Jews, who formerly spoke Hebrew, Chaldee, or Syriac, when they learned Greek, under the successors of Alexander, from the Egyptians, Syrians, and Macedonians, would naturally retain many forms of speech from their native tongue; from the Egyptians, Syrians, and Macedonians, too, they would be sure to receive idioms which they would incorporate with their Greek; and out of the mass thus formed, they would carve out this Græco-barbaric tongue. Hence all the Jewish writers from the age of the Maccabees, and the authors of the Septuagint version, have employed this dialect, composed of Hebrew, Chaldee, Syriac, Macedonian, and Egyptian words. And as, shortly afterwards, the Jews received certain Latin words along with the Roman yoke, so the later authors, and especially those of the New Testament, adopt certain Latin idioms in addition. Salmasius has gone so far as to say, in reference to this, "that the Hellenistic of the New Testament is quite another thing from that of the Old, for this latter is quite freed from the Latinisms that appear in the former." But in the self-same New Testament, and in the contemporaneous writers of a later age, a variety is found to mark their Hellenism, arising from difference of locality. Matthew, John, Peter, James, who are Galileans, employ a different Hellenistic dialect from Paul of Tarsus and Luke of Antioch. the writers, in fact, of that age wrote Hellenistically, with the exception of a few-Flavius Josephus in particular, who borrowed from the Greeks their elegance of style and grace of composition.

All

I am surprised, meanwhile, how a man of such consummate learning as Saumaise could fight tooth and nail (tanquam pro aris et focis) against the existence of a language which, with all his efforts to overthrow, he has by his own concessions tended most strongly to support. For, while he owns, as he often does, that the seventy interpreters and the sacred writers of the New Testament used a Grecism (Græcismo) exceedingly impure, adulterated with Hebraisms and Syraisins, he confesses in that fact the existence of the Hellenistic and all that Heinsius meant by the term. This is in reality approving what in words he rejects.

But Salmasius meets us here with another objection. He grants, indeed, that the sacred writers used a peculiar idiom, but contends that it has been improperly denominated by Heinsius

* Salmasius in Ossilegio, p. 294.

and the learned the Hellenistic dialect. "From what we have advanced," he proceeds to say, "it must be clearer than the sun, that a Greek which was never appropriated to any people, and which never had any definite characteristics attached to its words by which it might be distinguished from other dialects, cannot be in the proper sense of the term a dialect, nor be defined by such a name. On this subject he has expended nearly all his work De Hellenistis.

But, with the learned author's leave, this is not to answer, but to evade the argument. The question is not whether this tongue be correctly designated the Hellenistic dialect, but whether it ever had an actual existence in our world. Grant that the name is incorrect, and what follows? Shall we deny its existence on account of the inappropriateness of its name? Nay, as Salmasius owns and the learned are satisfied that, however barbarous and unlike the other dialects of Greece, it actually did exist, it is of little use to carp about a single and unimportant point, whether or no it be rightly called a dialect. There is no reason then, we affirm, against believing in the existence of a Hellenistic tongue or dialect, as we shall show at greater length in its proper place.

Meanwhile as regards the name, we may observe that Heinsius conceives it should be called Hellenistic from the Hellenists, whose ordinary speech it was. To Salmasius, however, we must concede that the name is a modern coinage, for to the ancients it was unknown. We will further own that Heinsius was wrong in calling it after the Hellenists. Nevertheless we must maintain that modern critics have, after all, been right in considering it a peculiar dialect, whatever Salmasius may urge to the contrary; for from his own definitions it is evident that the name of a dialect may be given to this tongue, since it was peculiar and native to the sacred writers and the whole Jewish nation. But as far as regards the term Hellenistic, I own it does not entirely satisfy me. I had rather call it the Judaic or the Græco-Judaic, inasmuch as it was peculiar to the writers of that country, and scarcely known beyond. But here I pause.

On the whole, then, while in the former controversy we side almost entirely with Salmasius, in the latter we coincide in most respects with Heinsius; since it is unquestionably certain that this Græco-barbaric tongue had existence, even upon the ad

*Salmas. Comm. de Hellen. p. 84.

mission of his opponent. For it was vernacular in Judea, and to all the Jews from the time of the Maccabees, as we shall prove in the ensuing part, and hence the sacred writers came to use it. The knowledge of it, therefore, is of the utmost importance; and those do well who avail themselves of its aid in unravelling the difficulties of the Septuaguint version and the New Testament, for without it there can be no certainty in the interpretation of the Sacred Books.

[To be continued.)

ARTICLE XI.

CRITICAL NOTICES.

1.-Plutarchus de sera Numinis Vindicta: Plutarch on the Delay of the Deity in the Punishment of the Wicked, with notes. By H. B. HACKETT, Professor of Biblical Literature in Newton Theological Institution, Andover. Published by Allen, Morrill and Wardwell. New York: Mark H. Newman. 1844.

