much in the same way as snow is described by Homer to be one of the instruments of the vengeance of Jupiter. "As when high Jove his sharp artillery forms, He stills the winds, and bids the skies to sleep, Iliad 12. The writers of the history of the Crusades give accounts sufficient to prove the severity of the winters in Judæa. Fulcherius Carnotensis saw the cold prove fatal to men. Jacobus de Vitriaco tells us, that not men only, but beasts of burden perished by cold. "Damna et incommoda, tam per latrunculos tam hyemis asperitate sustinuimus, ubi multi pauperes et jumenta frigore periGesla Dei per Francos, p. 1130. runt." And Albertus Aquensis, another writer of the same period, expresses himself in terms still stronger, "Sexta vero die montanis permensis in extremo illorum cacumine maxima pertulerunt pericula, in grandine horribili, in glacie terribili, in pluvia et nive inaudita, quorum immanitate et horrore ingruente, ad triginta homines pedites præ frigore mortui sunt.” Gesla Dei, p. 307. Vinisant, who wrote the history of the Crusade under Richard I. gives a similar account. He describes the Turkish army as oppressed with excessive snow and hail, "nivium et grandinum nimietate;" and in other parts, speaking of the Christian army, he says, "gelida nives implicunt, vultibus grandinum densitates reverberant, pluviæ torrentes involvunt," and ends with saying, "O quis estimaret illius amaritudinem diei ?" Sir John Chardin, travelling from Georgia through Armenia, found not the hills only, but the plains also, that separate these countries, covered with snow, on the 6th of March, in the latitude of little more than 40 degrees N. L. and Plutarch had observed in his Life of Lucullus, the surprise of that General who "saw from the top of Mount Taurus, the corn green in the fields before him, even in the midst of summer, so backward are the seasons by reason of the excessive cold in those parts." What is more to our present purpose, Dr. Russel tells us that at Aleppo, 1742, from the beginning of January to the middle, a great deal of snow fell, the frost continued, and the weather was exceedingly cold. In 1744, the snow fell six inches deep, and continued several days in places shaded from the sun. In the year 1746, οτε τ' ωρετο μητίετα Ζεύς Νίφε μεν ανθρωποισι πιφαυσκόμενος τα α κηλα, Iliad xii. 279, 280. 1746, on the 4th, 5th, and 6th of January, it snowed almost continually, so that it lay in the streets almost a foot thick. These citations are I hope sufficient to shew that Homer was acquainted with the inconveniences of winter, to a degree to induce him to exclude them from his description of Elysium. But I regard Homer's description of these seats of happiness not merely as an imaginary picture, but as a true representation of what takes place in the Fortunate, or Canary isles. Plutarch in the Life of Quintus Sestorius has described these countries in terms so nearly coinciding with those of Homer, that I shall give the passage at length." The Fortunate islands, says that writer, are two in number, divided from one another by a narrow channel, and are distant from the coast of Africa ten thousand furlongs. Rain seldom falls there, and when it does, it is in moderate showers; but for the most part they have gentle breezes, bringing along with them soft dews, which so enrich the soil, that it is not only fertile when plowed and planted, but even produces of itself, plenty of delicious fruits, sufficient to feed the inhabitants, who may here be supported without labour or fatigue. The seasons are temperate, and the transitions from one to the other so moderate, that the air is always serene and healthy. The rough northerly and easterly winds which blow toward these islands from the continent, are dissipated by reason of the vast distance, and utterly lose their force before they reach these parts. The soft western and southerly winds which blow on them, sometimes produce mild sprinkling showers, but for the inost part they gently refresh the earth with fruitful dews only, and the nourishing moisture of the air, so that it is firmly believed, even by the barbarous people themselves, that this is the seat of the blessed, and that these are the Elysian Fields so highly celebrated by Homer." It is worth remarking, that in both the above descriptions, the western breezes are mentioned as contributing to the pleasures of the situation, and Pindar has also enumerated them among the circumstances that enhance the delights of these islands. This was obviously natural to be remarked in a country which was represented as possessing a perpetual spring and summer united. The west wind is described by Philostratus in the groupe of Hyacinthus, as having wings at his temples, like Mercury, of a mild appearance, and bearing a chaplet of flowers. "The same wind" says Mr. Stuart in his account of the Tower of Andronicus Cyrrhestes, is, in the spring, pleasant, warm, and favourable *Lucian says that the west wind is the only one that blows in the Elysian Fields. εις ανεμος πνει ο ξέφυρος. Luc. Ver. Hist. L. ii. 4 ενθα μακαρων νάσων ωκεανίδες αυρας περιπνευουσιν. It is evident that at the Canary Islands, the Oceanitides aura, must mean the western breezes. Η ορας δε είμαι αυτόν εν πληνω τον κροτάφω, και αβρω τω είδει και ςέφανον φέρει παντων Philostr. Icon, L. i. § xxiv. vourable to vegetation. It is figured as a beautiful youth, with a pleasing and benign aspect, and seems to glide on with the gentlest and easiest motions. He is the only one of the figures represented without a tunic or vest; he is indeed entirely naked, except his loose mantle, the skirt of which is filled with flowers." Milton, who drew many of his poetical ideas from Italian climates as well as from Italian poets, calls Zephyrus "the frolic wind that breathes the spring," and this appellation is justified by the expressions both of the poets and prose writers of antiquity. But altho' this country was happy in gentle breezes, yet it was free from hurricanes or storms of wind and rain, so frequent in hot climates, which are particularly specified in both the above accounts, not to take place in these countries. Even Virgil appears to have alluded to these islands in his description of Elysium. devenere locos lætos, et amæna vireta, Fortunatorum nemorum, sedesque beatas." The epithet which he applies to the woods and groves, belongs, in