Brighton, Feb. 10. 1851.
_Thomas May, the Author of the Supplement to Lucan._--Who was this Thomas
May? To an Elzevir edition of Lucan, 1658, Amsterdam, "accuranto Cornelio
Schrevelio," there is added "Supplementum Lucani Libri Septem; authore
Thoma Maio, Anglo." In the preface it is stated, "Supplementum Lucani ab
Anglo quodam antehac seorsim editum, et huic materiae aptissimum adjunximus,
ne quid esset quod hic desideraretur." In the fourth book of this
_Supplement_, Cato is represented as soliloquising before his death as
follows:--
"Quam diversa, inquit, restant post funera sortes!
Credo equidem, divine Plato, te dogmata vera
Haec ipsum docuisse Deum. Deus ipse sequendam
(Aut Natura homines ratioque innata fefellit)
Proposuit virtutem, et praemia debita justis
Haec quonian justos injusta potentia fraudat
Saepius in terris, et gens humana rebellat
Solvere post mortem justissimus ipse tenetur."
The famous soliloquy in Addison's _Cato_ seems to resemble this, in its
general tone of thought. In a former passage occur these lines:--
"Solatia sola haec,
Quod meliore frui post mortem lumine sperat.
Immortalem animam spes haec probat."