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logy could afcertain fo many dates in the remote ages of Greece with fuch precifion, how happens it that the hiftorians, both before and after his time, complain of their want of epochas, cafions, &c. which would be a flagrant imputation either on their knowlege or integrity? But,

V. Though fuch WONDERFUL DISCOVERIES in ancient history are exhibited in this Chronicle, as, if it had been KNOWN at Paros, muft have made it copied, cited, praifed, cenfured, or mentioned, by fucceeding writers, yet neither Strabo, Paufanias, nor Athenæus,-neither Apollodorus, Diodorus Siculus, Tatian, Clemens Alexandrinus, nor Eufebius, take the leaft notice of it. After lying neglected for above 1800 years, it is dug up, and brought to Europe in triumph.

If it be objected, that the author of this Chronicle might have been quoted by name, without his work being fpecified, it ought to be confidered, that the ancients almost always name the works of the authors whom they quote. Mr. R. then compares the computation of the marble with that of the ancients, in two famous epochas, the Trojan war, and the age of Homer. Of the firft he produces above ten different accounts, of the second above twenty. The Parian Chronicle takes the lefs probable and lefs commonly received opinion. But in all this controversy, so often debated, no reference nor allufion is made to this infcription.

It may also be objected, that feveral works, as Phædrus, Q. Curtius, &c. lay in obfcurity for many centuries. But Phædrus is mentioned by Martial and Avienus; Q. Curtius by authors of the 12th and 13th centuries; and there is a MS. of his history extant, above 800 years old.

VI. Some paffages in the Chronicle feem to be taken from writers of a later date. The author gives ten inftances, from which we fhall felect one. In enumerating twelve cities in Ionia, the marble places the names of fix of them, and if the chafms are properly supplied, of twelve, exactly in the fame order in which we find them in Ælian's various hiftory. But this arrangement does not correfpond with the time of their foundation, their fituation in Ionia, their relative importance, or the order in which they are placed by other hiftorians. The chance of two authors placing fix names in the fame order, is as I to 720; of twelve, as i to 479,001,600. But Elian would hardly, in a cafe of no importance, quote the words of an inscription in the island of Paros. Or if he did, why would he fupprefs the name of the author whofe expreffions he adopted ? It is therefore probable that the author of the inscription tranfcribed the hiftorian.

VII. Parachronifms appear in the marble, refpeating the age of Phidon the Argive, the affaffination of Hipparchus, and the

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expulfion

expulfion of Hippias, the death of Darius, the birth of Euri pides, the reign of Gelo in Syracufe, and the expedition of the younger Cyrus; fuch parachronifms as we can fcarcely fuppofe a Greek chronologer, in the 129th Olympiad, liable to commit.

VIII. The place where this monument was found, is not afcertained. In Sir Thomas Roe's letters to Lord Arundel, no hint of this infcription occurs. It had been purchased before, for the celebrated Peirefc, by his agent; but by fome artifice of the venders, the agent was thrown into prifon, the marble damaged, and in this ftate was fold to Mr. Petty for Lord Arundel. Peiresc affected to be extremely pleased when he found that it had fallen into Lord Arundel's poffeffion, and was illuftrated by his friend Mr. Selden. But, from Peiresc's compofure, may it not be inferred that he fecretly doubted the authenticity of the infcription? The fums paid by Peiresc's agent, and by Mr. Petty, were a fufficient inducement, to a modern, to exert his talents in fuch an impofition.

IX. Our Author almoft overwhelms us with his learning, in examining the fubject of fpurious books. Hermes Trifmegiftus, Manetho, Horapollo, Orpheus, Mufæus, Dares Phrygius, Dictys Cretenfis, Numa's books, the Epiftles of Phalaris, Themiftocles, and others, works falfely afcribed to Plato and Ariftotle, to Demetrius Phalereus, Plautus, and Cicero, appear foremost in a long lift, which is clofed with Pfalmanázar, Lauder, Macpherfon, and Chatterton.

