American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1844-11-22
For the American Republican

New PUBLICATIONS. "Virgl with English
notes; for Classical Schools and Academies, by
Francis Bowen, A. NJ" OF the many editions
of Virgil that have appeared within few
years, scarcely one has been equal to the old
Dolphin edition, The only Improvement of
many, consists in having substituted meagre
and indifferent English notes for good Latin
ones; while others in following out this impor-
tant feature have raked together notes from
every department of classic literature, as if the
mere amount given could compensate for want
of congruty and not unirequenty of relevan-
cy. We are in favor of English notes, but we
do not like to see them paraded for display of
erudition which is often fictitious, and COM
posed of different shreds collected at random
and tackled together like the odds and ends of
a rag-bag-but we wish them call of one color
and an even thread" The man who attempts
to illustrate classic author should collect ma
terial from every proper quarter, and be able
then to shape and construct with the genius of
a master-builder Mere research, however di-
ligent, will not suffice for the editing of clas-
sic author. In the work before us we have
evidence that Mr.. Bowen has the industry and
ability requisite for the task he has assumed
He has been careful to avail himself Of the Ia
bors of others, but with judgment and proprie-
ty. Possessing thoroughly original and ana
lytcal mind he has resolved the ideas of others,
and rejecting the dross has blended them with
his own thoughts, and impressed upon the
whole his own living image. There is unity
and identity stamped upon the entire work;
and from beginning to end you feel it is the
labor and production of an original, vigorous
intellect. Seldom have we seen more clear
conception and greater power Of condensation
without obscurity, than are to be found in this
work. The notes too, while they illustrate the
text, are calculated to give the student taste
for the charms of English poetry. Besides the
remarks explanatory of the text, the Bucoles,
Georges, and Eneid, are severally preceded
by short, yet able dissertation on the kinds of
poetry to which they respectively belong
There is also life of Virgil. The work is a
lished by Jas. Munroe & Co., Boston. 1t may
be had of Cushing s. Brother.
The same publishers have Just issued trea-
tise on "Greek and Roman Metres;" translated
from the German of Ed. Munk, by Professors
Beck and FELTON,, of Harvard University. This
work unfods in concise, yet thorough man
ner, the metrical systems of the Greeks and
Romans; and is decidedly preferable to the
work of Hermann which is too ponderous and
mystical 1t supplies want long felt in our
colleges. Its typographical appearance cores
ponds with its merits.
Professor Checks Latin Syntax," by the
same publishers, is chiefly from the German of
G. G.. Zumph, and is for the most part an ex-
cellent treatise. We do not object to placing
all the rules governing any case under the gen
eral head of that case, but we think it would
have been more systematic, and equally as
agreeable to the philosophy of the language, to
have grouped the cases i'll the syntax in the
same manner in which they are placed in the
infection of q noun.