from a comparison of their inscriptions with the Celtiberian characters to be found on ancient medals. According to M. Muller, these horns seem to have been suspended in an ancient temple as an offering.

ANCIENT GEOGRAPHY.

The number of those who turn their attention to this branch of antiquities, is not great in any country. The Germans have cultivated it however with almost as much zeal as any other department of literature, although our enumeration of their performances will be but short. The taste for investigations into ancient geography seems to have been awakened in a particular manner since the publication by M. Voss, of his ideas on the geography of Homer and Hesiod,' and since Mr. Bredow published his on that of Herodotus. M. Bruns, of Helmstadt, and M. Mannert ought also to be ranked among the regenerators of this science, but they have published nothing lately.

NOTICES.

1. The two most important works on ancient geography, t those of Strabo and Mela, have lately appeared in Germany under the superintendance of a most learned editor, and in a classical form. M. Tzschucke, Rector of the Royal School of Meissen, has published an elegant and correct edition of Strabo, with the Latin version of Xilander, and the commentary of the late M.Sieben-, kees, who began this edition, and who lived to see the first three volumes printed. The fourth and fifth appeared at Leipsic,

in 1807 and 1808.

2. The edition of Mela belongs exclusively to M. Tzschucke and the following is its title:

Pomponii Mela de situ orbis libri tres, ad plurimos codices manuscriptos, vel denuò vel primùm consultos, aliorumque editiones recensiti, cum notis criticis et exegeticis, vel integris vel selectis Hermolai Barbari, Joach. Vadiani, P. J. Olivarii, Fred Novii Pintiani, P. Ciacconii, A. Schotti, J. Oporini, P. J. Numerit, Js. Vossii, Jac. et Abr. Gronoviorum, et Jac. Perizonii; necnon MSS. J. G. Grævii, J. Gronovii et P. Burmanni ; contectis præterea et adpositis doctorum virorum animadversionibus; addi

M. Voss has given with his translation of the Odyssey, the latest edition of which appeared in 1806, a Chart of the Homeric world, with an explanation. M. Grotefend, a Professor in the Gymnasium of Frankfort, has also published a Chart of the Homeric world, but it differs materially from that of M. Voss. The Chart and explanations of the Geography of Hesiod appeared in the second volume of the Gazette Universelle de Littérature, de Jena, for 1804. M. Voss has announced in the same Journal, a series of Charts and Explanations of the geography of the ancients at different epochs.

tis suis, à Car. Hen. Tzschuckio. Partes septem, cum tab. æn. 1807. Lips. 7 vols. 8vo."

The above title promises much, and those who refer to it will not be disappointed. It is in fact a variorum edition, which teems with erudition, classical interest and sound taste. The first volume contains the text, the next three are filled with geographical and historical notes; and the last three contain the critical notice on the text, the table and requisite appendices. M. Tzschucke reckons 104 editions of Pomponius Mela previous to his own, which makes the 105th. In 1808 another edition was published at Vienna, in one vol. 8vo. which makes the 106th.

3. Professor Bredow of Helmstadt, whose name has been already mentioned, has published in eight volumes, 8vo. “Geographi minores antiqui, tum Græci, tum Latini, nec non Arabici Latinè donati; Disputationibus, adnotationibus et tabulis geographicis illustrati. Accedunt fragmenta geographorum deperditorum." Lips. J. Weidman. The basis of this work is the edition, now become very scarce, of Mr. Hudson, but it contains considerable corrections and additions, Greek and Arabic treatises, and which are not to be found in Hudson, and a series of Charts which will also accompany M. Bredow's projected systematic History of Geography, from the times of Moses and Homer to the discovery of America.

4. A passage in Strabo (Lib. III.) in which mention is made of the mines and metallic productions of Spain, suggested to the Faculty of Philosophy in the University of Gottingen, the idea of proposing, as the subject of their Prize Essay for 1807, " An Inquiry into every thing remarkable with respect to these mines, keeping in view the passages in Diodorus and Pliny, relating to them, as well as the new processes in Metallurgy.' The prize was shared by two competitors, one of whom, M. Bathe, has published his Essay under the following title: "Commentatio de Hispaniæ antiquæ re metallicâ; Gottingen, 1808; 64 pages, in quarto. It is full of information, and displays the most profound erudition.

I HAD expected that the question, to which I now wish to draw your attention, would have been touched on by some

of the learned contributors to the CLASSICAL JOURNAL, especially as it is perhaps the most curious, interesting, and extensive subject in literary controversy. It seems, however, to engage less notice than it deserves. To whatever circumstances this is owing, I cannot think it at all justifiable. Although we should at all times prevent the hand of presumption from undermining the great fabric of history, yet a dread of scepticism ought never to make us inattentive to any arguments supported by talents and industry. It is incumbent on every real friend to truth, to weigh with patient and accurate observation all positions which have been advanced by such a man as Mr. Bryant-the most profound scholar of his age.

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In this communication I am anxious to direct, for a few minutes, the attention of your readers to Mr. Bryant's hypothesis, that the siege of Troy in Phrygia never took place; and that such a city never existed there. On the publication of his able pamphlet, a universal horror and consternation were excited. But in justice to Mr. Bryant, and in corroboration of his theory, it ought to be considered, that several able writers, who had the best opportu nities of collecting information on this head, have expressed decided opinions in favor of the argument which he maintains. A brief notice of these will be found in the note below.'

