TIMOCLES. Of this name we have two comic poets upon record, one of whom was an Athenian born, and to him Suidas afcribes fix comedies; of the other's birth-place we have no account, but of his plays we have eleven titles, and the fragments of both are quoted indifcriminately: Amongst these I have selected one, which is fo far matter of curiofity as it gives fome defcription of the illuftrious orator Demofthenes "Bid me fay any thing rather than this; "But on this theme Demofthenes himself "Shall fooner check the torrent of his speech "Than I-Demofthenes! that angry orator, "That bold Briareus, whose tremendous throat, "Charg'd to the teeth with battering-rams and spears, "Beats down oppofers; brief in fpeech was he, "But, croft in argument, his threat'ning eyes "Flash'd fire, whilft thunder vollied from his lips." To one of the poets of the name of Timocles, but to which I know not, we are alfo indebted for a complimentary allufion to the powers of Tragedy; it is the only inftance of the fort, which the Greek Comedy now furnishes, and I am gratified by the discovery, not only for the intrinfic merit of the paffage, but for the hand fome fome tribute which it pays to the moral ufes of the tragic drama. "Nay, my good friend, but hear me! I confefs "Man is the child of forrow, and this world, "In which we breathe, hath cares enough to plague us, "But it hath means withal to footh thefe cares, "And he, who meditates on other's woes, Shall in that meditation lofe his own: " Wretched in both.-And what if you are poor? Doth your mind ftruggle with distracting thoughts? "Do your wits wander ? are you mad? Alas! So was Alemæon, whilst the world ador'd His father as their God. Your eyes are dim; "What then? the eyes of Oedipus were dark, Totally dark. You mourn a fon; he's dead; Turn to the tale of Niobe for comfort, And match your lofs with her's. You're lame "of foot; "Compare it with the foot of Philoctetes, And inake no more complaint. But you are old, Old and unfortunate; confult Oëneus ; "Hear what a king endur'd, and learn content. Sum up your miferies, number up your fighs, The tragic ftage shall give you tear for tear, And wash out all afflictions but it's own," With the poet XENARCHUS, author of eight dramas, I conclude my catalogue. of the writers: of the Middle Comedy; one fhort but spirited apoftrophe I collect from this poet, and I offer it in, it's naturalized fate as a fall remem brance, of my zeal to catch at every relique of his fhipwrecked mufe. "Ah faithlefs women! when you swear I regifter your oaths in air." I have. nów produced a lift of comic poets, thirty-two in in number, who were celebrated writers for the Athenian age within the period we have been reviewing, and in thefe tranf lations the reader has before him every thing that time has pared of their productions except a few, fhort and, infignificant fentences, which had nothing to recommend them: The imperfeel'anecdotes here given of the feveral authors may be thought to contain very little interefting matter, but it has been no flight talk to collect even thefe, and I am perfuaded that my fearch has left nothing behind, which can give any further clucion to the fubject; if I were as fecure of not having trefpalled upon the public patience through too much diligence and minutenefs, I fhould difinif my anxiety. M.W The " The period of the Middle Comedy was of fhort duration, and thirty-two comic, authors are no inconfiderable number to have flourished within that æragi yet we may well fuppose others, and probably many others, did exift within the time, of whom no memorial whatever now furvives: Most of these names, which I have now for the first time brought together, will I dare fay be new even to my learned readers, for not many men of a stúdious turn, and fewer ftill of claffical tafte, will dedicate their time to thofe dry and deterring books, in which thefe fcattered reliques were depofited, and on which they have hitherto depended for their almost desperate chance of being rescued from extinction. I mention this not oftentàtiously as taking credit on the score of induftry and difcovery, but hoping that the labour of the task will be fome apology on my behalf to fuch of my readers (if any fuch to my forrow shall be found) who, having purchased these vofumes with an eye to amufement only, may have been tired by the perufal of these papers, or, not caring to peruse them, have been cafhiered of the juft proportions of a volume. To the candour of all thofe monthly publications, which are concerned in the review of new books, I profefs myself to be very highly indebted; I 3 ་ indebted; that they have admitted and commended the fincere and moral motives of my undertaking, is above measure gratifying to me; in this particular I know I have a just claim to their good report, because they cannot credit me for more real love to mankind and more cordial zeal for their focial interefts, than I truly have at heart, but for my fuccefs as an author, (which has fo much exceeded my expectations) I cannot deceive myself fo far as to afcribe it wholly to my own merits, when I must know how great a fhare of it was the natural refult of their recommending me to the world. As I have not found any hints in these Reviews, nor in the reports which have come home to me, that have tended to difcourage me in the profecution of these researches into the characters and remains of the Greek dramatifts, I have gone on with ardour, and fhall go on, if life is granted me, to the end; the writers therefore of The New Comedy will come next under my review, and as we defcend in time, we fhall encrease in matter; the celebrated names of Menander, Philemon, Diphilus, Apollodorus and fame few befides, are not wholly left without record, every fragment that bears their ftamp has been accounted fo venerable, that fome of the greateft fcholars of modern |