At the conclusion of our introductory labours, we may be allowed to anticipate, and to apologize for, some of the faults of which they will be accused. Didactic works are, in general, either too laconic for the ignorant, or too garrulous for the learned; and it is, probably, impossible to satisfy both classes in the same production. The sin that most easily besets a writer is prolixity, but here it was, in many places, unavoidable. In treating of subjects hitherto but little attended to, it was necessary to dwell on the proofs of what might otherwise be rejected as fanciful; and yet, after all, much illustration has been suppressed, lest the more instructed reader should yawn over a twice-told tale. It were, perhaps, better for an author who hopes for the approbation of the public, to limit his excursions into unfrequented ground; but etymology is one of the tractless wilds of nature while we stray we are allured by the charms of novelty: we wander from shrub to shrub, and from tree to tree, till we can no longer recover the beaten path which surrounds, without entering, the forest.' pp. 157, 158.

An alphabetical index of prepositions and terminations is' very properly annexed.

Art. VIII. Barrow's Sermon on the Expediency of translating our Scriptures into several of the Oriental Languages; preached, by special Appointment, before the University of Oxford, &c. &c.

Art. IX. Nares's Sermon on the Duty and Expediency of translating the Scriptures into the current Languages of the East; preached, by special Appointment, before the University of Oxford, &c. &c.

IF

(Concluded from p. 150.)

one or two leaves were cut out of Dr. Barrow's sermon, we should account it, on the whole, a sober, sensible performance. It is written in a perspicuous unornamented style; and addresses itself to the understanding of the very learned auditory, without any attempt to awaken their imagination. Rather too much labour is perhaps employed in proving the general duty of Christians to endeavour to diffuse the knowledge of their religion; and there may be some small matter of complaint, that the greater part of the discussion turns fully as much on general topics, as could be warranted by the particularity of the subject and the contracted limits of a single discourse. The Doctor wishes the English version to supersede the originals as the authoritative standard for the oriental translators*, notwithstanding that these translators are to be exclusively Europeans. He does not even signify that any exception should be made in favour of the translation of the New Testament into the Sanscrit, though he must know there is a wonderful resemblance of structure between that language. and the Greek. With regard to the Hebrew, he says that our scholars in the east have probably not studied it critically. It is not for us to decide how far this is the fact; but we may

*The adoption of it as the original' is literally his expression.

well presume they will think it an indispensable prerequisite for translating the Old Testament, to acquire so much knowledge of the original language, and of the collations and criticisms supplied by several distinguished scholars, as to be able, in their own minds, to rest the authority of their version into the eastern languages on the true original, and on their own comprehension of the most material criticisms of the best Hebraists. Several very obvious considerations would occur to forbid their taking the English version in substitution for the original. 1. Even on the absurd supposition that these translators could believe that the, English version does, in every sentence in the whole Bible, as truly express the sense of the original as it is possible for the English language to express it, yet they would be aware that in a thousand instances the peculiar idioms and figurative expressions of the original (especially an oriental original,) are, of necessity dropped in the English version. Now every scholar, of the most middling acquirements, is sensible how much the precise cast and colour of the sense depends on these peculiar phrases and figures. The meaning may in substance be faithfully given in the translation; but a certain nice characteristic modification, which gave it a definite and peculiar bearing, a significance, force, or beauty, is lost, through the impossibility of literally translating the original idioms, or finding any exactly parallel to them. How many times this has, been urged as an argument, in this country, for studying both the sacred writings and the classics in their originals, notwithstanding the acknowledged excellence of our translations! The observation always is, that you are much more absolutely in possession of your author, that you have a far more vivid and discriminate impression of his thought, than you could by means of the best possible translation. There is the same difference, as there would be between seeing the natives of a distant country settled among ourselves and adopting our own dress and customs, and seeing them in their proper climate, with all their appropriate habiliments and manners. But if such knowledge of the original be so desirable for a mere reader, how much more for the translators to be appointed for the proposed undertaking. In the long process of translating the whole bible into any one of the oriental languages, let it but be considered what a prodigious number of instances will occur, in which the translator will have to choose his form of words among a variety of modes of expression, one more dignified and one more common, one more plain and one more figurative, one more moderate and one, more vehement, one more specific and one more general, in either one of which the idea as it stands in English, divested of the striking par

1

ticularity which it perhaps bears in the original, might be almost indifferently rendered. Now, in a vast number of these instances, it is obvious that his knowing the precise manner in which the idea is presented in the original would instantly determine his choice, when the language of the English version would have given him no assistance for deciding it; and it is fair to presume that, in a great majority of these instances, the selection so determined will be much better than the one which would else have been adopted nearly by chance, These instances will be so numerous, that there can be no manner of doubt that the bible, as translated directly from the Hebrew and Greek into one of the eastern languages, would appear considerably different from what it would as translated by the very same men on Dr. B.'s plan of taking the English as the original.' And not only would there be this prominent dif- \ ference of idioms and figures, but the far greater confidence, which is felt by a translator from an original, will impart to the general course of the composition a certain vigour and firmness, which can never be given by a translator who is reminded that the ground and authority on which he is proceeding is only itself a version.-We are ashamed to be obliged to dwell on such very trite considerations.

