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consume three pages in stating what had been told before by La Croze (not La Croix, as some of our contemporaries call him) and Brunck. In the inscription, p. 183, which Mr Walpole copied at Thessalonica, we should evidently read NEIKOПOAE! TOIE in two words. Mr Walpole discusses a passage from the Iphigenia in Tauride, v. 113, the architectural difficulties of which occasioned Winkelman to ask the following questions. What was the vacant space between the triglyphs? Were the metopes of the frize open? and why were they?for the purpose of giving light to the temple? or were the antients, at the time Euripides may be supposed to refer to, ignorant of the mode of closing them up?' The fact is, both he and Mr Walpole confound tow and piratu; within' and between :' but, in our opinion, the line is faulty. It stands at present thus;

Ὅρα δὲ γ' ἔσω τριγλύφων, ὅποι κενὸν

δέμας καθεῖναι.

Mr Walpole proposes that a stop should be placed after the particle which we do not altogether approve of, though we agree with him in his translation, but mind.' We would read it thus; Ορα δὲ γεῖσα τριγλύφων, όπου κενόν

δέμας καθεῖναι.

But mind the parapets of the triglyphs, to let yourself down where there is a vacant space; the temple being, we suppose, hypæthral. The Fur are either the parapets of a wall, or the parts immediately under the eaves Euripid. Orest. 1586, muλasà гEIZA, τεκτόνων πόνον. -- 1635, κάταιθε ΓΕΙΣΑ τειχέων τάδε. Phoeniss. 1196. on YHEPBAINONTA TEIZA Tuxay. In the Orestes, v. 1365, the Phrygian escapes from the interior of the house in like manner; παστάδων ΥΠΕΡ τέριμνα Δωρικάς τε ΤΡΙΓΛΥΦΟΥΣ. In the passage from Lycophron, p. 189, for durλtides, read durλrid; which the grammarians explain to mean unapproachable, savage.' The inscription on a priestess of Eleusis, of which Mr Walpole has given the last eight verses from the Museum Worsleianum, was discovered by Villoison at Eleusis, and published at the end of his Prolegomena on the Iliad, p. 55. After an interesting account of some of the discoveries at Herculaneum, Mr Walpole concludes his dissertation, and the work, with the representation of a curious mural sun-dial at Scripou, the antient Orchomenus, which could never have answered the purpose for which it was intended; for it is a semicircle, with ten equal hour arcs, and one double of any of the rest. Three plates are subjoined to the volume; the first containing fac-similes of two Etruscan inscriptions; the second, the Etruscan alphabet, as collected from monuments; and the third, some of its letters, compared with the characters of various antient languages.

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In the course of our remarks on the present work, we have, in order to avoid an appearance of affectation, complied with custom, which always writes Herculaneum, though we are decidedly of opinion that the true orthography is Herculanium, or Hercu lanum. Cicero calls it Herculanum; Pliny Herculanium; and Dio Hexcuλavior. There is another popular error, which Mr Walpole seems to be aware of, viz. that Herculanium was overwhelmed suddenly, and, as Dio seems to say, while the people were sitting in the theatre; but this expression of Dio refers only to Pompeii, which was suddenly buried; while Herculanium perished at different times, as appears from the following passage of Seneca. Natural. Quæst. VI. 1. After mentioning the total destruction of Pompeii, he adds, that great part of Campania suffered: nam et Herculanensis oppidi pars ruit, dubieque stant etiam quæ relicta sunt.'

After these observations on the matter of the volume, we shall say but little of the style, which is in general clear and elegant, though not always correct. In p. xv. we have this expression, 'the ai douλer. Now, Sir William Drummond would not say the l'Institut,' or the 'Academie; and why then the i Boo? Similar to this, is what occurs in p. 127, with the ore rotundo of the Greeks' for the os rotundum,' and in p. 131, 'the To Tixxiv g.' The Julian law, if it seemed both just and prudent, both humane and politic,' could not be stamped with the ambition which characterized the mind of Cæsar." P. 7. The word participers must be an error of the press; but 'abhorrent of atheism' is not much more defensible.

