an ancient Greek poet, was born at Athens in the same year with Epicurus, which was the third of the 109th Olympiad. His happiness in introducing the new comedy, and refining an art which had been so gross and licentious in former times, quickly spread his name over the world. Pliny informs us, that the kings of Egypt and Macedon gave a noble testimony of his merit, by sending ambassadors to invite him to their courts, and even fleets to bring him over; but that Menander was so much of a philosopher, as to prefer the free enjoyment of his studies to the promised favours of the great. Of his works, which amounted to above 100 comedies, we have had a double loss, the originals being not only vanished, but the greatest part of them, when copied by Terence, having unfortunately perished by shipwreck before they saw Rome. Yet the four plays which Terence borrowed from him before that accident happened, are still preserved in the Roman habit; and it is chiefly from Terence that most people form their judgement of Menander, the fragments that remain of him not being sufficient to enable them to do it. The ancients have paid high things of Menander; and we find the old masters of rhetoric recommending his works as the true patterns of every beauty and every grace of public speaking. Quintilian declares, that a careful imitation of Menander only, will satisfy all the rules he has laid down in his institutions. It is in Menander that he would have his orator search for a copiousness of invention, for a happy elegance of expression, and especially for that universal genius which is able to accommodate itself to persons, things, and affections.—But Julius Caesar has left the loftiest as well as the justest praise of Menander's works, when he calls Terence only a Half-Menander. For while the virtues of the Latin poet are so deservedly admired, it is impossible we should raise a higher notion of excellency than to conceive the great original still shining with half its lustre unreflected, and preserving an equal part of its graces, above the power of the best copier in the world. Menander died in the 3d year of the 122d Olympiad.