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ing treatife, as by definite is meant the tenfe in which the verb expreffes the perfection of the action.'

On this head, he afterward adds:

In the meaning which I have affigned to indefinites Mr. Harris agrees with me, though in a different mode of expreffion. By an indefinite tense he means a non-extended time; by a definite, an extended time. Now the verb, expreffing the action, when used in its extended time or tenfe, expreffes the perfection or imperfection of that action. When ufed in a non-extended time or tenfe, it expreffes neither. I diftinguish the tenfes by this attribute or confequence: he by their intrinfic nature: it comes to the fame thing. But we both differ from Dr. Beattie, who means by indefinites, tenfes which do not refer to any particular time; by definites those which do. Confequently he calls, I write, a definite; whereas Mr. Harris calls it, with me, an indefinite. For the fame reason, according to his fyftem, I think he ought to have called I wrote, a definite, at least in many inftances; becaufe very often to be intelligible, it must refer to a particular time, as appears from the preceding note. I have written to him, is intelligible, without referring to any precife paft time, becaufe all it means to express is before the prefent time, but I wrote is not intelligible unless fo referred: and therefore I cannot agree to his application of the word, which refers it to a particular part of time, becaufe, as it appears to me, it would fometimes make the tenfes ufually called aorifts, to be called definites. For example, in the Greek language, the fecond aorift generally refers to a particular time, and therefore, in propriety of fpeech, fhould change its name, and be called a definite: and befides, the fame tenfes might be definite or indefinite according to the words or fentences that followed them; all which, though it would make no material difference in mental reafoning, would occafion confufion, by deviating from the common ufe of words.'

Having thus defined the meaning in which he employs the term, aorift, he proceeds to his ftrictures on Lord Monboddo's opinions.

Refpecting the tenfes of the Greek verb, Lord Monboddo has afferted, and endeavoured to ftrengthen his opinion by the teftimony of fome antient grammarians, that the second future and the second aorift mean nothing different from the first tenfes of the fame name; and are only old obfolete prefents and preter-imperfects, preferved after the verb was modernized, merely to vary and enrich the found of the language.-Dr. Browne feems willing to allow, though perhaps under fome limitations, that an oppofite opinion might be defended; that varying founds, without varying the fenfe, can never be an improvement of language: but he infifts, that if thofe various words have diftinct meanings, not only the variety of founds will remain, but the language will be more definite, accurate,

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and

and perfect. In this effay, he endeavours to rescue the Greek language from the imputation of having diftinct founds without diverfity of meaning. He premifes that no rule can be adopted, with respect to the meaning of the Greek tenfes, without being liable to many exceptions; fuch is the latitude in which their writers indulge themselves in the use of them.

He begins with the aorifts. Both of thefe, he allows, are often used as mere paft indefinites: but it is as certain, that the first aorift has much more frequently a definite meaning than the fecond; the latter appearing, in nine inftances out of ten, to be used indefinitely; whereas it is obferved by grammarians, that the former is often more introduced to denote past perfect time, than their preterperfect tenfe itself. Hence he argues that its proper meaning is of a definite nature, and that it is not properly an aorift.-Dr. B. next proceeds to fhew that fuch a definite, as he conceives the first aorift to be, was wanting in the Greek language, and is not fupplied by the preterperfect. He argues, from Dr. Clark, that the tenfe, ufually called preterperfect, does not properly exprefs fuch a time, but a different one, which ought to ftamp it with a different name; it implying that the action has been done, and ftill continues to be done. He then adds,"

Have I explained my argument clearly? it is, that a peculiar fignification having been proved in the preterperfect, vulgarly fo called, viz. that of a continuing action, and there being a philofophic time belonging to an action quite paft, and not now continued, there ought in vulgar grammar to be a tenfe expreffing fuch a time, and in Greek no tenfe can be found applicable to it but the first aorift, which undoubtedly often expreffès a paft definite of fome kind or other, and therefore, without any force or violence, naturally falls into that place. When it expreffes a past definite, it must mean either an action quite past, or partly past, but still continuing. In the latter meaning it would be confounded with the preterperfect, from which Dr. Clark has rescued it for me. It remains therefore clear that the former must be its meaning.'