Fictitious INSCRIPTIONS have been given to the world by Cyriacus, Anconitanus, Petrus Apianus, and Bartholomæus Amantius, Alexander Geraldinus, Curtius Inghiramius, Annius Viterbienfis, and Hermio Gaiado. Selden feems to doubt the antiquity of the Duilian inscription; Reinefius accuses Fulvius Urfinus of publifhing many counterfeit infcriptions; Fleetwood complains of fpurious infcriptions; Stilling fleet complains of Gruter's collection in this refpect; and Father Hardouin brings the fame charge of publishing fictitious infcriptions, in very ftrong and general terms, againft many others, but principally against Gruter. At the time this infcription was produced, there were many learned men fully able to compile fuch a fyftem of chronology as that of the Arundelian marbles; many fyftems of chronology had then been published; and the avidity with which antiquities were then collected, at any price, was a fufficient inducement to any one, whofe avarice or neceffity were fronger than his honefty, to engrave this pretended ancient mo

nument.

Sir Ifaac Newton paid NO REGARD to its authority, in his chronology.

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From

From all these reasons, the Author of this differtation concludes, that the Parian chronicle is fpurious, or at least that its authority is APOCRYPHAL.

Such is the fubftance of this Differtation. We have endeavoured to give the principal arguments, without any abatement of their ftrength, though we have been compelled to contract them into as few words as poffible, in order to fuit the narrow limits of our journal. We fuppofe fome learned advocate of the marbles will produce a formal anfwer. For our part, we fhall leave the talk to thofe who have more leifure, abilities, and inclination, or who may conceive themselves more interested in the difcuffion of this question. In our conclufion, we hall, with our wonted freedom, but with all the deference due to this Author's candour and learning, point out fome trifling mistakes in his Differtation, and fome parts of the argument on which he seems to lay too much stress. We fhall endeavour to pare away fome of the excrefcences and fuperfluities of this controverfy, and, as far as lies in our power, to separate the wheat from the chaff.

[To be concluded in another Article.]

ART. XIV. Sermons on various Subjects. By the late Rev. Thomas Leland, D. D. In Three Volumes. 8vo. 15 s. Boards. Dublin printed; London, Longman. 1788.

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ROM a writer of fuch celebrity as the Tranflator of Demofthenes, and the Hiftorian of Ireland, a valuable specimen of pulpit eloquence may be expected in his pofthumous difcourfes; and with pleasure we inform our Readers, that in entertaining fuch an expectation from the volumes before us, they will not be difappointed. The character of these difcourfes, given in a brief but well-written account of his life and writings, prefixed to this publication, perfectly expreffes our own idea of their merit:

The peculiar character which pervades and colours his difcourses, seems to be that of a strong earnestness, an intenfe effort to perfuade and to imprefs conviction, fuitable to a teacher of doctrines, and enforcer of precepts, the awful importance of which is equal to their truth and fitnefs. The reader will not find language or matter chofen to difplay the writer's tafte and ingenuity: none of that trite or cold fpeculation, and meagre fentiment, difguifed under an eternal affectation of delicacy of phrafe, or flimfy ornament every where overfpread; which may for a time gain the fuffrage of the great vulgar and the small, but muft caufe every hearer or reader of plain common fenfe to feel the want of nature and of fimplicity. Sound fense, clear and folid reasoning, just reprefentations of human life, and juft obfervations on it, Chriftian argument and enforcement, and pathetic addrefs, in a nervoufnefs of expreffion, and a fonoroufness and dignity of compofition, which rather feem the refult of habit, than of caution and curious felection ;-these are what the reader may expect

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pect, and thefe never difgraced by vulgarity or littlenefs. In fome inftances the choice and manner of treating his fubjects will shew with what judgment he adapted his topics and his diction to different auditories; and when we find him addreffing the plaineft in a manner perfectly levelled to their apprehenfions, we find his reafonings dictated or directed by profound and accurate critical and philofophical knowledge.'

