being a favourite epithet; for which it is not easy to find a correfpondent one in Homer. We have sturdy fons, a furdy fpear, sturdy ftaff, furdy thighs, a furdy wreitler,' &c. We have, and we believe they are the first of the kind, a steed azure-maned,' 'a god in difguife,' in 10μsos nuavoyait and anazure-crefled nightingale,' xwpnis andar. Thetis likewife is ftyled azure haired; but the original is eridos numomors. Δολιχόσκιον, &c. Δολιχόσκιον έγχος is commonly rendered a long-hadowed fpear;' but we should imagine the reverse was meant, a fpear that cafts a long fhadow.' Todevs is commonly prefixed to Iris, and tranflated storm-wing'd,' tempest-wing'd,' but we believe never, as it imports, with feet of wind.'

Patrimonial amity' is an odd phrafe for (va arqui01), hereditary friendship." At least we never met with the word in this fignification before.

Incontinent' is very often introduced in the fame fenfe which Milton ufes it, as fynonymous to immediately. It is, we imagine, not generally allowed to be naturalifed in our language; and if it be fo, it should not, likewife, be brought forward according to common acceptance:

incontinent as fair.'

The epithets that follow, marked in Italics, have a foundation in the original, but ftrangely enfeeble the idea. Mr. Cowper would not have been charged with any want of judgment had he omitted them: the breach would have been as honourable as the obfervance.

-neither Peleus thee begat,

Nor Thetis bore, but rugged rocks fublime,
And roaring billows blue birth to thee.'

gave

In enumerating the different defects which haye ftruck us in Mr. Cowper's verfion, we must not omit the liberties which he occafionally takes with the auxiliary verbs: he fhall foon," for he will foon;' may we,' for can we;' never may it be,' for 'never fhall it be:' and as he might' as best I may,' are frequently introduced for, as he could,' and 'as I can.' Agamemnon tells the fhades of the fuitors, that

not the chofen youths of a whole town should [i. e. could or would] form a nobler band.'—And Ulyffes calls for affiftance,

thrice loud as mortal may'-i. e. can.

It may be objected to us that, in reviewing this tranflation, we have been more fedulous in pointing out defects, than in felecting beauties. To this we reply, that they are more numerous; and though we have quoted but few of the latter fpecies,

And we

we have allowed that many others are to be found. muft obferve, that though we have given a pretty long lift of the former, yet had we been inftigated by malevolence, or impelled - even by a perfevering fpirit of investigation, we might have enlarged it very confiderably. We have, indeed, produced more inftances, than what, in all probability, we otherwife fhould have done, to vindicate the opinion we have always entertained, that a clofe tranflation of Homer in blank verfe could not do juftice to the original. Mr. Cowper fays, fuch a tranflation has been repeatedly and loudly demanded by fome of the best judges and ableft writers of the prefent day. Without meaning any offence to thofe gentlemen, whoever they may be, we have prefumed to differ in judgment from them. Opinions in matters of tafte will vary; and the fuperiority of rhyme to blank verfe, or vice verfà, will ever, in all probability,, be a matter of debate. Neither do we contend with any on that fubject in general, but as confined to a close version of Homer; and we have scattered through our critique different reafons on which we formed an idea that fuch an attempt would not fucceed. Mr. Cowper profeffes that he has

— no fear of judges familiar with original Homer. They need not be told that a tranflation of him is an arduous enterprize, and as fuch, entitled to fome favour. From these, therefore, I fhall expect, and fhall not be disappointed, confiderable candour and allowance. Efpecially they will be candid, and I believe that there are many fuch, who have occafionally tried their own ftrength in this bow of Ulyffes. They have not found it fupple and pliable, and with me are perhaps ready to acknowledge that they could not always even approach with it the mark of their ambition.'

The difficulty he acknowledges we likewife have foreseen ; and are ready to excufe what we do not greatly approve; for we cannot look even upon Mr. Cowper as the favoured knight deftined to complete an adventure in which all other competitors have mifcarried. We refpect his abilities; fome paffages are executed with great tafte and fpirit, and many that were difficult he has happily elucidated: yet, on the whole, the performance appears to us, confidered as a poetical work, flat, heavy, and uninteresting. To the illuftrious Greek, Mr. C. fays, he owes the fmooth and eafy flight of many thousand hours.' We heartily with, if it would have yielded equal amufement, that he had dedicated thofe hours to original compofition; we fhould then have followed him with more fatisfaction, and we doubt not have acquired both pleasure and inftruction in the purfuit.

In our laft, p. 313. feventeen lines from the bottom, omit the word bave.
A RE-

A REVIEW

PUBLIC AFFAIRS,

FROM

JANUARY TO MAY 1792.

TH

NORTH AMERICA."