Dr. B. adds feveral remarks in illuftration and confirmation of his idea; and concludes his paper with a few observations on the two future tenfes of the Greek language. To those who are interested in difquifitions of this nature, we recommend the perufal of the effay; from which, though we occafionally differ from the opinions contained in it, we have received pleasure.

Evil Effects of Polytheism on the Morals of the Heathens. By a young Gentleman, an Under-graduate in the University of Dublin. Communicated by the Rev. John Kearney, D. D.

&c.

Thefe

These few obfervations do not contain, in our opinion, much that is worthy of remark or quotation.

We next arrive at the ANTIQUITIES.

Account of a fingular Custom at METELIN, with fome Conjectures on the Antiquity of its Origin. By the Right Hon. James, Earl of Charlemont, Prefident R. I. A.

Lord C. prefaces his account with a most rapturous and luxuriant description of Metelin, the antient Lefbos, the birthplace of Alceus, and of Sappho. We pafs over this confideration, to extract the particulars of the very strange custom, by which the natives have contrived to render themselves unhappy amid all the bounties of nature:

The women here feem to have arrogated to themselves the department and privileges of the men.-Contrary to the usage of all other countries, the eldest daughter here inherits, and the fons, like daughters every where elfe, are portioned off with fmall dowers, or, which is ftill worse, turned out, pennylefs, to feek their fortune.If a man has two daughters, the eldest, at her marriage, is entitled to all her mother's poffeffions, which are by far the greater part of the family eftate, as the mother, keeping up her prerogative, never parts with the power over any portion of what he had brought into the family, until he is forced into it by the marriage of her daughter, and the father is alfo compelled to ruin himself by adding whatever he may have fcraped together by his induftry.-The fecond daughter inherits nothing, and is condemned to perpetual celibacy. -She is ftyled a Calogria, which fignifies properly a religious woman or nun, and is in effect menial fervant to her fifter, being employed by her in any office fhe may think fit to impofe, frequently ferving her as waiting-maid, as cook, and often in employments ftill more degrading. -She wears a habit peculiar to her fituation which the can never change, a fort of monaftick dress, coarfe, and of dark brown. One advantage however fhe enjoys over her fifter, that whereas the elder, before marriage, is never allowed to go abroad, or to fee any man, her nearest relations only excepted, the Calogria, except when employed in domeftick toil, is in this refpe&t at perfect liberty.-But when the fifter is married, the fituation of the poor Calogria becomes defperate indeed, and is rendered ftill more humiliating by the comparifon between her condition and that of her happy miftrefs. The married filter enjoys every fort of liberty-the whole family fortune is her's, and the spends it as the pleafes-her husband is her obfequious fervant-her father and mother are dependent upon her-the dreffes in the most magnificent manner, covered all over, according to the fashion of the ifland, with pearls and with pieces of gold, which are commonly fequins; thus continually carrying about with her the enviable marks of affluence and fuperiority, while the wretched Calogria follows her as a fervant, arrayed in fimple homespun brown, and without the most diftant hope of ever changing her condition. Such a difparity may feem intolerable, but what will not cuftom reconcile?

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reconcile? Neither are the misfortunes of the family yet at an end-The father and the mother, with what little is left them, contrive by their induftry to accumulate a fecond little fortune, and this, if they should have a third daughter, they are obliged to give to her upon her marriage, and the fourth, if there should be one, becomes her Calogria; and fo on through all the daughters alternately. Whenever the daughter is marriageable, the can by custom compel the father to procure her a husband, and the mother, fuch is the power of habit, is foolish enough to join in teazing him into an immediate compliance, though its consequences must be equally fatal and ruinous to both of them. From hence it happens that nothing is more common than to fee the old father and mother reduced to the utmost indigence, and even begging about the streets, while their unnatural daughters are in affluence; and we ourselves have frequently been fhewn the eldest daughter parading it through the town in the greateft fplendour, while her mother and filter followed her as fervants, and made a melancholy part of her attendant

train.

