Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

66

direction of the motion towards Rome, with as much certainty as if the preposition "ad" had been added. And "eamus," or exeamus scholâ," are much of a piece, in point of manifest signification, with " exeamus ex schola," in which instance the same thing is thrice said, the ablative termination and the two "exes" being all expressive of the notion conveyed in the word "from." We are not to be surprised, therefore, when we find this " I make sure" system prevailing in respect of cases, and prepositions in particular, for it obtains more or less, in all situations, and in all languages. "Nemo homo" "ore locutus est," are instances in Latin; and we every day, in spite of some modern Grammarians, say, "from hence," and "convened toge ther." In the inimitable story of La Roche, we find, a young man, a relation of her own, and formerly a pupil of her father's;" and a little farther on, we have, "not that he was ever a lover of the lady's." All, therefore, that is necessary to the rendering of such phrases legitimate is use, founded upon the congruity or correspondence of ideas betwixt the various component parts of the expression; you could not say "to hence," or "convened asunder" to her father's, or from the lady's, no more than you can say "a Romam," or "ad Roma." This, however, is a very different account of the matter from that which is generally received as the just one. In the connection betwixt the preposition and the case which it is said to govern, there is supposed to be a kind of law of necessity. The preposition "a" is conceived to govern the ablative by a despotic and absolute authority. Now, it might be said with equal propriety, that the ablative governs the preposition "a," as the influence over each other is mutual and reciprocal; it is because there is an affinity betwixt the signification of the ablative termination and the preposition "a" that they are to be found so often in company with each other-"A me ad te." The general notion of the terminus a quo," and the terminus "ad quem," is contained in the ablative" me;" and the accusative "te," independently of the prepositions "a" or "ad," but the mean

[ocr errors]

ing of these prepositions, and of the terminations of the respective cases, coalesces; and hence, for the sake of modification or precision, these prepositions are added. These lucubrations might be carried over the whole list of prepositions conjoined with various cases; e. g. "Hostem" implies the terminus "ad quem ;" "ad, apud, adversus, contra, cis, circa, &c. hostem," are all modifications of the notion implied in the termination "m." "Hoste" implies concomitancy, and so do "a, ab, abs," &c.

Respecting the preposition cum, however, it may not be irregular, or improper, to make a few cursory observations, as it seems to extend its government, as it is termed, or its use and application, so far as to imply that its original and radical signification does not lie quite on the surface. It is pretty generally admitted, that " cum and " quum" are, in fact, the same words, differing only in spelling; and that "cum Cæsar posuisset castra," is an equivalent to "Cæsar castris positis,' or "cum castris positis," considering "castris positis" as a concomitancy to some other action or event. Now, this being the case, "cum" joined with the ablative, and " quum," or

66

66

፡፡

[ocr errors]

cum," joined with a verb, appear to be, in fact, the same words, and to be applied precisely in the same manner, with this exception, that as quum" or cum" joined with the verb, must of necessity be united or combined with the notion of time, essential to the verb with which it is joined; so "quum" is conceived, though falsely, to be a term originally expressive of time,-whilst "cum," governing the ablative, is conceived as referring to concomitancy merely. "Cum rediisset in castra," and "cum reditu ejus in castra," are, however, completely synonymous, as they express precisely, both in respect of fact and time, the same notion; and yet, in the former expression, cum," or quum," is called by grammarians a conjunction, and translated "when ;" and in the latter case, it is termed a preposition, and translated "with." The one is Englished by a word expressive of time, and the other of concomitancy, without any reference to time whatever.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

