Milford, April 15. 1850.
Latin Epigram.—I should be much obliged to any of your readers who can inform me who was the author and what is the date of the following epigram. The peculiarity of it, your readers will observe, consists in the fact, that while read directly it contains a strong compliment; yet it is capable of being read backwards, still forming the same description of verse, but conveying a perfect reverse of the compliment:—
"Laus tua, non tua fraus; virtus non copia rerum,
Scandere te fecit hoc decus eximium,
Pauperibus tua das; nunquam stat janua clausa;
Fundere res quæris, nec tua multiplicas.
Conditio tua sit stabilis! non tempore parvo
Vivere te faciat hic Deus omnipotens."
When reversed, it reads thus:—