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• The fons, as foon as they are of an age to gain a livelihood, are turned out of the family, fometimes with a fmall prefent or portion, but more frequently without any thing to fupport them; and thus reduced, they either endeavour to live by their labour, or, which is more ufual, go on board fome trading veffel as failors or as fervants, remaining abroad till they have got together fome competency, and then return home to marry and to be henpecked. Some few there are who, taking advantage of the Turkish law, break through this whimsical cullom, who marry their Calogrias, and retain to themfelves a competent provifion; but these are accounted men of a fingular and even criminal difpofition, and are hated and defpifed as conformists to Turkish manners, and deferters of their native cuftoms; fo that we may fuppofe they are few indeed who have the boldness to depart from the manners of their country, to adopt the customs of their detefted masters, and to brave the contempt, the derifion, and the hatred of their neighbours and fellow-citizens.

Of all these extraordinary particulars I was informed by the French conful, a man of fenfe and of indifputable veracity, who had refided in this ifland for feveral years, and who folemnly aflured me that every circumftance was true; but indeed our own obfervation left us without the leaft room for doubt, and the finguJar appearance and deportment of the ladies fully evinced the truth of our friend's relation. In walking through the town it is eafy to perceive, from the whimsical manners of the female paffengers, that the women, according to the vulgar phrafe, wear the breeches. They frequently stopped us in the treets, examined our dress, interrogated us with a bold and manly air*, laughed at our foreign

In the nineteenth Epiftle of the first book, Horace applies an epithet to Sappho which might with great aptnefs be given to her prefent countrywomen:

"Temperat Archilochi Mufam pede mafcula Sappho."

garb

garb and appearance, and fhewed fo little attention to that decent modefty, which is, or ought to be, the true characteristick of the fex, that there is every reafon to fuppofe they would, in fpite of their haughtiness, be the kindeft ladies upon earth, if they were not ftrictly watched by the Turks, who are here very numerous, and would be ready to punish any tranfgreffion of their ungallant laws with arbitrary fines. But nature and native manners will often baffle the efforts even of tyranny. In all their customs these manly ladies feem to have changed fexes with the men. -The woman fits aftride-the man fits fideways upon the horse.-Nay I have been affured that the hufband's diftinguishing appellation is his wife's family name. -The women have town and country houfes, in the management of which the husband never dares interfere.Their gardens, their fervants, are all their own; and the husband, from every circumftance of his behaviour, appears to be no other than his wife's first domellick, perpetually bound to her fervice, and flave to her caprice. Hence it is that a tradition obtains in the country, that this ifland was formerly inhabited by Amazons, a tradition however founded on no ancient hiftory that I know of. Sappho indeed, the most renowned female that this island has ever produced, is faid to have had manly inclinations, in which, as Lucian informs us, fhe did but conform with the fingular manners of her countrywomen; but I do not find that the mode in which the chofe to fhew thefe inclinations is imitated by the prefent female inhabitants, who feem perfectly content with the dear prerogative of abfolute fway, without endeavouring in any other particular to change the course of nature; yet will this circumstance serve to fhew that the women of Lefbos had always fomething peculiar, and even peculiarly mafculine, in their manners and propenfities. But be this as it may, it is certain that no country whatsoever can afford a more perfect idea of an Amazonian commonwealth, or better ferve to render probable thofe ancient relations which our manners would induce us to esteem incredible, than this island of Metelin. Thefe lordly ladies are, for the most part, very handsome in spite of their drefs, which is fingular and difadvantageous. Down to the girdle, which, as in the old Grecian garb, is raised far above what we ufually call the waift, they wear nothing but a shift of thin and tranfparent gauze, red, green or brown, through which every thing is visible, their breafts only excepted, which they cover over with a fort of handkerchief; and this, as we are informed, the Turks obliged them to wear, while they look upon it as an incumbrance, and as no inconfiderable portion of Turkish tyranny. Long fleeves of the fame thin material perfectly fhew their arms even to the fhoulder. Their principal ornaments are chains of pearl, to which they hang fmall pieces of gold coin. Their eyes are large and fine, and the nofe, which we term Grecian, ufually prevails among them, as it does indeed among the women of all thefe iflands. Their complexions are naturally fine, but they fpoil them by paint, of which they make abundant ufe, and they diffigure their pretty faces by fhaving the hinder part of the eyebrow, and replacing it with a trait line of hair, neatly applied with fome

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fort