Thus, then, if our reasoning be cor- which," the literal and radical import rect, we have advanced one step in of these terms? In order to expiscate our generalizing process, and have this, we must attend to the circumdiscovered that "cum" joined with stance, that these terms thus used a noun, and "quum" with a verb, are uniformly accusative forms. They are, in fact, the same words, sug- are not used in the genitive, dative, gesting, as far as these words are con or ablative, but in the accusative. cerned, precisely the same notion, Now, this must arise out of a pecu and only modified, in their transla- liarity in that case by which it is tion into English, by the circum- fitted to express some modification of stance of time entering into the ap- meaning. "That" and "which," plication of the one, and in many placed in an accusative sense, are cases not into that of the other. equivalent to "to that,” and “to But we are still in the dark as to the which," or, in other words, express original and radical meaning of the what grammarians call the "termi term itself. It seems, indeed, to re- nus ad quem," which expression is fer to concomitancy; but under what uniformly put in the accusative. modification or aspect we know not." Ivit Romam-columna sexaginta This inquiry, therefore, induces us to look out for some other apparent ly different application of the term, that we may by this means approach step by step nearer to the fundamental meaning. Are there any such applications to be met with in the classics? Let us see" Tantâ quum gratiâ tum arte præparaverant fœneratores." Liv. lib. 2. c. 31. Here "tum" and "quum" are usually translated by "both," and "and;" and this sentence may stand for a thousand of a similar description, wherein "quum" is reciprocated by "tum;" these two words being considered as co-relative expressions. "Tum," in all probability, and according to the strictest rule of analogy in derivation, is neither more nor less than Toy, the accusative of the Greek demonstrative pronoun; whilst "quum," is as manifestly the old form of the Greek relative pronoun o", which in Herodotus, and other old Greek writers, is written zo; thus making out, betwixt them, the correspondence expressed in Latin by "id quod," and in English by "that which." Nor is this analogy confined to one gender. We have likewise " tam and "quam," or Tav and xav, the old forms of την and κην or ny, used in a similar manner; e. g. "Tam arte, quam marte," &c., "both by art and war," as it is usually, but incorrectly, expressed in English. Now, how do we bring the meaning, which is attached to such expressions, out of them? What connection is there

"

betwixt " quum gratiâ tum arte," "tam arte quum marte," and "that

pedes alta-rediit domum," are all
instances in point. Taking this cir-
cumstance, therefore, into account,
in reference to Toy and xos," tum”
and "quum," y and xy,
"tam"
and "quam," we find their literal
and original meaning to be, not “that
which" merely, but "to that to
which," or "that which," in an ac-
cusative sense. Let us apply this,
then, to the sentences quoted; and,
in the first place, to "quum gratiâ
tum arte præparaverant fœneratores."
"To which, with favour, to that with
art," &c. To which, to what? to that,
to what? Neither the "terminus,"
nor the "thing terminated," is men-
tioned; so you are left at liberty to
supply both, according to the sense of
the context. "To which extent, by
favour to that, or to the same extent
by art;" i. e. both, and in the same
degree, by favour and by art, which
brings out the meaning. Again,
"tam arte quam marte. To that
(extent) by art, to which (extent)
by war," that is to say, to an equal
extent by art and by war, which is
more than is expressed when only
"both by art and war" is used in
translation. A general may gain “a
victory," "gladio et arte," but more
by the one than by the other; but if
he gains it " tam gladio quam arte,”
he gains it equally, or in equal pro-
portions by each. Now, let us see
if we can bring these observations to
bear upon the more ordinary uses
and grammatical arrangements of

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

quum," the conjunction, and cum," the preposition, as they are termed. Are these words still the accusatives of the Greek pronouns ?

[ocr errors]

and if so, how can we account for their application in common usage? This conducts us back again to the principles originally laid down, that the Latin cases are, in fact, words with prepositions suffixed, and that the separate preposition no more governs the case, than the case the preposition; there is merely a concordance of meaning betwixt the two. Vir gladio," and "vir cum gladio," are the same thing in point of effect; and whether you supply the "cum" or not, speaking grammatically, the meaning will be the same. Wherein, then, do the expressions differ? "Vir cum," a man to that,-to what? the terminus is immediately added, "gladio," with a sword. There is here, first, a general statement made, which is afterwards limited ; a circumstance very usual in all languages. "Cum parte copiarum filium Arientem Ariciam mittit." Liv. lib. ii, 14. Here "parte" by itself would express all that is actually expressed by the addition of " сит. The expression

66

cum parte" is merely an "I make sure" method of first stating, as it were, the thing generally, and then subjoining the limitation meant. "Mittit filium Ariciam," he sends his son to Aricia; "cum," to that extent in point of concomitancy; to what extent do you mean?" parte copiarum," with a part of the forces. Let us now apply the same method of reasoning to that use of "cum," or "quum," when a verb, and not a noun, is immediately connected with it.

"Cæsar cum posuisset castra, rediit domum." Cæsar cum-Cæsar "to that"-to what? To this extent, namely, immediately subjoined, "posuisset,' or "posuerat castra:" here the general reference to something indefinite is immediately limited by a definite reference. But what comes of the time which is universally understood to be inherent in this term, when united with a verb? "Ratio est in promptu," there is no such meaning of time inherent in the word itself; it is only gathered from the word, implying time, with which it is conjoined. Heri rediit domum," yesterday he returned home. "Quum heri rediit domum," to that of his having returned home yesterday; some thing is pointed at by quum," as yet to be added. The

[ocr errors]

VOL. XIV.

