derivation of all significations of a word, proved by copious quotations from the best authors, especially those of the golden age, as it is called. The allegations are so correctly