mark, but it is well founded, that no branches of learning have fuffered fo much neglect as thofe which concern human nature moft; thofe which refpe&t the mind of man, and the principles of moral conduct.' Science too undoubtedly declines, but not fo much as our author fufpects, and many fuperficial inquirers have afferted. It is fo generally diffused, that the progreffive voice is almoft loft in the number of claimants: thefe too, in each branch, are so numerous, that a man whose studies had been a few years intermitted, would scarcely recognise the objects around him. In this examination our author is a little too national. The flippancy and the tinfel of France are often mentioned; and French is almost excluded from his courfe of education. This is a material error; and we should fufpect that it arifes from the moft illiberal fource; for not one French book is quoted, fo far as we ob ferve, in the whole volume; and the author afferts, what a perfon acquainted with French would have known to have been unjuft, that every book of value is tranflated. In fact, every popular work is tranflated; but books of value are not always popular. The tinfel of Sterne too is oppofed to the claffic gold of Addifon; Sterne deferves a better character; not for his flippancy and ribaldry, but for his tenderness, his pathos, and his benevolence. Read his works again, fir, without prejudice, if poffible; let the heart, rather than the fcrutinifing eye of criticifm be open, and we hope the genial fuffufion from the moistened cheek will blot this harsh fentence, that it may be feen no more.

The Invention of Language is the next object of his attention; and the remarks on it are frequently curious, and generally fatisfactory. We with our limits would allow us to examine them at greater length.

Alphabetical Writing' must have fucceeded Language, and it follows the former Effay; but, in this, we perceive little added to the former ftock.

• Mifcellaneous Obfervations on the Female Sex' are more valuable. They are diftinguished as well for their candour and delicacy as for their judgment. Women, in our author's opinion, are not inferior in mental powers to men; but this decifion fhould be received with some limitation. We mean not to reject the pretenfions of the ladies, but the mental excellencies of each fex cannot be properly compared. The one certainly excels in fancy, fpirit, and elegance; the other in ftrength, judgment, and application. Single instances cannot affect general rules; and the inftances are fo few, as rather to render the generality more ftriking. After examining the state of the female fex, in different periods, the author,

with great reafon, refers the common opinion refpecting female chastity, to the right of property; for while the woman was confidered as a flave, chastity was in her a duty, which her lord required, while he ranged at liberty. This was undoubtedly the fource of the opinion; but it would have probably been loft in future ages, if it had not been fupported by better arguments.

In the present ftate, fays our author, of fociety, I fee no means by which the fair fex may reasonably hope to escape the evils of domestic tyranny, but by extreme caution and forethought, in what hands they entrust the future happiness of their lives. Without prefuming to lay down a fyftem for their conduct, in a matter of fo much importance to themselves, a little knowledge of character has fuggefted a few hints, which may be ferviceable in preventing improper connexions, and which, on that account, a fenfe of duty will not allow me to fupprefs.

If on any occafion the morals, as well the temper of the party, with whom a connexion is to be formed, ought to be regarded, it is when the whole of temporal enjoyment and fatisfaction is at stake. No vulgar maxim has proved more detrimental to female happiness, than, “that a reformed rake makes the best of husbands." In every inftance that has fallen within my obfervation, the direct contrary has happened. For, in the first place, if the maxim were true, it is far from certain that matrimony will produce a reform. The vanity of an enamoured female may flatter her, that her amiable qualities will effect a reformation; but experience tells us, that the reformation must go deeper than that which is only the momentary effect of an impetuous paffion; it must extend to the moral principle, to the whole mode of thinking. A rake is but another term for a fenfualift, which in itfelf implies the quality felfish; he has been accustomed to facrifice the beft intereft of others to his perfonal gratification; and there are more ways than one of trifling with the happiness of a fellow creature, Further, the libertine has acquired a defpicable opinion of the fex, from converfing only with the depraved part of it: and we know that matrimonial tyranny ufually originates from a contemptible opinion of the female fex. Laftly, in marrying a rake, there are many chances to one, that a woman marries a drunkard; and drunkenness is perhaps the only vice, that is never to be reformed. I might add, that without fome notion of religion, morality has but an uncertain bafis-and what rake would be thought to entertain any respect for religion !

"I would not have the ladies fall into the oppofite extreme, and to avoid a profligate take up with a bigot. Religious enthusiasm has a natural tendency to four the temper: and the fanatic derives his morality not from the mild and equitable precepts of

the

the gospel, but from the rigid and tyrannical inftitutions of the Jews.

• Some caution will be requifite alfo, in engaging with a man, whofe fituation obliges him to be much converfant with the vicious or uncultivated part of mankind; or whofe profeffion inures him to high notions of discipline and implicit obedience.'

The Theory of Government, the Advantages and Inconveniencies of a Republican Form, compared with Monarchy,' are examined with candour; and we strongly recommend them to the warm patriots of the prefent day, eager for reformation.

The author next proceeds to the Principles of Morals, the Atheistical Syftem and Morals of the Ancients, and Religious Establishments. In these Effays he strongly endeavours to connect morality with religion, and to found wisdom on virtue. His arguments are generally strong; they are well selected, but feldom new.

1

The fourteenth Effay is on Education. We have anticipated our author's opinion on the French language, and little remains but to commend. Mr. Gregory is an advocate for fchools large enough for the purpose of emulation, but fo limited as not to prevent every boy from being under the mafter's eye: he recommends the interval also of a year or two, under the care of a private tutor, before the pupil goes to the univerfity. The author, we believe, is well founded in this opinion; but the arguments on the oppofite fide are plausible: we regret, that we cannot at prefent examine the fubject, under the guidance of so judicious a preceptor, as the author before us.

