The subject of it is a dialogue between Peter Bembus and his father Bernard Bembus, withina few days after their return from Sicily, on the conflagrations of Etna. Peter Bembus represents, that he wrote this book to satisfy the curiosity of those, who after his return from Sicily, knowing that he had made it a particular object of his attention, were constantly making enquiries of him cóncerning Etna. No mention is made of this work in any Life which I have seen of Peter Bembus, or, as he is called generally, Peter Bembo. I am rather surprized that the compilers of the last edition of the Dictionnaire Historique have been guilty of this omission. This tract of Bembus is added to the fragments of P. Cornelius Severus, pub lished at Amfterdam, cum notis Variorum, by David Mortier, in 1715., There are two or three other tracts by Aldus in this beautiful type, of which Lord Spencer has one that has never been noticed. The reader who wishes for further particulars concerning this rare book, may consult Smith. From a book so exceedingly rare, a short extract cannot fail of being acceptable. B. P. Sed quis inhabitat Deus? B. F. Fauni esse fontem illum dicunt. B. P. Fabellam te video inchoare: sed quoniam in Faunum incidimus, sequere: detineri enim me ab illo facile patior; cum quo te scio libenter etiam carminibus ludere interdum solere. Istud autem qui sciunt? an ita fortasse conjectantur? B. F. Videre se aiunt pastores ipsum Deum passim errantem per sylvas, et pascua; tum etiam sedentem sub illis arboribus coronatum pinu, et tacentem sæpius, interdum tamen etiam fistula solantem amores. Sed continebo potius me hic, pater, levia enim ista sunt; et mihi loqui tecum, nisi reverenter, non licet: quanquam quidem; si pergerem; faceremus ipsi in hac re; quod facere etiam reges in cœnis solent: qui quidem inter apros, et pavones; quibus habundant quotidie; interdum tamen et allium poscunt, et betas. Neque sanè animus noster vacare semper rebus severioribus potest; neque si vacet; tamen ex illis tam plenam capit jocunditatem; quam si ea ipsa remitteret interdum, et mox non longo intervallo intermissa revocaret. Ita nos quidem nunc gravia illa philosophia studia; quibus quidem certe id omne tempus soles, quod tibi per rempubli. licet impertire; melius etiam fabellis istis levioribus condicemus: et quidem licet maxime vel in Noniano fabulari. B. P. Sanè Sanè quidem licet; dum illud tamen, semper teneatur; ut cerato remige Sirenas, quod aiunt. Et profecto poeta ille sapientissimus nunquam Ulissi concessisset, quem prudentissimum semper facit; ut Sirenarum cantus audiret; nisi liceret etiam gravibus et sapientibus viris; quorum tamen in numero me non pono; minus seriis adesse interdum rebus, et lusus captare non adeo severos; modo ne remiges audiant; học est, ne sensus pateant voluptatibus; quibus et demulcentur ipsi semper; et nisi ratione occlusi sint, sæpe etiam facillime capiuntur: quod tibi esse faciundum in vita maxime semper censco, Bembe fili: nam nisi te ita informaris, ut voluptatum illecebris animum impervium geras; non possum dicere, quam multæ tibi occurrent species earum; quæ te non adolescentem modo (ut es nunc) demulcere possint, et delinire, ac etiam debellare, et devincere; sed planè etiam virum. Itaque illis aut magnanimiter imperandum est; quod fecerunt viri omnes magni, et boni, et ii, quos propterea deos etiam appellavere; vel omnino turpiter deserviendum, in quo quidem tu (si me audies) non committes; ut rejecta continentia, atque ipso amore virtutis ex illorum sis grege, de quibus præclare Oratius, Nos numerus sumus, et fruges consumere nati, In cute curanda plus æquo operata juventus; Sed quoniam jam advesperascit, procedamus in atrium nugæ autem pastorales istæ tuæ sub umbris sunt potius, et inter arbores, quam intra penates recensendæ. Quæ cum dixisset, et jam in atrium pervenissemus, ego finem loquendi feci: ille cogitabundus in bibliothecam perrexit. IMPRESSUM VENETIIS IN AEDIBUS ALDI RO MANI MENSE FE BRUARIO AN NO. M. DR. BIRCH. IN his Life of Henry, Prince of Wales, eldest Son of James I, Dr. Birch has inserted the following account of the commencement and progress of his work, which to individuals engaged in similar pursuits, will communicate a certain degree of interest. "Tho. Birch, 24 January, 1760. "This book was begun to be compiled on Monday, January 1, 1759, and the first draught finished finished on Monday the 29th of that month. It was revised in February and March following, ́and occasionally improved till it was committed to the press in September, the same year: the first proof sheet being corrected by me, on Friday the 21st of that month, and the last sheet printed off on Wednesday, January 23d, 1760. Ou Thursday, January 31, it was presented to the Prince of Wales, at his Levee in Saville House, the Earl of Bute introducing me to His Royal Highness. Friday, Feb. 8, the book was published, It has been reprinted in Dublin, by George Faulkener, whose edition was published on Tuesday, April 15, 1760." By this circumstantial detail we learn, that the author was one month in writing his book; he was occupied two months in revising it; but that he employed the interval between March and September to put the finishing hand to his labours. It was three entire months in passing through the press, which, as it consists of about thirty-five sheets, was in the proportion of three sheets a week. All this appears to be very judicious, and it is to be lamented at the present day, that authors and publishers do not take a little more time to deliberate upon these matters, and to render their labours more perfect. But it is almost the universal custom, that the moment an agreement |