The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-06-04

" oil bad although the general style OF argu-
ment applied TO the English poet is the same
which he applies to classical authors. Does IL
follow that his cancellations Of the latter are
bad also 70 this pertinent question Mr.. Jcbb
reioins that many Of BcntIey's proposed read
ings especially in the case Of Latin writer's are
bad but many OF them are good in n way and
in degree for which Paradise Lost" afford
cd no scope. 1t is, indeed. rule dcducible
from Bentley's corrections that their merit
varies invorsoly with the sOundness Of the text
Where the text seemed altogether hopeless,
he was at his best; whore 1t was cor
ruptcd but not deeply, he was usually good
though not always convinc whore it was
true. yet difficult through some trick OF lndi-
vdual thought or style. he was apt to NEEDLE
overmuch. 1t was his forte to make rough
places smooth his foible to mako smooth places
rough.
We must remember that in Bentley's time
very many Latin writer's. and nearly all
Greek authors. were known only through texts
teeming with every fault that could spring
from II scribo's Ignorance Of grammar, metre.
and sense We in these days. are accustomed
to Greek and Latin texts which, though they
may be- still more or less unsound. are seldom
40 defective as greatly to obscure the authors
his composition as work OF art. For
this state of thi ngs we have largely to
thank the Impulse given by Bentley,
who chiefly differs from, the prin-
osnizin. loss distinctly that conjecture should
bo the last resource Undoubtedly he was in
clined to he much too prccipitate, and herein
he represented Il retrogression from the wise
caution of Cnsaubon. l can point out" said
Casaubon " that this place is corrupt; amend
i cannot without the help OF manuscripts"
Bentley would not always wait for manuscripts.
yet his delay in accomplishing his great de-
sign of revising the Greek text OF the New
Testament would seem to attest Il growing per-
ception OF the rule on which DR.. Wcstcott and
DIR. Hort have laid so much stress in theirre-
cent edition" knowledge of documents should
precede final judgment upon readings"
Verbal emcndation however was only one
phase of Bentley's work in scholarship. His
higher criticism OF ancient history. chronel-
ogy philosophy. literature, il mainly, repre-
scented by the dissertation on Phalaris. but his
treatment Of particular topics In the reply to
Collins and in the Boyle Lectures Mr.. Jebb
would describe the influence which Bentley
has exerted in the sphere OF scholarship as " a
great dBmonic energy, force which cannot
he moasurcd-as Persons can. for instance
force which operates not only by the written
letter. but also and more widely still. by sug-
gestion, stimulus. inspiration almost as vivid
rs could be communicated by the voice. the
countenance, the apprehended nature OF a
auiry into the origin Of the Homeric poems
and Niebuhr's examination OF Roman legends
are the rpe efforts of Il criticism to which Bent
leys dissertation ON Phalaris gave the first
pattern of method. And. curiously enough.
the historical and literary criticism by which
Bentley stimulated such men as Wolf was com
paratively unappreciated in England until the
fruits OF its provocative energy were brought
home from Germany