From my profession you are not to expect much erudition; but a very unlettered observer on the spot must have evidently many advantages over the most learned reasoner at a distance. I shall be very much obliged to you, if either yourself or any one of your learned friends can tell me if the preposition Kara, cum accusativo, may be made to signify ad, to. The topography of Syracuse absolutely requires a passage in Thucydides to be thus rendered. He says, (uyy. s'. prope finem,) “ ὁ δε πεζος εχωρει ευθυς δρόμο προς τας Επιπολας, και φθανει αναβας κατα το Ευρυηλον,” which H. Stephanus (edit. Francof. 1594, fol.), thus translates "sed peditatus cursu confestim ad Epipolas contendit, et per Euryelum [illuc] ocyus ascendit [et occupavit]." The words in brackets are printed in italics; and by them it is evident that Stephens understood what the text seems to im ply, that the Athenians ascended through Euryclus (a hill) to occupy Epipola, which is impossible: for, first, Epipola is lower than Euryclus and lies under it, that is, is nearer to Ortygia and the sea; and, secondly, because the Athenians, having landed at Leo, between Thapsus and Syracuse, it is necessary to pass through Epipola to get at Euryelus: at least it is the shortest and best road. My wish, therefore, is to render the passage of Thucydides thus, "sed peditatus cursu confestim ad Epipolas contendit, et ascendens usque ad Euryelum occupat illum," sc. Euryelum. If this cannot be admitted consistently with the Greek idiom, Thucydides has made a mistake; though VOL. II. 2 c his local knowledge is in general wonderfully correct. I may here by the way observe, that in all the editions of Livy I have seen, there is a typographical error, by which a gate is turned into a haven. We read "ad portum Trogiliorum," instead of portam.* There may also have been such a haven near Syracuse (hodie Sentino, forsan); but the context shows that the assault made by Marcellus was a land operation. This gate was "propter Turrim Galegram :" that is, near the place now called Scala Græca; and, for want of this slight amendment of reading a for u, which I do, meo periculo, Amico, the annotator of Fazello, writes some nonsense. May I take the liberty of asking if you are likely to favor the world with an enlarged and new edition of your Essay on Coins: the last edition I have seen is of 1808, which teaches us so much that one wishes to learn more from the same master. If a new edition is in contemplation, I beg your bookseller will send a copy to Mr. Carpenter in Bond Street for me, who will pay him for it. I have written to Mr. Carpenter: if no new edition is preparing, I beg the last may be sent. * Drakenborch, who also reads portum, not portam, has a long note upon this passage; the first sentence in which note is a quotation from Glareanus, who observes he does not understand what portum can mean in this place. It appears by this note that the Roman edition of 1472, and several others, have portam, as suggested by Gen. Donkin. MR. HENRY SIDDONS TO MR. PINKERTON. Edinburgh, Dec. 1st, 1812.* Mr. Siddons, with the greatest respect, returns Mr. Pinkerton's tragedy. Mr. Siddons has read it with great satisfaction, but is forced to declare that it is quite beyond the capability of a company out of London. It would be impossible any where else to get the characters, particularly the female parts (of which three should be sustained by clever actresses) done any justice to. The play likewise requires the aid of peculiar * Just before this time, Mr. Pinkerton, broken in health and annoyed by a variety of circumstances, but particularly by the embarrassed state of his pecuniary affairs, had removed from London to Edinburgh, there to take up his residence. His friend, Mr. Young, in a letter written three months previously to this, tried hard to dissuade him from such a step; representing how few of his former acquaintances he would find alive, how unfavorable the air of Scotland was likely to prove to an invalid, and how little prospect there was of his turning his talents to any profitable account, north of the Tweed." I know of no literary situations in Scotland," says he, "which do not in a manner appertain to the clergy and professors, who have the eyes of a hawk for them. The independent spirit you carried out of this country should keep you above all changes of fortune; and the reputation you have acquired in a department in which reputation will long survive you, should console you for almost any disappointment. No man considers himself to have been successful equal to his merits; and many of my acquaintance whose prosperity I have most envied, I have found, on a nearer examination, to be miserable from some hidden cause." scenery and much splendor in the articles of dresses and decorations. If Mr. Siddons may be allowed the liberty of advice, he would recommend it to Mr. Pinkerton to send the manuscript to the Drury Lane managers, who, he makes no doubt, would pay it every attention; as Mr. Siddons is convinced that the nature of the play requires the aid of magnificence in its getting up. MR. HENRY SIDDONS TO MR. PINKERTON. Edinburgh, March 24th, 1813. I was in hopes that I should have seen you when the play* was over last night. I can assure you * The name of the play was The Heiress of Strathern, or the Rash Marriage; and it was stated in the bills to be "a tragedy written by a gentleman of Edinburgh, and never acted on any stage." Mr. Terry, afterwards of the London theatres, and Mr. and Mrs. Henry Siddons, performed parts in it. Whether this is the same tragedy, as is referred to in former letters in this correspondence, I have no means of knowing. The epilogue was very obligingly written by Mr. R. P. Gillies, to whom Sir W. Scott had recommended Mr. Pinkerton to apply on the occasion. The prologue was from his own pen; and, as no specimen of his poetry has yet been given in these volumes, I am induced to subjoin it, to enable the reader to judge of those powers which have so often been praised in the course of this correspondence, and to warn the young against giving too implicit a belief to the kind praises of obliging friends. However Mr. Pinkerton's name may live hereafter as an antiquary, as a poet it assuredly never will. "mediocribus esse poetis Non homines, non dii, non concessere columnæ." no possible exertion was spared on the part of the performers. Several poetical passages were most highly applauded; but, when the audience discovered the circumstance of the brother and sister, they grew outrageous, and would hardly suffer Mr. Terry to conclude the play. I stood on the stage several minutes to obtain a "PROLOGUE. "In vain the prologue's art to raise applause, While crimes of fate alone torment the soul: While heaven-born Pity heaved the conscious sigh, Those judge the best, whose breasts with candor glow." |