that they scan too well; the scansion is (of course intentionally) pronounced in all of them: and consequently they are all precisely like each other, and none, to my ear, at all like Horace. As to the remaining ode, I should imagine that a person unacquainted with Horatian metres (and it is for the benefit, I presume, of such that these translations are made) the first two lines of every stanza would appear to be lax Alexandrines, the third the metre of "When the British warriorqueen" (or of " Over rivers and Mountains" occasionally, as in the case of the last stanza but two); and the fourth no recognisable metre whatsoever.

One more criticism I would venture on upon a different point. I submit that "Trembled the”. "Romans be"-" turn the helm" (though the next word did not begin with a consonant)—are not dactyls. Surely "helm" and "realm” are as distinctly long syllables as any can be. I do not mean to say that we are to conform rigorously to the Greek and Latin rules. I should admit that the second syllable of words like "disallowed," "warranted," or "organ-voiced" is short, and I think Mr. Tennyson made a false quantity when he placed "organ-voiced" where he did in the Milton alcaics. He might plead that without the aid of some actual Latin adjective such as" atlantean," or some exceptional English compound, such as un-swan-like," for a central word, it seems impossible to imitate the most frequently recurring form of the Horatian third line. But at least we should remember that these rules were not arbitrary ones: it was from conformity to them, or rather to the theories of musical sound which they embodied, that the Greek verse derived its character, its melody and grace; and we cannot surely ignore them utterly, as most metrical writers habitually do, without sacrificing what really much more than the metre, constitutes the essence and the "rhythm" of the verse. A Greek line is, in fact, a succession of vowels, separated by consonants introduced sparingly, and under such restrictions that it flows on uninterruptedly from syllable to syllable. The flow of an English line is generally choked (so to speak) by blocks of consonants thrown in ad libitum. Compare

or,

"Silenced but unconvinced, when the story was ended, the blacksmith,”

66

Clasped each other's hand, and interchanged pledges of friendship,"

with the first line of the "Iliad.”

"Silenc'd but" is a dactyl, Interchang'd pledges" is a reproduction of μñviv aεide. Only conceive the havoc that we should

encdb a short syllable.

make in one of Homer's lines if we inserted here and there such encumbrances as ncdb, ngdbl, or even Mr. Fortescue's dth, nsb, &c., between two of the short vowels. Compare again a pentameter by one of the very best of our metrical writers:

with

"Joyous knight-errant of God, thirsting for labour and strife”—

"Impia quid dubitus Deianira mori."

The Latin pentameter of which the former is really a counterpart, is this:

Troius ni terrent ob cor, versat per labor et stryx.

Does this bear the faintest resemblance to one of Ovid's pentameters? I have a strong belief that any line which obeys the same laws of euphony as the Greeks and Romans observedsuch a line as "The moan of doves in immemorial elms," or as many of Mr. Kingsley's own-resembles and reminds one of their poetry far more than these concatenations of so-called dactyls and spondees, which seem to me, even when they scan perfectly, to be not so much verses as skeletons of verses.

Metre (if I may end with a metaphor) is, in my view, a sort of framework whose office it is to support the verse. It is possible to train a rose or a vine upon a trellis so that, while it adheres firmly, it is still left to follow its own devices and form its own pattern over the laths, which are only seen here and there amongst the leaves and tendrils. It would also be possible to force every branch and spray into strict conformity with the lines of the frame, so that the outline of its squares should be the only outline visible. The former method seems to me to be the way in which Homer and Virgil, and all poets ancient or modern, whose works I am linguist enough to read, have dealt with metre; and the latter the way it is dealt with by metrical translators.

I am, Sir, yours very faithfully,
Č. S. CALVERLEY.

SCHOLASTIC REGISTRATION.

SIR, It is certain that the entire subject of Education must engage the attention of the coming Parliament, as it has already occupied the care of Government. So many interests are therein involved, that it will demand the best attention that can be devoted to it by our future legislators. The rights of Educa

tional bodies and of schoolmasters, as well as the welfare of the nation, in all that depends upon general intelligence and the inculcation of right moral principles, cannot be secured until the Legislature has provided such guarantees as shall protect the public against scholastic empiricism, and also protect educators in the faithful exercise of their profession.

As I know that measures to be proposed by friends of Education will require immediate support, I hasten to suggest to yourself, and through you to your readers, that communication should at once be had with candidates for seats in the House of Commons, and with persons of public influence in general, to enlist the interest of future members, and also to encourage the election of such candidates as, amidst party strifes, will conscientiously devote attention to a matter of such primary and perpetual importance.

