Page:Catullus, Tibullus and Propertius.djvu/10

vi Poems' (Smith & Elder: 1868), in which the translations of Propertius are sadly too few. In the course of the work the writer has found that it is perfectly vain to expect the reader to take kindly to the versions of Professor Robinson Ellis; but he may tolerate the few that are given for their exact literality and evident scholarship. Mr Paley's versions, where they have been used, will be found to combine poetic feeling with these merits. It has seemed well to designate all the versions of the three poets for which the author of the volume is himself responsible with the letter "D.;" and he desires to plead for these not so much a claim of superiority to other versions, as a scruple to avail himself of the honey of other bees, without samples and contributions from his own hive. There is room for even more workers in this special field of translation; and the volume will have done good if it inspires a friendly rivalry in rendering three specially delightful poets into congenial English.

J. D.

, September 1, 1876.