part of them, the whole race seems to sink into contempt.

Thank you, also, for your criticisms on the "Botanic Garden," which shew in you a very great sensibility to the elegancies of language, which must be shocked with almost all the poetry you meet with. Most of your observations, I believe, are just; yet perhaps the ambiguity from the numbers of the nominative and accusative cases, both of which precede the verb, could not well be altered in the line you mention, as

"Stay, whose false lip seductive simpers part,"

is not sense, as the word part refers to two lips. But might be thus avoided:

"Stay, whose false lips with smiles seductive part."

I cannot defend myself against many of your other ingenious observations, but think the word "spoke" more in use amongst polite people, than " spake." I esteem it to be an abbreviation of the word spoken. So broke for broken, &c.-In your valuable satire you have written drave for drive; which, if it ever was in use, is long since superannuated.”z

z We cannot better introduce, than in this place, a few of Mr. Wakefield's remarks on the subject of his deviation from

I beg leave to repeat, that I am much obliged to you for your observations, and much

the more usual practice of other writers, and which, indeed, apply to almost all his English works.

"Some few peculiarities of English style in this translation [of Dio. Chrysostom] will be noticed, I expect, even by readers not critically minute in their attention to composition. These are, however, more ceremoniously introduced than my strong conviction of their propriety both prompted and might seem to warrant. They will be found strictly consonant to ANALOGY and GRAMMAR, whose mandates I could not, in every instance, prevail upon myself irreverently to violate. It is certainly high time for our unconstructed and solecistic style to be modelled by the rectitude of their immutable and applicable standard, which, sooner or later, must be called in to our assistance, and will then essentially impair the beauties and diminish the utilities of our noblest writers, in prose and verse, to future generations. With a view to an execution of this object my industry has formed some collections, and expended many thoughts: nor shall I cease to lament every day that passes without producing some general purpose, some grand effort of our writers, for the reformation of that language, which rises daily in estimation on the Continent, and promises fair to become vernacular through the greater portion of the transatlantic world."

Manuscript Preface, originally intended for the translations from Dio Chrysostom.

In the preface to his "Poetical Translations," he makes a similar remark:

"Some apparent singularities in the formation of the verbs will not escape the notice, and, perhaps, the censure, of the reader; but the translator believes them strictly analo

admire the sensibility of your taste and accuracy of your knowledge of our common language, and am charmed with the energy of your satire.

I hope, if you are ever released from the harpy-claws of power, that I may some time have the pleasure verbally of more of your criticisms at Derby; and am,

With great respect,

Your obedient servant,

ERASMUS DARWIN.

To the Rev. GILBERT WAKEFIELD,

Dorchester Gaol.

His daughter having mentioned to him the grateful pride which she experienced on hearing her father spoken of in terms of high commendation, by persons whose virtues and talents stamped a value on their judgment; as well as the flattering kindnesses which she was herself frequently receiving, he enlarges upon this topic in the course of the following letter, in which he likewise suggests some advice respecting the conduct of her studies.

gical, and such as will be uniformly adopted, when our Janguage has attained that stability of construction and accuracy of grammatical inflexion, so lamentably wanting to the compositions of our countrymen."

MY DEAR CHILD,

Dorchester Gaol, Aug. 19, 1800.

I ALWAYS acquiesce in the delay of your letters, except from an apprehension that your indisposition may be the cause: otherwise, I by no means wish to impose too great a burden upon you. Thus far in answer to your apprehension of admonition for your long silence.

These commendations, my dearest love, which are so lavished on yourself and me, will serve, I hope, to encrease our exertion in constant endeavours to render ourselves worthy of such encomiums, and the love of the wise and the good.

As in our intellectual enquiries every accession of knowledge only contributes to enlarge our prospect into the vast regions yet unexplored and unknown, and to produce an increasing conviction of our own ignorance on a multitude of subjects; so the effusions of immoderate admiration, compared by consciousness with our real merits, should operate in humility and modesty, from a sense of our great and manifold deficiencies in moral excellence. Yet is the commendation of vir

tuous minds most cherishing and pleasant; especially when a corroborating testimony to our own convictions."

"In Latin you cannot read a more instructive book than Quintilian. All his notions on education are correct and judicious; the result of sound reflexion and long experience. By the titles of his chapters, you will best discover those topics most agreeable to your taste; but his first chapter of book x, which characterises the comparative merits of the Greek and Roman writers, is superlatively excellent, and conveys the most interesting information, in union with criticism the most exact. Good sense, impartiality of decision, nervous, and expressive language, with a religious purity of sentiment on all moral topics, pervade every line of his masterly "Institutions."

The unreserved language in which Juvenal indulged himself on all occasions, forms a most exceptionable part of his character, and renders him quite ineligible without selection and great circumspection. To the pure, indeed, as the apostle very justly and intelligibly observes, all things are pure. But his xiii, xiv, and xv Satires contain many precepts of sublime morality, and may be read not only with delight, but moral improvement. The conclu