and Pott, will ever be honored as the successful promoters of comparative philology, and as having raised it to the dignity of a well-established

science.

The beneficial results of comparative philology are very important. The wildest fancies have been entertained respecting the origin of particular nations and languages. Many of these mistaken views this science has been the means of correcting. The fanciful claims which some French authors had set up, that their language was of "direct and unmixed descent from the ancient Greek," and of still others, that it was of Hebrew origin, and of others, that it was "pure Celtic," have been shown to have no better foundation than the opinion that the inhabitants of Anjou were the descendants of Esau," because they were so fond of lentils." There had been a long and earnest search after the primitive language of the human race. Various languages claimed this distinction, the Celtic, Chinese, Abyssinian, Syriac and others, but their claims have all been disproved. Even the Hebrew, which had more generally been regarded as the original, primitive language, the language spoken in Eden, has been proved to be the offspring of some other mother-tongue. And the polished Greek, which up to our own day, has been considered older than the Latin, is now, in the opinion of the most eminent philologists, believed to be the younger of the two languages.

Up to the period of comparative philology, languages, for the most part, were thought to be isolated, with no common bond, with few or no affinities for each other; but now the languages most remote from one another, the far east and the far west, nations whose customs, government and general position are entirely different, are satisfactorily proved to have had a common origin. Such as on critical and scientific investigation proved to be of the same stock, were grouped together. The affinities of others, whose relation and origin were still undetected, and which, from some marked peculiarities, seemed incapable of being reduced to any classification, when subjected to a more minute and comprehensive study, were clearly established; and then they also were ranged with those of a like class. Thus one after another was brought within its own group, till nearly all the languages of Europe are proved to be of one stock, and find their common mother in the Sanskrit. And now the whole circle of languages is reduced by philologists to three classes or families. And if such an agreement has been found between languages to all appearance entirely disconnected with each other, may we not carry forward the analogy one step further, and reasonably expect, that, when new materials shall be collected, and a still wider range of study be adopted, an affinity may be discovered between these three classes, and the nations of the earth be found to be of one language?

Comparative philology also becomes an important source of history. The monuments and historical records of a nation do not preserve all that is most valuable; the language itself makes an earlier record than any history can do; it daguerreotypes shades and features of character, which history, at best, could transmit but imperfectly; it reveals, too, the migrations of

nations, and the different tribes and families with which they had been brought in contact; for when nations for a period have been associated, or brought into juxtaposition with each other, the evidence of the fact will be found in the foreign words or idioms introduced into the language. Our own language gives abundant proof of this.

The comparative study of language is regarded, also, as an important means of determining the origin of nations. "The principle has been established, that a similarity of language is prima facie evidence of community of descent. It is not absolute evidence; but it forms strong and plausible ground for the presumption that races distant from each other, however they may differ in color of skin and hair, or of [in ?] mental or moral development, if they call the same thing by the same name, and use the same forms or order of words to express the same shade of meaning, must either have carried on a continued and direct intercourse with each other or be closely related by common descent."1

We have made these remarks with a view of calling attention to Mr. De Vere's interesting book, the object of which is to "give suggestive rather than complete information" respecting the object of comparative philology, and what it has done. The subjects of some of the chapters will show the interesting range of topics treated: What is language; unity of language; history of comparative philology; first attempts in comparative philology; literature of comparative philology; present state of comparative philology; practical results; comparative philology and history; comparative philology and recent discoveries; language and national character; Indo-European languages; the Sanskrit as oldest of the Indo-European languages; ruling languages of the world; purposes of comparative philology; physical influences operating on languages; conquest operating on language; occupation of a nation operating on language; fashion operating on language; literature operating on language; philosophical results of comparative philology; history of languages; decay of languages; increase of languages.

These are but a few of the seventy-five chapters into which the book is divided. The subjects are treated in an interesting and popular manner; they afford evidence that the author has made himself familiar with the best writers in this department of study, and that he has comprehensive and philosophical views of the great laws which govern language, under the different influences to which it is subjected. The book presents few novelties, and does not claim to be an advance upon the teachings of European scholars; but as a well-compacted and digested outline of comparative philology, it contains an amount of useful information which can be found in no English or American work besides.

The sketch and scientific classification of the languages of Europe, all finding their relations in Asia, the mother of languages as well as of nations, present a happy contrast to the absurd speculations of Dr. Murray, who maintains that all these languages originated from nine monosyllables.

1 De Vere, p. 74.

The history of the art of writing, though not intended to be a full treatise, nor designed to discuss the perplexing questions of the origin and progress of that art, contains much valuable information on the general subject.

We observe some typographical errors in the work, though the number is not large; a few instances of infelicity and looseness of expression, and also an occasional epithet, such as heaven-born soul, heaven-born companion, heaven-aspiring Himalaya, which had better have been omitted. But these are quite infrequent and do not impair the general value of the book.

VIII. PROF. TYLER'S EDITIONS OF TACITUS.1

WE have already given favorable notices of the previous editions of Prof. Tyler's books, accompanied by some criticisms and suggestions; and we are now glad to see, in the appearance of these new editions, evidences that the editor's labors have been deservedly appreciated. In the copies now before us, the text has been carefully revised and compared with the best German editions, and such changes made as were well established on critical grounds, or as the nature of the subject, or the usage of the author seemed to require. By this judicious criticism, several passages are rendered more perspicuous and consistent. The editor has shown good judgment in not adopting the rash emendations (often falsely so called) of some editors, though claiming the sanction of scholars of high authority.

