to be desired into biblical and philological criticism: the student in theology will be at no loss for examples, while the ordinary scripture reader would with reason feel dissatisfied at objections, the arguments of which are unstated, or to him unintelligible. Nevertheless, with a view to do good, and by way of establishing the position by definite instances, the writer will produce three, which if they stood alone in error, would call imperatively for authoritative revision. Take, briefly, Romans, xi. 1, where the apostle's religious and patriotic hope, μǹ yévoiro, is turned into the very objectionable phrase "God forbid,”—sounding, as commonly read, not unlike a violation of the third commandment; the literal sense is, may it not happen, or, be it far from him, which, though weaker, gives no seeming precedent for an oath. Take again, 1 Cor. viii. 1—5, (to save a repetition of four verses, let it be turned to,-) where the following simple and accurate change makes perfect sense of a passage which in our version has been much misunderstood,-" Now as touching things offered to idols, we know, (for we all have knowledge; knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth; and if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know but if any man love God, the same is known of him. As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know) that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one." Or it is Or it is pos

sible to place the parenthesis before-(we know that we all have knowledge, &c.-) As the sentence stands at present, the argument is unintelligible. A third, and, to the writer's mind, in its consequences the worst possible case, occurs in 1 Cor. xi. 29, where Koiμa, which means "penalty," and is explained κρίμα, afterwards by the chastenings of temporal disease, is fearfully forced into "damnation;" a word, which especially as adopted into our sacramental service, has occasioned the most anxious misery to the conscientious, but unlearned, recipient; a word, which totally unwarranted as it is both in itself and from the context, has probably done more harm to the Established Church by frightening persons from her communion, than any other abuse whatever; a word, which, as a great moral and religious hindrance lying at the steps of the altar, as a spectre of eternal horror to the tender conscience, as a phrase hardening the ill-prepared by sentencing beforehand even those worst whose lot can never be known here, ought to be removed, unveiled, expunged. Karáкpiμa, (v. 32,) "penalty to the uttermost" is the fate of a world that lieth in the wicked one: but κoiμa is a

66

warning" to the careless, a "chastening" to the faithless, a "punishment" to the graceless: a giving over of the body to a temporal affliction, if so be that the soul may be gained through the body's temporal loss it is a voice to the uninitiated, "procul este profani," for you enter to your hurt; but alas, it has often appeared to the humblest and most pen

:

itent as a thunderbolt of everlasting wrath hanging over his distracted head, like the sword of Dionysius over Damocles at the royal festival.

With unfeigned deference to the judgment of many good and many wise, who will oppose even so desirable a change on the ground of inexpediency, it is submitted that such an error as the last, (one which has arisen probably from time, the original sense having been far different,) need not and ought not longer to exist. There are many others of less urgent consequence; still those many are an injurious hindrance to most hearers when the epistles are read aloud; they often deter the enquirer in private from reading them to himself; or he is used to the words, and thinks not of the recondite sense: and although to "let well alone" is a wholesome rule in general, yet surely for matters of religion, our English Bible ought to be as perfect as possible. There are doubtless several weighty objections to making any thing here that would savour of needless innovation: but still the change need be very little; and for the interests of the Establishment, the last cited example alone appears to the writer a conclusive argument in favour of that little without disturbing the grand, simple, antique, sacred fabric, a brick or two might be judiciously extracted or inserted by way of repair: our version might be left as it is, with an authorized list of corrigenda: to modernize it, would be to spoil it. We ought always to bear in mind

that verbal inspiration can apply only to the original tongues; and that it is our duty to approach those tongues as nearly in sense as possible.

The above remarks are intended to be made in much humility, and as directing attention to the expediency of the matter, rather than dogmatically asserting it.

PALMYRA,-widowed city of the dead,

How mournfully thy marshalled columns stand Grey sentinels above that desert sand,

Where once thy patriot multitudes were spread In serried ranks around Zenobia's car

Hurling defiance at despotic Rome,

When country's love inspired the righteous war For temples, Lares, liberties, and home,

Yea, to the death: Palmyra, thy last boast Was this undaunted queen, the chaste, the fair, Wise to decide, and resolute to dare,

Sage among sages, heroine in the host: Hide not the fetters, as thou walkest there,

Liberty's martyr, those become thee most.