entire New Testament was printed at Paris, besides one thousand extra copies of the four Gospels. A copy of the original edition is in the King's Library in the British Museum.

1

4. Belgian Versions.

A Flemish translation of the Scriptures was made from the Vulgate in the sixteenth century, and printed at Cologne in 1475, at Delft in 1477, and at other places. For a long time the Protestants in the Low Countries had only the Dutch translation, made from Luther's German Version in 1560, which has already been noticed in page 95; but in 1618, in consequence of an order issued by the Synod of Dort, a new translation was undertaken from the Hebrew and Greek. The translators of the Old Testament were John Bogermann, William Baudart, and Gerson Bucer; the New Testament and apocryphal books were assigned to James Roland, Antony Walaus, and Festus Hommius. Their portions, when finished, were submitted to the careful revision of others. This Dutch version was first printed in 1637, and is highly valued for its fidelity; the Remonstrants, however, being dissatisfied with the New Testament, translated it anew from the Greek; and their version was printed at Amsterdam in 1680.

5. Italian Versions.

Four versions of the Bible are extant in the Italian language. The earliest is that of Nicolao Malermi, who translated it from the Latin Vulgate it was first published at Venice in 1471, in folio. The second is that of Antonio Bruccioli, also printed at Venice in 1532 he professes to have made his version from the Hebrew and Greek; but Walchius says, that he chiefly followed the Latin translation of Sanctes Pagninus. A revised edition of Bruccioli's Italian Bible, rendered conformable to the Vulgate by Sanctes Marmochinus, was printed at Venice in 1538. An Italian version has, moreover, been said to have been published under the auspices of pope Sixtus V.; but its existence is very doubtful. A Protestant Italian version of the New Testament was published at Geneva in 1561, and of the entire Bible in 1562, which is usually considered as a revision of Bruccioli's, but Walchius asserts that it is altogether a new translation. It has, however, long been superseded by the elegant and faithful version of Giovanni Diodati, published in 1607. The latest Italian version is that executed, in conformity with the Vulgate, by Antonio Martini, archbishop of Florence, towards the close of the eighteenth century: it received the sanction of pope Pius VI. The New Testament was published at Turin in 1769, and the Old Testament in 1779: both were accompanied with explanatory notes, professedly taken from the fathers. Martini's translation has been repeatedly printed the edition of Livorno (Leghorn), 1818, and that of Italia, 1817, with the stereotype New Testament executed by T. Rutt, Shacklewell (near London), 1813, were put into the Index or Catalogue of Books, prohibited to be sold, by a decree dated January 13th, 1820.2

6. Versions in the Spanish Language and its Dialects.

The earliest edition of the Scriptures in the Spanish language was executed from the Vulgate, and printed at Valencia in 14783; it is now of very rare occurrence. In 1553, a Spanish version of the Old Testament was made for the Jews by Edward Pinel; it was printed at Ferrara. In 1630, a revised edition of it was published at Amsterdam, by Manasseh Ben Israel. A much earlier translation than this is said to have been made by some learned Jews, which has been too hastily attributed to Rabbi David Kimchi. An edition of the Old Testament in Hebrew and in Jewish Spanish, was printed at Vienna, in the years 1813, 14, 15, and 16, in four volumes,

1 Twenty-fifth Report of the Bible Society, p. xxvii. Twenty-sixth Report, p. xxix. 2 Townley's Illustrations of Biblical Literature, vol. iii, p. 483.

3 Thomson's and Orme's Historical Sketch of the Translation of the Scriptures, p. 40.

note.

