 He comments with disapproval on John Ruskin's 1860 review article "The English translators of Homer" in the "National Review".He gives much space to comparing and criticizing already-published translations of the epics, notably


He adds polite comments on William Maginn's "Homeric Ballads" (which first appeared in "Fraser's Magazine", where Arnold intended to publish these lectures).Arnold identifies four essential qualities of Homer the poet to which the translator must do justice