Ancient writing; Hebrew, &c.—It is extremely difficult to form the slightest judgment, of which correctness is the basis, on works of which we have only heard, but have not seen them. If the authorities cited in the following work may be allowed, it cannot fail of being interesting to every student: if they may be depended on, the author has laid every critic under obligations to him. Palæographisce Fragmente, &c. Paleographic Fragments, on the Writing of the Greeks and Hebrews. By G. F. Hezel. 1 vol. 8vo. Berlin. 1816.

It should seem that the author has published these Fragments as a kind of foretaste of a Systema Grammatico-Criticum Linguæ Hebraica, which he proposes, at no distant time, to publish. The principal subjects treated on are, Researches on the question, whether the Hebrew Language may be admitted as an ancient Shemite dialect?-On the Antiquity of Writing among the Hebrews-that Hebrew Writing originally consisted in Syllables; not in literal characters-from what cause the Hebrews wrote from right to left, and the Greeks from left to right-on the Alphabet of the Hebrews and Greeks, with its use in the Arithmetic of the latter-on the Antiquity of-the Names given to the Greek Characters-Explanation of the names given to the Phenician-Hebraic Characters-on the Antiquity of the order of the Characters, in the Hebrew Alphabet-on the Antiquity of the final Letters of the Hebrew Alphabet-on the representatives of the Hebrew Vowels -on the origin of the System of Vowel Points on the Diacritical Signs adopted in Hebrew Writing-on the Pronunciation of the Vowels, among the Hebrews--on the Hebrew Accents.

ORIENTAL,

A Grammar of the Chinese Language, for the use of the Honor able the Company's servants at China, by the Rev. Robert Morrison, Chinese Secretary to Supercargoes at Canton.

A Translation of the New Testament into Arabic; originally commenced by the late Rev. Henry Martyn, since revised and completed by the Rev. Thomas Thomason, and printed at the expense of the British and Foreign Bible Society.

A K, Huree Bolee and English Vocabulary; by Lieutenant William Price, Assistant Professor of the Bengalee and Sanscrit languages in the College of Fort William.

A collection of Original Letters in the Muhratta language, published for the use of students, by the Rev. Dr. Wm. Carey, Professor of the Bengalee, Sanscrit, and Muhratta languages in the College of Fort William.

The second part of the Qamoos, edited by Shuekh Uhmud, a native of Yumun, in Arabia.

NO. XXIX.

CI. JI.

VOL. XV.

N

The second edition of the Gooli Bukawulee, for the use of the students in the Hindoostanee department of the college, by Captai Thomas Roebuck, Acting Secretary to the Council of the College, and Public Examiner in the College of Fort William.

The Qootbee, a Treatise on Logic; edited by Muoluvees Jan Ulec and Ubdoor Ruheem, of the Arabic Department of the College of Fort William.

IN THE PRESS.

CLASSICAL.

A complete edition of Demosthenes is in the press; the best trans lations will be given, together with Reiske's Apparatus Criticus. ] will form 3 or 4 vols. 8vo. and will be the only complete edition o sale."

Catullus; with English Notes. By T. Forster, Esq. Jun. 12mo.

A neat Edition of the Septuagint, in One Volume Octavo; the Tex is taken from the Oxford edition of Bos. It may be had in Two Vols. if preferred. Price 11. 5s.

A new Edition of Homer's Iliad, from the text of Heyne; with English Notes at the end, including many from Heyne and Clarke. 1 vol. 8vo.

ORIENTAL.

A Grammar of the Kurnata Language, by the Rev. Dr. William Carey.

At Bombay, the Dusateer, with the ancient Persian Translations, and Commentary; and a Glossary of the Ancient Persian Words; by Moolla Feerooz Bin Moolla Kuns; to which will be added an English translation. The Dusateer is one of the most singular books that have appeared in the East. It professes to be a collection of the writings of the different Persian prophets, from the time of Muhabad, to the time of the Fifth Sasan, being fifteen in number, of whom Zuratoosht, whom, following the Greeks, we call Zorooaster, was the thirteenth, and the Fifth Sasan the last. This Sasan lived in the time of Khoosro Purveez, who was contemporary with the Emperor Heraclius, and died only nine years before the destruction of the ancient Persian monarchy. The writings of these fifteen Prophets are in a tongue of

which no other vestige appears to remain, and which would have been unintelligible, without the assistance of the ancient Persian translation. It is quite a different language from the Zhound, Puhluvee, and the Duree, the most celebrated of the dialects of Ancient Persia. The Persian translation professes to have been made by the fifth Sasan, who has added a Commentary, in which some difficulties of the original text are expounded.

