travelling through Africa would it be to go with these merchants, who would point out roads, by which it might be possible to penetrate in other, directions towards the south and north! The Mallays, whom Desmarchais saw, also wrote down notices about the places and nations observed by them, and the character of the latter. Could such men not be persuaded, that the committee of the African institution do not wish to supplant their commerce, and that they desire nothing else but a know'ledge of countries, people, and languages, and to improve the character of these people? Might not such men be induced, by promoting many of their views, to act themselves, to lead others, or at least to take with them trusty Suzees, whom they should be bound to bring back in return for great advantages? And if this was not possible, would it not be of great consequence, from the court of the king of Dahomy, as a fixed point, to attempt every way of penetrating into the interior of Africa? Embassies sent thither have till now had other objects. An agent of the committee of the African institution, stationed, as it were, at this court, might discover means to promote considerably their designs; and to afford thence to the traveller protection, assistance, recommendations, and information, concerning the best routes. Might not a similar reception be effected at the court of the king of the Eyeo, who, still more powerful and warlike, and also in possession of the art of weaving, which is carried on for exportation, and therefore as a manufactory, perhaps extends his dominion even further to the east? Did not even the wild Jagas, in the east of Congo and Benguela, grant a friendly reception and unmolested return to Battel. From them, and from the Eyeo, and Anziches, who, we are told, border on the northern limits of Nubia, the same treatment may per

haps be hoped, and a more accurate knowledge of these people and their neighbours acquired.

Benguela, just mentioned, offers a third way into the interior of Africa. It is very probable that the Portugueze once went from this place, through the southern part of Africa, above Caffraria, across to their possessions in the east of Africa. It is desirable that, in the present intimate connection between Portugal and England, the most accurate accounts concerning this communication between the western and eastern coasts of Africa should be procured, and its broken threads again connected. This passage through the interior of Africa would be very important for the knowledge of people and languages. And efforts towards an acquaintance with the more southern parts could be easily combined with it. From the Cape, much has been done for this purpose. The Caffres admit European strangers, who ought not to apprehend here any danger. There is a very interesting notice in Dr Lichtenstein's account of his travels, that sons of the chieftains of the Caffer tribes, like the knight-errants of the middle age, proceed from tribe to tribe, to acquire reputation by overcoming adventures. Though these travellers have scarcely any knowledge of the countries they have seen; the confidence, however, of the chiefs might perhaps be won to such an extent, that an indefatigable European, distinguished for his beneficence, might be permitted to join such a a wanderer, and pass with him through the southern countries, to inform us about their condition, and to correct or erase the many names in our maps of those lands.

On the eastern coast, the possessions of the Caffres extend upwards. The ascendency of the conquering Arabians over them is so strong, to permit as easy an entrance as by the ways already pointed out. But the

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the more ancient statements is wanted from the recent inquirers; neither do I enter upon the detail of literary observations, concerning which, more accurate questions can only be stated, when we are informed about the route the traveller will choose for his discoveries in Africa *. I shall mention a few points only, which I should like the least to see overlooked.

It would be interesting to know, whether the Moors, who became so dangerous to Mungo Park in his first journey, the Moors of Ladamar, do not als speak the language of the people of Barbary, as well as the Arabian, their mother tongue. This is not improbable, though, upon the other side, it is not impossible, that tribes of pure Arabic descent had rendered themselves masters of those southern countries. It is not unlikely, and it seems supposed by men who lived on the Senegal, as Golberry, that the Folgis on the Ivory coast and the Foulahs are the same people; but it would be important to know certainly how far this great tribe, spreading in the north towards Agades, in the east, (as we see by the mention of the Falatijahs in Browne) to Darfoor, extended t.

Faithful information, concerning the language of the Manou, who are said to possess a considerable empire upon the Ivory coast, stretching into the interior, would be desirable; but chiefly also accounts of the language of the Eyeo or Haiho behind Dahomy, the Anziches behind Loango, the Agagi and Jaggis behind Congo, who are all warlike, wandering people, -Is there any connection between them? The language of the Gala on the Peppercoast would afford the most certain criterion, if any connection

I have endeavoured to collect all that I could discover about the languages of Africa in Mithridates, vol. iii. part 1. +Upon these Falatijah, see Mithradates, vol. 1, p. 50.

between and the Gallas is possible, as would appear by travelling from Benguela amongst the northern tribes of the Caffres, if the Gallas really border upon them in the South.

In Cabra, above the Niger, there are said to be peculiar written letters*; it would be very interesting to know them, and perhaps the influence of the Romane in those countries might still be traced.

In general, every step in Africa would present attentive observers and able inquirers, with manifold opportunities for unfolding the history of mankind.

Extracts from the Correspondence of Mr Fox and Mr WAKEFIELD.

PROFESSOR PORSON.

By Mr Wakefield.