quarto, for the use of the Jews of Constantinople, and of most of the cities of Turkey, who are Spanish Jews. The Hebrew text is printed with vowel points, on one half of the page, and the Jewish-Spanish, with rabbinical characters, on the other; and a translation of the New Testament into the Jewish-Spanish dialect was made at Constantinople, under the direction of the Rev. H. D. Leeves. Among the Christians, Cassiodore de Reyna translated the Scriptures into Spanish, from the original languages, but availed himself of the assistance afforded by the Latin versions of Pagninus and Leo Juda: it was published at Basil in 1569. A revised edition of it by Cyprian de Valera, a Protestant, who consulted later versions and notes, especially the Genevan French Bible, was published at Amsterdam in 1602. A new Spanish version of the entire Bible from the Latin Vulgate was published at Madrid in 1793-4, by Don Philipe Scio de San Miguel (subsequently appointed bishop of Segovia), in ten folio volumes; it is adorned with three hundred engravings, copied from those of Marillier and Monsiau, which were executed for the edition of Sacy's French version of the Bible, printed at Paris in 1789 and the following years. This edition is very rare and dear, even in Spain. Padre Scio's Spanish version was reprinted at Madrid between the years 1794 and 1797, in nineteen large 8vo. volumes, with plates. There are copies of this edition both with and without the Latin text. The third edition of this version was published at Madrid in 1808, in Latin and Spanish, in sixteen volumes, which have the appearance of small quartos: they are very neatly executed. The Vulgate text and Spanish translation are printed in parallel columns. To each book is prefixed a critical preface; and at the foot of the page is a copious commentary, drawn principally from the writings of the fathers. In 1824, another Spanish version of the Bible, from the Latin Vulgate, with notes, was published by Don Felix Torres Amat, bishop of Astorga, in eight volumes 4to. Thirty thousand copies are said to have been worked off, part of which was destined for America. 3 A revised edition of this version was published in 1838, by the Rev. L. Lucena, at the expense of the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge, for the use of the Spanish Protestants at Gibraltar and elsewhere. The same editor is proceeding in his revision of the Old Testament. In 1832, a translation of the New Testament into the Catalonian dialect, by Mr. Prat, a native of the province of Catalonia, has been completed and printed. This dialect is spoken by about four millions of persons. The translator has completed (but not printed) a version of the Pentateuch and of the Book of Psalms. The Gospel of Luke has been translated and printed in the Spanish Basque or Escuara dialect, which is spoken in the provinces of Biscay, Guipuscoa, and Alava; and also in the Rommany or Gitano, or Spanish Gipsy dialect. This last mentioned version was made by a benevolent individual, for the benefit of the interesting, singular, and degraded race of people whose name it bears, and who are very numerous in some parts of Spain.5

7. Russian Versions.

"About the beginning of the sixteenth century, considerable changes were introduced into the Russian language, in consequence of the relations subsisting between Russia and Poland, the progress of the Poles in grammar and lexicography, and other powerfully operative causes, whereby a peculiar Polish Russian dialect was formed, which continues to be spoken to this day by the common people inhabiting the provinces comprehended under the name of White Russia." Into this dialect the Pentateuch, and other detached portions of the Scripture (which are enumerated by Dr. Henderson, to whom we are indebted for this account of the modern Russian Bibles), were translated by Dr. Francis Skorina, a physician, who published them

To ensure

1 Sixteenth Report of the British and Foreign Bible Society, Appendix, p. 24. 2 Nineteenth Report of the British and Foreign Bible Society, pp. lv. 98. correctness, the Rev. H. D. Leeves states, that the translator and his assistant passed with him three or four mornings in every week; and that, with his Greek Testament and various versions before him, he heard the whole read over, and allowed no phrase or word to pass which did not convey the sense of the sacred original. Ibid. p. 99.

A complete copy of

3 Bibliothèque de la Littérature Etrangère pour 1823, p. 312. Amat's translation is in the library of the British and Foreign Bible Society. 4 Twenty-seventh Report, p. xliii. Twenty-ninth Report, p. xlviii. Thirty-fourth Report, p. 43. 1.

between the years 1517 and 1525. The whole of the copies appear to have been sent into White Russia: they are of very rare occurence.1

"The next attempt that was made to furnish the Russians with a version of the Scriptures in their vernacular tongue, was that of Ernest Glück, dean of the Lutheran church in Livonia," who, towards the close of the seventeenth century, undertook a version of the whole Sclavonic (or antient Rússian) Bible into the dialect at that time spoken in Russia. It has been erroneously asserted that this version was printed at Amsterdam in 1698; but Dr. Henderson states that it was destroyed, with the whole of Glück's library and papers, at the siege of Marienburgh in 1702.

