"St. Origen did moreover abridge that elaborate Work, by bringing the sum of all the Translations into One Text; distinguishing the same all along with particular Marks: as an asterisk, where such word or words were extant in the Hebrew, and not found in the Version of the Septuagint; an obelisk, when such a word or expression was read in the Septuagint, but not seen in the Hebrew; a limnisk, or hypo-limnisk, when any thing was taken from the other Versions. This Work, as the former did, met with the constant applause of the antient Fathers; but now (through the iniquity of time) is, for the much greater part, lost. Which loss hath not only been occasioned by the revolutions and calamities that have so long afflicted the Greek Church, but also by the negligence of their scribes, who generally either wholly neglected the said Marks, or else inserted but some few of them; as by divers Books, yet extant, doth appear. "Among some very few of the best things which escaped the general fate, one was a book written in the Syriac language; by the help whereof Andreas Masius restored the Septuagint Version of Joshua to that state wherein Origen left it, by his Book dedicated to the Spanish King Philip II. printed at Antwerp A. D. 1574. What opinion he had of this Book, what was its antiquity and accuracy, and how much it contained, may be seen from the following citations from him. Et nè quis me putet augurantem levibus conjecturis, meæque opinionis commenta sequentem, judicium hoe nune facere; habeo aliquot Sacræ Historiæ libros, qui et conversi in linguam Syricam, et scripti sunt ALEXANDRIÆ; anno ab Alexandro Magno novies-centesimo-vice * simo-septimo: hoc est, ante hos nongentos & quinquaginta annos. Sunt, inquam, conversi ad verbum de Græco exemplari quod manu Eusebii ad Origenis libros qui in Cæsariensis ecclesiæ bibliothecâ asservabantur, fuerat emendatum, cùm huic ad eam rem adjutor fuisset suus Pamphilus. In quibus libris meis Syricis, cùm omnes ubique notæ, quas dixi, summâ curâ atque incredibili diligentiâ sint appositæ: neque magno labore, neque ullo errore deprehendi à me judicaríque, ea quæ modò dicebam potuerunt.' -'tum interpretem Syrum ubique autorem certissimum habui; qui ea Græca ad verbum expressit antè annos nongentos, quæ in Adamantii Hexaplis ab Eusebio in nobili illâ Cæsariensi bibliothecâ fuêre collocata.' Habeo enim ab illo interprete Syro etiam Judicum historias et Regum; prætereà Paralipomena, Ezdram, Esther, Judith; denique Tobiæ, et Deuteronomii bonam partem.' "Since this learned man's time, this inestimable jewel hath been praised by nobody that I know of: I am sure the Editors of our Polyglott have nothing of it but from him. Nor could I ever get any notice of it (excepting only in Oxford, from a Dutch gentleman-traveller, who told me that it was somewhere in Gelderland), until my late very learned friend Dr. John-Ernest Grabe acquainted me that he had received notice from Germany, that it was in the possession of Dr. Lent or Dr. Lens (or some such name), Professor of the Arabic or Oriental languages at the University of Helmstad. "This Professor had also a Collection of Manuscripts Oriental, and perhaps in Greek and Latin; all which are now said to be in the hands of his Son, who is still a very young man, and liveth in the country somewhere near Helmstad. "The Book I have been speaking of, being (in this late time of the world) become one of the most valuable that by God's good Providence is left unto the Christian Church, my Lord Treasurer is willing to purchase the same; as well to secure it from utter utter perishing, as from coming into Popish hands; and therefore he desireth your Honour to exert your usual diligence and dexterity, in procuring the same. "That family offered Dr. Grabe's brother (who is Secretary to the King of Prussia) to lend it, upon a pledge of about sixty pounds value. They therefore thought such a sum to be worth more than their Book. You may, perhaps, come the sooner to it by means of Dr. Eckhart, History Professor of Helmstad, if he be now at Hanover, as he often is. An occasion of talking to him about it may be had by asking him, whether he received the last somer a letter and a book from