Divona is compounded of the two Celtic terms Di, God, and aon, a fountain, which makes the word fignify the fountain of God, or the facred fountain, and this exactly correfponds with the fons addite Divis of Aufonius. In this chapter, the author alfo traces the connection between the languages of feveral of the Afiatic nations and that of the Celts, and concludes from thence that the Gauls had carried their victorious arms into thefe quarters. One inftance is the following. The Cimmerian Scythians eftablished upon the borders of the Palus Martis (the dead fea), called that lake Mor Maruja.* the Bretons, and all the unmixed defcendants of the Celts, it is called Mor Maru, in English, the Dead Sea. The author here, as in other places, feems to have taken a narrow view of the subject. The misfortune is, that every etymologift, after tracing words through various languages, in a manner that has juftly rendered this mode of reafoning liable to fufpicion, immediately draws his own conclufions, without ever reflecting that inferences equally, if not more legitimate, of a different nature may be drawn from the fame premifes. Etymology is an excellent auxiliary, but a very unfafe leader. It is, however, certain, as the author obferves, that the Celtic language may be traced along the banks of the Tanais, the Tigris, the Euphrates, the Danube, the Rhine, and, he might have added, the Indus and the Ganges; but it does not therefore follow that the Gauls or Celts, properly fo called, overran the world with their victorious arms. Perhaps the only way in which this fimilarity of language can be rationally accounted for, is by fuppofing that all nations have preferved fome remnants of the language fpoken at the time of the divifion of the earth among the Nohahida. Every ftep that has been made towards a general knowledge of the languages of the earth has been attended for the most part with a theory, and theory has been added to theory, each exceeding the preceding one in extravagance and improbability. The refult however of a complete investigation of languages will probably be, that the fuppofition we have mentioned will be generally received. It contains nothing extravagant, it explains circumftances otherwife unaccountable; it derives probability from many parts of the mythology of the ancient heathens, and the fables of the ancient poets. Upon any of thefe feparately, little dependance can be placed, but when coupled with fimilarity of language, and a variety of circumftances reflecting light upon one another, they form a ftrong body of probable evidence. This probability is further ftrengthened by many paffages in the hiftory of Mofes. As for thofe who reject all the evidence of facred and profane history upon the subject of the origin of the human race and of language, it would be a vain attempt to reafon with them. Their own inventive brains have discovered that mankind have sprung from * Mor Marusa, vox vere Cimbrica, nam SciTHE quibus Cimbrica lingua fuit vernacula, hanc vocem habuerunt. Plin, et Macrob. fishes and monkeys, and who fhall fet history or probability against the fruits of their fagacious heads? Peace be with them! Who envies a madman when he fancies himself an emperor? The author concludes this chapter with an account of the expeditions of the Gauls, which are recorded in ancient hiftory, extols their valour in the bombastic style of his country, and obferves that their glory has only been equalled by that of the French, their defcendants.* The author next proceeds to point out a variety of nations in Europe and Afia whofe languages refemble that of the Celts. From feveral paffages in the Greek hiftorians he concludes, that those words. in the Greek which are the fame with the Celtic, were derived from the Celto-Scythians. He then traces the connection of the Celtic with the Hebrew, and gives a vaft number of examples. The Hindoo and Perfian languages are omitted, but these, of course, follow the Hebrew, at least as far as to antwer the author's object. Upon the languages of Europe, especially upon those of the Scotch highlanders and the Welth, he dwels with more minuteness than is neceffary, and perfifts in proving what every one who has alluded to the subject is already acquainted with. The next object of the author is to examine the names of the deities worshipped by the heathens, and the qualities belonging to them. These he labours to prove are original Celtic words, but in a very unfatisfactory manner for the most part. The only guide he follows is etymology, which is fo apt to lead aftray, and even his derivations are often forced and far fetched. He then endeavours to prove that the Greeks had derived many of their names for the planets, their customs and games, from the Celts; but as he only relies upon the fame guide, his conclufions must be adopted with caution. The remaining part of the book, which forms a confiderable portion of it, is employed in tracing the Celtic terms and names in various languages, for the elements, the different nations of Europe and Afia, their