Notes and Queries, Number 07, December 15, 1849

There is also a Greek version of the epitaph only, by J. Plumptre, printed with his Greek version of Pope's Messiah. 4to. 1795. In a biographical notice of Dr. Sparke, it is stated that he was among the thirteen candidates when the competition took place for the best translation of Gray's Elegy into Greek. Query, what was this competition, and were any of the other versions published?

Latin:

1. By Lloyd. Query, when and where originally published? My copy, which is among some collections of the late Mr. Haselwood, appears to have been cut out of a Dublin edition. It begins:—

"Audistin! quam lenta sonans campana per agros."

2. By Signor Gio. Costa. 12mo. In Eblana, 1776:—

"Æs triste ingeminat cedentis signa diei."

3. By Gilbert Wakefield, in his "Poemata partim scripta, partim reddita." Cambridge, 1776:—

"Vesper adest, lugubre sonat Campanula; tardis."

4. By C.A. et W.H.R. [C. Anstey and W.H. Roberts.] 4to. London, 1778:—

"Ingeminat signum occiduæ Campana diei."

5. The last-mentioned version originally appeared anonymously in a somewhat different form (4to. Cantab. 1762), the first line being:—

"Audin' ut occiduæ signum Campana diei."

6. An anonymous version, "by a member of the University of Cambridge," printed with the French translation of M. Guedon de Berchere, mentioned below. I have no copy, and do not know the opening line.

7. By S.N.E. 4to. London, 1824. Query, the name of the author. It may perhaps appear on the title-page, which is wanting in my copy:—

"Triste sonans, lentè tinnit campana per agros."

8. By the Rev. J. H. Macauley, in the "Arundines Cami:"—

"Funebris insonuit morituræ nænia lucis."

Italian:

1. By Cesarotti. 8vo. In Padova, 1772:—

"Parte languido il giorno: odine il segno."

2. By Crocchi. Query, when and where originally published? My copy is from the same source as the Latin version by Lloyd:—

"Il Bronzo vespertin con flebil rombo."

3. By Gennari, printed on the same pages with the Latin version by Costa:—

"Nunzio del dì che parte intorno suona."

4. By Giannini. 2nd ed. 4to. London, 1782:—

"Piange la squilla 'l giorno, che si muore."

5. By Torelli. 8vo. Cambridge, 1782:—

"Segna la squilla il dì che già vien manco."

The Latin version by Costa, and the Italian by Cesarotti and Torelli, were reprinted by Bodoni in 1793, in 4to., as a supplement to his edition of Gray.

French:

1. By Mons. P. Guedon de Berchere. I have no copy, and do not know the opening line. Perhaps you will oblige me by inserting it in your list of books wanted to purchase. It is entitled "Elégie composée dans un Cimetière de Campagne." 8vo. Hookham, &c. 1778.

2. By L.D. 8vo. Chatham, 1806. Query, what name is represented by these initials?—

"le Rappel a marqué le jour en son déclin."

3. Prose version. Anonymous. 8vo. A Paris. An vi.:—

"La Cloche du couvre-feu tinte le clas du jour qui expire."

German:

A translation appeared in the Kaleidoscope, a weekly paper published in Liverpool, in May, 1823. It was communicated by a correspondent who had obtained a copy from the writer in Germany:—

"Des Dorfes Glocke schallt den Moor entlang."

I must frankly avow that I have no present object in seeking information beyond the gratification of curiosity; but I would venture to throw out a hint that an edition of this Elegy, exhibiting all the known translations, arranged in double columns, might be made a noble monument to the memory of Gray. The plan would involve the necessity for a folio size, affording scope for pictorial illustration, on a scale capable of doing justice to "the most finished poem in the English language."

    J.F.M.

ON AUTHORS AND BOOKS, NO. 2

To revive the memory of estimable authors, or of estimable books, is a pursuit to which a man of leisure may devote himself under the certainty that he can neither want materials to proceed with, not miss the reward of commendation.

It is by the extensive circulation of biographical dictionaries, and the re-productive agency of the press, that the fame of authors and their works is chiefly perpetuated. General biographers, however, relying too much on the intelligence and tact of their precursors, are frequently the dupes of tradition; and the press, like other descriptions of machinery, requires a double motive-power.

A remedy happily presents itself. As it appears, a short note is sufficient to raise inquiry; and inquiry may lead to new fact, or advance critical equity. It may rescue a meritorious author from oblivion, and restore him to his true position on the roll of fame.

It is near a century and a half since Ant. Wood printed a notice of the reverend Thomas Powell, and more than a century since the inquisitive Oldys devoted eighteen pages to an abstract of his Human industry;—yet we search in vain for the name of Powell in the dictionaries of Aikin, Watkins, Chalmers, Gorton, &c.—It is even omitted in the Cambrian biogarphy of his countryman William Owen, F.S.A.

An exact transcript of the title of the work, and of the manuscript notes which enrich my own copy of it, may therefore be acceptable:—

"Humane industry; or, a history of most manual arts, deducing the original, progress, and improvement of them. Furnished with variety of instances and examples, shewing forth the excellency of humane wit. [Anonymous.] London, for Henry Herringman, 1661." 8º.

[On the title.] "E libris rarioribus Joannis Brand, Coll. Line. Oxon. 1777."

[On a fly-leaf.] "This book is ascribed by Wood to Dr. Tho'm. Powell, canon of St. David's, who was, says he, 'an able philosopher, a curious critic, and well versed in various languages.' See an abstract of this scarce book in Oldys's British librarian, p. 42."

"N.B.—The above is the hand-writing of the Rev'd. M'r. Granger, author of the biographical history.– I bought it of Mr. Prince, at Oxford, who purchased his books." [John Brand.]