No. 5674. This collation may serably deficient in it. A few be regarded as a model for similar original observations are added. performances. The MS. had been He likewise reprinted two import before collated, but very imper- ant notes of Musgrave, omitted in fectly, by Thomas Bentley. It Beck's edition of Euripides, with is valuable not only on account the addition of a single line of of its text, but for much informa- original observation.

tion contained in the scholia, si- His great work, had he lived to milar to that of the Venetian complete it, would probably have MSS. of the Iliad, published been the publication of the Lexby Villoison, respecting the read. icon of Photius, which exists in a ings of the ancient Alexandrian single ancient copy belonging to grammarians, Aristophanes, Arist- Trinity College, Cambridge. A archus, &c. Some extracts few modern transcripts of it, gefrom the Scholia, are given in the nerally we believe somewhat incourse of the collation; it is much correct, have found their way to to be desired that the whole were published.

In the edition of Herodotus, published at Edinburgh 1806, Mr. Porson is said to have borne a small share.

different parts of Europe. The whole of this MS. which is a folio volume, was twice transcribed by Mr. Porson in the most care, ful and beautiful manner. Whe ther he had prepared any annota- ' In his latest period of study, tions, we know not; the tranMr. Porson was engaged in a col- script however is complete, and lation of Kuhn's Pausanias, with will not, we hope, be withheld the Aldine edition, and some ma- from the world. To his familia. terials in that of Facius (imper- rity with this volume, Mr. Porfectly used by that editor) for son has been heard to observe the purpose of forming a supple- that he was chiefly indebted for ment to the edition of Kuhn. That that skill in palæography, which he would have thrown much inci- he so eminently possessed, and dental light on that writer, can- which in his employment was a not he doubted by those who have most powerful instrument of criobserved an emendation commu- ticism. He was also much ocnicated by Mr. Beloe in his Anecdotes of literature, and who have examined the additional notes in the last edition of the Hecuba. The collation of the Aldine edition was, we believe, completed.

cupied by a beautiful MS. of Plato, brought from Greece by Dr. Clarke, written in the early part of the tenth century. This MS. preserves various peculiarities of the Attic dialect, which are neglected in more recent coMr. Porson printed a few ad. pies. It confirms the emenda. ditional pages for the purpose of tion of a passage in the Symposupplying the lacuna in the Ley- sium proposed by Mr. P. in a den edition of Simplicius, (1640.) note on the Medea, p. 5S, and with a passage of considerable the Scholia contain some curious length, discovered in a MS. by literary information not elsewhere Schweighouser, which restores to be obtained. connexion to a place before mi- Mr. Porson was at some peri

ods of his life an occasional con- the topic which he treats.

A

tributor to the Gentleman's Ma- quick and just feeling of propriegazine, and Morning Chronicle. ty, both in sentiment and expresIn very few instances, it is sion, marks his critical decisions. probable, since the revival of He had not only judgment to apliterature, have all the circum- preciate, but sagaeity to discover; stances requisite to the formation and has, in many instances, deof an accomplished critic and tected errors before unsuspected, scholar been so happy combined, thrown light on obscurity which as in that of the late Professor seemed impenetrable, and disForson. Sagacity, learning, and cerned relations and connexions in judgment were united in him in objects between which no common such just proportions, that it principle had been before observ would be 4. Scult to say which of ed. He examined subjects with them formed the predominant that sober judgment and cautious feature of his intellectual charac. distrust, which an ancient poet ter. He was guited by nature has described as the "joints of with a memory in the highest de- the mind." seats of its strength, gree ready and tenacious. To and principles of its motion, and study an author, was with him to which rarely suffered a difficulty imprint his contents, and in many or error to escape his notice. instances even his words indelthy His extent of philological learnon his recollection. Yet his me. ing was complete. It has been mory, extraordinary as it was, the fault of many critics, that was subordinate to the other fa- while they have excelled in some culties of his mind, and does not departments of their art, they appear in any degree to have have treated others with an undue checked their growth, or impeded neglect, and have thence exposed their exercise. He possessed that themselves to errors which perpower of determined undeviating sons of very inferior attainments attention, which is the funda- have been able with ease to cormental principle of all considera- rect. Mr. Porson's practice was ble attainments, and to which the reverse of this. In every speeven Newton ascribed the great cies of knowledge requisite for philosophical discoveries by which the critic he was accomplished. his name is immortalized. His His attention had been closely dimode of study was, we believe, rected to the minute delicacies of exceedingly systematic and perse. language, which are constantly sering. With such an applica- preserved by good writers, but tion of such talents, it is not escape the notice of less accurate surprizing that he gained an ex- observers; to the peculiarities of tent of knowledge, which it has expression or sentiment characfallen to the lot of few to possess. teristic of different ages or tastes; His judgment was not less con- to the various structures of verse spicuous. His erudition is never employed by the ancient poets displayed at the expense of good (in which he discovered laws be sense and just taste. It is always fore unnoticed) without a knowemployed to illustrate, and no ledge of which both learning and further than it does illustrate, sagacity would be fruitlessly em

