the misfortune was, that the Greek manuscripts, from which the editors printed, (that of Odaxius alone excepted,) were all of them defective in their end or conclusion. And hence it followed that this work for many years was published, edition after edition, in this defective manner. Had its end been lost, we might have lamented it, as we lament other losses of the same kind. But in the present case, to the shame of editors, we have the end preserved, and that not only in the Arabic paraphrase, and the old Latin translation of Odaxius, but, what is more, even in the original text, as it stands in two excellent manuscripts of the king of France's library. From these MSS. it was published in a neat 12mo. edition of Cebes, by James Gronovius, in the year 1689; and after him by the diligent and accurate Fabricius, in his Bibliotheca Græca, vol. i. p. 834, 835; and, after Fabricius, in a small octavo edition, by Thomas Johnson, A. M. printed at London, in the year 1720. Whoever reads the conclusion of this treatise will find sufficient internal evidence to convince him of its authenticity, both from the purity of the language, and the truth, as well as connection of the sentiment. However, the manuscript authority resting on nothing better than the perplexed account of that most obscure and affected writer, James Gronovius, I procured a search to be made in the royal library at Paris, if such manuscripts were there to be found. Upon inspection of no less than four manuscripts of Cebes, preserved in that valuable library, numbers 858, 2992, 1001, 1774, it appeared, that in the second and in the third, the end of Cebes was perfect and entire, after the manner in which it stands in the printed editions above mentioned. The end of this short essay is to prove, that the genuineness of the conclusion thus restored does not rest merely on such authority as that of James Gronovius, (for Fabricius and Johnson only follow him,) but on the authority of the best manuscripts, actually inspected for the purpose. PART IV. SOME ACCOUNT OF LITERATURE IN RUSSIA, AND OF ITS PROGRESS TOWARDS BEING CIVILIZED. THE vast empire of Russia extending far into the north, both in Europe and Asia, it is no wonder that, in such a country, its in habitants should have remained so long uncivilized. For culture of the finer arts it is necessary there should be comfortable leisure. But how could such leisure be found in a country where every one had enough to do to support his family, and to resist the rigour of an uncomfortable climate? Besides this, to make the finer arts flourish, there must be imagination; and imagination must be enlivened by the contemplation of pleasing objects; and that contemplation must be performed in a manner easy to the contemplator. Now, who can contemplate with ease, where the thermometer is often many degrees below the freezing point? Or what object can he find worth contemplating for those many long months, when all the water is ice, and all the land covered with snow? If then the difficulties were so great, how great must have been the praise of those princes and legislators, who dared attempt to polish mankind in so unpromising a region, and who have been able, by their perseverance, in some degree to accomplish it? Those who on this occasion bestow the highest praises upon Peter the Great, praise him, without doubt, as he justly deserves. But if they would refer the beginning of this work to him, and much more its completion, they are certainly under a mistake. As long ago as the time of our Edward the Sixth, Ivan Basilowitz adopted principles of commerce, and granted peculiar privileges to the English, on their discovery of a navigation to Archangel. A sad scene of sanguinary confusion followed from this period to the year 1612, when a deliverer arose, prince Pajanky. He, by unparalleled fortitude, having routed all the tyrants and impostors of the time, was by the bojars, or magnates, unanimously elected czar. But this honour he, with a most disinterested magnanimity, declined for himself, and pointed out to them Michael Fedorowitz, of the house of Romanoff, and by his mother's side descended from the ancient czars. From this period we may date the first appearances of a real civilizing, and a development of the wealth and power of the the Russian empire. Michael reigned thirty-three years. By his wisdom, and the mildness of his character, he restored ease and tranquillity to subjects who had been long deprived of those inestimable blessings; he encouraged them to industry, and gave them an example of the most laudable behaviour. His son Alexius Michaelowitz was superior to his father in the art of governing and sound politics. He promoted agriculture; introduced into his empire arts and sciences, of which he was himself a lover; published a code of laws, still used in the administration of justice; and greatly improved his army, by mending its discipline. This he effected chiefly by the help of strangers, most of whom were Scotch. Lesley, Gordon, and Ker, are the names of families still existing in this country. Theodore, or Fædor, succeeded his father in 1677. He was of a gentle disposition, and weak constitution; fond of pomp and magnificence, and in satisfying this passion contributed to polish his subjects by the introduction of foreign manufactures and articles of elegance, which they soon began to adopt and imitate. His delight was in horses, and he did his country a real service in the beginning and establishing of those fine breeds of them in the Ukraine and elsewhere. He reigned seven years; and having on his death-bed called his bojars round him, in the presence of his brother and sister, Ivan and Sophia, and of his half-brother Peter, said to them, "Hear my last sentiments; they are dictated by my love for the state, and by my affection for my people: the bodily infirmities of Ivan necessarily must affect his mental faculties; he is incapable of ruling a dominion like that of Russia; he cannot take it amiss, if I recommend to you to set him aside, and to let your approbation fall on Peter, who to a robust constitution joins great strength of mind, and marks of a superior understanding." Theodore dying in 1682, Peter became emperor, and his