capes, promontories, mountains, cities, and fo forth. In this part of his work the author is more fuccefsful than usual, and fome of his obfervations are extremely ftriking. But he is ftill very apt to give the reins too much to his imagination, and this often deftroys the weight of his more forcible remarks. At the end of the work he has given a table of the order of defcent in the different languages of Europe, which is as follows. From the CeltoScythic, or Celtic, which he confiders as the parent language, comes If the Cimbric or Runic, from which latter are formed the Danish, Gothic, or old Danish, the Scandinavian, Gothic, or old Swedish, the Norwegian, and the Icelandic: from the fame parent language (the Celtic) comes, 2dly, the Teutonic, or old German, from which are * Another inftance of national vanity. Whatever might be the glory of the Gauls in these expeditions, it can reflect little on the present inhabitants of France, the Bretons excepted. formed formed the Mafo-Gothic, the Anglo-Saxon, the Belgic or Dutch, the modern dialect of Switzerland, the vulgar Saxon and the Frizelandith. The Celtic has alfo, 3dly, produced the languages of Bohemia, Poland, and of the greater part of the Ruffian empire, as well as the old Greek and Latin, with all the modern tongues that are formed from this laft fource. The author concludes the whole with a gloffary of words from the Celto-Breton, each of which words he traces through a variety of languages. This book is certainly not altogether deftitute of interefting information, and ingenious remarks. When we confider the fituation in which the author profecuted his enquiry; when we reflect that the work was compofed, or, at least, the materials prepared amidst the din of battle, and during the progress of a predatory and licentious army, it is impoffible not to allow the author fome praise for diligence and a love of learning. But thefe are the utmost boundaries to which we can advance. Throughout the whole of his book he has reafoned only from etymology, than which nothing can be more uncertain. Indeed the fphere in which he moved, and the few opportu nities which he polleffed of acquiring comprehenfive views of his fubject, rendered it impoffible for him to produce any thing great and fatisfactory. But his work contains fome valuable information, and may be confulted with advantage by thofe who may wish to treat the fame fubject in a more full and fatisfactory manner. Annales de L'Imprimerie des Aldes ; ou Hiftoire de trois Manuce, et de leurs Editions. Par Ant. Aug. Renouard. 2 Tomes. 8vo. PP. 846. Paris. 1803. THOS HOSE who reftored the knowledge of the claffic authors of Greek and Roman literature, in Europe, and excited a chaftened tafte for their excellencies, about three hundred years fince, are, for many reafons, juftly numbered among the trueft and most eftimable benefactors of mankind. Perhaps none of these are more deferving of our grateful veneration than the three MANUCCI of Venice, Aldo the eider, Paulo his fon, and Aldo his grandfon. They were printers in an age when almost every printer was, neceffarily, a man of extenfive and accurate learning. They were commentators and critics, at that period when the labours of illuftrative and emendatory criticism, were in the lan guages and literature which they chiefly ftudied, the most effentially ufeful, and the most difficult. They were famous, even while living, as among the most eloquent writers of their time. Aldo, the elder, was the publisher of the first printed editions of many of our best Greek authors. Paulo, his fon, was the best modern imitator of Cicero's ftyle, and the best commentator on his writings. Aldo, the grandfon, was the most popular profeffor of Latin eloquence that had ever been known in Italy. ལ YO M. M. Renouard, therefore, deferves the thanks of all who take an intereft in the advancement of learning, and of the arts with which it is the most intimately connected, for the industry which he has employed, in these Annals, to illuftrate the lives of the Aldi, and the hiftory of their prefs. De Thou, and others of their eminent contemporaries, were the first to pronounce due eulogies on their extraordinary merits. In Germany, Unger published, in 1729, a learned work on the hiftory of thefe three printers. It was reprinted by Geret, at Wittemberg, in 1753, with notes correcting mistakes, and fupplying omiffions. Aldo, the elder, is, more expressly, the subject of Unger's work. Manni published at Venice, a work more regularly hiftorical, on the life and publications of the elder Aldo. In 1754 and 1758, Father Lazzeri printed at Rome a very minute and elaborate collection of all the remains and memorials which he could find in print or manufcript, to illuftrate the hiftory of Paulo Manucci. Nothing escaped this learned Jefuit's refearch that had the fmalleft relation to the history of his hero. But, his book is more remarkable for labour and fidelity, than for judgment or tafte. In the year 1736, Apoftolo prefixed to a tranflation of Cicero's "Epiftles to his Friends," printed