ployed in attempting to correct of those sagacious observations their writings. To these attain- and discoveries with which it was ments he added uncommon skill in his power to have enriched the in palæography, a branch of world, and which he was accusknowledge which he applied with tomed in conversation to impart more success to critical purposes without restraint, and with an than perhaps any other individual. ease and readiness from which it Nor was he less conversant in the might seem that the attainment literary history of the ancients, of them had scarcely cost him au or in their manners and customs, effort. so far as the knowledge of them tends to the illustration of their literature. The consequence of these attainments, actively employed as they always were, was of the branches of science or li an uncommon and almost unri- terature which they have respecvalled skill in the exercise of the tively cultivated. We have spoken critical art. Of this the works of Mr. Porson only as a critic, which he has published afford suf- his public and professed literary ficient evidence; yet it is equally character. It may be added that known to those who have witness- there were few branches of geneed his literary discourse, that they ral knowledge in which his atfurnish but an imperfect evidence tainments were not considerable. of the extent of his talents, and contain but a very small portion

On the whole we have to regret the loss of a most_extraordi mary man; one of the few who will always stand in the first ranks

D.

MISCELLANEOUS COMMUNICATIONS.

NOTES BY DR. FRANKLIN, ON THE OPENING OF ESSEX STREET

CHAPEL.

To the Editor of the

Holty House, Sept. 9, 1808.
Near East Grinstead.

SIR,

Monthly Repository.

late father was one of the nephews. and the executor. They are both endorsed in Mr. Whatley's hand

In addition to the letters of writing,-17 April, 1774. Dr. Dr. Franklin, published in your Franklin. first Volume, I beg leave to offer you the enclosed short notes, which you may think worthy of preservation for the sake of the writer and the transaction to which they refer.

These notes were found like the letters among the papers of Mr. George Whatley, of whom my

Mr. W. was an intimate friend of Lord Le Despencer, who appears to have sent him the note of Dr. Franklin, not knowing that he had received one.

I am, Sir,

Your obedient servant, ROBERT MARSH WHATLEY.

When the king went over to Hanover, S. Em. having left the queen guardian of the There are a few other MS. realm, (by virtue of which authority she had power to fill up vacancies, notes, chiefly consisting of dates which might happen in his absence,) and names. he expressly gave her in charge, that

This nobleman had been a member of the House of Commons when Sir Francis Dashwood. He is honourably mentioned by Mr. Burgh for proposing "a paragraph against undue influence to be inserted in the address" in 1745. Pol, Disquis. 1, 386. ED.

+ See "A Sermon preached at the opening of the Chapel in Essex House, Essex Street, in the Strand; on Sunday, April 17, 1774. by Theophilus Lindsey, M. A." This temporary chapel, which had been an auction room, chiefly employed for the sale of books, was occupied for public worship, till March 29, 1778. when the present chapel was opened. See Mr. Lindsey's Sermon on that occa

CHRISTIANITY A SYSTEM OF POLYTHEISM,

To the Editor of the Monthly Repository.

SIR, Diss, 29th May, 1808. Having lately found at a friend's house, and read with much pleasure several numbers of your Repository, I determined to attempt being admitted into the number of your correspondents; my first difficulty was to discover in what manner letters should be address. ed,-of other periodical publications, the covers usually supply the requisite information.

My second difficulty was to find a topic likely to interest your readers, as well as myself; for although a number of speculative questions respecting the scriptures, are continually pressing on my mind, I have observed that the doubts and solicitudes of one person are seldom those of another, and that, what to me is dark, in my neighbour's eye, shines, as if it were clear.

already usual in the temple of Jerusalem, before the time of Christ. Thus we find in the Ecclesiasticus, (xliv. 15.) that the congregation shewed forth the praise of famous men: and hymns follow which the people are invited to sing in honour of Enoch, of Noah, of Abraham, of Moses, and of other venerated benefac tors of the people. Cenotaphs ornamented with sculpture must have been erected to these holy persons; for Herodotus, speaking of the temple of Jerusalem, says, that images of the high priests were put up within it. These images, from which the catholics traditionally borrow their saint-worship, are no where objected to in the New Testament.

On the contrary, the worship of angels to whom Paul was repeatedly indebted, (Acts, v. 19.) is exChristianity, I mean scriptural pressly forbidden to be disused; and Christianity, is surely a system of is represented as attended, like polytheism. I do not say it teach. voluntary humility, with a rees a plurality of supreme beings, ward, (Colossians, ii. 18); and that would be a solecism; but the elect angels are peculiarized that it authorizes and encourages (1. Timothy, v. 21.) as partaking a subordinate worship of various the omniscient, or all-seeing fa other intelligent natures, such as culties of God and of Jesus Christ. angels, prophets, saints, holy spi- Some one of these inspired and rits, glorified ghosts; and espe- prophetic spirits was to visit the cially that it authorizes the wor earth, and to hear what went ship, as Socinus has convincingly forward on it, and to foretel fushown, of Jesus Christ our Lord. ture events, (John, xvi. 13.); Some sort of social reverence probably in the form, or person, for the fathers of the country, of Paul. for the prophets of religion, for

Not only Enoch, Elias, and the worthies of antiquity, some other men, who were never sufapproach to a hero-worship, ana- fered to see the corruption of logous to the hagiolatry of the death, are according to scripture, catholics, appears to have been still living; but Moses who ap