1799-)- 
I have examined feveral of the volumes 
of the ftereotype, but tn none of them is - 
this erratum committed. I hence con- 
clude, that Didot iffued originally only a 
few copies from his prefs, that if they 
fhould be found to contain any errata, fuch 
errata might be carefully corrected in his 
fubfequent publications. One of thefe 
copies muft have fallen into the hands of 
this gentleman. This is the beft way I 
can account for the exiftence of this erra- 
tum. In like manner, I cannot_find Te- 
tis for Tethys. This muft be afcribed to 
the fame cauie. 
*< En. i. , Utque ipfum corpus amici 
*¢ Full ftop for comma.’’ 
But I appeal to any impartial perfon, 
whether this ftop can with juftice be deno- 
minated a period, rather than a comma, 
For, if we examine minutely the punctua- 
tion throughout this fmall volume, we 
fhall fee that the ftop in quettion, which is 
fo offenfive, has very little more refem- 
blance to the period than to the comma. 
I muft own, this ftop appears to me like 
a comma already begun; but owing to 
fome injury the printing letter had re- 
ceived, the impreffion is not completely 
made. Inthe fame manner, we may have 
an / for anf, the tranfverfe mark, which 
diftinguifhes them, by fome accident not 
being exprefled. “But we are not, there- 
fore, to infer, that one letter by miftake 
has been fubftituted for another, any more 
than that here a full ftop by miftake has 
been ftruck fora comma. Out. of curio- 
fity I examined the great edition of Di- 
dot’s Virgil, which, for the fplendour of 
its type, reflects the higheft credit on the 
printer, and I was happy to recognile 
after amici'a comma complete. 
‘« Munera letitiamque Dii. ~ 
** For -———-—s_- Dei.” 
*¢ This muft neceffarily be wrong.’’ 
Theeditions, then, of Brunck and Heyne, 
to which TI refer this gentleman, are 
chargeable with the fame error. 
‘« En. il. v. 20,—mifnumbered 21.’ 
This mifteke is not to be imputed to 
the numevous volumes which I have exa- 
mined. This error your correfpondent 
mutt have deteSted in fome of the original 
copies, which have not come in my way. 
** Atque arreCtis auribus adfto: 
** This fhould have been.a full Rop.’’ 
Will this gentleman have the goodnefs 
to refer to Brunck’s and Heyne’s editions ? 
Your correfpondent, Sir, has no doubt, 
as I have before obferved, met with a 
ftereotype Virgil, in which Thetis is mif- 
printed for Tethys, afumpfere for abfump-— 
fre, and where Ens ii, -¥. 20. is milpume 
Enquiries on Wiltfoire. 
539. 
bered 21. But if he will be {0 good as to 
Jay afide “ les petites éditions de claffe,”’ 
his Delphin edition of Virgil, which feems 
to have been his beacon in thefe criticifms, 
for it contains the very readings which he 
would fubftitute, together with the full 
ftop after adjfo, he would confefS that the 
errata, which he imputes to Didoe’s Vir- 
gil, are authorifed by the moft eminent. 
{cholars and critics. 
I have been induced to flow the futility 
of the objeCtions of your correfpondent, 
not only for the purpofe of vindicating the 
profefional charatter of Didot, but that 
thofe of the community who content. them- 
felves with the perufal of the common edi- 
tions of Virgil, and are unacquainted with 
the various readings fwpported by the beft 
manuferipts, may not be deterred from 
the purchafe of this defirable edition; de- 
firable for the conveniency of its fize, the 
moderate price it bears, the neatnefs and. 
perhaps unequalled correCtnels of its type. 
At the fame time that I vindicate Mon- 
fieur Didot, Fam happy in this opportu- 
nity of giving him my tribute of praife for. 
the fpecimens he-has given us of his fte-~ 
reotype, and of wifing him every fuccefs 
which fo laudable an undertaking deferves. 
I remain, Sir, 
} G. Mae 
rena 
For the Monthly Mazazines 
SIR, 
AVING been fome time employed 
| in the compilation and writing of a 
work topographical, hiftorical, and defcrip- 
tive of the county of Wilts; I beg leave, 
through the medium of your Magazine, to 
folicit a candid communication trom fuch 
perfons as may pofiefs any thing applica- 
ble to this fubjeét, or whofe local acquaint- 
ance with places or perfons enables them 
to furnifh any hints, defcriptions, or res 
marks, which may-tend to the completion 
or perfeStion of the work.—An anxious 
wifh to be as corre&t and perfect as the 
nature of fuch fubjects will admit, and an 
experience of the’ difficulty of attaining 
lecal information, induce me to take this 
method of craving a> friendly-communi- 
cation.—Whatever correfpondence I may 
be favoured with, either upon topography, 
antiquity, local hiftory, or defeription, re- 
lative to this cownty, will be gratefully re- 
ceived, and, I hope, fatisfacioerily ufed.— 
As Iam now arranging my materials: and 
having put fome drawings into the engra- 
ver’s hands, I muit beg that ail intended 
favours may be f{peedily tranfmitted to 
Warwick-(guare, J. Britton. 
London, 
To 
