THE FOREIGN QUARTERLY REVIEW. No. LV. FOR OCTOBER, 1841. ART. I.—Libellus Aurarius sive Tabule circulation, a German suggests their publicaCerate et antiquissimæ et unicæ Romanæ tion, and a German edits them; if theology in Fodinâ Aurariâ apud Abrudbanyam, is to be viewed in connection with modern oppidulum Transsylvanum, nuper re- science, a German sets about the difficult perta, quas nunc primus enucleavit, de- task; if statistics are required of the state of pinxit, edidit J. F. Massman. (The Gold- Europe, the Germans produce matters of en Book, or Waxen Tablets both of high higher eminence and utility than anything Antiquity and the only Roman Tablets on which Dr. Bowring can alight; and Von extant, recently discovered in a Gold Mine Raumer's Italy is worth a million of his offiat Abrudbanya, a Village in Transsylvania, cial reports, and is infinitely less costly. which are now for the first Time explain- England not only does nothing, but even need, described and edited by J. F. Massman.) Leipsic. 1841. glects to avail herself of what is done; for, saving Heeren's Manual, Böckh's Athens (his "Urkunden über das Seewesen des WE consider, whatever success may attend Attischen Staates" has not yet been translatour efforts, that we should grossly neglect to ed, though an exact account from ancient discharge the duty incumbent on us as Fo- marbles of the Athenian navy in the time of reign Reviewers, were we to permit the Eng- Demosthenes), Thirlwall's Greece, who has lish public, through this journal, its only pure availed himself of the German sources to such medium of information on such topics, to re- an extent as to make that history the only main in ignorance of the immense archæolo- history of Greece for a scholar, though it algical discoveries that are daily taking place ready requires, from the immense extent of among the scholars of the continent, and discovery since its compilation, rewriting— those of Germany especially. The English with these exceptions, England has not even scholars may flatter themselves that they are been sufficiently industrious to get up what maintaining the reputation of Porson and Germany has written. Fynes Clinton's Elmsley and others in classical lore, but how- Fasti forms possibly our only quotation; as ever unpleasant the task, we must undeceive for Dr. Arnold's lucubrations, whether on them, and plainly tell them, that, while they Roman history or Thucydides, they only deare stationary, Niebuhr, Herman, Wachs- monstrate him incurably wrong in criticism muth, Müller and Böckh, have been enrich- as well as casuistry and politics. Were we dising the world with views of the highest ori- posed to point out how offensively this masginality, the profoundest scholarship and the ter of Rugby acts to all persons who profess most accurate research. If ancient relics are different political opinions to his own, were to be explained and illustrated, a German we to show the insolence with which this professor is sought out for that object; if a pedagogue drives out from Rugby all candiseries of ancient historians have been for dates for admission of the conservative class, some unaccountable reason thrown out of as far as their parents are concerned, we The could do so easily; for an instance has re- probably one Sclavonian name. Due heed cently come under our immediate cogni- has consequently been paid by Herr Masszance, where a Tory peer was prevented man to the contemporary history of these nafrom placing his son there, and only found in tions. He fixes the antiquity of the tablets the gentle and classical amenity of the master at A. D. 167. The originals rest in the muof Harrow a counterpoise for the plebeian seum at Pest, which belongs to Nicolas insolence of this demagogue priest. Now Jankowich de Wadass. The author has also, politics form no bar to advancement in Ger- by way of additional illustration of the curmany, nor does any one dare, save a Whig- rent hand, appended to his work a transcript ling pedant, to try such a game in the gentle of a papyrus found at Phile, which is in the society of literature and art, which maintains museum of Egyptian antiquities at Leyden. its integrity and independence clear from all He candidly confesses his own inability to attempts to smother intellect in the child be- work up the book into its present compencause the parent may be opposed to us in dious form in Latin, and acknowledges his politics. Porson, Parr and Burney were re-obligations in this respect to Valentine Siebel spected as scholars, were treated as scholars, for giving the work currency in that lanbut were never rudely insulted by those of guage among the literati of Europe. In the opposite opinions to themselves. Schelling study of the Gothic he had in great measure was well treated by his king, though opposed forgotten his classical acquirements. to many notions of that sovereign. Paley | inscription of the larger tablet, with probably and Watson, whose early opinions were cer- Dacian characters, he owns had puzzled to tainly of extreme liberalism, were promoted little purpose Grotefend, the late O. Müller, and placed at the full height that their re- and others. It appears that Transsylvania spective merits claimed. But we pass from contains vast treasures of the same character politics to what to us is far sweeter, the cu- with the tablets. At Vienna there are helrious argument of the work before us, which mets with Etrurian characters, found in has been edited with great care and astonish- Styria, most beautiful golden vases, carved ing accuracy. It contains an account of the within, although of narrow neck and great only waxen Roman tablets that have surviv- content, and certainly not blown. Herr ed the ravages of time. It was begun in the Arnett, the conservator, is shortly about to year 1835, but from various causes, and favour the literary world with the publication principally from the time the author bestow- of these treasures from the same land with ed on his work "Die gothischen Urkunden our tablets. We trust this notice will direct von Neapel und Arezzo," he only completed the attention of English travellers to this as the preface to his book on the last day of yet unexplored country of classic treasures. 1840. The accidents to which the precious We shall now enter more at large into our and unique remains submitted to our notice author's account of the tablets. It appears have been subjected, the fragility of the ma- that in the autumn of 1835, N. Jankowich terial and its astonishing duration, render this de Wadass, while travelling in Hungary, discovery one of surpassing interest and al- came to the university of Munich, having most incredible felicity. They completely two triptychs or tablets, one of fir, the other confirm the almost prophetic remark of Span- of beech, which he showed to our author and genberg: "It is extremely probable that Schmeller. The tablets formed of cleft smaller letters were in ancient use, forming beech, harder of cleavage, are joined together, a kind of current hand on the waxen tablets, and indicate the surface of the interior and the papyri and the parchment ;" so that the exterior to have been polished by friction; interest of the discovery becomes the greater the fir, on the contrary, are of ruder form, from the analogy of the common character and cut up in a most simple style, so that with the current which is here shown. The the plate of the one may unite very closely subject-matter of the tablets, independent of with the joints of the other; and it is quite general interest, is also of high utility as illus- manifest that the plates were cut out of one trative of Roman law, and the condition also and the same mass and connected. Each of of those provinces of Dacia bordering on the the triptychs, as this name indicates, is formed Danube, in which history relates that the Geta of three wooden tablets of the size of small were aborigines, that the Sarmatians min- 8vo., so that it could be conveniently ingled there in fierce conflict with the Sclavo- serted into the pocket. The two exterior nians and Scythians, that the Germans prov-tablets of each triptych show wooden ed the strongest, that the Greeks were mi- surfaces, which formed the protection and ners; and lastly, the oppressive Romans spo- covering of the interior writing; the surfaces liators. The tablets contain, besides Roman in the interior of the tablets are hollowed in, and Greek appellations, two German, and leaving a projecting wooden margin, and in |