I Have been furnished with many

opportunities of observing Porson, by a near inspection. He has been at my house several times, and once for an entire summer's day. Our intercourse would have been frequent, but for three reasons: 1st, His extreme irregularity and inattention to times and seasons, which did not at all comport with the methodical arrangements of my time and family. 2d, His gross addiction to that lowest and least excusable of all sensualities, immoderate drinking: and, 3d, The uninteresting insipidity of his society; as it is impossible to engage his mind on any topic of mutual inquiry, to procure his opinion on any author, or on any passage of an author, or to elicit any conversation of any kind to compensate for the time and attendance

*Proceedings of the association for promoting the discovery of the interior parts of Africa. 11. p. 19.

though I believe he has satirical verses in his treasury, for Dr Bellenden, as he calls him (PARR,) and all his most intimate associates. But, in his knowledge of the Greek Tragedies, and Aristophanes; in his judgment of MSS. and in all that relates to the metrical proprieties of dramatic and lyric versification, with whatever is connected with this species of reading; none of his contemporaries must pretend to equal him. His grammatical knowledge also, and his acquaintance with the antient Lexicographers and Etymologists, is most accurate and profound and his intimacy with Shakespeare, B. Johnson, and other dramatic writers, is probably unequalled. He is, in short, a most extraordinary person in every view, but unamiable; and has been debarred of a comprehensive intercourse with Greek and Roman authors, by his excesses, which have made those acquirements impossible to him, from the want of that time, which must necessarily be expended in laborious reading, and for which no genius can be made a substitute. No man has ever paid a more voluntary and respectful homage to his talents, at all times, both publickly and privately, in writings and conversation, than myself: and I will be content to forfeit the esteem and affection of all mankind, whenever the least particle of envy and malignity is found to mingle itself with my opinions. My first reverence

is to Virtue; my second, only to talents and erudition: where both unite, that man is estimable indeed to me, and shall receive the full tribute of honour and affection.

Critical Remarks. (By Mr Fox.)

I have read again (what I had often read before) the chapter you refer to of Quintilian, and a most pleasing one it is; but I think te seems not to have an opinion quite high enough of our favourite Ovid; and, in his laboured comparison be tween Demosthenes and Cicero, be appears to me to have thought them more alike, in their manner and respective excellencies, than they seem to me. It is of them, I think, that he might most justly have said, "Magis pares quàm similes." i have no Apollonius Rhodius, and have never read of him more than what there is in our Eton Poete Græci, and the Edinburgh Collectance: but, from what I have read, he seems to be held far too low by Quintilian; nor can I think the " æqualis mediocritas" to be his character. The parts extracted in the above collections are as fine as poetry can be; and, I believe, are generally allowed to have been the model of what is certainly not the least-admired part of the Æneid: if he is in other parts equal to these, he ought not to be characterized by mediocrity. I wish to read the rest of his poem, partly for the sake of the poem itself, and partly to ascertain how much Virgil has taken from him; but I have not got it, and do not know what edition of it I ought to get: I should be much obliged to you if you would tell me. Shaw's is one of the latest; but, I think, I have heard it ill spoken of.. If, at the same time, you would advise me in regard to the Greek Poets in general (of the second and third order I mean,) which are best worth reading, and in what editions, you would do me a great

service.

service. Of Aratus, Nicander, Dionysius, Oppian, Nonnius, Lycophron, I have never read a word, except what has occurred in notes on other authors.

Indeed, as, during far the greater part of my life, the reading of the Classics has been only an amusement, and not a study, I know but little of them, beyond the works of those who are generally placed in the first rank; to which I have always more or less attended, and with which I have always been as well acquainted as most idie men, if not better. My practice has generally been "multum potius quàm multos legere." Of late years, it is true that I have read with more critical attention, and made it more of a study; but my attention has been chiefly directed to the Greek language, and its writers; so that in the Latin I have a great deal still to read and I find that it is a pleasure which grows upon me every day. Milton, you say, might have reconciled me to blank verse. I certainly, in common with all the world, admire the grand and stupendous passages of the Paradise Lost; but yet, with all his study of harmony, he bad not reconciled me to blank verse. There is a want of flow, of ease, of what the painters call a free pencil, even in his blank verse, which is a defect in poetry that offends me more perhaps than it ought: and I confess, perhaps to my shame, that I read the Fairy Queen with more delight than the Paradise Lost: this may be owing, in some degree, perhaps, to my great partiality to the Italian Poets.

Account of some rare Greek Poets.

(By Mr Wakefield.)

Apollonius Rhodius was a great grammarian, as well as a poet; and therefore you should by all means have an edition with the Scholia.Shaw's, though of no value as a critical work, is prettily printed, has the Scholia, and a most excellent Index; July 1813.

and is therefore a very commodious book for use. You should get the last 8vo edition. Brunck, however, it is impossible to do without, on account of his accuracy, and his MSS. It is a 12mo, not very easily got: there was one at Lackington's the beginning of this year. Stiffness, and want of perspicuity and simplicity, appear to me the failings of Apollonius Rhodius.

Aratus, as a versifier, is much in the same style; and in language harsh and difficult, partly from his subject. His Phanomena will hardly be relished, but by the lovers of astronomy; but his other work, on the Signs of the Weather, must be read, as it has been translated nearly by Virgil, in Geo. i. The small Oxford edition is the best I know it is become scarce and dear. I rather think they are republishing this poet in Germany. You would know by inquiring at Elmsley's. This poet has been little read, and seldom published.

Nicander you will never have patience to read, I think; otherwise, he was also a great linguist, but as obscure at least as Lycophron; though his (Nicander's) obscurity is in the quaint and learned phrase, not in the meaning. His first poem, of about six hundred verses, treats of vegetable, mineral, and animal poisons, and their remedies: his second, of about a thousand verses, of noxious animals, their bites and stings, and remedies. They are good for me, as a Lexicon compiler, and a scholar by profession; but I cannot recommend them to you.

Dionysius Periegetes is, to my mind, the sweetest and simplest writer, both for verse and diction, of all the Greeks, far and wide, after Homer. The best and pleasantest edition, to my knowledge, is Stephens's, or the Oxford, which may easily be procured. They are very numerous. There are also some London editions;

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