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On the whole, we think that the literary world is much indebted to the authors of the present viork, which contains much curious information, though not always connected with its professed object. We are occasionally distressed, too, by a want of precision, which seems to arise, in some instances, from their having neglected to consult those authors who had treated of the subjects under discussion, and, in others, from their omitting to specify the sources of their information. The book is unquestionably the production of elegant and cultivated minds; but, as it appears to us, a hasty production. Without any disparagement to the talents and taste of Sir William Drummond and Mr Walpole, we must be permitted to say, that if they intend to publish any more of the Herculanean manuscripts, we should wish to see them in the form of accurate fac-similes, unaccompanied by any commentary whatever. And this we are de sirous of urging, not only to these gentlemen, but to all future editors of these singular relics. We understand, indeed, that the nature of the arrangements under which the Papyri have been

transmitted

transmitted to this country, has been supposed to throw some obstacle in the way of publishing exact fac-similes; but as they are now deposited in the Bodleian library, under the charge of the University of Oxford, we have reason to hope that these obstacles will be got the better of, by the extraordinary zeal which that learned body has always shown for publishing corrupt texts, to the rejection even of undoubted emendations ;a propensity very signally evinced in the promulgation of the book which goes by the name of Musgrave's Sophocles, and of the obsolete and useless text of the very plays which had been edited in so immaculate a form by Porson. We look forward, with curiosity, to the appearance of the treatise of Epicurus, which is said to be of the number of the Papyri; though we entertain great doubts whether it will turn out to be a genuine work of that celebrated philosopher. The discourse of Philodemus, contained in the present volume, is of so little intrinsic value, that we have the less regret in seeing it published in so unscho lar like a manner. But the literary world will not be satisfied with any thing less than an accurate copy of the MS. of Epicurus: though, for our part, we should be happy to redeem a single comedy of Menander, or a mime of Sophron, at the price of all the lucubrations of Epicurus and his followers.

ART. VI. Asiatic Researches; or Transactions of the Society instituted in Bengal, for inquiring into the History aud Antiquities, the Arts, Sciences and Literature of Asia. Vd. X.

WE

E propofe, in this article, to exhibit a fuccinct analysis of the contents of the laft volume of this interefting publica tion, which has yet reached this country.

• Remarks on the State of Agriculture in the District of Dinajpur. By W. Carey.'

The district of Dinajpur extends on each side of the 25th and 26th degrees of northern, latitude, ftretching from the centre of Bengal towards the lofty frontier which skirts that province, on the north. The rivers which have their fource in this elevated region, divide their waters into innumerable ftreams on entering the plains, adding, to the productiveness of the foil, the means of traniporting the produce by eafy conveyance. The fouthern part of this district rifes in gentle acclivities, which run from north to fouth, and are divided. from each other by interjacent vallies; the whole furface of the country refembling large waves, or rather prefenting the appearance of the fea when there is a great fwell.

The

The vallies and elevations are generally about two or three miles in width. During the periodical rains, the former are ufually in undated, and become navigable for veffels of very confiderable burthen. A rich loam, which forms their ufual fuperftratum, is probably a depofit from the waters.. The ftiff clay under it Ktends over the furface of the higher lands, which have not bein expofed to the fame operation. Thefe afford only one crop of rice in the year, whilst the vallies yield, in addition, a crop of pulfe or mustard. The agriculture of this province, befides the various forts of rice, of which, the Himanta, or winter crop, is by far the most general, embraces, 1. Crotolaria, of which the fibres, feparated from the ft by the putrid fermentation, are wrought into cordage. 2. Indigo, for which the foil and circumftances of the diftrict are but in frently adapted. 3. Phaseolus Mungo and Radiatus; the latter affording an useful fubftitute,, when the firft crop happens to foi 4. Three forts of mustard