When, in consequence of the formation of the Russian Bible Society, the public attention was directed to the importance of the Holy Scriptures, it was found necessary to undertake a translation into the modern Russ language. The emperor Alexander having referred it to the members of the Holy Synod at Moscow, they recommended the members of the Committee of Spiritual Schools to select proper persons for the undertaking. On the completion of the four Gospels, they were examined by a committee of revision, who published in 1819 two editions, consisting of 15,000 copies each, with the Sclavonic text in parallel columns. In 1820, 50,000 copies of the Gospels and Acts were issued from the press the epistles were added successively, as they passed the committee of revision; and in 1823, the entire New Testament was published for the first time, in the modern Russian language. In 1822, a version of the Psalms, from the original Hebrew, was published; the principal labour in preparing which had fallen on the Rev. Dr. Pavsky, the first Hebrew scholar in the empire. Of the other books of the Old Testament (the translation of which was confided to the learned members of the Spiritual Academies of St. Petersburg, Moscow, and Kief), the Pentateuch, and the books of Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes, were translated at the beginning of 1822, and forwarded to the committee of revision; and the archbishop Philaret had commenced the translation of Isaiah. It having been ascertained that the first edition would make several volumes, the Committee of the Russian Bible Society undertook an edition of 10,000 copies of the Pentateuch or five books of Moses, Joshua, Judges and Ruth: but "this edition, though ready for publication at Midsummer, 1824, has not yet made its appearance; not having obtained the sanction and blessing of the Holy Synod. Nor is it likely soon to see the light, unless the successor of Alexander act in the spirit by which that illustrious monarch was guided, when he ordered the translation to be made." So far as it has been published, the Modern Russian version is stated to have been received with the liveliest gratitude, both by clergy and laity.

8. Croat Version.

The New Testament in the language of Croatia was first published at Tubingen in 1551. It was translated by the pastor Truber, and was reprinted with some corrections by the translator, at the same place, in two octavo volumes, in 1581-2. These editions are of extreme rarity. The first edition of the entire Croat Bible appeared at Wittemburg in 1584. The New Testament is the version of Truber. The Pentateuch, Proverbs, and book of Ecclesiasticus, were translated by the editor, George Dalmatinus, who also wrote the preface.3

9. Hungarian Version.

The Hungarian Protestant version was executed by Casper Caroli, who availed himself of the previous labours of Vatablus, Pagninus, Munster, Tremellius, and of the Vulgate. It was first published in 1589, at Wysolyn; and subsequently at Hanau, in 1608; at Oppenheim, in 1612; at Amsterdam, in 1645, 1684, and 1685, and at other places. Of the edition printed in Holland, in 1717, three thousand copies are

1 Dr. Henderson's Biblical Researches, pp. 103-105. In pp. 106-110. he has given specimens of this version, with valuable philological observations.

2 Dr. Henderson's Biblical Researches, pp. 115, 116, 125–127. In pp. 119-121. 126. 128-130., Dr. H. has given specimens of the Modern Russian version, with philological remarks.

3 Adler's Bibliotheca Biblica, part iv. pp. 131, 132.

said to have been intercepted by the Jesuits, into whose custody they were committed, to prevent any use from being made of them. There is also a Popish version, made from the Latin Vulgate, by George Kaldi, and printed at Cologne and Vienna.

10. Polish Version.

Three versions of the Scriptures have been published in the Polish language. The first was undertaken for the use of the Romanists, and was published at Cracow in 1561; reprinted at the same place in 1577, 1599, and 1619, and at other places. The second was made by the Socinians, under the patronage and at the expense of Prince Nicholas Radzivil; it was published at Pinczow, in Lithuania, in 1563, and is one of the rarest books ever printed. ' Lithuania, in 1572. The third Polish version was made by the Reformed or CalvinThis translation was reprinted at Zaslau, in ists, in 1596. A translation of the New Testament into the Judæo-Polish dialect (which is spoken by the Jews, who are very numerous in Poland) has been made by the Rev. N. Solomon, at the expense and under the patronage of the London Society for promoting Christianity among the Jews; it was printed in 1821. A translation of the New Testament into the language of Samogitia, a province of Poland, was printed in 1820, at the expense of the Russian Bible Society.

11. Bohemian Version.

The first Bohemian translation was made from the Latin Vulgate, and was published at Prague in 1488. The other, for the use of the Protestants in Bohemia, was made from the sacred originals by Albert Nicolai, John Capito, Isaiah Cœpolla, and other learned reformers, at the expense of the baron John Zerotimus. It was published between the years 1579 and 1593, in six quarto volumes, without any indication of the place where they were printed, which is supposed to have been Kralitz.