Several of these difcourfes treat on the Evidences of Revealed Religion; a few others, on particular occafions, were formerly published; the reft are on practical topics, of general utility.

ART. XV. Poetical Tranflations from various Authors. By Mafter John Browne of Crewkerne, Somerfet; a Boy of Twelve Years old! Published by the Rev. Robert Afhe, Curate of Crewkerne, and Master of the Free Grammar School, FOR. THE BENEFIT OF HIS

PUPIL. 4to. 2s. 6d. Nichols, &c.

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ITHER the Mufes must have fallen in love with boys, or boys in love with the Mufes.-How the bufinefs exactly ftands between these celebrated Parnaffian ladies and our British youth, we, who are grown too old to intermeddle in love matters, cannot undertake to determine. Certain, however, it is, that there is fomething between them, for on what other fuppofition are we to account for the ftarting up of fo many juvenile poets? We have already taken notice of Two in the courfe of this year, and behold! another comes forward, warm with the thirst of praife: and who that examines his claims can refufe it? On Mafter Browne the Mufes feem to have smiled indulgent, and to have marked him at a very early period for their own. But we must not be too lavish of our encomiums on this furprizing youth, as we cannot help cenfuring Mr. Ashe, for the very flattering mention which he has made of the Author, in the fhort account prefixed to thefe Poetical Tranflations; which, however it may tend to prejudice the reader in his favour, will, we fear, have no good effect on Mafter Brown himself. Our praise might not reach his ear, or be little regarded by him if it should; but when the Rev. Mr. Afhe, his Mafter, the first cha-racter, no doubt, in his eye, tells him, in the words of Addison, "that he was born with all the feeds of poetry, and may be compared to the ftone in Pyrrhus's ring, which had the figure of Apollo and the nine Mufes in the veins of it, produced by the fpontaneous band of Nature, without the help of Art," is he not undefignedly endeavouring to fpoil this literary curiofity, which he wishes to hold up to the notice of the Public? Moft fincerely do we hope no fuch effect will follow; but merely for the fake of making an elegant quotation, this we think ought not to have been hazarded. In every other refpect Mr. Ashe has acted moft kindly by his pupil, as the short narrative with which

he

he has introduced thefe poems will fhew, to the full conviction of every reader.

We here learn that our young poet is the fon of William Browne, of Whitchurch, in Hampshire; a man of confiderable abilities, but in an humble fituation of life; and who, with the fmall falary of an Excifeman, united to the fcanty pittance which he acquires by teaching day- fcholars to read and write, during the few hours he can gain from his office, has hitherto, with the economical prudence of his wife, maintained a family of eight children. Our Author is the eldeft, whom Mr. Afhe generously patronifes and wishes to hold up to the world as a literary phenomenon; perfuaded that thefe fpecimens of his abilities will induce the Public to efpoufe his caufe, and, by their benevolence, enable him to reap the advantages of an univerfity education. It gave us pleasure to see so refpectable a lift of fubfcribers, fome of whom will probably prove lafting friends; and if this youth continues his career of fcience with the fame vigour and alacrity with which he is faid to have begun it, he will do credit to the friends who have efpoufed him, and to the Univerfity which fhall receive him. But we must add, abilities which discover themselves as wonderful at a very early age, often dif appoint the expectations of their admirers.

Of the Tranflations, Mr. Afhe affures us, that most of them (in their prefent form) were made in the fchool of Crew kerne, as exercifes (de more Wiccamico) on Saturday evenings; for which the author conftantly received fome public reward, from the time that he attained to the tenth year of his age. As our Readers may wish to have fome fpecimens of thefe fingularly juvenile tranflations, we shall gratify them by extracting the firft (written at ten years old) from the Greek of the Rev. G. I. Huntingford :

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