“It is found in writing that the Lacedemonians and Jews are
    brethren, and that they are of the stock of Abraham.”

Have critics or ethnographers commented on this passage, which, to say the least, is remarkable?

As I am quoting from the Apocrypha, I may point out the anomaly of these books being omitted in the great majority of our Bibles, whilst their instructive lessons are appointed to be read by the Church.  Hundreds of persons who maintain the good custom of reading the proper lessons for the day, are by this omission deprived, during the present season, of two chapters out of the four appointed.

MANLEIUS.

* * * * *

REPLIES.

FAIRFAX’S TRANSLATION OF TASSO.

On referring to my memoranda, I find that the copy of Fairfax’s translation of the Gerusalemme Liberata of Tasso, containing the third variation of the first stanza, noticed in my last, has the two earliest pages reprinted, in order that the alteration might be more complete, and that the substitution, by pasting one stanza over another (as the book is usually met with) might not be detected.  A copy with the reprinted leaf is, I apprehend, still in the library of the late William Wordsworth; and during the last twenty years I have never been able to procure, or even to see, another with the same peculiarity.

The course with the translator was, no doubt, this:  he first printed his book as the stanza appears under the pasted slip; this version he saw reason to dislike, and then he had the slip printed with the variation, and pasted over some copies not yet issued.  Again he was dissatisfied, and thinking he could improve, not only upon the first stanza, but upon “The Argument” by which it was preceded, he procured the two pages to be reprinted.  It is, however, by no means clear to me that, after all, Fairfax liked his third experiment better than his two others:  had he liked it better, we should, most probably, have found it in more copies than the single one I have pointed out.

As your readers and contributors may wish to see “The Argument” and first stanza as they are given in Mr. Wordsworth’s exemplar, I transcribe them from my note-book, because, before I gave the book away, I took care to copy them exactly:—­

  THE ARGUMENT.

  “God sends his angell to Tortosa downe: 
  Godfrey to counsell cals the Christian Peeres,
  Where all the Lords and Princes of renowne
  Chuse him their general:  he straight appeeres
  Mustring his royall hoast, and in that stowne
  Sends them to Sion, and their hearts upcheeres. 
    The aged tyrant, Judaies land that guides,
    In feare and trouble to resist provides.