me? and so, pian piano, enquiring about the Professors of that University, their learning, libraries, &c. as you very well know how, until you are told the place where, and the person with whom, the Book is to be found. "When you have got into the House, be pleased to look over all the collection of Manuscripts, as if it were only to satisfy your curiosity in the generall, without professed enquiry after this particular Book, unless it doth not occurr unto you in your inspection. I am humbly of opinion that you will find it written on parchment, in no big volume, and in the Estrangel or Nestorian character (but rather in the former); of both which I have given you the alphabets in the former leaf *. But that you may be certainly sure, that what you may see and the people may warrant for the Book wanted (in case Masius nor none else hath written an account of it in the beginning nor end), be pleased to look nicely up and down in the text for the before-mentioned marks,' and (which last denotes the end or conclusion of a distinguished reading). If you meet them pretty frequent, and the hand not unconformable. * The Alphabet, with the several marks alluded to, are accurately delineated in Mr. Wanley's original MS. from the alphabet above, you have the Book which my Lord wanteth, and which must be procured although at a great price, and not be left behind you. "If the whole Collection of Manuscripts shall seem to amount to no extraordinary sum, I think it would be better to buy them all at a lump, than to treat singly upon this Book. But, if the whole shall be too great a purchase, it will do well to get a Catalogue of what is therein contained, the price they demand; and to bring away this Book, being borrowed upon caution given; for they may be farther treated with, from hence, for the remainder, as opportunities may give leave; the main matter being to secure this individual Book, which will not only adorn my Lord Treasurer my master's Library (which is already very richly furnished), but prove a public and lasting advantage to Christendome in general, and to this Nation in particular. "Thus, with my most hearty respects, and sincere wishes for your safe return from so long a journey, I remain, honourable Sir, "Your most humble and obedient servant, EXTRACTS FROM MR. H. WANLEY'S POCKET-BOOK. P. 1. "Notes of things proper for the Library in the hands of particular persons; as, 3. "Mr. Sam. Palmer, in Cyprus, has collected some Greek MSS. for my Lord; and did promise to give him two αλάβαςρα. 9. "Mr. Strype's Papers, Letters, &c. (to be concerted with Mr. Wyat). 19. "Sir Richard Blackmore has Janssonius's Latin Camden's Britannia printed upon vellum. *MS. Lansdowne, 715. 23. "Evan 23." Evangeliorum Codices AVREI, are said to be in the Churches of Tours, Bourdeaux, St. Denis, and the Benedictins de Mares at Paris; as also at Aix-la-Chapelle. 30. "Mr. Elstob and Mrs. Elstob's Copies of Saxon MSS. 33. "Sir Hans Sloane's Charters, Rolls, and MSS. 41. "At the Monastery of Grotto Ferrato, about twelve miles from Rome, are (as it is said) a great number of Greek MSS. likely to be bought cheap. 44." Register of the several Trials in the Court of Inquisition at Tholouse. Dr. Bray. 49. " Dr. Kennett, bishop of Peterborough, has some MSS. of his own." It is singular that Mr. Wanley's Diaries should afterwards find a place in a public Repository with several of the Collections mentioned above. "1721, Jan. 8. Mr. Anstis said, That, during the Civil War time, an Officer of the King's got into the Library, and into the Jewel-house, and divers offices, and carried away many of the Officebooks, and other fine books from the Library: That these books do yet remain in Yorkshire, under six locks That Mr. Thoresby of Leeds has seen them; and that they will be sold. I think Mr. Anstis should be employed to buy them for my Lord; and likewise to sell his fine Books (MSS.) to my Lord. 42. "Notes relating to my Lord's business, mo mentaneous. "Borrow the Textus S. Ceddæ of Dr. Bentley for my Lord to see. I think the instances there of our Saxon Ancestors writing with a style without ink, are about fol. 109, and 113 b. I have seen divers others, in other books." No. VI. |