New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-07-05

University of Edinburrh etc. New edition revised
and enlarged. LarGe Svo, pp xvi. 459. Oxford: AT
tie Clarendon Press.
Mr.. Sear has brought to his work abundant
qualifications. Scholarship, a quick insight into
poetic excellence, and keen sympathy with the
widely varied phases of it's expression. trained APP
probation for beauty of form well rs for native
force aud hearty enthusiasm for his subject, all
lend their and to make this study of unusual I'M
portance and value 1t will of course chiefly in
tcrest those whom tho poets themselves have al
ready interested but il may also be recommended TO
those who have only the general interest aroused by
ordinary reading being at once safe and a fas-
cnatng guide.
In his first chapter Mr.. Sellar considers the gen.
eral characteristics Of Roman poetry, and points
ont that While il cannot claim the unborrowed
glory or inspiration Of Greek poetry il is sll Romc's
most complete literary monument. Though for tho
form and large part of the substance of their
works the Roman poets were indebted to Greece in
their spirit and character thay national, giving
utterance to the patriotic feeling the dignity and
moral strength Of the imperial republic. In place
of the spccuaions upon the problems of life and
the individual contemplation of Greek poetry, we
have the deep sense of Romc's lofty destiny and
majesty.
We next to the vestiqcs of early indigo
nous poetry in Italy. The theory OF Nl"huhr which
was adopted by Macauiay as the basis of his " Laws
of Ancient Rome" is satisfactorily rcfIted and it
acer of early Italian poetry it bore no relation to
the ballad. The early legends of Rome which have
been preserved to us in the pages Of Tivy and else
where. seem to their birth not certainly to the
poctical spirit Of the primitive Romaus-for all the
evidence goes to show that the Romans were. in the
earlier stages of their national life little moved by
any kind of poetical magination-but to n conbina-
ton Of the tcnacty of the national mcmory+and the
strong tcndency-whch Grotc remarks also among
the Greeks-to explain institutions and memorials
by concrete facts.
The two earliest Roman poets of whom anything
is known are Livius Andronicus aud Na'vius. Of
the former practically all that we know is
that he the medium through which lit
erary art was introduced to the Romans, and
that he devoted himself chiefly to the rcproluc
ton of Greek tragedy. lie also translated the
Odyssey into SatuTnian verse but seems to have
had original poetic force his chief service was
in directing the attention of his predecessors the
study and imitation of the great masters of Greece
NRvius, the first in the line of really Roman poets
is figure of much greater Importance of whom
however. of Livius few fragments remain. His
chief work an epic in Saturnian metre on the
First Punic War. Though both Ennus and Virgil
are known to have borrowed from this poem not
enough remains to enable to form any true eat-
mate of its merit.
The most important name of the first period of
Roman liera urc is Ennius. who may be regarded
as the founder of Latin poetry, as we know it, He
had great energy and industry, and many-sided
learning Mr.. Sellar considers in turn his miscel-
laneous works, his SaturR-a word originally
meaning very much the same thing as Salmagun;i-
his tragedies and his most important work of all
the Annals" n metrical chronicle Of Rome of
which about sin hundred lines remain. This poem
marked epoch in Latin literature Funi,ls set
before his countrymen an image combining the
commanding features of his own time with the
proud memories of the past The work is bald and
prosaic in many places, but its genuine national
character and patriotic enthusiasm in the eyes of
his countrymen redeemed its shortcomings
On his Successors in tragedy Pacuvius and Accius
need not dwell. Tragedy never lourishcd in
Roman soil and these two have left little by which
to judge them. In comedy, however, the plays of
Plautus and Terence show much greater success
The former, with his Intimate knowledge of Greek
his good-natured. somewhat contemptuous view Of
mankind. his easy and uncontemplativc enjoyment
of life and high animal spirits succeeded in making
genuine Latin comedies out of his adaptations from
the Greek His characters wear Greek names but
talk and act like Romans. With Terence came in
new era. His aim apparently TO create n
national Latin literature by deviating "a little as
possible in spirit, form and substance from the
Greek, concentrating his attention entirely on form
and style. The effort to infrIse something of
Attic feasibility and delicacv into the idiomatic
purity of the best Latin III charm of style he sur
passes his predecessors but he lacks their creative
power
Satire, in its modern sense, owed less than any
other form of literature to Greece Its inventor
was Lucilius, the model whom Horace Juvcnal and
other satrists less closely followed and
whose characteristics perhaps mainly to be
gathered from their more highly polished verse.
More space is devoted to Lucreius naturally than
to any other poet. Lucretius may be said to be- in
one sense, the Wordsworth Of Roman poetry as
being the poet whom his admirers insist upon our
praising, whether we will or no. In this way we
think that real harm has been done to his reputa-
ton. While Mr. Sellar is entirely free from this
tendency, his moderation and his full and elaborate
description and analysis of the personal character
istics of Lucretius of his philosophy his religious
attitude and moral teaching and of his literary art
and genius. go far to explain and justify the en-
thusiasm of the poets admirers.
The last chapter is devoted to Catullus one Of the
most Interesting personally of Roman poets The
identity of the famous Lesbia with Clodia the dis
soute sister of Cceros great enemy is established
on satisfactory grounds. few happy touches
place before us the ardent. hig-sprited inpulsivc
youth with curious distincness and n s mastery of
language and metre, his exquisite sense of dlction
as well the intense passion of his poetry are adj
mirably set forth.
Although unfortunate in his love- he has shown
capacity of ardent self-forgctful and constant de-
votiOn that deserved "a better object He cOud care
for another more than for his life and happi-
ness. And he had. in degree rarely euualled a
virtue which devoted lovers often want the trucst
ton for many friends. His very dependence on
their sympathy in all his JOY and sorrow is a claim
on the sympathy of the world If to love warmly
constantly and unselishly be the best title to the
love of others few poets in any age country, de-
serve kindlicr place i'll the hearts of men than
the young Catullus"