With the comparisons of synonymous words, are intermixed, according to alphabetical order, critical dissertations on the force of the prepositions, in a simple and compounded state. "Along with the synonymes of the Latin language, (says Dr. Hill) an attempt has been made to explain its prepositions, in the order in which they occur in the arrangement. If these, the most subtle of the parts of speech, require deep attention in a simple state, much more do they require it when compounded. In this last capacity they modify the term to which they are prefixed, with all the variety of power belonging to each of them when apart. Their primary relations holding as to matter in space, must be made by analogy to explain relations, from which the idea of space is excluded. Without analyzing prepositions, synonymes can never be understood, as the force of the contrasted term often rests upon that given or withheld by what is made to coalesce with it."

The following is part of the dissertation on the force of the preposition ob. "It appears that ob may be translated as follows:

"1. Straight upon, or directly towards. The correlative object is, in this use, understood to be moving in a line, in which, if its motion continues, it must strike the governed.

“2. Before or opposite to. This use appears chiefly when the preposition is connected with objects of sight. The eye and the thing seen are then said to be what the French call vis-a-vis.

"3. On account of, and by means of. The purpose formed, and the means used, to give regulated motion to a quiescent body, are transferred to the influence of cause, and the production of effect, in general.

The

4. In lieu, or as the price of. correlative object is understood to move, end to come instead of the governed, if it quits its place.

5. Around. The encircling object is understood to meet the eye upon every point

of the substance it covers.

In composition, ob discovers the first pow er ascribed to it but rarely; and that power, it appears, is seldom seen in the simple preposition. Cicero, we found, quotes an old poet, who says, "obvertere sua ora ob os." Festus likewise quotes the following passage from Ennius:

"Acheruntem obibo, ubi mortis thesauri

objacent.

"In the word "obstetrix," the preposi

tion seems to carry the second power ascribed to it, and to signify "before." By some critics, it is taken as equal to "ad," but it. more properly refers to the station of the accoucheur, when assistance is necessary.

'Peperit sine obstetricis opera, et sine doloribus. Plaut. Cistell. 1. 2. 2. "In the case of "obstare," the root of "obstetrix," as in that of "obesse" and "officere," the preposition imparts to the roots the idea of being cumbersome and injurious. The object governed by the verb, is then understood to be in the way of the correlative, and to stop its motion sooner than was intended. Cur mihi te offers, se meis commodis officis et obstas?"-Cic. pro Rosc. Amer. 37. a.

"Hoc mihi quid prodest, si tibi lector obest? Ovid. Trist. i. 66 "Eos metuo, mihi ne obsint, neve obstent uspiam. Plaut. Mit. 4. 2. 6.

66

Relat

"In the figurative use of " obligare," the preposition discovers the fourth power ascrib ed to it, which is "in lieu of." nihilo opulentior, ut qui prope labefacta jam fide, omnia præda fratri obligarit."-Sueton. Vespas. 4. Rem suam pignori obligare." Scæv. Diges. 20. 4. Leg. Ult. In those two examples, the simple verb shews the s curity of the pawn, as bound down for the behoof of the creditor, and the preposition states it as lying in his way. It does not ap pear that, in the literal sense of this verb, the preposition shews its last mentioned power, and it can then be always translated either around what is circular, or before what wou'd make its way through an aperture in a sur face. In the case of a fractured limb, the bandage must encircle it; but, in the case of an ordinary wound, all that is needed is to stop the effusion of blood, by an applica tion fixed in any way.

"Medicus ait se obligasse crus fractum Asculapio,

Apollini autem brachium.

Plaut. Men. 5. S. g. "Esculapius, qui specillum invenisse, fi musque vulnus dicitur obligavisse.” Ci de Nat. Deor. 71. a. "Ut collocet in cubili, ut vulnus obliget." Cic.Q.Tusc.188

There are a few other passages which we had intended to offer some ani madversions, but we shall here conclude with expressing our acknowledgments to Dr. Hill for his meritorious performance, of a difficult and important service. Ingenuity, accuracy, and learning, are, on of his work. We recommend it par the whole, conspicuous in the execution ticularly to the attention of the rising race of scholars. The habit of such ite vestigations is a most important exercise of the intellectual faculties, and is abso lutely necessary to those who wish to ac quire any accurate knowledge of the Principles of language.

This volume is printed in a very ele gant manner, and its accuracy is not inferior to its beauty,

THE preface to this work (which has reached a second edition) is signed by Mr. St. John Priest. The first part of it consists of a collection of Greek sentences, in imitation of Dr. Valpy's Latin delectus, gradually proceeding from the simplest structure, to the most complicated forms compatible with a work of elementary instruction. The sentences are well selected "from Euripides, Sophocles, Isocrates, Elian, and Xenophan, some from the fragments of Me.

nander, and one or two from Thucidides." The second part consists of notes containing full and able grammatical analyses of the preceding sentences, in which we observe that particular attention is paid to the structure of the irregular verbs, which are illustrated, as they occur, by very perspicuous schemes. In these notes many very useful observations are introduced, and the whole work we think well adapted to answer the purpose which the author has in view.