WE are pleased to see a new edition of this treatise of Plutarch in our own country, because it indicates an increasing interest in philological studies. Besides, a treatise on a subject which has perplexed every thoughtful Christian, from one occupying the position of the author, a Greek of the latter part of the first and the beginning of the second century of the Christian era, who was without a knowledge of Christianity or even of the Old Testament Scriptures, but learned in all the wisdom of the Grecian schools, cannot fail to be interesting. Plutarch has justly been said to be inferior to no heathen writer, unless it be Plato, in the development of religious sentiments, and he may be considered not as defending his own views merely, but those of a prominent school of Grecian philosophy, the New Platonic; in which "Christianity found its point of nearest approximation." But the value of the volume before us is not confined to the Greek text. We think that Professor Hackett has done much for the cause

of sound learning by his somewhat copious notes. They seem to be of a far higher order than notes upon Greek writers generally. The author shows that he has studied the original thoroughly, and given us the results of his studies, where they were necessary for the elucidation of the text, briefly and accurately. The mere classical scholar cannot fail to be interested and profited by a careful reading of the Greek with the notes, and every Theological student and clergyman ought to own the volume as a companion to his Greek Testament. The frequent allusions to the New Testament, both in illustrating the sentiment and the language, which is in some points strikingly like that of the inspired writers, enhance its value; and we are glad to see, not only an index of the difficult words and phrases explained in the notes, but also one of Scripture passages. We most cordially hope that the author of the notes will receive a merited reward, not only in the ready sale of his book, but also in the thanks of those best able to appreciate his labor. We cannot omit to call attention to the beauty of the Greek type, and the accuracy with which the volume is printed. It does honor to the press R.

which issued it.

2.-History of the Church of Scotland, from the introduction of Christianity to the period of the Disruption in 1843. By the Rev. W. M. HETHERINGTON, A. M. Torphichen, Author of the "Minister's Family," "History of the Westminster Assembly of Divines," etc. etc. etc. Nec tamen consumebatur. First American from the third Edinburgh edition. New York: Robert Carter. Pittsburg: Thomas Carter. 18.4. pp. 500.

8vo.

Mr. Hetherington is already known to us, by his preceding works, as an interesting and accurate author; and we are sure this will add to his reputation. The volume presents us a succinct and truthful history of the origin, advancement, declension, and disruption, of one of the noblest churches on earth. She has always borne a magnanimous testimony to the truth, and the blood of her martyrs has stained her soil and become the seed of the church. Her last struggle has been by no means her least. Bloodless, it is true, but not the less demanding courage and zeal; and most nobly have the friends of independence borne the heat and dust of the strife, and for the sake of principles, sacrificed all but life. God will bless them. The Head of the church will guard them.

The history before us is full of thrilling incidents, will make

us love Scottish religion better, and inspire us with renewed energy in advocating and maintaining the cause of anti-prelacy. It is timely just now, and we bespeak for it the attention it merits. Presbyterians, at least, every where should read it and store up its facts.

3.-Emanuel on the Cross and in the Garden. By the Rev. R. P. BUDDICOM, M. A., F. A. S., Late Fellow of Queen's College, Cambridge. New York: John S. Taylor. 1844. pp.

224. 12mo.

This is a volume of ten chapters, in the form of sermons, and the design of the author is thus expressed: "It is my desire to fix the minds of my readers upon the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, as the blessed centre of all their hopes, and as the point from which the believer may most fitly contemplate the coming glories of that day when He who was once offered to bear the sins of many shall appear to them who look for Him the second time, without sin unto salvation."

The author has selected the several sayings of Christ whilst on the cross as the themes of his several sermons, and has certainly done much toward the fulfilment of his desire. The Christian's mind will certainly be fixed, more or less, on the cross of his Lord and Master, as he reads the varied and spiritual meditations of the author. We are much pleased with the truly evangelical sentiments of the book, and think we can safely recommend it to those who love to contemplate their Redeemer; and those who do not, might be much profited by thus gazing on the cross.

The volume is tastefully got up by Mr. Taylor.

4.-An Introduction to the Critical Study and Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures. By THOMAS HARTWELL HORNE, B. Ď., of Saint John's College, Cambridge; Rector of the United Parishes of Saint Edmund the King and Martyr, and Saint Nicholas Acons, Lombard Street, Prebendary of Saint Paul's. New edition from the eighth London edition, corrected and enlarged. Illustrated with numerous maps and fac-similes of Biblical Manuscripts. New York: Robert Carter. Pittsburg Thomas Carter. 2 vols. royal 8vo. 1844. pp. 1159. This work is too well known to need commendation at this late day. Since its first appearance many a student has pored over its pages with profit and delight, and it will continue to