are ready enough to find faults and blemishes in a man who has gained universal esteem, but we feel no difficulty in bringing to light the good side of a person who is universally decried. A decided fool, or a decided knave, has at least the advantage that he is either no longer, in the smallest respect, the subject of conversation, or that any little thing, which can be said in his favour, is loudly proclaimed; for every thing which can be said against him is already known, and consequently no longer interesting.

Envy is unfortunately one of the most natural passions which agitate the mind of man. If we do not envy another's merit, we envy, at least, his reputation, which is the consequence of that merit. We admire a reserved man of abilities, because we, at the same time, think we shall discover his hidden abilities, and because we thereby pay a compliment to our own penetration and judgment. Where the veil of reserve is wanting, to deserve esteem is often a hindrance to the attainment of it.

Why are the men of this age more polite to each other, and less polite to the ladies than in former times?

They are more polite to each other, because they have more sense and less courage, than they had two centuries ago. They feel that it is a folly to be engaged in eternal quarrels and combats: they therefore avoid them, by an increase of civility and respect. There are more reasons why they are less polite to the ladies. In the first place, the ladies (with all due respect be it said) are not quite so domestic, or virtuous as their great great grandmothers. Secondly, the former heroic attachment of knights, and the slavery attached thereto, are extinguished. We love in quite a different way. We have other things in our head. We think more of money than of fame in arms. The knights of former times had nothing to do, but to wield the lance and love their mistress; they therefore attended to these pursuits with all their ardour.

The world will sooner pardon a vicious than a ridiculous man' and, it is a dreadful truth, that almost every man had rather appear vicious than ridiculous, if the choice were in his power.

To think unlike the world, is courage of the mind. To avow such thoughts, is courage of the heart, and-folly.

There are many things which the fool believes he knows perfectly, and which the wise man despairs lest he should never know.

ART. XVIII.-Cicero de Republica.

THE following letter, which has recently been addressed by the principal Librarian of the Vatican to the Pope, giving an account of the discovery of Cicero's treatise de Republica, has excited great expectation, and though the writer may be too sanguine as to the possibility of decyphering the whole, there can be little doubt that what is actually gained will be a valuable addition to classical literature. Cicero composed his "Republica," to which the above letter refers, in imitation of Plato. It is alluded to and quoted by St. Augustin, Lactantius and others. The fragments that have come down to us were published by M. Bernardi in two volumes 12mo. 1807, with a dissertation on the progress of the arts and luxury of the Romans.

MOST BLESSED FATHER.-First kissing your sacred feet, I have the honour and satisfaction to inform your beatitude that my studies in the Vatican Library, in which I preside through your soverign clemency, have been encouraged by signal success. In two rewritten codices of the Vatican, I have lately found some lost works of the first Latin classics. In the first of these manuscripts I have discovered the lost books De Republica of Cicero, written in excellent letters of the best time, in three hundred pages, each in two columns, and all fortunately legible. The titles of the above noble subject, and of the books, appear in the margin: and the name of Cicero, as author of the book, is distinctly legible. A composition of the middle ages having been again written on this MS., the original pages have been misplaced, and even mutilated; notwithstanding this a great part remains. The moral and political philosopher, the legislator, the historian, the antiquary, and the lover of pure latinity, wilt naturally expect, with impatience, the publication of this important work of Cicero, so long lamented as

lost. I shall loose no time in preparing it for press, and submitting it to your holiness's inspection. The other re-written codex presents various and almost equally precious works. It is singular that this MS contains some of the same works which I discovered and published at Milan, and have here found what there was wanting. I perceived this at first sight, not only from comparing the subject, but also from the hand-writing, which is precisely the same as that of the Milan MS.

The contents are-1. The correspondence between Fronto and Marcus Aurelius, before and after he was Emperor. This is an instructive, affectionate, and very interesting collection; the first and second books, containing epistles to M. Aurelius, were published from the Milan MS.; that now found in the Vatican contains the third, and fourth, and fifth books, as well as the supplement to the second, and some other works by Fronto, in Latin and Greek.-2. The fine commentary of the inedited scholiast on Cicero, began to be published by me at Milan, and now to be increased by five other orations, with the supplements to those already printed at Milan.-3. A fragment of an oration by Q. Aurelius Symmachus, with the supplement of two by the same author, already published by me.-4. The supplements to the Homily, or Gothico-Ulphilan Commentary, a portion of which was also found at Milan, together with an essay of Ulphilas. These valuable works mixed into two volumes, which were taken for writing parchment in the middle ages, were sent partly to Rome and partly to Milan, from the convent of St. Columbanus at Bobbio. They will now be again united in a Roman edition, which I shall loose no time in publishing. I will not now request your attention, most blessed father, to some other fragments of those same codices, although they are worthy of publication, &c. ANGELO MAI,

First Librarian to the Vatican.

