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of culprits, who are to plead their genius as an excuse for their intrusion. Time has been when the poet himself—instead of submitting his works to the public as his master-called around him those whom he thought worthy to receive his precepts, and pointed out to them the divine lineaments and celestial touches, which he felt could never perish. They regarded him, with reverence and with wonder, as the holiest and most favored of mortals. They delighted to sit in the seat of the disciple, not in that of the scorner. How much deep enjoyment have the people lost by being exalted into judges! The ascent of literature has been rendered smooth and easy, but its rewards are proportionably lessened in value. With how holy a zeal did the aspirant once gird himself to tread the unworn path; how delectably was he refreshed by each plat of green; how intensely did he enjoy every prospect, from the lone and embowered resting places of his journey! Now, distinctions are levelledthe zest of intellectual pleasures is taken away; and no one hour, like that of Archimedes, ever repays a life of toil. The appetite, satiated with luxuries cheaply acquired, requires new stimulants-even criticism palls-and private slander must be mingled with it to give the necessary relish. Happily, these evils will, at last, work out their own remedy. Scorn, of all human emotions, leaves the frailest monuments behind it. That light which now seems to play around the weapons of periodical criticism, is only like the electrical flame which, to the amazement of the superstitious, wreathes the sword of the Italian soldier on the approach of a storm, vapourish and fleeting. Those mighty poets of our time-who are now overcoming the derision of the critics-will be immortal witnesses of their shame. These will lift their heads, "like mountains when the mists are rolled away," imperishable memorials of the true genius of our time, to the most distant ages.

Hieronymi Osorii, Lusitani, de Gloria, Libri V. ad Joannem tertium Lusitania Regem. Florentia, 1552, ap. Laurentium Torrentium, 8vo. p. 295.

"Osorius of Lisbon," says a writer in the Classical Journal, " is said to have written a Latin Dissertation on Glory, in so pure a style, and in a manner so much after that of an ancient Roman, that some have not scrupled to assert that this very treatise is the lost work of Cicero."

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* Adversaria Literaria, 39, 204.

Osorius was a celebrated Portuguese bishop, in the time of the renowned Sebastian. He early cultivated a Latin style; and, from the purity to which he attained in his various compositions in that language, he gained the title of the Cicero of Portugal. The work, by which he is best known, is his historical book, " de Regibus Lusitania," which is not uncommon, and has been more than once reprinted.-Among other Latin productions, which procured him high reputation, were his address to our Queen Elizabeth," on the true faith," and his reply to Haddon, who answered it.--Bacon observed, that "his vein was weak and waterish;"-he probably saw deeper than his contemporaries, who, taken by the charms of a pure and copious Latin style, were content with inoffensive common-places, which do certainly roll on with a majestic flow of language, not unworthy of the great Roman orator himself." Decem annos consumpsi in legendo Cicerone," and Echo answered "ove." dinal Pole, it seems, thought better of his brother churchman. This work on Glory so much delighted him, that he requested a noble relation in England to translate it into the vulgar tongue, which was accordingly done. We are not aware who it is that has been so idle as to accuse the good bishop of suppressing the name of Cicero, and substituting his own; but we think we shall be affording an agreable entertainment to such scholars as may be sufficiently curious to divert themselves by comparing the Latinity of the Roman and Portuguese moralist, if we make a selection of a few of the most interesting passages from this little volume.

It has no preface; but it opens thus :

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"Multa sunt, Rex invictissime, quæ magnam vim habent, ad hominum vitam vel recte constituendam, vel funditus evertendam: tum nihil est, quod in utramque partem tantum valeat, quantum ardens quoddam laudis et famæ desiderium. Primum enim a Deo late patet, ut nullus sit, neque tanta humanitate præditus, neque tam agrestis et inhumanus, neque tantis honoribus insignis, neque tam obscurus et ignotus, neque tot virtutis ornamentis excultus, neque tam multis flagitiis coopertus, qui non flagret infinita quadam gloriæ cupiditate. Deinde ita est id communibus sensibus infixum, ut neque vi rationis evelli, neque lege aut more ullo mutari, neque ullo metu coërceri et comprimi possit. Postremo tam vehemens est, ut animum nullo in loco consistere patiatur, sed semper incensum trahat et rapiat, ad majora in dies et altiora inflammato studio consectanda. Ex hoc autem animi motu clarissimæ virtutes; ex eodem teterrima vitia nascuntur. Acuit enim industriam, animosque ad res acriter et animose gerendas exsuscitat; ita tamen, ut alios ad jus humanæ societatis tuendum, patriamque beneficiis immortalibus obligandam; alios ad leges nefarie tollendas et remp. delendam solicitet. Ut enim antiquissima commemorem, illi primi urbium conditores qui homines, in silvis bestiarum more dissipa