brother Ivan remained contented. But Sophia, Ivan's sister, a woman of great ambition, could not bring herself to submit. The troubles which ensued; the imminent dangers which Peter escaped; his abolition of that turbulent and seditious soldiery, called the Strelitz; the confinement of his half-sister Sophia to a monastery; all these were important events, which left Peter in the year 1689 with no other competitor than the mild and easy Ivan; who dying not many years after, left him sole monarch of all the Russias. The acts at home and abroad, in peace and in war, of this stupendous and elevated genius, are too well known to be repeated by me. Peter adorned his country with arts, and raised its glory by arms: he created a respectable marine; founded St. Petersburgh, a new capital, and that from the very ground; rendering it withal one of the first cities in Europe for beauty and elegance. To encourage letters, he formed academies, and invited foreign professors not only to Petersburgh (his new city) but to his ancient capital Moscow; at both which places these professors were maintained with liberal pensions. As a few specimens of literature from both these cities have recently come to my hand, I shall endeavour to enumerate them, as I think it relative to my subject. 1. Plutarchus περὶ Δυσωπίας, καὶ περὶ Τύχης-Gr. Lat. cum animadversionibus Reiskii et alior: suas adjecit Christianus Fridericus Matthæi. Typis Universitatis Mosquensis, an. 1777. 8vo. 2. Plutarchi libellus de Superstitione, et Demosthenis Oratio funebris, Gr. Lat. cum notis integris Reiskii et alior.-suas adjecit Christ. Frider. Matthæi. Typis Cæsareæ Mosquensis Universitatis, an. 1778. 8vo. 3. Lectiones Mosquenses, in two volumes, 8vo. bound together, and printed at Leipsic, an. 1779: they contain various readings in different authors, and some entire pieces, all in Greek, collected from the libraries of Moscow, and published by the same learned editor. 4. Isocratis, Demetrii Cyd. et Michael Glycæ aliquot Epistolæ, nec non Dion. Chrysostomi Oratio-Græc. Typis Universitatis Cæsareæ Mosquensis. 8vo. By the same learned editor. 5. Glossaria Græca minora, et alia Anecdota Græca: a work consisting of two parts, contained under one volume, in a thin quarto, by the same able professor, printed at Moscow by the university types, in the years 1774, 1775. A catalogue of the several pieces in both parts is subjoined to the end of the second part. Among the pieces in the first part are, Excerpta ex Grammaticâ Niceph. Gregora; ex Glossario Cyrilli Alexandrini ; Glossarium in Epistolas Pauli; Nomina Mensium: those of the second part are chiefly theological. 6. Notitia Codicum Manuscriptorum Græcorum Bibliothecarum Mosquensium, cum variis Anecdotis, Tabulis neis, Indicibus locupletissimis: edidit Christ. Fridericus Matthæi. Mosquæ, Typis Universitatis, an. 1776. This publication, on a large folio paper, is as yet incomplete, only sixty pages being printed off. It ends, Partis primæ Sectionis primæ Finis. 7. An Ode to the present empress, Catharine, in ancient Greek and Russian. 8. An Ode on the birth-day of Constantine, second son to the grand duke, in ancient Greek and Russian: printed at Petersburgh; and, as we learn from the title, ἐν τῇ Αὐτοκρατορικῇ Ακαδημίᾳ τῶν Ἐπιστημῶν, “in the Imperial Academy of Sciences.' 9. An Ode to prince Potemkin, ancient Greek and Russian, and printed (as before) an. 1780. 10. An Ode, consisting of Strophe, Antistrophe, and Epode, ancient Greek and Russian, made in 1779, in honour of the empress, the great duke and duchess, and Alexander and Constantine, their two sons, grandsons to the empress. This Ode was sung in the original Greek by a large number of voices, before a numerous and splendid court in one of the imperial palaces. As I have a copy of this music, I cannot omit observing, that it is a genuine exemplar of the ancient Antiphona, so well known to the church in very remote ages. On this plan, two complete choirs (each consisting of trebles, counters, tenors, and bases) sing against each other, and reciprocally answer; then unite all of them; then separate again, returning to the alternate response, till the whole at length concludes in one general chorus. The music of this ode may be called purely vocal, having no other accompaniment but that of an organ. The composer was no less a man than the celebrated Paesiello, so well known at present, and so much admired, both in Italy and elsewhere, for music of a very different character, I mean his truly natural and pleasing burlettas. Those who are curious to know more of this species of music, may consult the valuable Glossary of Spelman, under the word Antiphona, and the ingenious Musical Dictionary of Rousseau, under the word Antienne. 11. A short copy of Greek elegiac verses, printed at Petersburg, in the year 1780, and addressed to prince Potemkin, with this singular title, Επίγραμμα ἐπὶ τῆς παμφαοῦς καὶ χαρμοσύνου γοργειοφορίας, τῆς κοινοτέρως μασκάραδος καλουμévns, V, K. T. λ. Thus Englished: "A poem on the splendid μένης, and delightful festivity, where they wear Gorgonian visors; more commonly called a masquerade; which prince Potemkin celebrated," &c. A better word to denote a masquerade could hardly have been invented than the word here employed, yopyelopópia. In attempting to translate it, that I might express one word, I have been compelled to use many. 12. A translation of Virgil's Georgics from the Latin Hexameters into Greek Hexameters, by the celebrated Eugenius, famous for his treatise of Logic, published a few years since in ancient Greek at Leipsic. He was made an archbishop, but chose to resign his dignity. He is now carrying on this translation under the protection of prince Potemkin, but has as yet gone no further than to the end of the first Georgic. The work is printed on a large folio paper, having the original on one side, and the translation on the other. Copious notes in Greek are at the bottom of the several pages. Take a short specimen of the performance. Continuo, ventis surgentibus, aut freta ponti Geor. i. 356. Αὐτίκα, ἐγρομένων ἀνέμων, πορθμοῖς ἐπὶ πόντου Of these various printed works, the first six were sent me by the learned scholar above mentioned, Christianus Fridericus |