a local sense almost exclusively, to the Canary islands. Again, he seems to have marked the difference of latitude and situation between Italy and the Canaries by the words, Solemque sunm, sua sidera norunt; the sun being nearly vertical there at the summer solstice, it being in 280 N. L. and many of the southerly constellations being visible there, which never rise in the latitude of Rome or even of Greece. Virgil describes the brightness of the sky in Elysium, in terms much resembling Homer's description of the dwelling of the Gods. Largior hic campos Æther et lumine vestit purpureo. And o'er the region pours a double day." vi. 640. Pitt's Translation, Pindart in a fragment quoted by Plutarch, speaks of the perpetual sunshine • Parturit almus aget Zephyrique tepenribus auris Laxant arva sinus. Virgil. Georgic. ii. 330. Aura paret flores tepidi fœcunda Favoni. Catull. de Nupt. Pelei et Thetidos. reserata viget genitalis Aura Favoni. Mitior alternum Zephyri jam bruma teporem Lucr. L. i. 11. Claudian in Eutropium. ii. 95. Pliny. "A Favonio veris initium notant." Pindar the Lyric Poet speaks in the following terms of the condition of the pious souls in Hades, "The brightness of the sunshine is present there, when darkness overspreads the earth beneath; meadows of purple roses sin round sunshine or light which irradiates the seats of the blessed; and Plato in the Axiochus accounts the mild and tenperate climate of these regions, enlightened by the constant rays of the sun, among the principal sources of happiness. Lucian also, who, although he wrote to ridicule these opinions, expressed the popular ideas of mankind, says, "that in the regions of the blessed there is a perpetual spring, and no night, but a clear mild atmosphere, in a medium between excess of light and gloom." The Archbishop of Cambray, has, in his Telemachus, dilated on this subject in a beautiful, but somewhat mystic manner. happy place (the Elysian Fields) the day knows no end, and night with her gloomy veil is a stranger there. A pure and insinuating light spreads itself round the bodies of these just men, and encom "In this passeth round their habitations, shaded with trees of aromatic odour, and laden with golden fruits. Some of the inhabitants entertain themselves with exercises on horseback, others with gymnastic exercises on foot, and others with the pleasures of music. Every kind of flowery beauty flourishes there in profusion. Pleasing smells are unceasingly diffused through the whole country. The light arising from the perfumes burnt on the altars of the gods is visible to a great distance." Cons. ad Apollonium. There is in Pindar another description of the happiness of the blest, nearly resembling that given by Plutarch, though in some respects different, which I shall give in Mr. West's very elegant translation. Strophe IV. But in the happy fields of light, And gilds the cloudless day; Them no uneasy wants constrain, To vex th' ungrateful soil, To tempt the dangers of the billowy main, And break their strength with unabating toil; A frail disastrous being to maintain, But in their joyous calm abodes, cares, And fan the bosom of each verdant plain, Whose fertile soil immortal fruitage bears. The recompence of justice they rc Trees from whose flaming branches flow ceive; And in the fellowship of gods Without a tear eternal ages live. While banish'd by the fates from joy and rest; Intolerable woes the impious soul molest. Array'd in golden bloom refulgent beams, And flowers of golden hue that blow On the fresh border of their parent streams. These by the blest in solemn triumph worn, Their unpolluted hands and clust❜ring locks adorn. Olympic Odes, ii. passeth them with its rays as with a garment. It is not like that which illuminates the eyes of miserable mortals, which in comparison of this is little better than darkness. It is rather a celestial glory than a light; for it penetrates the thickest bodies after a more subtle manner than the beams of the sun can pierce the purest crystal. Yet it never dazzles, but on the contrary fortifies the eyes, and produces an unspeakable serenity in the inmost recesses of the soul." (To be continued.) ACCOUNTS OF, AND EXTRACTS FROM, RARE AND CURIOUS BOOKS, "The seconde Parle of the Catalogue of English printed Bookes: eyther written in our owne tongue, or translated out of any other language: which concerneth the Sciences Mathematicall, as Arithmetick, Geometrie, Astronomie, Astrologie, Musick, the Arte of Warre, and Navigation: And also, of Phisicks and Surgerie: Which haue beene published to the glorie of God, and the benefit of the Commonweale of England. Gathered into Alphabet & etc: by Andrew Maunsell -t. At London Printed by James Roberts, for Andrew Maunsell, dwelling in Lothburie, 1595." Folio, pp. 27, without the dedication, etc: This second part the compiler dedicates to the memorable Earl of Essex (whose arms are most beautifully cut on wood at the back of the title) and whom he styles "a most honourable patrone of learned men and theyr works;" to "the Professors of the Sciences Mathematicall, and of Phisicke and Surgery;" and as before, to the "Company of Stationers, Printers, etc:" in this last he says, "Hauing shewed you in my former part of the use of my tables, I will onely in thys shew you and the curteous readers, that I haue set the VVriters of Arithmetick, Musick, Nauigation and Warre together, vsing the playnest way I could deuise. "Now it resteth, that I should proceede to the thirde and last part, which is of Humanity, wherein I shall haue occasion to shew, what we haue in our owne tongue, of Gramer, Logick, Rethoricke, Lawe, Historie, Poetrie, Policie, etc. Which will for the most part concerne matters of Delight and Pleasure, wherein I have already laboured, as in the rest; but finding it so troublesome to get sight of Bookes, and so tedious to digest into any good methode, I haue thought good first to publish the two more necessarie parts, which if I may perceaue to be well liked of, will whet me on to proceed in the rest (as God shall make me able) with better courage.' We are to suppose from this, that he did not meet with sufficient encouragement, for certain it is, that this third part never made its appearance; * Who coverest thyself with light, as with a garment. Psalm 104, v. 2. tt Same device, etc: as in the first part. |