tos, unum in locum compulerunt, et in civilis vitæ societatem convocarunt, omnes, quod ex historiis constat, ardenti gloriæ cupiditate fuerunt in studium tam præclari muneris incitati. Quid, qui optimis legibus et institutis, civitates suas ad summam amplitudinem perduxere? Quid, qui pro patria caput suum in summum vitæ discrimen intulere? Quid, qui maximarum artium disciplinis cives suos excoluere? Num obscurum est, neminem sese' sine magna spe laudis, vel ad homines inter se justitiæ munere conciliandos, vel ad remp. virtute et industria defendendam, aut ingenii opibus illustrandam contulisse? Contra vero qui patrias evertere, aut scelere et amentia convellere, omnes fuerunt ad tam tetrum et tam immane facinus gloriæ cupiditate compulsi. Utriusque autem rei civitatis unius varii casus infinita exempla suppeditant. Si enim investigare velimus, per quos fuerit olim Roma fundata, ejusque imperium latissime propagatum, ut a Romulo ordiamur, et seriem illam clarorum hominum usque ad extrema florentis imperii tempora perducamus, intelligemus omnes adeo appetentes laudis et gloriæ fuisse, ut illius parandæ causa, neque laborem ullum fugerint, neque vitæ periculum recusarint. Rursus si naturam spectemus eorum Romanorum, qui Romanum imperium per summum scelus everterunt, aut saltem, de illius pernicie et interitu cogitarunt, omnes reperiemus ad gloriæ cupiditatem incredibiliter exarsisse. Hoc autem, nec in unius tantum civitatis annalibus, nec in una tantum memoria hominum, sed apud omnes nationes, in omni ætate cernere licet, nullum esse scelus immane, nullum facinus impium, nullum sectam pestilentem, nullum reip. turbulentum motum, qui non ab appetitu gloriæ nascatur. Non igitur immerito viri sapientia præstantes, cum animadvertissent ab hoc insito laudis appetitu et bona quamplurima, et infinita mala proficisci, quasi ancipiti sententia in varias partes distracti, modo juventutem ad summæ gloriæ studium cohortandam, modo ab illa quasi a magna virtutis et constantiæ labe deterrendam, existimabant. Quid hic sanctarum literarum monimenta commemorem? Explicari enim non potest, quam sæpe, et quanta orationis vi nos ad summum studium immortalis nominis inflamment. Rursus autem, nihil est in illis tam dira pœna sancitum, quam ne quis honores ambiat, ne principatum appetat, ne cupiditate laudis efferatur, usque adeo ut omne Christianæ pietatis fundamentum in contemptione gloriæ consistat. Quid igitur? ut sit vel in casibus humanis, vel in doctorum hominum scriptis tanta dissensio, num id etiam cœlesti disciplinæ tribuendum est, ut illius præceptis imbuti explicare nequeamus, sitne nobis gloria consectanda, an summa potius animi contentione repellenda? Sed nimirum nihil animis nostris impressum et inustum est, in quo non divinum beneficium agnoscere valeamus, nos tamen illis naturæ principiis, quæ nobis ad salutem tributa sunt, perverse utentes, nostra dementia in perniciem incurrimus. Nam ira, cupiditas, spes, metus, dolor, voluptas, et reliqua generis ejusdem, quibus animos vel incendi, vel restingui, vel incitari, vel remitti, vel efferri, vel contrahi, vel alio quovis pacto commoveri, et agitari sentimus, nobis donata sunt, ut noxia repellentes, et salutaria asciscentes, naturæ statum conservemus; nos vero ea plerumque omnia ad flagitium, atque vitæ pestem conferimus. Quo autem sunt illa majora, et ampliora quæ accepimus, eo ex illorum abusu gravioribus malis im

