Philo: an Evangeliad. By the Author of "Margaret; a Tale of the Real and Ideal." Boston: Phillips, Sampson, & Co.

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THIS is a remarkable book, and like its predecessor, "Margaret," bears upon its pages strong marks of an original, liberal, independent, and progressive mind. Margaret" was a Yankee novel; "Philo" is a Yankee poem. It is a valuable history of our times, a graphic and faithful record of the various and grave questions that now interest and agitate the New England mind. A second time has our author essayed to give the peculiarities of New England a distinct and permanent place in American literature. For this alone had he no other merit we should owe him much; but the book itself possesses no common value. Its spirit is catholic and manly, and commands our entire admiration. With characteristic boldness, and singular force, Mr. Judd utters his honest protest against the social, religious, and political vices that seem so deeply inwrought with our existing institutions; but in his severest censure of these sins, he mingles no word of calumny or sarcasm against individuals or classes. He never descends low enough to take up these unholy weapons, the use of which too often condemns at once our reformers and their cause. His kindly sympathies are not confined to a single class of sufferers, nor his friendly hand extended alone to those who, occupying his point of vision, see with him the golden side of the shield. His broad philanthropy makes no exception, but generously takes in Calhoun along with the negro slave and Garrison. Where too many of us are trained to think naught but purest evil can exist, he, with wise magnanimity, seeks and discovers good. He sees love, in the widest sense, to be the motive and the spirit of all true reform, and so he styles his book "Philo."

We cannot forbear to notice some felicitous and striking passages of local truth and interest, which must give a thrill of pleasure to all who know and love the scenery and the life of Maine. Some lines are redolent of her very soil, while they bring before us her majestic forests, either standing in their native grandeur, or felled by the aggressive axe of the adventurer, and sent floating down to the populous mart on the bosom of her noble rivers.

Mr. Judd's truth and accuracy in the delineation of character

indicate observation close and discriminating, combined with great reflective energy. His men and women, standing apart, as individuals, or as representatives of classes, are real and lifelike; though their manifestations are less of the feverish, factitious turbulence of the outward, than of the graver and deeper workings of the inner world.

Our author builds up no high, mysterious wall of separation between men and angels; by exalting and purifying the former, and humanizing the latter, he brings them on to the same plane, where they hold earnest and natural communings. Gabriel and Philo are affectionate and sympathizing friends.

The Pastor, the Poet, and the Skeptic are all drawn by a mas ter's hand. The death scene is as full of Christian truth and beauty, as of human hope and tenderness. The court scene of the world is admirable. The visit to the forest lodge of the sturdy woodman, whose "axe snapped keenly through the frozen umbrage," makes a charming picture; and here our deepest heart is touched by the simple and exquisite expression that is given to the profound affinity that exists between nature and religion. But we have not space to point out all that we have found in this book of beauty and of power. It must be read carefully and candidly, to be appreciated or understood. It is worthy of great praise; yet we feel that it is open to some severity of criticism. We are never quite sure that Mr. Judd's fine thoughts will be presented to us in an attractive garb. In his happier moments, no element of grace or taste seems wanting to his nice and forcible expression, while at other times every element of both seems to have forsaken him, and his form of speech becomes strange, awkward, quite incomprehensible, and almost intolerable; still, if this uncouth dialect be truly idiocratic, we can school our sensitive ears to bear an occasional twinge, and thank Mr. Judd heartily for his books, for we cannot afford to lose his thoughts. This volume contains many passages of pure poetry, but more of profound thought and generous sentiment. It is so fresh and racy, that it often sparkles like the purest spring water, welling up to the sunlight from beneath the rock. It is so bold and free, that the soul within us is uplifted by communion with a spirit that walks erect. It is so pure and healthful, that we feel a moral strength in reading it, akin to our physical exhilaration when breathing the open, untainted air of the mountains. In a word, it is thoroughly humane, and so eminently, and in the best sense, Christian.

The Birds of Aristophanes. With Notes, and a Metrical Table. By C. C. FELTON, Eliot Professor of Greek Literature in Har

THE Comedies of Aristophanes are of great historical impor tance, as revealing Athenian life in a manner and degree alike peculiar, by travestying the principal characters and exposing the abuses and the corruptions of the time. They are entertaining, as being informed and adorned with all that a wit the most brilliant and genial, and a fancy the most luxuriant, could bestow. They were composed, for the most part, in the purest Attic, and as the theme varies show in turn all the power, grace, and delicacy of that most highly wrought form of the Greek language,

.T. In the play before us, and in his excellent edition of the Clouds, Professor Felton has given the text entire, instead of omitting, as some editors from the worthiest motives have done, such passages as offend against moral purity and taste, But-to his honor be it recorded · neither on the former occasion nor on the present does he incline or attempt to make an excuse for the coarseness and obscenity which here and there degrade and defile the otherwise charming pages of the Coryphæus of the Attic dramatists, though he justly intimates that a comparison in this particular of Greek comedy with English is strangely in favor of the writer of the pagan age. We wish it had not been too much to expect that a mind like that of Aristophanes by nature so comprehensive and subtile, disciplined and furnished by a culture so various and exquisite should be

