A good translation of Xenophon’s Cyropædia is much wanted. That by
Ashley is vilely done; though Mr. Harris has pronounced a high eulogium
on it in his Philological Inquiries.
Mr. Harris was an excellent Greek scholar, but beyond that he does not
seem to have great merit as a writer. In his “Hermes,” speaking of the
grammatical genders, he says, they are founded on a “reasoning which
discovers, even in things without sex, a distant analogy to that great
distinction, which, according to Milton, animates the world.” To this he
adds, in a note, “Linnæus has traced the distinction of sexes through
the vegetable world, and made it the basis of his botanic method.”
Should not one be induced to think from this, that Linnæus classed some
plants as male, and others as female, from their form and character?
when, in fact, they are classed according to the number and form of
those parts on which the fructification of the plants actually depends.
What becomes of this supposed analogy in the German language, where the
sun is feminine, and the moon masculine?
Lowth, in his grammar, mentions the poetical advantage our language
derives from making all inanimate things neuter, by the power it gives
of personification by the mere change of gender.[343]
[343] Pye.
* * * * *
_For the Table Book._