Page:Catullus, Tibullus and Propertius.djvu/113

Rh immaturely. Domitius Marsus reappears in Mr Cranstoun's quatrain—

and it is but fair to add, from Professor Nichol's admirable version of the " Mors Tibulli," Ovid's graceful asseveration that "Albius is not dead;" but that, if aught remains beyond the Stygian flood—

The present may be a convenient place for stating briefly that that portion of the Elegies attributed to Tibullus which is unquestionably authentic is limited to the first and second books; and that the first alone, in all probability, had the advantage of his own revision and preparation for the press. Amongst the arguments against the authenticity of the third and fourth books, there are some which can hardly be met by the cleverest special pleading, though we confess that Mr Cranstoun has shown considerable ingenuity in his conservative view of the question. It is, however, more probable that the elegies of the third book, which treat of the loves of Lygdamus and Neæra for the most part, and which perceptibly lack the spirit of Tibullus, whilst they evince quite a different talent,