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expression; and the need of so controlling that expression, as that the presence of reason, subduing and ordering it, shall be felt, and make itself discernible throughout; which in this case becomes what he calls the instinct of harmony and rhythm."

See also Mr. Keble's Review of Copleston's Prælectiones. (Both papers are republished in Mr. Keble's Occasional Papers and Reviews.)

APPENDIX B

TEXT OF THE 'POETICS,' EDITIONS, &c.

THE Poetics was not included in the edition of Aristotle which issued from the Aldine Press in 1495-98, but was first printed in Greek in 1508 in the volume of Rhetores Græci. The Latin version, by George Valla, had been published in 1498. The text now accepted is based upon a single 11th century MS. A° (Paris, No. 1741), which was used by Vettori (Victorius) in 1560, but the palmary importance of which has been recognised in modern times by Bekker and Ritter, and more consistently followed by Susemihl, Ueberweg, Vahlen, and others. The text, as settled by Vahlen, is that now in general use. The labours of Aristotelian scholars have done much to make particular passages more readable; though, from the fragmentary condition of the treatise as we have it, and the disarrangement which its parts have probably suffered, the healing hand is comparatively helpless. Besides the names already

given, those of Spengel, Bernays, Bonitz-in still later years, those of W. Christ and Bywater-may properly be mentioned.

Much interest has attached to versions of the Poetics in the Oriental languages preserved at Paris and Florence; since it has seemed reasonable to hope that the translators may have used a fuller and better Greek text than any which has reached us. The Arabic version (Paris, 882 A), together with a fragment of the Syriac version from which it was prepared, have now been examined by the Laudian Professor of Arabic (Professor Margoliouth); the results are given in his Analecta Orientalia, which contains, besides the Arabic text, a Latin rendering of the more significant passages of the Arabic, and also a specimen of the "Poetica" of Avicenna. While nothing is contributed towards filling up the greater gaps in the treatise, distinct evidence is given as to many interesting points of reading. (See notes 14 and 36 in Appendix A.) The simplicity of the older translator, his ignorance of Greek, and his verbal faithfulness, are not without their humour. Thus οἷον ἐν τῷ ̓Αγάθωνος Ανθει is represented by "quemadmodum si quis unum esse bonum statuit " (οἷον ἓν τὸ ἀγαθὸν ὃς ἂν θῇ); actors are hypocrites; and the poet Carcinus becomes a common crab!

A list of the more important editions and versions, and of works immediately based upon the Poetics, is given in chronological order. It has

no claim to be complete, but will serve to show the number and variety of the workers in this field. It would be out of place to suggest any order of preference, otherwise than by saying that the majority of English readers may well be content with the works of Dr. Moore and Mr. Wharton, while those who only wish to read the treatise in English will find Twining's translation, reprinted in 1887 in Cassell's National Library, excellent : the text which he followed was too faulty to allow his work to be satisfactory to scholars. Twining's notes, which have not been reprinted very lately, are delightful reading from end to end. The great importance of Bernays' work has been indicated elsewhere.

LIST OF EDITIONS, &C.

VALLA (G.), Latin translation.

Venice, 1498.

Venice, Aldus, 1508.

Greek text among the "Rhetores Græci."

Latin translation, with the summary of Averroes.

Venice, Geo. Arrivabene, 1515.

PACCIUS (Pazzi), Latin translation.

Venice, Aldus, 1536.

ROBORTELLIUS (Fr.), "In librum de Arte Poetica explicationes."

Flor. 1548.

SEGNI (Bern.), Italian translation. Florence, 1549.

"VINC. MADII ET BARTH. LOMBARDI in librum de Poetica communes explanationes: Madii vero in eundem librum propriæ annotationes." Ven. 1550.

"VICTORII (P.) Commentationes in primum librum Aristotelis de Arte Poetarum."

Flor. 1560.

PICCOLOMINI (Alessandro), “Annotationi nel libro della Poetica d' Aristotele, con la traduttione del medesimo libro in lingua volgare."

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DACIER, "La Poétique traduite en Français, avec

des remarques critiques."

Paris and Amsterdam, 1692.

GOULSTONE (Theodore), Latin translation.

Cambridge, 1696.

BATTEUX, "Les quatre poétiques d'Aristote, d'Horace, de Vida, de Despreaux, avec les traductions et des remarques par l'Abbé Paris, 1771.

Batteux."

METASTASIO (Pietro), "Estratto dell' Arte Poetica d' Aristotele e considerazioni su la medesima.'

"

Paris, 1782.

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