Many of the Notes of this edition of the Germania and Agricola have been rewritten, and evince a wider range of study, and access to new and valuable materials for illustrating the text; they are likewise more grammatical and critical, and indicate an evident progress in the views of the editor, as the natural result of his patient and unsparing study of his author. The amount of the Notes, too, has been considerably increased. Some improvement will likewise be found in the geographical department of the Germania. "Particular attention has been paid” in this edition of the Germania “to the ethnology of the tribes and nations, in reference to whose origin and early history Tacitus is among the best authorities."

In the edition of the Histories fewer changes have been made, the editor having prepared this after the Germania and Agricola, when the course of his own studies and the use of his first volume as a text-book had suggested many improvements. Still, in the present edition the Notes have been reexamined, and compared with one of the best German editions, and such changes and additions introduced as the Professor's extended studies and the use of the book in his classes had suggested as desirable.

1 The Germania and Agricola of Caius Cornelius Tacitus. With Notes for Colleges. By W. S. Tyler, Professor of the Greek and Latin languages in Amherst College. New Edition. New York: D. Appleton & Company. 1852. pp. xii. and 193.

The Histories of Caius Cornelius Tacitus. With Notes for Colleges. By W. S. Tyler, Professor of Languages in Amherst College. New York : D. Appleton & Company. 1852. pp. 453.

We look upon these editions, in their present improved form, as honorable proofs of ripe scholarship. In every part they give evidence of sound judg ment and critical learning, and are admirably adapted to meet the wants of the student. They afford the right kind of helps. In addition to the critical and judicious annotations, which never do for the student what he ought to do for himself, the Germania and Agricola contain a graphic and faithfullydrawn life of Tacitus, and also short essays on the general design and nature of each of the treatises. The Histories are furnished with an able and extended Essay on the style of Tacitus, which will be found of great service to the student; and also with Preliminary Remarks, written with great beauty and force, on his writings, his credibility as a historian, and presenting a "view of the principal events and leading characteristics of the period” embraced in the histories of the author. The apparatus thus furnished for the study of the author is more complete than is usually found in similar works. We heartily recommend these books to the friends of sound classical learning.

IX. PAULY'S ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF CLASSICAL ANTIQUITIES.

THIS work is one of the many evidences of the continued advance in classical studies. Nearly a hundred and forty years since, Benjamin Hederic published his Real-Schullexicon, embracing the usual subjects of ancient geography, history, chronology and antiquities. The author, though a laborious student, was not a profound scholar. Three editions of it was published from 1717 to 1748. It was a work of considerable value for the times when it appeared, and continued to be used for a long period. But near the close of the last century, it was felt that there was need of a work on antiquities, which should fully represent the progress made up to that period in classical studies. This want was met by the appearance of the New Real-Schullexicon by C. P. Funke, containing the necessary helps for illustrating the ancient classics, particularly geography, history, philosophy, antiquities and mythology. This was a work of much learning and research, and is still a valuable store-house of information. It was published in five octavo volumes, the first in 1800, and the fifth in 1805. But the new impulse which has been given to the study of classical literature within the last fifty years, required that all the apparatus for study should be made more complete and comprehensive, furnishing the necessary helps on the great variety of new topics which are now made subjects of investigation. A great amount of material had been collected on all the subjects embraced within the widest circle of Antiquities, and on many of them entire treatises had been written, so minute and specific, that almost every phase of life, every usage and art, the institutions, government, laws, the civil and domes tic relations of antiquity were well understood.

1 Real-Encyclopädie der classischen Alterthumswissenchaft in alphabetischer Ordnung. Herausgegeben von August Pauly, Professor in Stuttgart. 18

VOL. XI. No. 41.

From the rich materials thus accessible, as well as from the labors of earlier scholars who had written on similar subjects, the present work has been prepared with great labor and learning. It is comprised in six octavo volumes (bound in seven), the whole making nearly eleven thousand pages. The first volume appeared in 1839, the last in 1852. The editors were assisted by more than fifty distinguished scholars as contributors, each furnishing articles in a particular department. The first three volumes were edited by Prof. Pauly. But during the progress of the fourth volume, his labors in connection with the work were terminated by death, in 1845. The work was then edited by Chr. Walz and W. S. Teuffel, Professors of Philology at Tübingen.

The following view of the principal subjects treated, will show the wide field of investigation embraced in the work: Biography, mythology, geography, mathematical geography, uranography, chronology, archaeology of art, ethnography of Italy, Roman tribes geographically considered, topography of Rome, topography of Attica, military affairs, public and legal antiquities, political history, literary history, numismatics, epigraphics, domestic and social life of the ancients, their customs, proverbs, national songs, festivals and games; history of religion, antiquities of the Drama, Egyptian worship. These and other subjects are elaborately treated, and indicate patient and extensive research.

In the Articles on the Grecian and Roman authors, in addition to the biographical sketch and general estimate of their characters, notices are given of their several works, the nature and design of each being considered by itself. The principal editions of each are also named, and the most valuable helps for illustrating them.

The work contains investigations, discussions, and varied sources of information which can be found nowhere else in so accessible a form, and will fully answer the objects for which it was prepared.

ARTICLE XI.

SELECT THEOLOGICAL AND LITERARY INTELLIGENCE.

GERMANY.

OUR intelligence from Germany is quite fragmentary. We select some of the more interesting items. We notice unusual activity among Catholic scholars in Europe. Many controversial works have recently appeared; others defining Catholic philosophy and theology, and a few bearing on