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Would, indeed, we could find some such plausible explanation of the appearance of these intruders into goodly company, as that which the poet Wordsworth gives of the existence of the gross scenes and passages in our own great Shakspeare; but the cos tume in Aristophanes, befitting forms wellnigh divine, too plainly attest at whose bidding they came. SI

The commentary on this play is written with a grace almost Athenian, and while it contains much that is pleasing and attrac tive, as well as explanatory, it is highly critical withal. The grave learning which the editor brings us here is borne with his characteristic ease. We are gratified to see the Scholia so largely adduced in the discussion of the difficult passages. The labors of the veteran Bothe are often used, but with that discrim ination which his views, sometimes singularly happy and well weighed, at other times very hasty and injudicious, render necessary. To elucidate or settle some of the obscure and doubtful points in the ornithology of the piece, the editor has received the

aid of the distinguished Agassiz, and has consulted the work of Von der Mühle. The coincidences between the facts stated by Von der Mühle and the allusions of Aristophanes are the more remarkable, as they were not sought after by the author with a view to confirm or even to illustrate any Greek classic.

We have detected but few typographical errors, and many thanks are due to the publisher for the very handsome form in which he has put forth the work.

The Oration of Eschines against Ctesiphon. With Notes. By J. T. CHAMPLIN, Professor of Greek and Latin in Waterville College, Me. Cambridge: John Bartlett. 1850. 12mo. pp. xii. and 182.

IN two previous volumes, prepared on a plan similar to that of the present, Professor Champlin gave to the public several of the orations of Demosthenes, comprising the Oration on the Crown, and, of the Political Orations, Olynthiac I., II., and III., Philippic I., On the Chersonesus, and For the Liberty of the Rhodians. Though these works have neither received any elaborate review, nor elicited any distinguished praise, yet they have been in a good degree useful, especially as suggesting and encouraging a more general study of Demosthenes, and as making the labors of able critics, such as Vömel, Sauppe, and Dipen, somewhat accessible to our students, We have diligently examined many of the notes of the volume now under our notice, and though, as a whole, the commentary is far superior to that on the Oration on the Crown, yet in some instances there is an inexactness of statement, an infelicity of explanation, which ought not to mar annotation on these matchless discourses. Believing, as we do, that these instruments of education should be models of excellence in all respects, we cannot forbear adverting to the diction of the notes, which too often presents a contrast to the pure and elevated style of the text. We find some inconsistency in the editor's manner of writing Greek names in English. On p. 130 Kepσoßλenins is given by Kersobleptes, but on p. 141 Cirrha occurs after Kippaior; on p. 147 we have Charoneia from Xapoveía, while on the following page Cadmea represents Kadpcía. A few notes here added will exemplify the faults to which we have above referred. P. 115, "on, now at length. And thus, generally, on is now, in some way out of season, i. e. too early or too late, like the Latin jam." P. 129, "Tà 8è perà raûra. Literally, the after these things." P. 147, "ep' uv, in our age. Literally, upon us, while we say, under one." On p. 115 we find, "ì [Tivos apxovros], under, or, more strictly, upon. It denotes time,

1850.]

Notices of Recent Publications.

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or a course of events, as dependent upon some person (literally, during the course of events dependent upon what archon)." In the former case érí could not be rendered under, and though it may thus be translated in the latter case, yet the idea of subordination in that and kindred instances lies in the context, and is not inherent in the preposition, as the editor's analysis implies. P. 156, “[ok]ápado" is explained to mean, "ambassadors conveyed in a Tápaλos, or sacred galley"; as if the Athenians had a class of ships called αἱ πάραλοι.

Among the verbal mistakes, we notice on p. 132, ovveíπov; and on p. 140 'Diados, and the same incorrect form is given in the text on p. 37. The book, however, is printed in a careful manner, and presents an attractive and beautiful appearance.

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The Works of Horace, with English Notes, a Life of Horace, and an Explanation of the Metres. By EDWARD MOORE, M. A. Cambridge: Published by John Bartlett, Bookseller to the University, 1850. 12mo. pp. 4596 m¶

We welcome Mr. Moore's new edition of Horace, and would welcome every edition which can tend to promote the study of this finished and elegant poet; being unwilling to assent to a remark of the editor, which we read with great surprise, that, "", as a lyric poet, Horace does not rank very high." / We know of no lyric poetry in modern literature more exquisitely tender, more enlivening, or more lofty, than is to be found among the Odes of Horace. do notme) ond po 1997 67 totrad

This edition is handsomely printed at the University Press, and its character may be inferred from the Preface: ay natur

Although the editor is well aware that there are several editions of Horace which are highly and deservedly esteemed, he yet believes that many teachers have felt the want which he has himself experienced, and which he has here endeavoured to supply, that, namely, of an edition of this valuable author, which should be better adapted to the requirements of students; which should explain all real difficulties clearly and 'concisely, and yet call upon the student for research and perseverance ; which should, in a word, incite him to study, and not relieve him from the necessity of it. If the editor has succeeded in this, his principal object, he will be amply satisfied with the result of his labors, and will consider it of comparatively small importance if, according to the judgment of abler scholars, he has in some instances failed to elucidate the author's real meaning."

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Mr. Moore has departed from the usual policy of school-book editors, in publishing the complete works of his author. Some of the Odes and Epodes might, in our opinion, have been advantageously omitted. Pieces too gross to allow notes explanatory