and the "Revolt of Islam" differs from the composer of "Don Juan," and the "Twelfth Mass." But in the one great gift of musical expression the two are wonderfully and essentially alike. From The Examiner, 18 July. AN UNPUBLISHED POEM BY MILTON. SIR,As the discovery of an unpublished poem by Milton is matter of interest to all readers, and the authenticity of such a poem cannot be too strictly and generally tested, I shall be obliged if you will give publicity to the fact that such a poem has been found. It exists in the handwriting of Milton himself, on a blank page in the volume of Poems both English and Latin, which contains his " Comus, Lycidas,' "L'Allegro," and "Il Penseroso." It is signed with his initials, and dated October, 1647. It was discovered in this manner: I had undertaken to contribute a small pleasure book of literature to a cheap popular series, and in forming such a volume from the writings of the poets who lived in the time of Charles I. and the Commonwealth, where I did not myself possess original editions of their works to quote from, I looked for them in the reading-room of the British Museum. Fortunately, it did not seem to me useless to read a proof containing passages from Milton with help of the original edition of his English and Latin poems published in 1645. There are two copies of that book in the Museum -one in the General Library, which would be the edition commonly consulted, and the other in the noble collection forined by George III., known as the King's Library, which was the copy I referred to. The volume contains first the English, then the Latin poems of that first period of Milton's life, each separately paged. The Latin poems end on page 87, leaving the reverse of the leaf blank; and this blank I found covered with handwriting, which, to any one familiar with the collection of facsimiles in the late Mr. Sotheby's Ramblings in Elucidation of the Autograph of Milton, would, I think, convey at first glance the impression it conveyed to me, that this was the handwriting of John Milton. It proved to be a transcript of a poem in fiftyfour lines, which Milton, either for himself or for some friend, had added to this volume. It is entitled simply "An Epitaph," and signed by him "J. M., Ober, 1647." He was then in his 39th year. As the page is about the size of a leaf of note-paper, the handwriting is small. Thirty-six lines were first written, which filled the left-hand side of the page, then a line was lightly drawn to the right of them, and, the book being turned sideways, the rest of the poem was packed into three little columns, eight lines in each of the first two columns, and the other two lines at the top of the third column, followed by the initials and date. Upon the small blank | space left in this corner of the page the Museum stamp is affixed, covering a part of Milton's sig nature. The book is in the one place in the world where it is most accessible to the scrutiny of experts, and inquiry will no doubt be made into its history. Its press mark is 238h, 35 in the King's Library. The poem, I think, speaks for itself. I need hardly add that the following copy of it has the MS. contractions expanded and the spelling modernised, but it should be stated that the word here printed "chest," as the rhyme shows it was meant to be pronounced, was written "cist," and that the last three syllables of the last line but two, though close to the edge of the binding and almost effaced by the sticking to them of some paper from the cover, are consistent, in the few marks that are visible, with the reading here conjectured and placed within I am, Sir, your obedient servant, brackets. HENRY MORLEY. UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, LONDON, July 14. "AN EPITAPH. "HE whom Heaven did call away Meanwhile the Muses do deplore Think not, reader, me less blest, In this little bed my dust Then pass on gently, ye that mourn, A vital tincture still retain : A seminal form within the deeps This plant though entered into dust Until sweet Psyche shall inspire And in her fostering arms enfold But bloom and blossom (as) b(efore) From the Atlantic Monthly. THE sun has marked me for his own; I cannot leave the fields alone; I put aside the forms of men, And shun the world's consuming care. How wonderful this pilgrimage! I crave the tongues that Adam knew, And quarrel with the bees. To answer when the grossbeak calls His mate; to mock the catbird's screech; Now through the pasture, and across A small owl from the thistle-tops The meadow-lark lifts shoulder-high Slants forth on curvéd wing. The patient barn-fowls strut about, The gobbler swells his shaggy coat, Round-shouldered and demure. The clear-eyed cattle calmly stop To munch the dry husk in the rack; Or stretch their solid necks, and crop The fringes of the stack. But night is coming, as I think; The moving air is growing cool; The sun is down, the clouds are gray, GRACE OWEN'S ENGAGEMENT. Loring, Publisher, Boston. PREPARING FOR PUBLICATION AT THIS OFFICE: A HOUSE OF CARDS. THE BRAMLEIGHS OF BISHOP'S FOLLY, by CHARLES LEVER. LATELY PUBLISHED: THE BROWNLOWS, by MRS. OLIPHANT. 