Thus far the case is stated, on the supposition that the translators in the east could be made so superstitious as even to take the English version positively for a work of divine authority, which renders every part and passage of the sacred scriptures as strongly and accurately as it is possible for them to be rendered in English; but, secondly, they know too well that this is not the fact. They know that a vast number of important criticisms, tending to a more correct interpretation, have been accumulated by a series of indefatigable scholars; and that the result of the collations has confessedly proved the necessity of modifying, in a considerable number of instances, the original text, by changes which, though in general not very important perhaps in themselves, might often become extremely material at the distance and divergency of a version of a version. They cannot avoid perceiving, besides, that a considerable number of passages in our translation have a perplexity and obscurity of expression, which they will not and should not be disposed to impute to the original; and they will only have to look into Lowth's Isaiah, (though they will feel certain that so general an alteration of language is far from necessary or desirable,) to see how much more pers picuously many passages might be rendered. Taking therefore the present version as their invariable authority, the translators would be quite certain that they were transfusing the divine revelation into the languages of Asia, under the

disadvantage of a multitude of defective and inaceurate expressions, which the actual state of biblical criticism has furnished the means of preventing; and yet our learned preacher will insist that these unfortunate workmen shall take the present authorized version as the original,' and be content with the consolation of being told, that at some future time measures may perhaps be taken to rectify the errors which they are now enjoined to commit, after those errors shall have gone into millions of copies, and the hauds of tens of millions of Asiatic readers.

'Whenever,' he says, from the disquisitions and discoveries of various commentators, and especially from the collations of our own distinguished biblical scholars, a standard Hebrew text shall be settled to the general satisfaction of the learned, our own version of the Scriptures may then be rendered more accurately; the few errors, that are still found in it, may be corrected; as well for our own advantage and improvement, as for the use and instruction of those, who may at any time become converts to our creed.'

The Hebrew Scriptures only are here referred to; but an equal interdict is to be put, as far as appears, on the use of the original of the New Testament. Another important objection to the plan, arises from the consideration of the low repute in which a translation from a translation is held, and ever will be held, in all parts of the world. Who, among ourselves, has not described such works in the usual phrase, the shadow of a shade'? Who has not heard and repeated how little regard is due to works, which bring the Icelandic compositions into our language only through the medium of the Latin, and those of Arabia or Persia through that of the French? And what is to prevent the more intelligent and learned part of the readers in the East from entertaining a similar sentiment in the case in question? Indeed, they will not only know how very much modified and deteriorated the professed sacred books are likely to have become, under this double transmission ; but they will be apt to surmise something more and something worse. It may happen that some few of them will ask, significantly, Why this scrupulous adherence to the English version, as a standard? Whence is it, that in the use of your sacred book, and exactly that alone of the numberless volumes of your literature, you set up or acknowledge a higher authority in your version than in the original? Is there, in that version, some important difference from the original, of which difference you are kindly resolved, as good Christians, that we, the people of Asia, shall enjoy the benefit? What are the translators to say in reply? It ought not to be possible for them to answer with truth that they really do not themselves understand the original; for it is easy to conceive what a misVOL. V. X

chievous effect this would have on the minds of inquisitive heathens, who are inclined to reject, doubt, or cavil, and cannot be aware of the full evidence which, in this country, a person not able to read the originals has, notwithstanding, of the general faithfulness of the translation. And what will be the impression on the minds of those same heathen inquirers and opposers, if the translators shall fairly assign the reason which our learned preachers have more than intimated as requiring a strict adherence to the English standard; namely, that there is in England a legal religious establishment, from any tenet or appointment of which it is essential that no expression even in the oriental bibles should be suffered to dissent ?

While Dr. Barrow advises that selected portions of Scripture be circulated among the heathens of the East before the whole is given to them, he very judiciously condemns any plan that should propose to give out the bible in a long succession of small parcels, at considerable intervals, regulated by a spiritual policy of adapting the various parts of the sacred book to the occasions and the attainments of the people. He observes,

It was thus that the pretended Prophet of Arabia introduced his Koran to his followers and converts; and such a system is in its own nature liable to the suspicion of forgery and fraud. It may reasonably excite apprehension in the natives of the East, that we shall continue to produce what we shall represent as inspired writings, as long as they appear willing to receive them; as long as we have any interest to be served by their cre-, dulity; or any political influence to be procured by the submission of their minds.' p. 12.

The Doctor recommends the extension of a branch of our established church to India; and the institution of schools, which should receive without distinction the offspring of our subjects, our allies, and our enemies, as many as should be found willing to be taught'; and in which, should it appear necessary or beneficial, the inducement of gratuitous education must be offered equally to the sons of the rich and the poor.' Adverting to the very great expence of such extensive establishments as he proposes, he specifies several sources of supply; but also observes, that perhaps the expedients themselves may be so managed as to produce a considerable proportion of their own support.' This should not have been said without some explanation how it is possible; especially when the Doctor was going to decide, a few lines lower, that unless we have the means of maintaining a system involving very great expence, we had better attempt nothing at all.

If, however', says he, all these resources, and all others that can be devised, are believed to be inadequate to the object in view; if it be not in our power to pursue such measures as are deemed the most likely to ensure success, it will be prudent to desist immediately from the attempt. Our