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Mr. Bryant urges, in a manner as irresistible as it is unanswered, the strong improbability that the states of Greece, in that rude and helpless state of society, should have been able to collect, equip, transport, and maintain, abroad, for so many years, an armament exceeding in force any that they could draw together several centuries afterwards on far more momentous occasions. To every one who impartially considers the introduction of Thucydides, and observes that the petty powers of Greece were disunited and unsettled-that constant wars and plundering expeditions were carried on, and the whole country infested by the devastations of lawless and cruel banditti, it will appear next to an impossibility, according to the common dourse of events, that these little states should have acted in such concert, as to send on

1 Anaxagoras, Metrodorus, Huslia Alexandrina, who were natives of the country adjacent to the supposed site of Troy, have given up the idea in despair. Also Euripides, and some persons mentioned in Athenæus, Basil Magnus, &c. Perhaps Herodotus, (see MacLaurin's paper, Trans. R. S. Edin. 1784.) See the preface to Philostr. Heroica, p. 603. edit. 1709. Dio Chrysostom wrote expressly to prove that Troy was not taken by the Greeks. See further Mr. Bryant's Diss. p. 70. &c.

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Mr. Morritt has endeavoured to turn into ridicule this comparatively small list of unbelievers, by subjoining it to a pompous catalogue of the faithful, on whose opinions he rests his grounds of belief. Is he prepared to receive all the extravagant fables which they support, as established points in History? To Mr. Bryant's name (itself a host) we may add those of Cour de Gebelin, and others mentioned by him.

foreign service, an army much greater than even impending ruin could call forth in more prosperous circumstances. It is not surely within the range of probability, that an oath should have been so weighty an obligation on unprincipled freebooters, as to unite them under the command of a leader not much superior to themselves in either rank or power. The chieftains of Greece, in those days, were ferocious robbers, who lived in perpetual warfare with one another, and carried on their marauding excursions with the utmost barbarity. It is not likely that such men (a motley crew of savages) could ever have been actuated by any motive, much less by the force of an oath, to abandon the management of their own territories, to leave their power at the mercy of every bold usurper, to forego all hopes of aggrandisement, and mutually to forget the most deadly and inveterate feuds, in order zealously to co-operate with all their strength to revenge injuries by which they were never aggrieved, to engage in a burdensome and perilous expedition, in which they would inevitably suffer great loss, when they had no object to attain. The Trojans had never injured them-never held intercourse with them. What motive then ever could have impelled the Grecians to risk their happiness, their power, and their lives, in attacking a people whose very name was before, perhaps, unknown? Who can seriously maintain that an oath, or any entreaties, could have roused them to undertake so immense and hazardous an attempt without the smallest interest in view? Whatever embellishments the poetic mind of Homer may have added, it is undeniable that these plundering chieftains did not possess the honor of real heroes, or feel "the pomp and circumstances of glorious war." If, nevertheless, we are to believe so manifest an absurdity as that they were brought to join in this alleged enterprise by any of the motives assigned, there is no narration, however extravagant or wild, to which we may not, with equal justice, give credit. What parallel can be produced from the annals of mankind? No person will agree with Mr. Morritt, that he, at least, has obviated this difficulty.

Another circumstance, equally insurmountable, arises on the consideration of this subject. How is it possible, that in that period of civilisation, a fleet of 1200 ships could have been procured on no very pressing emergency; and yet that several centuries afterwards, when the Grecians were exposed to inevitable destruction, unless averted by the most vigorous resistance, their whole united fleet, after a long preparation, should have amounted only to 378 ships? Next we are told, that the army remained nine years inactive, in an enemy's country, where they could procure subsistence only by plundering the whole of that part of Asia Minor. Yet by Homer's own account, both Patroclus and Achilles could have taken the city in a single day, if it had not

been saved both times by the interposition of some of their Deities. Then the loss of the personal valor of Achilles, for that seems to have been his only quality, protracted the siege for another year; though after all it was not by him that the city was taken. But there are many other strange circumstances connected with the Trojan war, (which appears to have been attended with more mar vellous events than other similar events) all of which, I think with Mr. Bryant, are singly sufficient to sap the whole foundations of this very wonderful expedition: viz. the extreme old age, which Helen and most of the chieftains must have attained at the commencement of the siege; the uncertainty respecting her place of abode during that event; the strong doubts whether she ever was carried away; the total cessation of correspondence, during ten years, with Greece, when they were within three days' sail; the incredible duration of the ships, and the still more surprising duration of the chieftains. In short, Sir, a candid consideration of Mr. Bryant's arguments will, I am persuaded, satisfy unbiassed minds that the Trojan expedition never took place. Some may, perhaps, however be still inclined to believe that an inconsiderable piratical excursion may have been the origin of Homer's story. These persons will, I hope, be satisfied in the next head of this question. But however this may be, one point is gained; Homer, like all other poets, has either completely invented, or greatly decorated, his subject. No one, in assenting to this proposition, detracts from the excellence, or diminishes the reputation, of Homer as a poet. The adventures of Æneas, and the extravagance of Orlando, with the materials of most other poems, are all fabulous; and why should it be accounted profanation to prove that Homer, in like manner, wrote partly from the stores of a lively fancy?.

Mr. Bryant, however, urges his investigation still further, and demonstrates, as far as this point admits of demonstration, that no such city as Troy ever existed in Phrygia. I am unwilling, Sir, to occupy the pages of your Journal by entering into any detail of his reasoning, further than a very cursory survey, and must therefore refer to his own Dissertations. But I call upon the men of literature in this country, if they are not convinced by his arguments, not to suffer the works of such a man to remain unanswered and unnoticed.

Few of your readers, I presume, can be ignorant that the site of Troy never has been ascertained even by the ancients. Several of their best geographers were natives of Phrygia, but never could, by the closest investigation, trace any remains of the city, and indeed could find no situation, corresponding in any degree to the description of Homer. Alexander, whose survey of the country may be supposed to have been the most accurate, built his city in VOL. V. No. ix.

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