Phila

ART. XIX.-Songs of Judah; and other Melodies. By WILLIAM B. TAPPAN, Author of New England and other Poems. delphia, 1820.

As we know that the lofty oak does not reach maturity in a day, we never indulge the vain hope of beholding the towering summit

in the same hour that saw it spring from the surface of its most favoured soil. In like manner, we must wait for the nurturing hand of time, to bring poetry to perfection. It is the child of refinement, and refinement reaches not its climacteric without time and toil. If Columbia be not the birth-place of the poet, we know not in what happy spot of earth his cradle should be sought. If our government, our institutions, and the varied, bold, and beautiful face of our country, possess not the seeds of inspiration, there must be some preventing cause which we cannot now divine. Many years may indeed elapse before the Muse shall be crowned in our aspiring land, for, this is the common course of all experience. The fine arts are ever found in the train of agriculture, commerce, and intellectual wealth; but in what boasted age have they taken precedence? Compared with other nations, America is but emerging into existence, and the first wants of nature are not yet satisfied; but abundant evidence displays the germ of genius, in all its taste and energy. The chissel and the canvass will yet confess its power, and its voice will yet be heard from our mountain forests. The cataract of Niagara will yet sublimely swell the poet's song, and classic numbers immortalise our vales. Yet if it be conceded that poetry does but lisp amongst us-we may surely boast that she has lisped in "words that glow and thoughts that burn."

Amongst a great number of American poems of the minor sort, "The Songs of Judah" may be produced as specimens that breathe the soul of inspiration. Of these, perhaps, "The Vision of the Hebrew" is the best; though we should bave preferred the more definite title of the Vision of Habakkuk; because the former would apply equally to almost every part of all the prophetic books.

He who would cultivate the latent germ, cannot do better than to imitate Mr. Tappan's example: to study the most poetical of all books, the sacred writings, and especially the book of Job, the Psalms, and the Prophets. The high antiquity of its times, the solemu grandeur of its scenes, the sublime pathos of its style, and the present state of Palestine, compared with its former condition, are all fruitful and imposing themes. What soul, possessing but a spark of the ethereal flame, would not be rapt in meditating on

the faded splendour of Jerusalem, or the lost glories of Tyre and Babylon; the stupendous flights of the Hebrew Seers, or the pious strains of the Royal Psalmist?

The Scriptures abound with materials for every kind of serious verse; and Mr. Tappan has proved their advantages, by placing in his volume some little pieces on subjects drawn from common life. The "Songs of Judah" are decidedly superior in strength and beauty.

ART. XX.-Stories for Children, chiefly confined to words of two syllables. By Mrs. HUGнs, Author of “ Aunt Mary's Tales,” "Ornaments discovered," &c. London printed. Philadelphia, re-printed. 1820.

WHEN a lady places her book upon our table, we are obliged to take care that our gallantry betray us not into a dereliction of our duty to the public; and we are more than well pleased, when we can, as in the case before us, conscientiously yield to each, its just claim. The author of whom we are disposed to speak in these terms, conducted a seminary for young ladies in England, and has recently established a similar institution in this city.

Education is an object of such paramount importance, that society is indebted to every individual who contributes but a mite to its prime business: the implantation of correct sentiments in the minds of children. Very few parents, perhaps, neglect to cultivate the finer intellectual flowers which spring up spontaneously in their young families; but very many are the noxious weeds that are suffered unobserved to protract their growth, or obscure their native beauty. The odious vice, indeed, which at once erects its daring head, is corrected; but the lurking inclination, which, unchecked, becomes enormous, is, either through inattention, or fond indulgence, allowed to gather strength.

The moral education of a child is confessedly a task most com. plicated, and most difficult to attain. Were all parents discerning, wise, and resolute, and all children mild, and tractable, pleasure, only, would be the result of duty, on both sides; but alas! it is far otherwise. "Folly is bound up in the heart of a child;" and parents are sometimes incompetent to" drive it out.”