The Sun.
London, England, 1863-09-24 00:00:00

A Curious Case of Literary Plagiarism.

The Athencewn states that a very curious case of literary
plagiarism is now engaging much attention in the two
Universities—greatly to the disadvantage of Cambridge.
The Camden Medal, for the best Latin poem on " India
Pacificata," was this year awarded to Mr. F. W. H. Myers,
a scholar of Trinity College. The poem having been printed,
eyes quicker and more critLal than those of the examiners
pet ceive that a large portion—some say more than one,
fourth of it—has been taken, line for lino and word for
word, from the prize poetry of Oxford. To give a few in-
stances. Mr. Myers has these lines :

si non fluit auro
Finibus his rutilam uoluens Plata diues harenam,
Si non peatifero pallens sub fornice seruus
Incumbit madidis aeterna nocte fodinis.
Seniinaque effossi cogit generosa metalli ;
At tibi concessit foecundos überb campos
Sol propior, tibi pampineo grauidus autumno
Floret ager, moderatque aestum intactabilis anni.
The following lines appear in the Oxford poem for 1812,
by Mr. H. Latham, of Brasenose

si non fluit auro
Finibus his rutilam volvens Plata dives arenam,
Si non pestifero pallens sub fornice servus
Incumbit madidis feterna nocte fodinis,
Seminaque effossi cogit pretiosa metal!' ;
At tibi concessit fcecundos übere tempos
Sol propior, tibi pampineo....
—And Virgil, Georg. ii. 5 ;
pampiaeo gravidus auctumno

Floret ager.
—This passage, also put under contribution, appears in
Mr. Law's Oxford poem of 1807 :
Mulcentque restum intractabilis anni.
Again, Mr. Myers has these lines :
Nene ergo inpastae proiecta cadavera circum
inuigilate tigres, obscenarumque volucrum
Tetra super legio ferali remiget ale.
—Compare three lines in a poem by C. Wordsworth, of
Christ Church, which obtained the prize in 1827 :
Bum procul impastm projects cadavera circum
Invigilant tigres, obscamarureque volucrum
Tetra super legio feral' remigat ala.
Again, Mr. Myers has—
Nunc autem e ccelo niveis concordia pennis
Plaudit, et anuorum incepit formosior ordo
Securos veluti cum raucg per requora nidos
Alcyones posuere, tugantur carmine nubes,
Suave micant fluctus et detumuere procellaa.

—Compare with the following passage from the Oxford
poem of 1827, by Mr. Wordsworth :
Pone sequens coelo niveis concordia pennis,
Plaudit; et annorum incepit jam put ior ordo,
Securos veluti cum rauca per aquura nidos
Alcyones posuere, fugantur carmine nubes,
Suave micant fluctus et detumuere procellte.
And, again, Mr. Myers has—
Fortunate nimis regio, si munere quantum
Nature) flares, tantum contingeret et to
Florere a9ternum virtute animisque tuorum.
Fottuata nimis regio, si in vera veniret
Barbarus oflicae, et jam tandem turpia vellet
Vincula desiem et longum excussisse veternum,
—Compare with the Oxford poem of 1807, by W. J. Law,
of Christ Church :
Fortunate nimis regio; si rune quoque quantum,
Muncribus variis aucta ceelique solique.
Tuntum etiam aucta lures virtute anireisquo tuorum-
Fortunate nimis regio, si in sane rediret,
Cunsilia Hispanus : si tandem turpia vellet
Vincula desidite et longum excussisse veternura.
—Much curious speculation is going on in the University
as to what action the authorities will take in the matter.
So flagrant a case of plagiarism cannot be overlooked; and
the general opinion is, that the examiners will have to re.
view their decision, and call upon Mr. Myers for an expla-
nation of his conduct.

The old saying of "Murder will out" appears
likely to be verified in the case of a crime commit-
ted two years ago on the person of en old man named De-
france, residing at Laval (Aisne), who was killed while
alone in his house, the murderer never since being disco-
vered. About a fortnight ago a quarrel took place in the
street between the son of the uiurdeised man and a relative.
Words of the most insulting kind were exchanged, when
the relative, irritated by some remark of young Defrance,
exclaimed that at all events he had never attempted to kill
his father. The observation soon came to the cars of the
authorities, and the wife of the old man, his son's wife, and
th© servant were interrogated, and ultimately sent in cus-
tody to Laon. The son of Defrance was not at home at the
time, but on his return he also was taken into custody.

The next eclipse of the present year, one of the
sun, takes place on the 11th of November, It will not be
visible at Paris, but can be seen on the southern hemi-
sphere, at Cape Horn, the Cape of 0004 Hope, and Aus-
tralia,