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are extenfively cultivated. 5. co occupies and rewards the cares of the hufbandman, 6 nous forts of pulse, and many cucurbitaceous plants, are railee with little expenfe and labour.... Mr Carey, in this fenfible memoir, fuggefts feveral improvements, which he conceives might be fuccefsfully introduced. Hemp would flourish in many fpots. Cotton, icarcely culti vated at all in the diítrict, might be cultivated to a large extent. If proper methods were taken to introduce the best kinds, the culture of wheat and barley might occupy many thousands, of bighas, which now lye in an uncultivated itate. The culture of fome fpecies of Hibiscus would be profitable, and furnith one of the most durable fibres for cordage, and perhaps for coarfe cloths. But, fays Mr Carey, the poverty, prejudices and indolence of the natives, ftrongly operate againft improvements.' Thefe, we believe, are the three moft inveterate enemies to improvement in every country; and we are far from thinking that their effects are exclufively or particularly felt in Dinajpur. It is certainly an interefting fpeculation to inquire, whether government fhould take any, and what fteps, to remedy the evils complained of, in addition to the falutary effects which may naturally be expected to refult from the permanent fettlement of the revenue accomplished by Lord Cornwallis. An increase in the capital of the hufbandman, must be the refult of fuccefsful induftry; but the operation of that settlement feems calculated to add to the capital of the landholder, and his interest strongly to prompt him to the encou ragement of productive labour. The removal of prejudices can only be effected by affording to the inhabitants, ocular proof of the fuperior advantages attending a different mode of agriculture. We think it would occafion little expenfe, if an experimental farm

were

were established at the chief feat of every district, and placed under the fuperintendance of the furgeon attached to the ftation. As the natives feldom apply for medical aid to an European prac titioner, his duties are confined to half a dozen refident gentle men; the education of medical men enables them readily to embrace the application of theoretical views; and if the expenfes were defrayed by government, whilst the profit accrued to themfelves, it might stimulate to exertion thofe few of that refpectable profeffion, to whom motives of benevolence, and the love of experimental research, might prove an inadequate inducement. We candidly confefs, that we are by no means ourselves convinced that the proceffes and inftruments of agriculture employed in Eng. land, could all be advantageoufly introduced into Bengal. But when experiment has decided that they are equally adapted to that foil and climate, the prejudices of the natives, as in other inftances, will doubtlefs give way to their intereft. The best antidote to indolence, confifts in the conviction of the husbandman, that the fruits of his toils will be enjoyed by himfelf. The Bengal government have fet permanent limits to their demands on the Indholders; the duty now incumbent on their fervants, is to pre clude his exaction of any impoft from his tenants, not diftinctly fpecified in the potta or leafe, and to encourage the granting of thefe univerfally, by rendering it the intereft of the proprietor.

We believe we shall come pretty near the truth, in estimating the revenues of the zemindary of Dinajpur, paid to government, at fixteen lacs of rupees, or 160,000l. per annum, derived from a country of 4500 British fquare miles in extent. The zemindar, in ivhofe family this poffeffion has been about a century and a half, enjoys a revenue of about 16,000l. per annum. The demands of goi ernment are now permanently fixed. It is probable that, of the lands which compofe his zemindary, only one-fifth is in culti vation. But, fince increased or improved cultivation will not now produce any additional demands on the part of government, it be comes his obvious intereft to promote to the utmost the productive povers of his district, and to confider his capital as a fund for agricultural improvements. On the other hand, if, neglecting his own intereft, husbandry is fuffered to decline, the arrears of revenue which confequently accrue must be liquidated by the fale of a proportionate extent of his lands; and the new proprietor, confidering the purchafe in no other light than as an advantageous fpeculation, will in all probability adopt the means neglected by his indolent predeceffor. This fyftem, it is true, has not yet lafted long enough to produce all the effect which may ultimately be expected from it. It appears, however, on the one hand, to ren der it the intereft of the zemindar to affift industrious husband

men

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