"terminus ad quem" is given; but the correlative idea, the "terminus a quo," is not given, but pointed at in a general term " quum. Take the preposition sine" as another instance of a conjunction, universally joined with a particular case, (the ablative, videlicet,) when nothing approaching to what can be termed government is implied. Upon this preposition, its derivation and use, a great deal has been written ; and the head-master of Shrewsbury School, the learned and erudite Dr Baxter, has been trying his hand in a work, entitled "The Praxis of the Prepositions," and published last year, upon the same subject. "Sine," says he, without doubt or hesitation,

[ocr errors]

nus,

is nothing but the imperative mood of the verb sino,' to let alone, and signifies privation, or being without a thing." Now, this criticism is very much of the same family with the derivation of "inde," thence, from the imperative of " indo, and settles all matters without further trouble. "Sine Baccho et Cerere friget Ve," "without corn and wine Love freezes," would, according to the above derivation, express the very reverse,-" Suffer corn and wine to be, take these into account or reckoning, and then love would grow cold.' How comes it, we would ask, besides, of Dr Baxter, that this imperative mood, all-unchanged and active in its signification, as it still is, happens universally to have the ablative after it, whilst every other part of the verb "sino," and even this part in the verbal use, have after them an accusative, and not an ablative? We think this fact decisive of the question. But leaving Dr Baxter to settle his own praxis with his own pupils, and with the one thousand and one English scholars who bow to authority, and are content to think, at least to express themselves, as others have done before them, we would willingly inquire into what appears to us to be manifestly the composition, as well as the praxis, of the little vocable in question. "Dein" is just "inde," the syllables transposed; and, following the same analogy, nisi," or "nesi," becomes "sine;" "Sine Baccho et Cerere," i. e. " nisi Bacchus et Ceres adsint;" "Si Bacchus et 4 R

66

Ceres ne sint." You ask, then, why
is "Baccho et Cerere" put in the
ablative after "sine," and not after
"nisi?" The answer is to be found
in the manner in which the subject
negatived is apprehended. It is stated,
as a concomitancy to "friget Venus,"
with no
"Bacchus and Ceres," Ve-
nus freezes. If these are not, the
latter becomes cold. Where, then,
we ask, is the government of the ab-
lative attributed to "sine" in this
case? and would not "Baccho et
Cerere" remain in the same case,
suppose "sine" were away, only the
meaning would not then be negative,
but positive?-it would be with, in-
stead of without. "Imperium fine"
means an empire with an end, or
the end taken in concomitancy with
the empire. "Imperium sine fine"
is just the reverse of this, because

"sine" supposes the negative, and not the affirmative. "Nabis sine cortice," is just "nabis si cortex ne sit.” And so on, ad infinitum. You may just as well say, that, in the sentence "nisi vir meus adsit," the nominative "vir" is governed by " nisi," as that, in the sentence" sine viro meo," the ablative is governed by " sine.”

Such speculations may serve to shew the necessity of thinking, and of thinking out of those tracks along which the wheels of thought have continued so long to revolve. That these reveries may not be controverted, the author does not pretend to say, but he is sure that they are his own; and that, by following the same method of untrammelled disquisition, some light may yet be struck out in the metaphysics of phiGAMMA. lology.

Matrimonial Felicity.

"Disguise thyself as thou wilt, still, slavery! thou art a bitter draught !”—Sterne.

To die, some wicked rascals tell us,
Is a mere joke-a bagatelle,
Whether we're partial to a gallows,

Or choose to walk into a well;
But, from a paltry love of life,

Say the same rogues, not over-civil, To take unto yourself a wife,

Alias a spouse,-O! that's the devil! Who, cry these wags, would ever cumber

His house with such a dull, insipid, Useless, heartless piece of lumber,

A mere machine-a moving biped?
And then they speak of Eve and Adam,
And Samson's wife, and Lot's sad
dame,

And poor Job's breeches-wearing madam,
And hundreds more than I can name :
Pandora with her poisonous box,

And Ellen who to Asia ran,
And her who had the art to hoax
Poor Socrates, unhappy man!
Yet, after all, I still maintain

That women, on the whole, increase
Man's happiness; and can't refrain

From saying they're a useful piece
Of household furniture, a kind,
Domestic animal, that knows
All the vagaries of your mind,

And makes your tea, and mends your
clothes.