HE addrefs of the prefident of congrefs, to both houfes of the federal legislature, prefents a pleafing profpect of the rapid advances of the American ftates in agriculture, manufac tures, commerce, and navigation. The treaty with the Indians, mentioned in our laft ftatement, was only partial; and the war with other favage nations continues to rage on the frontiers of Kentucky. General St. Clair's army has been completely defeated by the favages with the lofs, as is averred, of about 40 offices, and 600 privates; eight pieces of cannon, and all the baggage, fell into the hands of the foe. By the latest accounts this defeat has fince been avenged on the former victors, who were surprised, and routed with great flaughter.

WEST INDIE S.

The difturbances in St. Domingo are far from being ap pealed; and that unhappy fettlement will for a time be loft in the annals of European commerce. We cannot venture on any detail of the events, as the distance of the scene, and the views of party at home, have joined to perplex the narration. The original and chief difputes feem to have arifen between the whites and the people of colour, or mulattoes; but in fome parts the blacks have arisen against the whites; and the town of St. Marc has, as is faid, fallen a prey to the former.

SAND

SANDWICH ISLANDS.

The cruelty of captain Metcalf, commander of an American veflet, who in revenge for the lofs of a boat, and one man, poured a broadfide into a numerous affemblage of canoes, to the inftant deftruction of near a hundred favages, has been defervedly reprobated. Even the flaughter of Cook would not have vindicated fuch a revenge.

OTAHEITE.

Intelligence has been received from captain Edwards, commander of the Pandora, fent in queft of the mutineers against captain Bligh, that fixteen have been taken; but Chriftian and the other nine, retiring to fome diftant ifle with the Bounty, have not been found. The Pandora has fince been wrecked, but the crew is faved.

NEW HOLLAND.

The British colony here ftill labours under great disadvantages from the want of provifions.

EAST INDIES.

Since our laft account no intelligence of much importance has been received. The army of lord Cornwallis was in motion, in the beginning of October. Ouffore, a place of great ftrength and importance, has fallen into our hands. Tippoo had, by the latest accounts, entrenched himself about twelve miles from Seringapatam; and lord Cornwallis with his grand army was advancing towards him. General Abercrombie, with the Bombay army, had afcended the Ghauts, and was well fupplied with provifions. Our affairs proceeded, however, with a flow profperity.

The encounter between a French and English frigate occafioned fome furprize. So far as can be judged, from the detail laid before the public, there was rather too much feverity and distruft fhewn on our fide, and an ill-timed arrogance on that of the French commander, who was apparently a young man,

AFRICA.

The empire of Morocco has been loft in inteftine commo tions. A battle was fought between the emperor and his brother Ben Affler, in which the latter was defeated and flain, Late accounts bear that the Spaniards had affifted another brother against the emperor, and that the conflict proved fatal to the latter,

RUS

RUSSI A.

The final treaty with the Turks, concluded at Jaffy the 9th of January, ftates that the Dniefter fhall be the boundary; that the cities of Moldavia and Wallachia fhall be confirmed in their privileges: that the Port fhall guarantee the tranquillity of Grufinia, Georgia, and Caucafus; and all Ruffian veffels against the corfairs of Barbary. The emprefs is improving Oczacow, and rendering it a place of great ftrength, importance, and commerce.

At the fame time Catherine is not negligent of her fhare in European politics. She has affured the pope that the will fupport him in the refumption of Avignon; and has published a warm manifefto against the French revolution, and the progrefs of liberty. But Poland, and its new fcheme of government, excite her chief apprehenfions. It is rifible to behold the efforts of freedom compelling monarchs to declare fecrets better preferved with dignified filence. Diftant must be that period in which a Ruffian flave begins even to form an idea of freedom; and Catherine herfelf condemns it, as the popes condemned thefe as heretics who afferted the folar fyftem, the antipodes, and other mathematical truths.-It is expected that a Ruffian fleet will affift the efforts of the king of Hungary and Prulia against France.

POLAN D.

Warm debates concerning the fale of the ftarofties, which are regal fiefs allotted to individuals in reward of fervices, or from mere favour, have occurred in the diet. The empress of Ruffia foments the divifions, and will probably foon take an active part against the new conftitution. The elector of Saxony has infulted a people who called him, and his family, to the throne, by demanding the guarantee of Ruffia.

SWEDEN.

A diet fummoned by the king to meet at Gefflé, a folitary place on the Bothnic gulf, near feventy miles from Stockholm, excited much attention. Some imagined that the diet might affert the national freedom against a defpotic monarch; but Guftavus had guarded against any fuch defign, by his choice of the spot, and by pofting his mercenary troops around. He found however fome difficulty in gaining his only intention, that of raising money; and was obliged to put up with a part of his demand.

The