3

This work, though known to have existed as late as the time of Shah Juhan, had eluded the search of the curious in Oriental History and Antiquities in latter times. The Copy from which the present edition will be published, was discovered by the Editor at Ispahan, about forty-four years ago, when travelling in Persia, for the purpose of making some investigations regarding the history of the early Persians, and particularly in search of materials for settling the disputes which prevailed among the Parsees of India, regarding the ancient Persian months, the differences of opinion respecting which had produced a schism at Surat. The editor is not aware of the existence of any other copy of this work. It is however cited by Bubram Furhad, the author of the Sharistani Char-Chumun, who lived in the age of the Emperor Ukbur and of his son Jubangeer. Indeed Buhram Furhad, who was a Parsee, followed the doctrines of the Dusateer. It is often cited by Hukeem Ibni Khuluhfoot-Tubreeze Moohummud Hocsuer, the author of the Boorhani Qatiu, the most perfect and best dictionary extant of the Persian language, who lived in the age of Shah Juhan, and who often quotes the Dusateer, as his authority for words in the old Persian. Moohummud Moohsin, who seems to have been the author of the celebrated work, entitled the Dubistan, which contains the history of the different religions of Asia, takes the Dusateer as his guide in the account which he gives of the ancient Persian religion, and it is remarkable, that Sir William Jones, who had never met with the Dusateer, appears to have been singularly struck with the details borrowed from it, and, in his sixth discourse, speaks of them as wonderfully curious, and as throwing a new light on the history of ancient times.

In the Dubistan the Dusateer is thus mentioned:- "God revealed to Muhabad a book called Dusateer, in which were taught every language and science: it was divided into many parts, there being several volumes for every language; and therein was a particular language, bearing no resemblance to any tongue spoken in this lower world, and it was called the heavenly speech. Muhabad gave a distinct language to every tribe, whom he sent to settle in such places as were best suited to each; and from thence have arisen the Persian, Hindoo, Greek and other tongues."

The editor has bestowed many years of his life in the search of such monuments as can illustrate the history, language and opinions of the ancient Persians, his ancestors. He has from a long familiarity with the style of the work, and with the chain of philosophical doctrines which it contains, been able, as he hopes, to correct many of

the errors of the text, and to illustrate several of the peculiar opinions in the work. The Glossary is the labourof many years, and of very extensive reading, and can hardly fail to be acceptable to those wh make the language of Persia their study.

An English translation and preface will accompany the work, which will be published in two volumes octavo.

NOTES TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Having inserted the FABLES of PHEDRUS lately discovered in the Ambrosian Library by ANGELUS MAIUS, we shall in our next give the Fragments of the three Orations of Cicero, discovered by the

same.

We shall have much pleasure in recording Professor DUNBAR'S Dissertation on the particle av.

We shall in our next continue Professor GAIL's articles.

Mr. W.'s Miscellaneous Observations will certainly appear in No. We shall hope for a continuation.

XXX.

W. S. T. in our next.

The conclusion of the Obss. on Bentley's Notes to Aristophanes is necessarily delayed.

We have not room to notice several valuable articles lately received.

THE

CLASSICAL JOURNAL,

NO. XXX.

FOR JUNE, 1817.

HEBREW CRITICISMS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE CLASSICAL JOURNAL.

HAVING lately read a new translation of the canonical book, commonly known by the title of, The Song of Solomon, I have been induced to compare it with the authorized version, and with the original Hebrew; and the result has produced the following observations, which may prove not unacceptable to some of your readers. I believe that few, even of the learned (if I may judge from the expositions that have been offered of this interesting and divine book) are aware that, in the original, it does not present any of those sensual ideas, which have not only been admitted, but have been made its very foundation, the materials of the superstructure, and the crownstone of the building. An attempt, therefore, to show what was the real intention of the sacred writer, what the real matter, and what the final aim of the book, cannot, it is hoped, prove unacceptable. It is not, however, my intention at present to offer a complete translation of the book, until my new translation of the Bible shall appear. But it may be satisfactory to serious Christians, to have enough of its general scope laid before them, to satisfy them that the Hebrew original gives no sanction whatever to those gross ideas, which have afforded a subject of mirth to the libertine.

NO. XXX.

CI. JI.

VOL. XV.