12. Romaïc, or Modern Greek Version.

The Romaïc is a corruption of the antient Greek, so great indeed, that, compared with the latter, it may be pronounced a new language: it is at present in general use, both for writing and conversation, the antient Greek being used solely for ecclesiastical affairs. Into this language the New Testament was translated by Maximus Calliergi, and was printed at Geneva in 1638, in one large quarto volume, in two columns, one containing the antient, and the other the modern Greek. lished at the expense of the then United Provinces, upon the solicitation of Cornelius It was pubHaga, their ambassador at Constantinople. The Greeks, however, did not receive it with much favour. This translation was reprinted at London in 1703, in one volume 12mo., by Seraphin, a monk of Mitylene; who prefixed to it a preface, which gave offence to the Greek bishops, particularly to the patriarch of Constantinople. By his order it was committed to the flames. sequence of this suppression, has become extremely rare) was reprinted in 1705; The edition of 1703 (which, in conand in that edition the objectionable passages in Seraphin's preface were omitted. A more correct edition of it was printed at Halle, in Saxony, in 1710, in one volume 12mo., under the patronage and at the expense of Sophia Louisa, Queen of Prussia.3 From this last edition was printed the impression executed at the expense of the British and Foreign Bible Society, in one thick volume 12mo. (Chelsea, 1810), the antient and modern Greek being in parallel columns. To this edition the patriarch of Constantinople gave his unqualified approbation. With regard to the Old Testament, though the book of Psalms was translated into Romaïc, and printed at Venice in 1543, and the Pentateuch (by the Jews at Constantinople) in 1547, yet no entire version of the Scriptures was extant in modern Greek, until the archiman

4

1 A copy of this translation is in the library of Earl Spencer, and is described by Dr. Dibdin, Bib. Spenc. vol. i. pp. 85-89.

2 Thirteenth Report of the London Society for promoting Christianity among the Jews, p. 8. 3 Butler's Horæ Biblicæ, vol. i. pp. 177-179.

4 Owen's History of the British and Foreign Bible Society, vol. ii. p. 358. note.

(G) 4

drite Hilarion (whom the general suffrage of the learned Greeks concurs in representing as best qualified for the task) undertook first to prepare a new translation of the New Testament, which was printed in 1830. A new translation of the Old Testament into modern Greek was completed in 1837, by the Rev. H. D. Leeves, M. A., with the aid of the learned professor Bambas, director and professor of the Greek Gymnasium on the island of Syra.'

13. Wallachian Version.

"Previous to the year 1648, no part of the Scriptures existed in the Wallachian language, the Greek or Sclavonic being used in the church service, and the only Bibles in use were in those languages; but in that year the New Testament was printed at Belgrade." Of the Bible four editions have been printed; at Bukharest, in 1668 and 1714; at Blaje, in Transylvania, in 1795; and at St. Petersburgh, in 1819. "The translation was made by the Metropolitan Theodosius, by order of Jo. Scherban Woivoda, a prince of Wallachia. An edition of the New Testament was also printed at St. Petersburgh, in 1817. The number of persons, by whom this language is spoken, is estimated at nearly two millions."2 In 1838, an edition of the Wallachian New Testament was published, from a copy furnished by the heads of the Greek church in the province of Wallachia; it consisted of four thousand copies. This important work was brought out by permission, and at the desire of the bishops of Wallachia, and under the sanction of the governor of that principality. "

14, 15. Bulgarian and Serbian Versions.

The Gospel of St. Matthew was translated and printed in the Bulgarian language, at St. Petersburg, in 1823; but doubts being entertained of the incompetency of the translator, its further progress was discontinued. In 1838, however, an accurate version of the entire New Testament was printed at Smyrna, under the superintendance of Mr. B. Barker, the accredited agent of the British and Foreign Bible Society for the Turkish Empire. The Serbian version of the New Testament, which was executed some years since, being deemed unfit for the press, the Russian Bible Society engaged a native Serbian to undertake a new translation, the printing of which was completed in 1825; but, owing to the cessation of the Society's operations, the distribution of the copies has hitherto been retarded. 5

4

16. Romanese Versions.

The Romanese language is divided into two dialects, the Churwelsche and Ladiniche. The former is spoken by the inhabitants of the Engadine (one of the loftiest valleys in Switzerland, bordering on the Tyrol); the latter, by the Ladins, who reside on the confines of Italy. The Scriptures were translated into the Churwelsche dialect, and published in 1657, at Schuol, a town of the Lower Engadine, and into the Ladiniche at Coire, in 1719. Editions of both these versions have been printed by the Bible Society at Basle, aided by the British and Foreign Bible Society in London.

17. Turkish Versions.

In 1666, the New Testament was printed in Turkish, at Oxford: it was translated by Dr. Lazarus Seaman, and was published at the joint expense of the Hon. Robert