1 DECEMBER 1894, Page 12

CURRENT LITERATURE.

P. Cornelii Taciti Dialogue de Oratoribus. Edited by Alfre I Gudeman. (Ginn and Co., Boston, U.S.A.)—This is as elaborate an edition of a Latin classic as we have ever seen. The Prole- gomena, divided into the five sections of " Authorship," " Structure of the Dialogue, &o.," " Literary Sources," " Style and Language," and " Manuscripts," extend to 125 pp.; the text occupies 55 pp., of which a third or thereabouts is occupied with various readings ; finally, we have, including the indices, about 390 pp. of notes. On the whole, it may be calculated that the bulk of the annotation, preliminary, critical, and exegetical, exceeds that of the text by fifteen times. The question of authorship is minutely examined, and is answered emphatically in favour of the historian. It may be hoped that it will not be opened again. To have anything definitely settled is a considerable gain. Various other literary questions connected with the Dialogue are discussed with copious illustration, and with a learning which seems never at fault. The notes leave nothing to be desired.