at Venice, an account of the Manucci, which is at once the most elegant and the most fatisfactory work that has been published in Italy refpecting this illuftrious family. It is not, however, accompanied with any catalogue of the different works printed at the Aldine prefs. Cardinal de Brienne, with the affiftance of his librarian, M. Laire, printed at Pifa, in the year 1790, à catalogue of the books printed by the Aldi: and that catalogue was reprinted, with emendations and additions, at Sienna, in 1791. M. Renouard having acquired, by purchase, in 1794, all the publications from the Aldine prefs, which were in the library of Cardinal de Brienne, together with what materials the Cardinal poffeffed in manufcript, for the improvement of his catalogue; and purchafing, afterwards, at a fale, a large collection of notices relative to the Aldi, which had been put in writing, by the learned Abbot Mercier de St. Leger, was encouraged by these acquifitions to enter upon a task which he had long fondly meditated, and thus produced the prefent work. Of the two volumes which it fills, one contains an accurately defcriptive catalogue of all the books printed by the Aldi; the other is appropriated chiefly to the difplay of the events of their lives, An elaborate, yet ingenuous, preface is the first article in the fecond volume. It relates the author's motives to this undertaking, indicates the fources from which his materials have been drawn, and states what he had to furmount, in bringing his work to that degree of perfection in which he has presented it to us. The author then enters upon the biographical part of his work, from the æra of the birth of ALDO, the elder. He was born in the year 1447. Baffiano, a fmall town in the duchy of Sermonetta, was his birth place. He received his education, fucceffively, at Baffiano, Rome, and Ferrara, He became a favourite friend of the famous Prince Giovanni Pico, of Mirandola, and tutor to his nephew, Alberto Pico, prince of Carpi. With the affiftance of these two noblemen, he was enabled, in 1488, to form an establishment for printing in the city of Venice. He defigned his own types, partly after the model of those which had been ufed as early as 1472, by Vindelin of Spira, partly in imitation of the hand-writing of the illuftrious Petrarch. They were engraven and caft, under his direction, by Francifco of Bologna. Aldo procured manufcripts to employ his prefs from all parts of Europe; cultivated the friendship of the moft learned men of the age; formed a fort of academy in his own houfe; and purfued the exercife of his art with zeal much more for the reftoration and advancement of learning than to acquire a fortune by it. In the year 1500, he took to wife the daughter of Andrea d'Afola, a printer, who had followed their common profeffion with a more fordid fpirit, but with greater pecuniary fuccefs than Aldo. He met, afterwards, with various loffes and difappointments, which, however, he furmounted, and by degrees retrieved. He and d'Afola carried on their bufinefs, for fome years, in partnership, towards the end of Aldo's life. At nearly feventy years of age, this learned, laborious, ingenious, and noble-minded man, died; leaving, by his wife, who was much younger than himself, three fons and one daughter. His death was in the year 1515. The children of Aldo were educated, for fome time, with their mother, in the country; and the bufinefs of the printing-house was, in the meanwhile, continued by their grandfather, and his two fons, their uncies. PAULO MANUCCI, the fecond fon of Aldo, beginning, very early, to give proofs of a genius like his father's, and to evince a predilection for the fame profeffion, was, upon this, removed from the country to Venice, and inftructed, with peculiar care, under the direction of his father's learned friends. He studied with indefatigable zeal and perfeverance. In the year 1533, he affumed the management of the printing-house, for the benefit of himself and the other heirs of his father and grandfather. The Latin claffics, and above. all thefe, Cicero, were the favourite fubjects of his ttudies: and he employed his prefs chiefly, for tome time, in giving new editions of the most eminent among them. He afpired to write a Latin ftyle of exquifite purity and elegance; and, taking Cicero for his model, fhunned the use of almost every form of expreffion of which there were not examples in that great orator's writings; and, by unwearied pains, actually fucceeded in compofing letters which appear as if they had been written by Cicero himfelf with the moft careless eafe. In 1535, Paulo was invited to Rome, with promiles of high patronage and promotion. He went, was well received, and had the honour to make his converfation acceptable to Marcello Cervino, afterwards Pope Marcellus the Second; to Bernardo Maffei; to Annibale Caro; and to various other perfons of diftinction and great perfonal merit. But, after feme months of diffipation and attendance among the great, without any immediate utility to his fortune, he became fick of fuch an |