38 cts. PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY BY LITTELL & GAY, BOSTON. TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION. FOR EIGHT DOLLARS, remitted directly to the Publishers, the LIVING AGE will be punctually forwarded for a year, free of postage. But we do not prepay postage on less than a year, nor where we have to pay commission for forwarding the money. Price of the First Series, in Cloth, 36 volumes, 90 dollars. Any Volume Bound, 3 dollars; Unbound, 2 dollars. The sets, or volumes, will be sent at the expense of the publishers. PREMIUMS FOR CLUBS. For 5 new subscribers ($40.), a sixth copy; or a set of HORNE'S INTRODUCTION TO THE BIBLE, unabridged, in 4 large volumes, cloth, price $10; or any 5 of the back volumes of the LIVING AGE, in num bers, price $10. BILL AND JOE. BY O. W. HOLMES. COME, dear old comrade, you and I Your name may flaunt a titled trail, You've won the great world's envied prize, In big brave letters, fair to see, The chafing young folks stare and say, How Bill forgets his hour of pride, Ah, pensive scholar, what is fame? The weary idol takes his stand, Holds out his bruised and aching hand, Read on the hearts that love us still, WINIFRED. SWEET Winifred sits at the cottage door, The rose on her cheeks is rose too red, Of youth and strength in their opening day; To one who askes her to be his bride- Her friend, her lover, her worshiper; "Winifred! Winifred! be thou mine; To whom if the prize of thyself should fall, Only to me canst thou be given- Eternal youth, perennial joy, And love that never shall change or cloy; Sweet Winifred! Be thou mine!" he said. "Take me!" she answered, with faint, low breath; "I know thee well. Thy name is Death. From The Edinburgh Review. MDCCCLIII. 1. Evangelia Apocrypha: adhibitis plurimis codicibus Græcis et Latinis, maximam partem nunc primum consultis, atque ineditorum.copiâ insignibus: edidit CONSTANTINUS TISCHENDORF, Theol. et Phil. Doct., Theol. Prof., P. Ord. H. Lips. Lipsiæ: 2. Études sur les Évangiles Apocryphes. Par MICHEL NICOLAS. Paris: 1866. 3. The Apocryphal Gospels, and other Documents relating to the History of Christ. Translated from the originals in Greek, Latin, Syriac, &c., with Notes, Scriptural References, and Prolegomena, by B. HARRIS COWPER, Editor of the Journal of sacred Literature, &c. London: 1867. spectable names to those of Gregory of Tours, Fulbert of Chartres, and Vincent of Beauvais, whom M. Nicolas cites as having claimed for these writings a more deferential consideration than had been paid them by authority. Doubtless, when Bishop Ellicott wrote, he was thinking chiefly or solely of the ancient Fathers, and of theologians of the last few centuries; and within these limits there is little exaggeration in his language. Yet even in our own times we can point to a remarkable revival of interest in these primæval writings, at once more respectful and on the whole more reasonable. Some twenty years before the Bishop wrote his essay, a striking series of criticisms had appeared in France, which gave rise to a considerable movement in THE curious compositions which popu- that country, not to say throughout Europe, larly bear the name of Apocryphal Gospels in favour of these remnants of early Chrisare little known in this country, even by tianity. In the Université Catholique' theologians, or known only to be abused. (the organ of M. de Montalembert's school) The very knowledge of them, where it ex- a series of lessons on the Poetry of Chrisists, is avowed with an apology. These tendom was commenced, in 1836, by MM. poor literary inamenities' (wrote Bishop El- Rio and Douhaire, which eloquently set licott twelve years ago),* these weak and forth the merits of these documents, and foolish outpourings of heresy and credulity, attracted no small amount of attention. are still destined to live and linger among They were presently followed in the same us. . Such tenacity of existence is yet country by M. Gustave Bonnet's annotated more noticeable, when we remember that translation of the Apocryphal Gospels; their mendacities, their absurdities, their which again, together with a large portion coarseness, the barbarities of their style, of M. Douhaire's own remarks, has been inand the inconsequences of their narratives, corporated into the Dictionnaire des Apochave never been excused or condoned. It ryphes,' forming two volumes of M. Migne's would be hard to find any competent writer colossal Encyclopédie Théologique,' the in any age of the Church, who has been be- text-book of the French clergy. The subguiled into saying anything civil or com-ject has been further pursued in the smaller mendatory. . . . The whole vocabulary of works of MM. Dulaurier and Alfred Maury, theological abhorrence, a vocabulary by no and lastly by M. Nicolas, whose very able means limited in its extent, or culpably treatise we propose to notice presently. weak in its expressions, has been expended Meanwhile the Society for the Defence of upon these unfortunate compositions indi- the Christian Religion' at the Hague, havvidually and collectively.' Perhaps this is ing offered a reward for the best essay on a little too strong a description both of the subject, the prize was gained in 1851, the Apocryphal Gospels themselves, and of by Constantine Tischendorf, a scholar althe treatment they have met with univer- ready well known for his laborious investisally in the Christian Church. The learned gations in the text of the Greek Testament, Whitaker, writing certainly with no pre- and universally famous since then for his possession in their favour, admits that they discovery of the Sinaitic MS. To Dr. Tiswere once highly esteemed by many;' chendorf, besides his careful essay, we owe nor would it be difficult, we imagine, to one the best and most complete critical edition versed in mediæval lore to add other re- of these spurious Gospels, as well as a similar collection of the Apocryphal Acts. And again it was the appearance of his Cambridge Essays, 1856. |