Litchfield enquirer., 1845-05-29
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF SOME OF
THE ANCIENT GREEK LITERATI.

1890 SS~t~NA
2. He issaid to have lived about the year Of the
worlds 3so7; or lit years before the birth Of
Christ. & 9a
I'll 3.sBion had the poet Moschus for his disciple,
-and'both wrote pastoral poetry equally WELL %
"a 4.4All the poems Of Bion which have survived
the wreck Of ages, are Bucolics; and were writ
ten in the Doric dialect. Il 49, M Saa
They are similar to the Bucolics and Pasto-
rails Of Theocritns and Virgil. Pos nss ag9
Ha 6.Although Bion did not equal Theocritus 81
Virgil, those great masters of Pastoral Poetry yet
his poems deserve no less praise, for their pecu-
liar elegance and brilliancy. -, ,..-....~ !,
Z. His Muse paints rural scenery with. an all
most magic, and highly beautiful coloring.
q, 8. One thing may be said of Bion with truth
and that is this
9. His style is always comparatively pure, chaste,
refined and sentimental.
10. As to the mythology Of the poems, have
only to observe, that in accordance with the
superstitious notions of the ancient writers, who
principles Of correct theology.
II. OF the time and manner of Bion's death, we
have no accurate account.
H. Moschus wrote an exqulsitely beautiful and
very pathetic Elegy On the death OF Bion; which
he entitled, lex Iou Epitaphiou Bioonos !; or
1OfMe Epifapk cf Bion, Is though be had intend
ed II as an inscription foF the tomb Of his beloved
teacher in poetry. It commences as follows:
,. ls Harehete, Sikelikai, too Pealieos, harohete
I.
...tt Moisai, y. ss M rs
Begin, o MUSES. Of Sicilian birth, 81
,..st., Begin tae Urge Of grief; sa ..lr
II. Various editions Of Bion's Poems hare been
printed and published in Europe; Of which lshali
notice merely some Of the best:
is. An edition published by Henry Stephen. at
Paris, in 1865, folio. .,,,.... a.,a v.ns 4, ,d
;, le, Fslvius Ursinus published an edition of
Greek Poems, (Bion's among the number in oc-
tayo, at Antwerp, in 1868. yg,s4ttf stiv, r.
II. Ralph Winterton, of Cambridge University
in England. published an elegant edition of the
Lesser Greek Poets. in 1852; and among these, BIZ
on j. included. M A. 5ne.ts ,,;,s,,.. IA,
is. The Idyls of Bion and Moschus were pub
lished in an octave volume, by Nicholas Schwe-
bellius. at Vienna in Austria, in 1746. This edi-
ton was copiously supplied with notes and ami
madyerslons. aaff Ia lsf7 al n easf- .,7v
..t 10. The Works of Bon, the Smyrnean, and
Moschus, the Syracusian, with such Fragments as
have survived, were published by John Heskin. Of
notes and references
20. Adam Schier Of Lepsic, also published an edi-
,tion of Moschus and Bion, with various notes, in
aoctavo--l752.sess 7gel4 a1ifreEate 'a 5laf 81
l 81. But the best edition of Bion, was published
at Amsterdam in Holland, by l.. G. Valckenaer, in
octave, l7S1. 1oI sa sgn'ai "'f9 2}fa@27H e
n a. Bion was rather Of melancholic tempera-
ment--somewhat retired in his manners and hab-
its; but passonatey alive to every form and color
ing of beauty in the works of Nature.
oil sPrevesstive Of hafdelity. John Randolph, in
his best years, always gave the weight of his nau
ence to revealed religion. But it is well known,
that about the time when his character was form
ing, the atheism and materiaiism avowed by GER
tain leading politicians, were making extensive ha
voc of the principles of young men in many parts oi
the land. Mr.. Randolph. (as stated to US by the
Rev. DR.. Alexander of this city, formerly resi-
dent Of the country,) was once speaking on this
subject, to distinguished Southern gentleman, and
used this remarkable language: / believe should
have been swept away by the flood Of French inf
deity, il it had NOT been for one thing = the re-
membrance Of the time when my sainted mother
used to make me kneel by her side. take my little
hands folded in hers, and cause me to repeat the
Lords prayer'--JE ". Teiegyaphs g3G
s,sggg Aes%lflai .1essgE q4 ----- 9 ,rsf etit0 saa
~, .SaaGH Por.-- DR.. Cox, through the medium
of the Cincinnati Gazette, calls the attention Of
the profession tothe subject Of small pox and states,
as the effect ofan extensive experience which he
n = = "a e.