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PRINCIPLES.

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THE following principles have been kept in view in selecting the writers noticed in this part.

1. To group them together according to the usual method, and without any attempt at refinement in classification.

2. To arrange the groups according to the chronological order in which different branches of literature were developed. Hence Poetry is placed first, Philosophy next, then History, and so on. A different order was proper in the third part. 3. Generally to assign each author to the time of his birth rather than to the more doubtful one at which he wrote.

4. To select those who have exerted the greatest influence on the progress of the human mind, but without attempting a complete enumeration, especially of those in recent times.

5. To omit, generally, those whose writings are not now extant, at least in part.

6. To make the enumeration more complete in the departments of Literature, History, and Philosophy, than in those of Physical Science, Politics, and Theology.

7. To omit, for the most part, all living writers.
8. To encourage original research and investigation.

To those who are engaged in collecting original works, the compiler would respectfully suggest (if their means allow) the expediency, 1. Of endeavouring to make some one department or subdivision of a department complete in the best works, best editions, &c. 2. Of ultimately depositing such department in some public library, where it can be made extensively useful to scholars. 3. Of binding up and depositing, from time to time, in some public library, copies of

pamphlets, files of newspapers, &c., which exhibit the very body and pressure of the time. These will be precious materials for the future historian. Says Lord Somers, "The bent and genius of the age is best known in a free country by the pamphlets which daily come out, as containing the sense of parties, and sometimes the voice of the nation."

"Rules for the formation of a library must be dependant on the taste of the age, and the purpose for which it is designed, whether private or public. Hence few of those laid down by Gabriel Naudé, in his Avis pour dresser une Bibliothèque, are now applicable with respect to the selection of works. Nevertheless, there are authors, historians, moralists, and explorers of natural phenomena who will be always prized, because their writings are founded on immutable truth. Some collectors have addicted themselves to the early editions, to certain sciences, to arts and trades; to works whose chief embellishments are engravings, or to those merely printed on a large size of paper. It is by the union of all these peculiarities that a great public library is formed. But its ba sis ought to rest on original works of truth, for they alone are the source of knowledge; commentators and critics hold a secondary place; and works of fiction may be introduced for amusement. The extent of a library is indefinite. One of the ancients, celebrated for his learning, is said to have possessed only four volumes. Leibnitz declares that his library had no more than the works of Plato, Aristotle, Archimedes, Euclid, Plutarch, Sextus Empiricus, Pliny, Cicero, and Seneca. Leiglet du Fresnoy makes a calculation, whereby it appears that no one can read above 900 folio volumes in his life; from all which is deduced the inutility of extensive libraries. These remarks will not apply to those collections destined for public use; but the words of Seneca should never be forgotten: 'Non refert quam multos libros, sed quam bonos habeas,' inferring that the quality of books, not their number, is the primary condition."-Dalzell.

STANDARD AUTHORS.

I. POET S.

(A.) ANCIENT.

GREEK POETS.

Orpheus, 1250 B.C.

Most of the poems ascribed to him are productions of later times, composed at different periods.-Eschb.

The best edition is that of Herman, Lips., 1805, 2 vols. 8vo. The best translation is that of Taylor, 1787, 8vo.

Homer, 1000 B.C.

(See third part.) Best edition, Samuel Clarke, London, 1815, 4 vols. 4to.

Hesiod, 950 B.C.

As a poet he is inferior to Homer, but his poems are valu able, as they make known to us so much respecting the conceptions and modes of thinking which prevailed in a high antiquity upon various subjects.-Eschb.

Best edition, Chr. Fr. Loesner, Greek and Latin, Lips., 1778, 8vo. Best translation, Ch. Ab. Elton, London, 1812.

Archilochus, 680 B.C.

He wrote lyric poetry, and was ranked among the greatest poets of Greece, and generally supposed the inventor of iambic verse.-Eschb.

His remaining fragments were published by Ign. Liebel, Lips., 1819.

Sappho, 612 B.C.

A lyric poetess, from whom the verse termed Sapphic takes its name.-Eschb.

Best edition, A. Moebius, Hanover, 1815, 8vo. For translation, see Addison's Spectator, Nos. 223, 229.

Anacreon, 536 B.C.

He was a lyric poet, and wrote in that light kind of ode, of which love, social pleasures, and wine form the subjects. -Eschb.

Best edition, Jo. Frid. Fischer, Lips., 1793, 8vo. Best translation, Thos. Bourne, Harper & Brothers, New-York, in one volume, with Pindar, 45 cents.

Pindar, 490 B.C.

(See third part.) The best edition, Aug. Böckh, Greek and Latin, Lips., 1811, 12mo, $1 50.

Eschylus, 490 B.C.

(See third part.) Best edition, Scholefield, Cambr., 1828, 8vo. Eschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, translated by R. Potter. 18mo, $1 00.

Euripides, 480 B.C.

(See third part.) Best edition, Greek and Latin, cum notis variorum, 9 vols. 8vo, Glasgow, 1821, $16 50.

Sophocles, 450 B.C.

(See third part.) Best edition, Samuelis Musgravii, 2 vols. 8vo, $4 50.

Aristophanes, 430 B.C.

(See third part.) Best edition, Comœdiæ and perditarum fragmenta, Greek and Latin, cum indicibus, 8vo, $3 50. Paris, 1838 Best translation, R. Potter, London, 1783, 2

vols. 4to.

Theocritus, 275 B.C.

He was the most distinguished ancient author in the department of pastoral poetry.-Eschb.

Best edition, Th. Kiessling, 8vo, 1819, Lips., $3 00. Best translation, E. B. Greene, London, 1767-8.

Callimachus, 260 B.C.

Quintilian ranks him as the first elegiac poet of the Greeks.-Eschb.

Best edition, Ernesti, Greek and Latin, Lug. Bat., 1761, 2 vols. 8vo. Best translation, H. W. Tytler, Greek and English, London, 1793-4.

Apollonius Rhodius, 125 B.C.

His chief work is an epic poem on the Expedition of the Argonauts, which evinces great application, and has some beautiful passages.-Eschb.

Best edition, Wellauer, Lips., 1828, 2 vols. 8vo. translation, Fr. Fawkes, London, 1780, 2 vols. 8vo.

LATIN POETS,

Livius Andronicus, 230 B.C.

Best

He was the first dramatic writer among the Romans, and introduced the first play on the stage.-Eschb. But few fragments of his works remain.

Quintus Ennius, 232 B.C.

He contributed much to the improvement of the Latin language, and was the first epic poet in it, and highly valued even by later and better writers.-Eschb.

M. Accius Plautus, 200 B.C.

He possessed very happy talents for a comic writer, a rich flow of excellent wit, happy invention, and all the force of comic expression.—Eschb.

Best edition, J. Naudet, Paris, 4 vols. Best translation, Bonnel Thornton, London, 1769, 5 vols., $4 00.

P. Terentius Afer, 200 B.C.

His six comedies, still extant, are in every respect excellent, both in regard to the characters, the consistency, and refinement of the dialogue, and the judicious management of the plot.-Eschb.

Best edition, Frid. Lindenbrogii, Lond., 1820, 2 vols. 8vo, Best translation, George Colman, Lond., 1765.

C. Lucilius, 105 B.C,

With a great knowledge of language he combined a great talent for satire, of which he was the founder among the Romans.-Eschb.

Best edition, Patavii, Jos. Cominus, 1735, 8vo, $1 25.

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