But marriage is, no doubt, a sea,
With many a rock that one may split

[blocks in formation]

Who ever had the luck to hear,

At such a time, a genuine sigh?
Look at the widower, when he goes
Accout'red in his best black clothes,
Is there no smile about his face?
No air of freedom in his pace?
No scorn about the glance he throws
In proud security on those
Whose looks inform you well enough
Their mates" are made of sternner stuff?”
This puts a story in my head,

I somewhere either heard or read:

A messenger, in breathless haste,

With hair erected on his head,
Into Cornaro's chamber press'd,
And rush'd up to the sleeper's bed----
The sleeper lay in sweet repose,

The wasted strength of life restoring,
Lull'd by the music of his nose,

Which mortals vulgarly call snoring. The stranger shook him pretty roughly, And tweak'd his nose, and pull'd his hair;

At last Cornaro, rather gruffly,

Ask'd, What the devil brought him there ?

The messenger, in great distress,

At length, in broken accents, said, "O! Sir, they've sent me here express, To tell you that your wife is dead!" "Indeed!" the widow'd man replied, Turning upon his other side, And pulling o'er his eyes his cap, In hopes of finishing his nap,"To-morrow, when I wake, you'll see How long and loud my grief shall be.” H. G. B.

MR EDITOR,

SHAKESPEARE'S COMMENTATORS.

"While Commentators each dark passage shun,
And hold their farthing candles to the sun," &c.

I HAVE seldom, in the English language, met with a piece of satire more pointedly, or more truly applicable to its object, than these two lines of Young are to our commentators on Shakespeare, I might add, to those on the Bible also; but intending, at present, to shew cause against the former only, to them I confine the present remarks. I have, in fact, become so utterly annoyed and disgusted with the perplexing and incoherent ravings of these commentators, who have besmeared the pages of Shakespeare with their slaver, that I have formed the resolution of bargaining for an edition of "Every One's Favourite," having the text only, in exchange for my one-and-twenty volume edition, which is to be forthwith turned out of doors. A few parting imprecations, if you permit me to vent such in your pages, will more than console me for any pecuniary loss in the intended barter.

It is, at this time of day, a very trite remark, and it shall therefore be a short one, that Shakespeare, of all English writers, is most peculiarly felicitous in the adoption of appropriate and energetic language, to give expression to the agency of human passion. Such personages, therefore, whose "necessitous wants' require the aids these commentators so liberally bestow gratis, must needs go a-begging all their days, for they can have no chance of communing with Shakespeare, and of understanding and appreciating his converse; they have, in short, no right to read him at all. I freely admit, that annotation may occasionally be useful to general readers, for the illustration and better understanding of obsolete manners, customs, and

words, because every man of taste is not necessarily an antiquary; but to these, and to these alone, all commentaries on Shakespeare ought to have been confined.

Instead of this, however, it would almost appear that the curse with which Shakespeare fenced his bones*, to prevent their removal from his last dormitory, (" that house which lasts till Doomsday,") had extended its paralyzing effects to every critical anatomist, who, inspecting that indestructible frame of his above ground-still retaining the vigour and freshness of manhood's primeshould dare to pronounce a sinew a bone, or a bone a sinew. How can it be otherwise, when, in such attempts, we behold solidity personified; and talents, learning, and genius, exhibiting, for the moment, the symptoms of premature decay!

To make good the foregoing remarks, I shall confine the present communication to two instances only of annotation; but more are in reserve, provided these now offered find favour in your eyes, and in those of your readers,-for of material there is no lack, thanks to the bulk of twenty-one volumes. I begin, then, with the words uttered by Hamlet in the scene where he is first introduced. The King addresses him in these words:

"But now, my cousin Hamlet, and my son."

This address suffers a momentary interruption by Hamlet's feelings giving utterance to the aside speech"A little more than KIN, and less than KIND."

The developement of the tragedy would, I think, render the meaning

The following lines, supposed to have been written by Shakespeare, are engraven upon the stone which marks the spot where he lies interred, in the chancel of Strat

ford-on-Avon :

Good friend, for Jesus' sake, forbear

To dig the dust enclosed here!

Blessed be the man that spares these stones,

And curst be he that moves my bones!

« AnteriorContinuar »