but that you have attained all the peculiar elevation, as well as elegance of that language. Your Ode to Venus is as beautiful as Venus herself; and you have imitated with wonderful fuccefs fo divine an original.

Is it not melancholy to reflect, that not only fo much of the compofitions of this elegant writer fhould be loft, but that the little which remains is fo mutilated and corrupted?

That the text of the ode felected by you, and even that preserved by Dionyfius, and published by Upton, is preferable to that of Stephens, or whoever made the emendations (fuch as they are), I freely admit; for the rules of dialect are not only better observed, but it contains stronger marks of being genuine: yet, after all, it is impoffible to deny, that there are many chasms in it, as well as errors, which cannot be fatisfactorily amend ed by any explanation or twisting of the fenfe.

That Sappho wrote in the dialect of her own country, which cannot at this time be

perfectly understood, is fufficiently probable; but it would be abfurd to suppose the Æolic dialect irreconcileable to metre and profody; not to mention the evident corruption of the fenfe in fome paffages.

*

Your tranflation of the Epigram on the Kifs of Agatho, is very elegant, and the idea in it refembles that of Hafez in the following lines:

Anxious thy blooming charms to see,

Quick to my lips my soul ascends;
Must it expire or live?-decree ;-

For on thy voice my fate depends.

I fend you, as I promised, a profe tranflation of the Perfian ode, together with an attempt at a poetical version of it, which I will hereafter improve. Pray inform me, whether there is any tranflation of Hafez, printed or manuscript, in Latin, or any other European language; for I know of no other attempt at a translation of this poet, than that of the first ode, lately published in the Analecta of Profeffor Hyde.

I request likewise to be informed, where I am likely to find the first book of the Iliad of Homer, with an analysis and notes, for the use of scholars, printed in England, which a friend of mine wishes to procure for

his fon.

The ode, of which you praise the concluding verse, is elegant; I remember only the first couplet :

Bring wine, and scatter flow'rs around,
Nor seek the depths of fate to sound :—
Such was the morning rose's tale;-
What say'st thou, warbler of the vale?

Although I have begun the preparations for my departure, and have packed up my books, if you wish to have

a translation of

* C. REVICZKI to Mr. JONES.

London, March 29th, 1768.

That I have deferred longer than

ufually my reply to your obliging letter, you

*Appendix, No. 6.

muft impute to the novel, and strange appearance of things here. You will not, I truft, be disposed to blame a delay, occafioned by the attention of a foreigner to customs which are peculiar to your country, and which I never obferved in any other; for I confefs to you that I never faw any thing fimilar to the mode here purfued of electing members of parliament, the novelty of it at first amused me, but the increasing tumult fickened and disgusted me, and, by compelling me to remain at home, afforded me an opportunity of writing to you. I rejoice that my verfion of the Perfian ode pleases you, and that it has induced you to think me equal to the tranflation of the whole collection. But highly as I am honoured by your opinion, I cannot but think your advice fomewhat unmerciful, for what mortal, unless

Or oak, or brass, with triple fold,

Around his daring bosom roll'd,

(FRANCIS,)

would undertake a translation in profe and verfe of fix hundred odes? The attempt

would not only require many years, but an entire exemption from all other occupations; which is not my cafe; I can only make these ftudies my occafional amusement. I mean, however, fome time or other, to publish as much as I can.

The person who applied to me for the first book of the Iliad, with a verbal analysis, already poffeffes the key to Homer; but he thinks the other work better adapted to the use of boys, because the notes in it are subjoined to the text, which is not the plan of the Clavis. If you have one at hand, oblige me by just looking into it; for, if my memory does not fail me, there is a catalogue prefixed, mentioning the work which I want, and the name of the printer.

Although your politeness has excused any further efforts, I nevertheless fend the ode which you requested in your last letter but one, as I think it will please you. It is by no means one of the easiest, either to underftand, or tranflate; and indeed, the force of the peculiar idioms of a foreign language