The following Effays on Penetration and Forefight, and on the Unreasonablenefs of Suicide,' are greatly inferior to the others. They are not incorrect; but they skim over the furface, as a swallow fkims over a river, who scarcely penetrates fo far as to wet her wing.

The feventeenth Effay is on the Juftice, Humanity, and policy of the Slave Trade.' These are written with great ftrength of argument and warm fenfibility. Every one muft be convinced of the injuftice and inhumanity of this trade, though intereft may, for a moment, cover it with a veil. May they foon be perfuaded also that it is impolitic; for it is highly probable that in the end it will be found fo!

The laft Effay is on the Caufes which may fubvert British Liberty; and we are glad to find, that the apprehenfions of modern patriots are ill founded. We have often given this opinion, and we are pleased to fee it fupported fo ably in the Effay before us.

Од

On the whole, we think this a very refpectable publication; and, as we have freely cenfured the objectionable parts, we have as freely commended the many others which are valuable:

ΤΗ

Platonis Euthydemus et Gorgias. Recenfuit, vertit, notafque fuas adjecit, Martinus Jofephus Routh, A. M. Collegii D. Mariæ Magd. Oxon. Socius. Oxonii e Typographeo Clarendoniano. 8vo. 55. in Sheets, fmall Paper; 75. 6d. large Paper. Elmily. HE learned world is already indebted to the Clarendon prefs for an excellent edition of five of the dialogues of Plato, by Forster, published in the year 1745; and of three others by Etwall, published in the year 1771, whofe edition, though inferior to that of Forfter, is by no means destitute of merit. The Euthydemus and Gorgias are now prefented to the public, by Mr. Routh, printed at the fame prefs, with the ufual elegance of type, and excellence of paper.

The former of thefe Dialogues, the Euthydemus, has, we believe, never before been printed feparately. A Latin verfion of the Gorgias was published, together with fome of the ocher dialogues of Plato, by Leonardus Aretinus, in the beginning of the fifteenth century: and, about the middle of the following century, the Greek text was printed at Strasburg, but without either verfion or notes.

In difcuffing the merits of the prefent edition, before we enter into particulars, it will be neceffary to lay before our readers, a short account of the principal fources from which the editor has drawn his materials.

The works of Plato were first made public in Europe through the medium of a tranflation. Marfilius Ficinus, of Florence, the celebrated modern Platonist, first published his Latin verfion at Florence, more than twenty years before the publication of Plato in the original language. This verfion was foon afterwards reprinted at Venice, in the year 1491.

The first edition of Plato's works was printed at Venice, by Aldus, in the year 1513, under the care of Marcus Mufurus, a Cretan, who was afterwards raifed to the dignity of archbishop by pope Leo the Tenth. This learned and refpectable editor has celebrated both his author and his patron, in an elegant Greek poem which is prefixed to his edition, and which has fince been reprinted, with a verfion and notes, by Mr. Forster, at the end of his Effay on Accent and Quantity

*

A copy of this edition, printed on vellum, and bound in Turkey lea ther, is faid to have been purchafed at Dr. Afkew's fale, by the late Dr. Hunter, at the enormous price of fifty-five pounds thirteen fhillings.

This edition of Aldus having been printed with great accuracy, from the oldest Greek copies, ftill retains its credit, and has, indeed, been made the great bafis of fucceeding editions.

In the year 1534, an edition of Plato's works was printed at Bafil, under the inspection of Oporinus: but this edition is undoubtedly of inferior authority, fince Oporinus had recourse to no manufcripts.

A fecond edition was printed at Bafil, in the year 1556, under the care of Marcus Hopperus, but rendered more valuable than the former by the various readings with which it was enriched. These readings were taken from a copy of the former Bafil edition, which had been collated throughout with feveral manufcripts, by Arnoldus Arlenius.

The next edition which appears is that of Henry Stephens, printed at Paris in the year 1578, from the text of Aldus. This is the model which Mr. Routh has chosen to imitate; but he has at the fame time corrected it, where it wanted correction, by the affiftance of preceding editions.

Stephens profeffed to have had recourfe to fome ancient copies of Plato, but of what particular defcription cannot now with certainty be known; the expreffion which he ufes is vague and indeterminate, quum autem varia ex veteribus libris auxilia conquifiviffet,' &c. The readings which he derived from thefe fources were partly admitted into the text, and partly inferted in the margin; but his own conjectural emendations were printed entirely either in the margin, or the

notes.

From the credit of this edition, however, Mr. Routh has in fome measure endeavoured to detract, by infinuating, in ftrong terms, that Stephens made ufe of no MSS. but drew his various readings principally, if not folely, from Ficinus's verfion, from the fecond Bafil edition, and from the notes of Cornarius. To this hypothefis, he fays, one objection only can be made; viz. that Stephens has paffed over in filence fome of the best and most valuable readings of the Bafil edition; which it is utterly inconceivable that a man of his judgment and penetration should have done, if he had confulted that edition at all, or at least if he had made it in any degree the bafis of his own. But of this objection, strong as it may at firft fight appear to the unprejudiced reader, our editor obviates the force in a moment, by faying, Vereor autem, ne fimulatio viri in caufâ hujusce rei fuerit; ut ne videretur exemplo illo unquam fuiffe ufus. Imo vero Fifcherus, (in præfat. in Platon. Euthyph. p. 16.) eundem arguit depravationis

et