Our object, as every one may now remember, is to obtain a law for the Registration of Schoolmasters and Schoolmistresses, in order that the public may be able to discriminate between qualified and unqualified persons. For the present, I must refrain from going further into the subject, deeming it sufficient, very respectfully, to ask the whole body of schoolmasters in the kingdom to prepare at once for such action as may be necessary at and before the next election.

I am, Sir, yours truly,

BARROW RULE,

Hon. Secretary Scholastic Registration
Association.

318

News.

(East.)

(Laws.) BENTHAM.

UNIVERSITY OF LONDON.

WE believe that the following arrangement of Statues for the front of the new University building is that finally decided upon by the Senate:

Seated Figures over the Central Portico.

(Arts.) MILTON.

NEWTON. HARVEY. (West.)

Standing Figures on Roof-line of Centre.

Portrait-Statues in Niches of Ground-Floor of Wings.

LINNEUS.

ADAM SMITH,

} (West.)

GOETHE.

SIR H. DAVY.*

} (West).

*With Astronomical Accessories.

*With Chemical Accessories.

It is probable that a statue of Shakspeare will occupy a prominent place in the interior of the building.

We extract the following from a letter recently addressed by the Registrar to many Graduates whose names were not at the time upon the Register

"The following regulation has recently been adopted by the Senate, and approved by the Secretary of State for the Home Departinent:-That no readmission to Convocation be made except at the first meetings of the Senate in the months of January, April, July, and October; and that no application for readmission be entertained unless the Fee prescribed by the Regulations has been previously deposited in the hands of the Registrar."

At the July meeting of the Senate the applications of 55 Graduates seeking readmission to Convocation were acceded to.

Terence is henceforth to be omitted from the List of Authors from which the Latin subjects are to be selected for the Matriculation Examination, and for the first B.A. Pass Examination.

THE regulations of the UNIVERSITY OF LONDON relating to the examinations for women were printed a few weeks ago, and may be had on application to the Registrar, 17, Savile Row. They differ but slightly from those relating to the men's examination. They do not make a competent know

ledge" of Greek imperative. Three languages must be taken up, and Latin must be one; the other two may be chosen from these four: Greek, French, German, Italian. The only other difference between the two sets of regulations is, that a knowledge of only one book of" Euclid" is demanded of women, whereas the male mind is believed to be capable of mastering six. As the regulations can be so easily procured, there is no need to epitomize them here. The excellent character of the University of London examination, in respect of its subjects, its standard, its conductors, is so well known that we cannot but rejoice its benefits have been thrown open to women. Schoolmistresses have now set up for them the standard which so many of the more earnest members of the profession have for years been longing for. Self-instructors have guidance offered them. It remains now to be seen what advantage will be taken of the benefits held out. The door of the coveted mansion is opened; how many will enter ? It cannot be expected that any great number will rush forward at first; it is pretty certain that of more who do, many will fail to secure an entrance. But however few the numbers of candidates to begin with, however many their failures, there can be as little doubt of the eventual popularity as of the immense advantages of the examination. The University of London has done a good work, and one that will be more and more fully appreciated and prized. It has done its part; now let women do theirs.

AN important step has been taken by the University of Paris. An American lady has received permission to present herself for the examination of the Faculty of Medicine in that University, and has already passed the first professional examination. The same permission is granted to English ladies, to whom, therefore, a fresh avenue to the medical profession is opened. The Paris M.D. Degree involves having passed the examinations for the Baccalauréat ès Lettres, and the Baccalauréat ès Sciences (or some recognised equivalent), and five medical examinations, besides having spent five years in medical study. Permission to attend lectures and Hospital practice at Paris is also accorded to women. The programmes relating to the several examinations may be obtained, by order, from "Jules Delalain et fils, Rue des Ecoles, Paris." Two foreign Universities, those of Paris and Zurich, being now open to female medical students, those who wish to see women practising as physicians are likely to have their desire fulfilled, irrespective of the action of English medical bodies.

A COURSE of Lectures, introductory to the study of Economic Science, will be given to ladies and gentlemen by W. B. Hodgson, Esq., LL.D. (lately an Examiner in Political Economy to the University of London), on successive Saturdays during the months of October and November, at the Architectural Gallery, 9, Conduit Street, W. These lectures are intended to be educational and practical. Students will be invited at the close of each lecture to propose questions, and at the conclusion of the course, those who offer themselves for examination will be required to write answers to a paper of questions. A list of books recommended for private study will be supplied. Candidates