Fasciculos. Ediderunt L. Gidley et Robinson Thornton. (Parker.) —Four gentlemen
of the University of Oxford have combined their labours to produce this little volume of Latin verse. We are compelled to say that we think the result scarcely worthy. of the supreme effort. We do not so much object to the late and unpoetioal words that abound, and to the questionable phrases that are to be found within the modest.
limits of the book ; there may be authority for melodus, carpus (wrist), spongia fat; jam non erremus (vide " Lotos-Eaters "), though we are afraid that hinnulus a mule for hinnuleus a fawn must be written down as a
blunder. But what we do complain of is a general mediocrity, that would be pardonable or even praiseworthy in a school exercise, but is.
not allowable in print. The world is not particularly avid of Latin verse,
and as there is any quantity at its disposal, if only the least signs of a demand is shown, it is impossible to be too careful- in establishing a standard., We think that any one who turns to pages 7 and 9 in the present volume, to the translation of the " Lotos-Eatera" and "Flow down, cold rivulet," and to the verses at page 118, which invite comparison with Mr. Merivale's excellent lines in the Arundines Cami, will agree with us in the general tenor of our criticism.
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