THIS little work nearly resembles in plan the grammar for common use, consisting of schemes of the parts of speech, accompanied with English observations; the rules of genders, and the formation of the parts of verbs, in Latin verse; a syntax and prosody also in Latin, followed by a verbal translation into Eng

lish. We have observed little either of peculiar merit or defect, except that the author has justly inserted the future perfect tense in the indicative mood. This book is accurately printed, and will sufficiently answer the purposes of an introductory grammar.

THIS is an abstract of the larger work of the learned professor, which we have already reviewed. It contains all the words illustrated in that work, with concise definitions of each, and one clear example of its use. It would perhaps have been an improvement, and would have added little to the size of the work, if references had been made at the end of

every word (as is the case in many instances) to its synonymous terms. This book may certainly be placed with benefit in the hands of young persons, as tending to give them clear ideas of the signification of the leading terms of the Latin language, and thus to habituate them, at an early period, to accuracy in weighing the force of words.

THE war of Troy is the principal event which we are able to discern in the obscure annals of Greece, preceding the establishment of the Olympiads. The date of it is so remote from the commencement of accurate history among the Greeks, it approaches so nearly to the age of mythology, and the accounts hich we have received of it are intermingled with so much apparent fiction, that wholly to separate the truth from the fable would doubtless be an impracticaANN. REV. VOL.III.

ble attempt. Yet to deny on this account the existence of an event of such magnitude, the subject of the clear and undeviating tradition of a whole nation, an era of their chronology, and the theme of their most popular poems, appears to us as unreasonable a speculation, as any which paradoxical ingenuity has ever been induced to maintain. Poets are not in the earliest ages of literary history, inventors; they adopt and embellish the traditions of their age; and na

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tional tradition on great subjects invariably derives its origin from truth. Not withstanding the respect therefore which is due to an eminent literary character, by whom the paradoxical opinion of the non-existence of the Trojan war has been advanced, we must still consider it as an incontestible event, and to attempt a laboured defence of it, we should consider as not less superfluous than to assert the genuineness of the classic writers in opposition to the reveries of Hardouin.

The situation of the Trojan territory is not more a subject of dispute, than the existence of the events which have rendered it celebrated. A projecting tract of country, intersected by a mountainous chain, situated in the north-western angle of the Lesser Asia, has uniformly, from the earliest ages, retained the name of the Troad. This country has of late years been repeatedly visited by intelligent and inquisitive travellers, and the result of their researches has been to give an unequivocal testimony in favour of the topographical accuracy of the writer of the Iliad. The light which has been thrown by their labour on that poem is important, not perhaps as confirming the certainty of the events which it records, but by that illustration which it communicates to a delightful work, by rendering its scenery more impressive and distinct, and by giving its descriptions a stronger possession of the mind, when they are considered as, in a great degree, copies of truth and nature.

The publication which we are now called to review, is a work of great splendour of execution, and apparently of no less accuracy and fidelity of representation. The author, Mr. Gell, was engaged in the journey, of which it is the result, in the year 1801. Having resided at Mitylene, in the adjacent island of Lesbos, during the month of November in that year, he proceeded, in company with two other English gentlemen, in his intended expedition to the Troad. Their course was first directed to the island of Tenedos, which is described as a bare rough rock, not more than three miles long, rising toward the north-east into a round hill, under which, upon the canal between the island and the main land, is the little port and the town. "Tenedos is infested by an innumerable race of dogs, of a light brown colour, who attack strangers immediately on landing, but they are easily driven off by stones." The channel

C

which separates Tenedos from the co of Asia, is about five miles in bread. The travellers soon landed on t sandy shore of the Troad, and by the assistance of a villager with whom they met, proceeded to the village Ghicle, where they remained during the night. Here they received their fir view of the objects connected with the Trojan plain, in the distant sight of the tumulus of Udjek, visible from an a joining hill. The next morning spent in examining the ruins of Ales andria Troas, situated near the sea-coas about five miles to the south of Ghick This city was distinguished by the per liar favour of Alexander and his saccessors. Yet few remains of Grecia. antiquity appear to be discoverable in i The inscriptions and buildings are chier Roman. It is mentioned by Strabo as a Roman colony. Having returned to Ghicle to dinner, Mr. Gell and his com panions proceeded on their route to the plain of Troy, which they enter through a defile, conducting to Bounar bashi. Bounarbashi is a Turkish village. situated at the foot of a considerable l and is the presumed situation of ancien Troy. It consists of about five and twen ty houses, with a neat mosque, and large house, the residence of the Ag who is the principal person of the place. Here an extensive and interesting scere was presented to the view. A plair, bounded by elevations on the east and west, and by the channel of the Hellepont on the north, tends from the hill t Bounarbashi in a northerly direction, and is intersected by two rivers, flow ing in circuitous courses, and uniting 4 little before their passage into the se The coast of Europe was visible beyon the Hellespont, where the fleet of th captain pacha, which had just returned from the Egyptian expedition, was de scried at anchor. After some time spent in the delineation of the hill of Bounarbashi, and the interesting objects which it affords, the travellers descended along the plain, suffering nothing in the top graphy of the country to escape them, which cou'd give any illustration to t poem to which it is indebted for its cele brity. In passing the ford, of the Sinea in carts drawn by oxen, "I was in dan ger," says Mr. Gell," of losing t fruits of my journey, for the water risie above the wheels of the cart, I was com pelled to stand up with my papers to secure them from injury. Unfortu