plicamur. Largitus est enim Deus nobis rationem, qua maxime a belluis distemus, et ad divinam naturam propius accedamus: nos autem eandem sæpenumero rationem huc et illuc versantes, ea scelera concipimus, ut belluas etiam immanitate superemus. Habemus etiam a natura animos imbutos religione, qua incitati præcellentem illam naturam, divi namque vim hominum generi consulentem, ex operibus agnoscentes, eam castissimo pietatisque plenissimo cultu veneremur. At hominum amentia factum est, ut ab illo naturæ sensu duceretur omni scelere contaminata superstitio, quæ fusa per omnes nationes, multis seculis omnium fere animos opprimeret; mortalesque miseriis infinitis implicatos et constrictos teneret. Nihil denique, ne plura persequar, est nobis a natura insitum, quod non sit vel ad corporis tutelam, vel ad animi cultum aptissimum: sed nos plerumque divinis muneribus ad nostrum exitium, et deformitatem abutimur. E quo efficitur non studium laudis, cum sit nobis ingeneratum, esse ullo modo vituperandum, sed jactationem et levitatem hominum a vera virtute penitus aberrantium, et inanissimis opinionibus vitæ rationem pervertentium. Non enim temere summus ille Dominus eam cupiditatem omnium mentibus insevit, sed admirabili consilio et ratione, ut ea videlicet incitati, ad honestatem, unde laus omnis existit, ardentius aspiremus. At homines flagitiis infames, cum veræ dignitatis opibus orbati, dignitatem tamen appetant, illiusque viam penitus ignorent, eam e rebus inanissimis quærentes, magnum in se dedecus admittunt, et patriæ plerumque pestem atque perniciem machinantur. Hoc igitur gloriæ genus inane, funestum, atque mortiferum, omnium malorum seminarium in se continens, execrari præcipiunt sapientes homines: ab hujus pestilenti contagione Christi optimi max. voce deterremur: non ab illo, quod vulgi amentiam contemnens, stirpe veræ virtutis innititur. Quæ cum sæpe mecum animo agitarem, inire cœpi rationem, quemadmodum errorem multis insitum ex aliquorum animis evellerem ; et homines nostros, in quibus est natura egregius amor laudis ingenitus, a levitate ad veræ gloriæ studium traducerem. Et, ut in libris de Nobilitate, quos scripsi ad Ludovicum fratrem tuum, principem omnibus virtutibus ornatissimum, facere sum conatus, ut fucatam atque fallacem nobilitatem a vera secernerem: sic in his libris contendo, ut inanem et fluxam a vera et stabili laude sejungam, et admoneam omnes, in quibus inest ardor quidam mentis ad gloriam, ut toto pectore in studium pietatis et religionis incumbant. Aliter enim nunquam quod expetunt, adipisci ullo modo poterunt. Ut autem id commodius efficerem, venit in mentem mihi complecti his libris ea, quæ quondam de gloria et dignitate in sermone quodam, a mecum hominibus amicissimis, habito, cum essem Bononiæ, versata sunt. In quo sermone multa sunt adducta, quæ totius vim atque rationem facilius aperient.' P 3-9.

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"Aurum autem illud apud Poëtas nihil aliud significat, quam naturales opes virtutis atque sapientiæ. Quod ut melius intelligatis, utar illis Hesiodi carminibus, quæ a te, (me autem appellabat,) haud ita pridem conversa memoriæ mandavi. Sic enim inquit :

Numine divino primum est gens aurea terris
Edita, Saturnus dum cœli sceptra tenebat.

Ut dii vivebant homines, neque tristibus ægri
Curis, nec pressi ærumnis, durove labore.
Omne malum cunctis aberat, tristisque senectus
Nondum tardabat vires; sed semper eodem
Robore firmati stabant, viridique juventa;
Ducebantque choros summa dulcedine læti.

Hinc apparet illos homines præsidiis sapientiæ circumseptos fuisse, nempe qui mentem haberent ab omni perturbatione liberam et solutam, et sese ab iis malis, quæ corporis valetudinem perturbant, et senectutem infirmam, et odiosam efficiunt, tutos conservarent. Nondum enim ambitio et avaritia rationis arcem occuparant, necdum corporibus infinitam morborum vim luxuria atque mollicies invexerant. Neque solum in vita yirtutis fructum capiebant, sed etiam æquitate animi incredibili moriebantur, quod est consummatæ cujusdam sapientiæ. Sequitur enim :

Non tamen inviti linquebant lumina vitæ.

Sed mors ut grato, dulcique sapore quietos,
Jam longa victos ætate amplexa tenebat.

Cum enim vis omnis abfuisset, neque dum pestilentes ægritudines in humanum genus invasissent, nemo poterat vita excedere, præter fatum, præterque naturam, sed longa atqua beata senectute consumtus. Additum deinde est :

Cuncta illis igitur felicia proveniebant:

Omnia nam tellus nullo poscente ferebat.

Hic non tam est terræ fecunditas, quam præstantia moderationis intelligenda. Erant n. divitiis naturæ contenti, quæ sunt parabiles atque terminatæ. Si enim fuissent ardentes cupiditate, nunquam opibus illis, quas tellus mediocri diligentia culta large fundit, atque munifice, eorum sitis potuisset extingui. Sed in pecunia terra et mari quærenda, omnibus sese periculis exposuissent. Ergo non immerito cum tantis honestatis et innocentiæ laudibus in vita floruissent, post mortem, antiquitatis opinione fuerunt in deorum numero repositi. Sic enim ait:

Sed postquam fatum genus illud funere mersit,
Sancti terrarum genii sunt nomine dicti,
Humani generis custodes, et bona cunctis
Numina supplicibus, depulsoresque malorum.
Nunc terras lustrant: obscuroque aëre septi,
Vadunt justa oculis injustaque facta videntes,
Et ditant castos homines in vota vocati.
Hæc concessa illis regalia munera divis.

Est plane regium munus, et gentis aureæ majestati conveniens, munificentia sua miseros homines inopia et egestate levare, idque non tam opibus terræ venis effossis, quam iisdem sapientiæ muneribus,

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