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consistently with perspicuity, the meaning of the inspired penmen is better represented than it can be in a free translation.'

As a specimen of a short sentence which, by a very trivial alteration, is considerably improved, he submits the following. passage to the judgment of the reader:

Matt. xxii. 21. "Render therefore the things of Cæsar, to Cæsar : and the things of God, to God." Though the alteration here is apparently small, (for these are both literal translations,) yet the reader may observe four things in the present construction of the sentence, and then judge for himself. First, The order of the words is exactly as in the Greek (which very rarely happens). Secondly, This is four syllables shorter than the common translation. Thirdly, The two pronouns which and that are omitted; and the two ss at the end of each clause of the sentence are avoided; which must be acknowledged as an improvement, because it is frequently objected to our language by foreigners, that it has too much hissing in it. Fourthly, This closes with a double Iambic, preceded by an anapast, all which are allowed to be the best concluding feet.'

The arrangement of this translation, which is, on the whole, judicious and useful, is different from that of other publications of a similar kind. To an extract of the Editor's detail, we shall subjoin a specimen, for the information of our readers:

The titles at the head of chapters in our common translation are of great use in assisting the reader to comprehend the substance of the things treated of. Some chapters contain many distinct subjects, and the titles to these subjects being at the head of the chapters, they were too much out of sight; therefore the full benefit was not always received. Besides, the chapters are injudiciously divided, part of a subject being in one chapter, and part in another; which has often been complained of by attentive readers. These and such like circumstances induced the cditor to divide the work into sections, placing a title over the section, expressive of what he conceived to be the leading feature of that section. This, he hopes, will be found in general to be useful; being like a candle properly placed, giving light to the subject, and the subject reflecting light or confirmation on the title: and it also supersedes, in many instances, the necessity of explanatory notes. It was dificult to divide the Epistles in many places; but in such cases he did what seemed to him best, all things considered. If the learned reader should object to this mode, let him remember that this publication was intended chiefly for those, whose temporal concerns afford them but little leisure to read.

To this class of readers also, the personifying or putting the name of the speaker may be very useful; as they will thereby often understand what they read at the first glance, the subject matter being seen in a clearer point of view, and such light cast upon it, that there will be little need for farther exposition. By this method, the mind is more likely to be impressed than it otherwise would be;

therefore

therefore to persons who have little time to spare, it may be very use. ful. It is also a kind of index in directing the accent of the voice; for, in many places of scripture, it is necessary to consider not only the subject, but who is the speaker, to whom spoken, the time when spoken, and the time spoken of: therefore personifying is a great assistant here. In some places, indeed, it may appear unnecessary; nevertheless, to be uniform, it was requisite to personify the whole. If it should be objected, that repeating the names of the speakers interrupts the connection in reading; let any person who reads aloud for the use of others, omit the persons who speak, and read on as in other editions of the Testament; and a child may be taught to do this in half an hour. There is a difficulty in many places to preserve the personification, on account of parentheses, and sometimes a change of the persons; i. e. from the third to the first, and from the first to the second or third, which is common in the Greek Testament.'— When there is a reference to the Old Testament, it is inclosed in a parenthesis, and the words quoted are marked with inverted commas.'

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We have selected the following chapter of Matthew's gospel, as a specimen of the plan of this work, merely on account of its brevity:

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7. JOHN EN TERS ON HIS MINISTRY. CH.III. 1. Hist. In those days, John the immerser came preaching 2. in the wilderness of Judea, and saying,

3. Hist.

-

John.-Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. -This is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah (xl. 3.), saying, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.'

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4. And John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins: and his food was lecusts and wild honey.

5. Then Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round 6. about Jordan, went out to him, and were immersed by him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

7. But seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his immersion, he said to them,

John. O brood of vipers! who hath warned you to fly from the approaching wrath?

8. Bring forth, therefore, fruits meet for repentance: and 9. think not to say within yourselves, "We have Abraham for our father" for I tell you God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham.

10. And now also the axe is laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that doth not produce good fruit is 11. to be hewn down, and cast into the fire. I, indeed, immerse you with water to repentance; but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy 12. to carry: He will immerse you with the Holy Spirit and with fire: whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather the wheat into the garner: but will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

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8. JESUS IMMERSED.

13. Hist. Then Jesus cometh from Galilee to Jordan to 14. John, to be immersed by him: but John forbade him, saying,

John. I have need to be immersed by thee, and dost thou come to me?

15. Hist. And Jesus answering, said to him,

Jesus.-Permit it now; for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.

16. Hist. Then he permitted him. And Jesus having been. immersed, went up immediately out of the water, and lo, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of 17. Cod descending, as it were a dove, and coming upon him and lo, a voice out of the heavens, saying,

:

THE FATHER. This is my Son, the beloved, in whom 1 delight.'

