between the
two rival powers and the submersion of both of them? And how was the
tale transferred to the poem of Solon? 'It is not improbable,' says Mr.
Grote, 'that Solon did leave an unfinished Egyptian poem' (Plato). But
are probabilities for which there is not a tittle of evidence, and
which are without any parallel, to be deemed worthy of attention by the
critic? How came the poem of Solon to disappear in antiquity? or why did
Plato, if the whole narrative was known to him, break off almost at the
beginning of it?

While therefore admiring the diligence and erudition of M. Martin,
we cannot for a moment suppose that the tale was told to Solon by an
Egyptian priest, nor can we believe that Solon wrote a poem upon the
theme which was thus suggested to him--a poem which disappeared in
antiquity; or that the Island of Atlantis or the antediluvian Athens
ever had any existence except in the imagination of Plato. Martin is of
opinion that Plato would have been terrified if he could have foreseen
the endless fancies to which his Island of Atlantis has given occasion.
Rather he would have been infinitely amused if he could have known that
his gift of invention would have deceived M. Martin himself into the
belief that the tradition was brought from Egypt by Solon and made the
subject of a poem by him. M. Martin may also be gently censured for
citing without sufficient discrimination ancient authors having very
different degrees of authority and value.

2. It is an interesting and not unimportant question which is touched
upon by Martin, whether the Atlantis of Plato in any degree held out
a guiding light to the early navigators. He is inclined to think that
there is no real connexion between them. But surely the discovery of the
New World was preceded by a prophetic anticipation of it, which, like
the hope of a Messiah, was entering into the hearts of men? And this
hope was nursed by ancient tradition, which had found expression from
time to time in the celebrated lines of Seneca and in many other places.
This tradition was sustained by the great authority of Plato, and
therefore the legend of the Island of Atlantis, though not closely
connected with the voyages of the early navigators, may be truly said to
have contributed indirectly to the great discovery.

The Timaeus of Plato, like the Protagoras and several portions of the
Phaedrus and Republic, was translated by Cicero into Latin. About a
fourth, comprehending wit