Versions have been discovered and diligently collated; while some Ancient Versions, not before known to exist, have been brought to light and these means of correcting and illustrating the Sacred Text have been applied to this purpose, on sound and discriminating principles of criticism. British scholars have sustained an eminent rank among these laborers. The magnificent editions of the Greek Testament, the Hebrew Bible, and the Septuagint Version, under the care of Mill, Kennicott, and Holmes, respectively, are an honor to this country: and it now remains for the United British Empire to answer the wishes of scholars throughout Europe, and to confirm and perpetuate its former literary claims on their gratitude, by republishing the Polyglott Bible, in a manner worthy of the national munificence, and the present matured state of biblical learning. It is, however, of the utmost importance to the integrity of the Sacred Text, that this design should be executed by competent persons, and under vigilant superintendance. It is proposed, therefore, that the Archbishops and Bishops of the United Empire, associated with such Temporal Peers as may desire to promote the interests of biblical literature, be requested to become the PATRONS, and to act as the MANAGERS of this undertaking; which, it is hoped, will receive the countenance and aid of the GOVERNMENT itself. Walton's Polyglott is now very seldom to be met with; and, when it is to be procured, with Castell's Lexicon, it is usually sold for from Thirty to Seventy Pounds, according to the condition of the copy. This price places it beyond the reach of many scholars who wish to possess it; and the copies are, indeed, now so far taken out of the market by being fixed in Public libraries, that it will, in a short time, be scarcely possible to procure one at any price. If the Public shall afford a liberal support to the proposed Plan, a copy of the new work, with all its advantages, may be afforded considerably lower than the present price of the London Polyglott. It will depend, indeed, on the extent of that liberality, to what degree the price can be reduced in favor of less opulent scholars. And that the Public will liberally support this undertaking, there can be no doubt, from the confidence which will be reposed by them in the Right Reverend and Noble Managers, who will make themselves responsible for the faithful application of all contributions, in the appointing of competent scholars to execute the design, in superintending them during its execution, and in reducing the price of the work as low as such contributions shall allow. In such an undertaking, besides the additions which may be made to the contents of the London Polyglott, and the correction of the Texts and Versions from all authorities hitherto discovered, the Latin Translations of the Ancient Versions, well-known to be very faulty, and often to have misled students, must be entirely revised; and the arrangement of the whole may be so much improved, as to exhibit all matters connected with the Text, Versions, and Various Readings of any passage, on a single opening of the book, instead of having to turn for them, as in preceding Polyglotts, to different volumes. The annexed Specimen of Arrangement respects the Pentateuch, and comprehends the original Hebrew with all the Versions given in Walton: the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem, and the Persian Version, being brought into the series from his IVth volume; with the addition of the Coptic published since his time; and it is designed to subjoin at the foot of the page, after the manner in which the readings on one verse are displayed in the specimen, the Various Readings of any importance, both of the Original and the Versions. The proportions of space in the Specimen are grounded on those of the London Polyglott; allowance having been made for printing some of the Versions in a much neater and more beautiful type, than those used in that work. The Specimen exhibits only the arrangement and proportion of the Text and Versions: the size of the work itself will be large folio. The work, thus executed, would offer the following advantages: 1. The Original Texts and Ancient Versions corrected by all the authorities hitherto known, and the Latin Translations revised with great care. 2. Various Readings of the Texts and Versions selected from all known authorities. 3. Such additional Ancient Versions as have been discovered since the publication of the London Polyglott. 4. An improved Arrangement, which places the Texts and Versions in their natural order, and presents the whole, with their Various Readings, at one view. 5. An equal length, where possible, in all the columns; the breadth alone varying by which the comparison of them, one with another, is greatly facilitated. 6. The adoption of Dr. Kennicott's method of exhibiting the Samaritan Text, by which its variations from the Hebrew are rendered manifest to the eye. ** This Plan is subject to any improvement which may be proposed, and is offered only as a sketch of the manner in which the most desirable purposes of a Polyglott may be obtained. SIR, TO THE EDITOR OF THE CLASSICAL JOURNAL. ALLOW me to present you with a Cast of a Stone, bearing the following Inscription. It was lately brought from Alexandria. Its breadth is 11 inches; thickness, 5 inches; height, 3 feet 2 inches. If you can, through the medium of obtain a translation of it, you will greatly oblige, Sir, Your's &c. your Journal, . . The year 1177 (answering to 1764 of Christ) This translation has been submitted to us by a learned Friend.-EDITOR. |