The Eclectic Review

The Eclectic Review by Samuel Greatheed. This September 1808 issue offers a detailed, systematized synopsis of Middleton’s Doctrine of the Greek Article, dividing the work into propositions and sections. The reviewer presents Middleton’s main aim: the Greek article as a disciplined instrument for reference, emphasis, and specificity, bringing order to a previously chaotic field. Key features highlighted include rules for retrospective reference, use with appellatives and possessives, treatment of proper names (with notable exceptions), abstract nouns and attributes, constructions with adjectives, and agreement. Cautions about irregular usages and edge cases are noted. Middleton is praised for clarity and systematization, for aligning usage with language laws, and for placing Greek-grammar within a rigorous philological tradition (following Granville Sharp and Burgess). The review calls Middleton’s work indispensable for students of Greek and a model of scholarly reasoning, though demanding to read. The issue also surveys a broad array of contemporary reviews across travels, religion, poetry, and science, reflecting London’s 1808 literary culture.