ftroyed in his time, thofe Praifes were not of fo dangerous & Confequence with respect to Chriftianity: Though, to speak the truth, the Encomiums which St. Auguftin beftows upon Plato, are only defigned to fhew that this Father was in the right to pitch upon the Platonifts among all other Philofophers, in order to confute their Errors. If St. Auguftin found in the Books of the new Platonists the beginning of St. John's Gofpel, tis becaufe thofe Philofophers made it their own, as well as feveral other Doctrines which they borrowed from Christianity.

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The third Reafon, why the Fathers have been charged with Platonifm, proceeds from the Method of fome famous Authors, who being puzzled with fome Expreffions of the Fathers, concerning the Mystery of the Trinity, laid the Fault upon Plato's Philofophy, by Tuppofing, that it had been cultivated by the ancient Chriftians. The Author of the Origeniana, and the learned Petavius are two of thofe Writers, who entertain fuch an Opinion: Father Baltus anfwers them in the ninth and tenth Chapters. He denies that there are fome Platonick Expreffions in the Paffages of the Fathers quoted by Petavius.

Laftly, he confutes the Socinians, who fay that the Fathers took their Doctrine, concerning the Trinity, from the Platonick Philofophy. In the remaining part of this Book, the Author makes feveral Reflexions upon fome Paffages of M. le Clerc, relating to the Platonifm of the Fathers;, and undertakes to prove against him, that Plato took feveral things from the facred Writers.

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ARTICLE

Selecta Poetica, quibus continentur Ge. Sabini Præcepta, Ul rici ab Hutten Ars Verfificatoria, Cl. Efpencei Elegia felectiores, & Samuelis Rachelii Claffes Imperatorum metrice: Collegit fuaque adjecit Carmina Joannes Henricus Acker. Rudolftadii, 1711. in 8vo.

The Pieces contained in this Collection deferved to be reprinted. The Rules of George Sabinus for the making of Verfes are very much efteemed, by reason of their Brevity and Clearnefs. He treats of the Choice and Difpofition of Words, of Epithets, Figures, and Harmony, and of the Faults and Beauties of Verfes. That Author was fo affected with Poetry, that he could not forbear weeping, when he read an excellent Poem, as Camerarius obferves in the Life of Melanchthon. Sabinus fays nothing of Invention; and therefore M. Acker has added fome Obfervations of his own relating to that Subject. The Ars Verfificatoria, written by Hulric ab Hutten, contains feveral things, that may be of fome ufe to young People. His Satyr, entitled Nemo, has been added to it.

The

Elegies of Claudius Efpencæus are elegant, and worth reading. M. Acker has added to thofe Pieces the Claffes Imperatorum metrica of Samuel Rachelius, because they are of great ufe to form a clear Notion of the Series of all the Emperors, and to fix it in ones mind.

PARIS.

TWO Satyrs of M. Defpreaux, tranflated into Latin, are newly come out. The Tranflator has been very happy in preferving the Beauties of his Original: His Expreffions are juft and elegant. This fort of Pic ces requires a great deal of Labour, when a Man confines himself to tranflate every Verse into a Latin one, as M. Hennegrave has done.

M. Guerin has published an Ode upon Hiftory, occafioned by an Oration of M. Coffin concerning the Usefulnefs of profane Hiftory,

ARTICLE LXIX.

ASCHINIS Socratici Dialogi tres Græce & Latine, ad quos acceffit quarti Latinum Fragmentum. Vertit & Notis illuftravit JOANNES CLERICUS; cujus & ad calcem additæ funt SILVÆ PHILOLOGICE, in quibus multa Veterum Græcorum & Latinorum Scriptorum Loca explicantur, aut emendantur. Liber Primus, cum omnium Indicibus neceffariis. Amftelodami, apud Petrum de Coup Bibliopolam. 1711.

That is,

Three Dialogues of Efchines, a Difciple of Socrates, in Greek and Latin, (with a Latin Fragment of a fourth) tranflated and illuftrated with Notes by JOHN LEN CLERC; to which he has added a Mifcellany of Philological Remarks, wherein many Paffages of feveral Greek and Latin Authors are explained or mended. Amfterdam, 1711. in 8vo. pagg. 275.

I

Have informed the Publick above (Art. XXXVII.) that this Book was in the Prefs at Amfterdam. It has been newly publifhed, and is dedicated to the Earl of Sunderland.

Among

Among the Spurious Dialogues of Plato, there are fome which the Ancients afcribe to Efchines. M. le Clerc has thought fit to reprint three of them from Henry Stephens's Edition, as being the most correct; and because the former Tranflations do not always exprefs the true Senfe of the Author, or depart too much from the Greek, he has made a new Verfion, that will be of great ufe to thofe, who are not well skilled in the Greek Language. The firft Dialogue is entitled, De Virtute, an doceri poffit. Whether Virtue can be taught? The fecond, Eryxias, vel Erafiftratus, de Divitiis, an fint bone. Whether Riches are a good thing? The third, Axiochus, five, de Morte, an fit timenda. Whether Death ought to be feared? Those three Dialogues, and a Latin Fragment of a fourth taken from the first Book of Cicero de Inventione Rhetorica, Chap. 31. are illuftrated with feveral Notes of the Learned Editor. He explains the Senfe of the Author, unravels feveral intricate Paffages, and, by the Help of Hiftory, gives no fmall Light to thofe ingenious Dialogues. The Life of Efchines, written by Diogenes Laertius, is prefixed to this Book, with feveral Notes of Cafaubon and Menagius upon it.

M. le Clerc informs us, that he has many Philological Remarks among his Collections. He has published fome of them in this Volume, under the Title of Silve Philologice; and if they are acceptable to the Readers, he will from time to time communicate to the Publick feveral Obfervations of that kind. He owns that many Remarks, contained in this first Book, are more like Conjectures than Demonftrations; and declares that he does not pretend to afcribe to them a greater Degree of Probability than what they have. Thefe Silve Philologice confift of X Chapters.

I. The firft is entitled de Humanioribus Litteris. M. le Clerc understands by thofe Words particularly the Knowledge of the Greek and Roman Antiquity; and is of Opinion that this Knowledge fhould be attended with the Study of Oriental Languages, efpecially the Hebrew, and with the reading of the best Books written