After having perused this volume with considerable attention, and compared it not only with the old translation, but with several modern versions, we discover in it many emendations, which do credit to the judgment and industry of the editor and his anonymous coadjutors. We have observed that they have availed themselves of many resources, which biblical critics and former translations have afforded them. Although they have not thought proper to acknowlege, by any specific references, the assistance which they have derived from other versions, the traces of their obligation to them are sufficiently apparent. We do not mean to intimate that they have not, on every occasion, consulted the original for themselves; nor to depreciate the judgment with which they have in many cases adopted the version of other translators: but we are of opinion that, if they had done this more freely and more frequently, they would have rendered their own performance more perfect, and more acceptable to the discerning reader, Though it was neither necessary nor practicable to cite authorities for every trivial amendment which they have introduced; nor to distinguish, in every instance that occurred, between alterations made by themselves, and those of other persons who had preceded them in this department of useful labour; yet occasional references would have been satisfactory to those who peruse this volume, and would have recommended it to general ac ceptance; more especially as we are merely informed in the titlepage that the editor was assisted by men of piety and literature, whose names are concealed. Indeed, some acknowlegement of their obligations to critics and translators, by whose literary labours they have profited, might have been reasonably expected; and we were surprised, in perusing the preface, that no notice is taken of preceding publications, to which they must have had access, and from which they must have derived considerable

considerable assistance. We could have wished that the editor's plan would have admitted of his giving some at least of the various readings of the MSS. which were consulted; or of his referring to them in passages of questionable authority. We are informed, however, that, if this attempt should meet with a favorable reception from the public, the editor may perhaps give a second edition on a larger scale, which may afford room for some critical notes, as well as opportunity for improving the translation.'

We have marked a variety of passages, which we appre hend are capable of farther improvement. Of these, therefore, we shall select a few; and submit them, in the prospect of another edition, to the judgment of the editor and his learned associates.

There are several occasions on which, while they profess to pay attention to the Greek particles, the editors have not sufficiently regarded the use of the article; nor have they duly considered the peculiar power and emphatical meaning of the imperfect Mr. Wakefield's version, to which they must often have referred, would have furnished them in both these respects with many important emendations. These, however, which are very numerous, it is needless to specify.

tense.

As there are some exceptionable words and phrases in the old translation that are not corrected in this version, there are also some alterations which are not amendments.

If thou art the Son of God,' Matt. iv. 6, would have been better, as Mr. Wakefield has rendered the words, "As thou art a Son of God.' If thine eye be simple,' Matt. vi. 23, should have been "if thine eye be sound:"--but the term single, which occurs in the old translation, is preferable to simple, and more exactly corresponds in its scriptural acceptation to the original axes. "Mammon," Matt. vi. 25, or riches personified, should have been retained. The simplicity of the original in Matt. viii. 3, is better preserved in the old translation, "I will," than in that which is substituted for it, it is my will.' Instead of my daughter is just now dead,' Matt. ix. 18, the translation of Mr. W. "My daughter was just now dying," should have been substituted, according to the history of this event in Mark, v. 23. Refreshment for your souls,' Matt. xi. 30, is not preferable to "rest for your souls," according to the old translation. "The care of this life," Matt. xiii. 22, would have been better than the care of this age,' and more conformable to the parallel place, where the word is is used instead of aaves. Matt. xiii. 44, is more intelligibly rendered by Mr. W. according to the sense suggested by the late Bishop Pearce, than by the present translators: The kingdom of heaven is

like

like unto a hidden treasure in a field, which a man found out and kept secret; and for joy thereof went and sold all that he had to buy the field !" Euroynσe, Matt. xiv. 19, should have been translated "he blessed God," and not he asked a blessing.' They continue with me now three days,' Matt. xv. 32, should have been "they have now continued with me three days." Let no fruit grow on thee henceforth to the age,' instead of "for ever," Matt. xxi. 19, is unintelligible. See John, iv. 14. viii. 36, 52.

Dr. Macknight's sense of the verb od in Matt. xxiv. 36, is here adopted, and is probably just: With respect to that day and that hour, no one discloseth it.' Thus they give to older the force of the Hebrew conjugation Hiphil; in which, verbs are to be understood either in a declarative, causative, or permissive sense, as the subject-matter requires.-"Make disciples of all nations," as in Mr. W.'s version, is better han instruct all nations,' Matt. xxviii. 19, because it is more conformable to the original, and leaves a disputable subject undecided.

"Authority," for sustav, Mark, ii. 1o, is better than power.' "He is fainting away," for ern, Mark, iii. 21, is, in our opinion, preferable to the translation before us; he is transported too far,' to Mr. W.'she is gone out,' and to the old version, "he is beside himself!" For this sense of the word kern, see the LXX translation of Gen. xlv. 26, Josh. ii. 11, Isaiah, vii. 2. If with Bishop Pearce we refer aulov to oxov," the multitude," and render upaingas to keep off or restrain, this controverted passage will admit of a very intelligible translation; thus" and when those who were with him," i. e. his relations or disciples, "heard of it, they went out to keep them off," i. e. the multitude, who were crowding together so that they could not eat bread; for they said, he is fainting away." For another sense of painox, see Farmer on Demoniacs, p. 96. For a defence of the old version, see Hallett's notes, vol. ii. p. 114.

These authors have adopted Gale's translation of an, Mark, vii. 3, to the wrist; whereas this word may be rendered as Wetstein in Loc. has suggested, with Bishop Pearce and Mr. Wakefield, "with the fist," i. e. with a handful of water. On this subject, see Wall's Defence of the History of Infant Baptism, vol. iii. p. 109.

Eulenaca, Mark, xiv. 3, should have been rendered "shaking" instead of having broken' the box, see Pearce in Loc., Harwood's New Introd. vol. ii. p. 115.; Blackwall's Sacred Classics illust. vol. ii. p. 166. Hardly,' for Tapesi, John, xi. 17, is not so proper as "he is come." The translation of John, xx. 17. is equally exceptionable with that in the old version; and it should have been detain me not," or "let

me

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