the honoured names of Conington and Kennedy, of Munro and Ellis, of Paley and of Mayor; but the editor gladly takes the opportunity, not merely of acknowledging the many obligations under which he lies individually to their commentaries, but still more of expressing how deeply the cause of Latin scholarship is indebted to their labours during the last quarter of a century.

The apparent duration of genuine Latin poetry, as represented by the interval of more than 700 years that separates Nævius from Boethius, must not mislead us. In reality its death-knell had sounded in the third century, when quantity, although the knowledge of it was retained by artificial training, had already begun to be superseded by accent. Still allowing, as we must, for the display of the highest poetic genius in Italy, a brief period as compared with that of its manifestation in Greece; allowing, too, the want of creative power and originality which characterizes much of the poetry of the Romans, we must still claim for it that it is their most complete literary monument.' Apart from the national character which is indelibly stamped upon them, there is a tenderness and a brilliancy, a dignity and a strength in the masterpieces of the Roman poets, which entitle them to rank among the lasting treasures bequeathed to us by the past.

At a time when the requirements of education are being daily extended, it may be a help to students who cannot read through many entire authors (however desirable that may be) to have some survey like the present of one branch of ancient literature. At a time too of which it has been remarked, that our sensibilities to grace and beauty have not kept pace with our scientific progress, and which is sometimes indifferent to literary form, it may be well to have the attention recalled to a few excellent models, many of which, it is believed, if committed to memory, will prove a source of life-long pleasure, and grow dearer by familiarity with all the steadfastness of an old and well-tried friendship.

ETON COLLEGE,

Jan. 8th, 1880.

PREFACES TO FIRST AND SECOND

EDITIONS.

AUCA sufficient ad huius Anthologiae rationem exponendam. Desideranti mihi aliquoties eiusmodi Latinae poeseos quasi speculum, quod et multum in manibus esset, et exquisitioribus carminibus animum recrearet redintegraretque, operae pretium visum est, quantum temporis ex quotidianis negotiis superesset, ad hoc opusculum contexendum conferre. Igitur complura ab omni vatum Romanorum perpetuitate petita et in ordinem digesta, e libris qui ad extremum volumen enumerantur, exscribenda curavi. Illud in unoquoque carmine deligendo spectavi, ut quantum fieri posset, totum quiddam ante oculos proponeretur, in quo legentium animus haerere posset atque acquiescere. Viros doctiores spero veniam daturos, si parum novi de meo allati notulis insit, si quid minus affabrè compositum sit, denique si quaedam

dulcissima nusquam apud haec quae excerpsimus reperiantur. Neque enim tam erat in votis ut omnes undique flosculos carperem, quam ut huiusmodi studiis quasi calcar adderem. Quod si his lectitandis vel memoriae mandandis, unus et alter iuvenis

'integros accedere fontis '

maiore cum fructu assueverit, huic nostro labori, vel potius laborum oblectamento, abundè satisfactum erit.

Etonae,

Kal. Febr. MDCCCLXV.

In his curis secundis pauca omisi, nova quaedam intertexui, difficiliora paullo locupletius annotatiunculis instruere tentavi. Vergilio eiusque aequalibus aut omnino aut magna ex parte supersedere in animo fuerat; quo latior campus minus notis poematis pateret. Quod ne facerem nonnihil obstitit, Nam ut recentiorum poematum lectores fructum inde percepturi sunt, ita eorundem vitia declinandi causa, ad Augustei aevi normam etiam atque etiam re