T

A

ARTICLE XLVII.

LEIP SICK.

Pofthumous Piece of Dr. Ittigius has been late ly published by M. Ludovicus.

Thome Ittigii, Theol. D. & Dioecefeos Lipf. Superintendent. Schediafma de Autoribus, qui de Scriptoribus Ecclef. egerunt, cura L. Chriftiani Ludovici, P. P. cujus Auctarium & Annotationes Accedunt. Lipfie, 1711. in 8vo.

PARIS.

M. De Prepetit de Grammont, late Rector of the Univerity of Paris, and Profeffor Emeritus of Eloquence, has tranflated into French Verfe the Poe tical Art of Horace, and fome other Pieces of that Ancient Poet.

Traduction en Vers François, de l'Art Poetique d Horace, des Satyres IV. & X. de fon premier Livre, de la I. Epitre de fon Livre II. &c. Paris 1711.

in 12mo.

The First,

This Book confifts of Three Parts. befides the Tranflation of the Poetical Art of Horace, and of the Three Pieces mentioned in the Title, contains alfo a Verfion of feveral remarkable Paf fages in the beft Poets. The Author's Poetry is neat and elegant; and his Notes are well chofen. The Second Part is a very inftructive Differtation upon

T 3

the

the Ancient and Modern Authors. The Third contains a very exact and complete Treatife of the French Verfification.

THE Vth Volume of the Hiftory of the Church, by the Abbot de Choify is newly come out.

Hiftoire de l'Eglife, par M. l'Abbé de Choify. Tome Cinquieme, depuis l'an 840. jufqu'à l'an 1100, Paris 1712. in 4to. pagg. 436.

M. Roy has obtained the Prize of Eloquence for the Year 1711. The Subject, proposed by the French Academy, was this, God is the Protector of those who trust in him. That Illuftrious Society has publifhed M. Roy's Difcourfe, and fome of the best Pieces of Eloquence made upon the fame Subject.

Recueil de plufieurs Pieces d'Eloquence prefentées à l'Academie Françoife, pour le Prix de l'annee 1711. avec plufieurs difcours qui ont été prononcez dans Academie, & quelques Pieces de Poefie qui, y ont été lûes en differentes occafions. Paris 1711. in 12. pagg. 431.

PHO

en Vers François par le Poëte fans fard. A Rotterdam, chez Fritsch & Bohm, M DCC XII.

That is,

THE ODES of ANACREON and 13 SAPPHO tranflated into French Verfe. 11 Rotterdam 1712. in 12mo. Pagg. 211. zsen 354.

T

HIS Work confifts of two Parts. The First is a long Preface containing 211 Pages; and the Second is entituled, The History of the Life and Odes of Anacreon, during his Stay at the Court of Polycrates. The Preface runs upon three different Subjects.

1. The Author makes an Apology for the Poets and Poetry.

2. He fhews that the Ancients are above the Mo derns.

3. He undertakes to prove that the Works of the Ancient Poets may be better tranflated into Verse than into Profe.

I. 1. The Author having defined Poetry, an Art of expreffing ones Thoughts in the most perfect Man ner, and of pleafing and perfuading with the Beauty of Images, and the Harmony of Words, does not fcruple to affirm that of all Men a Poet Reasons with the greatest Solidity. It is objected by a Modern Writer, (fays the Author,) That Poetry is contrary to Morals, and that Poets are ignorant, atheiftical, impious, and wicked Men. If fuch an Argument can be admitted, (fays our Author) it will be no difficult thing to prove that Profe is worfe ftill than Poetry; for there are more wicked Men among the Writers in Profe than among Poets. Some look upon a Poet as a mere Liar, who takes upon himself to fill the Reader's Mind with chimerical Notions, or at least with Truths fo ftrangely dif guifed, that 'tis a hard matter to diftinguifh what is true from what is falfe. His Expreffions (fay they are generally defigned to impofe upon our Reafon, and the Cadence and Harmony of his Expreffions, to flatter our Ears, and raife in us a great Admiration of his Performance. In answer to this Objection, we are told that if fuch an Argu ment be good, it may be alledged with greater Force against our common Theology. The Parallel being fomewhat odious, I fhall not dwell upon it.

Our Author, in order to fet off the Excellency of Poetry, obferves that the Holy Scripture reprefents to us the Attributes of God with Images that are wholly Poetical, and that the Pfalms are full of fuch Ideas. In the next Place, He mentions the Sublimity of feveral Chriftian Poets; and looks upon the Heathen Poets, as fo many perfect Theologers that Refpect. Their Jupiter, fays he, fhakes the whole Universe with a Nod, deftroys the Giant's with his Thunderbolt, and is described as the Su preme Mafter of all the Kings of the Earth. If t be objected that the Poetical Images of the Heathen

ད་

Poe

Poets have occafioned Idolatry; the Author answers, That one may make an ill Ufe of the beft Things, and that feveral Chriftians have entertained the moft extravagant Notions, by putting a wrong Senfe upon the facred Writings, as the Anthropomorphites and others.

St. Paul, continues our Author, does frequently exclaim against the Errors and Impoftures of the Philofophers; but it appears from fome Paffages of the Ancient Poets quoted by that Holy Apoftle, that he had an Efteem for them. Grotius writ his Treatife concerning the Truth of the Chriftian Religion in Dutch Verfe, and alledges à vaft Number of Poets to prove the Exiftence of God, and his Providence, and that he bestows Rewards and Punishments after this Life.

"From all these Confiderations (Says the Author) "I infer that the Theology of Poets is more agreeable to the Scripture than that of Syftematick Divines, commonly called School-Divinity. Nay, I dare affirm that for the fame Reafon one Pfalm of David, tho' never fo Poetical, ought to be more efteemed, than all the large Volumes of the moft fubtil and "profound Theologers. What Benefit has the World ffo reaped from thofe Voluminous Tracts de Attributis "de Exiftentia; de Prædeterminatione ; Of the Distincti ። on of Perfons; Of efficacious or fufficient Grace, &c? "Are thofe Men the beft Chriftians, who read fuch Books? Have not thofe frivolous Difputes occa "fioned the fpreading of Atheism by Vaninus, Pom ponatius, and Spinoza ?

. In the next Place, our Author undertakes to ju Atify an Hymn of Horace, and to answer Mr. Le Clerc's Reflexions upon it in his Parrhafiana. He ob ferves that fuppofing Horace was an Epicurean, it can be no Objection against his Poetry. "Tho'

Marot was a Libertin, (fays he), is Mr. Le Clere displeafed that his Verfes fhould be fung in the

"Pro