tum rerum memorabilium illuftrati: Cum nova Præfa. tione vitam Auctoris complexa. Lipfie. 1712, in 4t0. Coll. 1480.

The firft Edition of this Commentary, published at Lyons in the Year 1624 is very scarce.

HE moving Sphere according to the Syftem of Copernicus, made by Mr. Pigeon, is a very Curious Piece of Work. Tho' it be but Eighteen Inches in Diameter, and, Five Feet four Inches high, it is fufficient to perform easily all the Demonftrations. That Sphere has been ingraved by Mr. Pigeon's Direction. The Stamp is attended with a Imall Book, containing a Defcription of that Ingeni ous Machine, and fhewing the ufe of it,

Father Calmet has published a Commentary t upon the Three firft Books of Kings.

Commentaire litteral fur tous les livres de l'Ancien du Nouveau Teftament, par le R. P. D. Auguftin Calmet, Religieux Benedictin de la Congregation de Saint Vanne & de S. Hydulphe. Les trois premiers Livres des Rois. Paris 1711, in 4to, Pagg, 1949.

The Author has inferted Four Differtations in this Commentary.

In the First, He treats of the Origin of the Phili ftines, and of the Deities worshipped by that Nati on, viz. Dagon, Beel-febub, Aftaroth, Marnas (menB b 4 tioned

I have given an Account of his other Commentaries. Look for Calmet in the Index.

tioned by Stephanus Byzantinus), and Berith, or Baal-Berith.

The Second Differtation concerns Samuel's Apparition to Saut, about which the Commentators do very much differ. Father Calmet believes, that Samuel himself did truly appear to Saul, by God's Order, and that the Devil had no Hand in that Prodigy; but he knows not, whether it was in Corpore, or extra Corpus.

"

The Author enlarges upon the Perfon and the 'Arms of Goliath in his Commentary. That Giant was about Twelve Feet and a Half in Height. His Coat of Mail weighed a Hundred and Fifty Six Pounds and a Quarter. The Head of his Spear weighed about Twenty Pounds. His Helmet, his Shield, and his othér Arms had doubtless the fame Proportion. An Author, having carefully examined thofe Proportions, found that the complete Armour of that Giant weighed Two Hundred Seventy Two Pounds and Thirteen Ounces. PlusbaA CUSTOM 91

T

The Wealth which David left to Solomon, makes the Subject of the Third Differtation. Thofe, who are beft skilled in the Weights, Meafures, and Coins of the Ancients, wonder how that Prince could leave behind him fuch a prodigious Treafure. Father Calmet undertakes to fhew; that David might eafily hoard up thofe immenfe Sums. His Reign was very long: He conquered rich Nations, and took all their Wealth from them. Arabia, and Edom abounding in rich Mines, and the other Countries fubdued by him, paid him a conftant Tribute. His Empire reached from the Euphrates to the Nile, MGA TO

&c.

The IVth Differtation runs upon the Temples of the Ancients.

M

A FURTHER ACCOUNT of the Differtation prefixed to the New Tranflation of Anacreon into French Verfe. (See above Art. XLVIII.)

TH

HE Author having answered fome Criticifms Los of Mr. le Clerc upon fome Paffages of Virgil, and endeavoured to justify the Poers upon fome oOther Heads proceeds to make an Apology for the Ancients, and maintains that they are much above the Moderns.

1

w2. "The Queftion about the Pre-eminence beetween the Ancients and the Moderns, (fays Mr.

de Fontenelle,) being rightly understood, comes "toe this: Whether the Trees that grew formerly in our Fields, were larger than thofe of this present Time. If it be fo, Homer, Plato, and Demofthenes cannot be equalled in thefe latter Times; but if our Trees are as large as thofe of former inTimes, we may equal Homer, Plato, and DeSamosthenes".

Our Author (Mr. Gacon) does by no means approve this Argument, and adds that if there was any Strength in it, one might eafily prove from thence that the Ancients cannot be equalled by the Moderns, fince it is an easy thing to fhew that Trees were formerly larger than they are now. We read

T

(Jays

that

Says he) in the Sacred and Profane Hiftory, there were Giants in former Times; from whence it follows that Trees were then larger than ours are: For if there is a Relation between Trees and Men, the fame ought to be admitted between Men and Trees. But Mr. de Fontenelle grants, that if Trees were formerly larger than they are now, the Ancients cannot be equalled; and therefore he muft neceffarily own, that the Ancients will always be above the Moderns, fince it appears from his own Argument, that the Trees of former Times were larger than those of our Time.

as

Mr. Gacon adds, That the true State of the Queftion is this: Whether the Excellent Works of the Ancients are better than those of the Moderns; the Abbot Maumenet lays it down in his Ode upon that Subject:

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According to Mr. de Fontenelle, the Moderns ar"The Ancients invented every Thing; gue thus: therefore they were much more Ingenious than we. Not at all, (fays be); but they lived before 66 us. One might as well commend them for being "the firft, who drank the Water of our Rivers, "and infult us, because we only drink their re"mains "

Our

Our Author answers, That the Moderns do not admire the Ancients, because they invented, but be caufe they perfected. Homer is not efteemed by them, as being the firft Poet, fince there were o ther Poets before him; but because they believe he has carried Epick Poetry to the highest Degree of Perfection. Thus (continues Mr. Gacon) we admire the Stephens, and the Elzeviers, not as being the Inventers of Printing, but because they publifhed feveral Mafter Pieces of that Noble and Useful Art.

Mr. de Fontenelle obferves, That the Moderns cannot always exceed the Ancients, unless the Nature of the thing allows of it. Eloquence and Poetry (Says he) do not require a great Knowledge of other Arts, and chiefly depend upon a lively Imagination. Men might eafily get a fufficient Knowledge of thofe Arts in few Ages; and a lively Imagination does not want a long Series of Experiments, nor a great Number of Rules, to have all the Perfection that it is capable of. The fame Author fays in another Place, That Eloquence and Poetry, which have occafioned the warmest Difpute, are not very Important in themselves and believes the Ancients might carry them to their Perfection, because it may be attained to in few Ages. However, he owns that Eloquence was a ready way to Preferment among the Greeks and the Romans, and that it was then as great an Advantage to be born with the Talent of Speaking well, as it would be now-a-days to be born with a vaft Eftate. As for Poetry, he fays it never was good for any thing under any Sort of Government.

Mr. Gacon refers us to the firft Part of his Dif fertation, where he makes an Apology for Poetry. He wonders Mr. de Fontenelle fhould be one of those, who defpife that noble Art, fince his Poetical Performances are far from being contemptible.

were