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with the Septuagint version, and they urged also the strong presumption there was, that the ten tribes had many copies of the law among them at the time of their revolt. It was stated for proof on the other hand, that the Samaritan text was transcribed with a change of character, from a Hebrew MS. and that consequently its deviations from the Masorite text were to be considered as corruptions. It appears (said the advocates of this opinion,) that many of the variations between these two copies arose from the transcriber mistaking letters which are very like in Hebrew, but not at all so in Samaritan. Thus and are so like, that a transcriber copying a Hebrew MS. into Samaritan characters, might easily write Ex. xxviii. 9., for ; but that it was not at all likely that he would make such a mistake if the copy from which he transcribed were in Samaritan letters, for and are in that alphabet quite unlike.

This argument rests on a supposition, that in every case of difference the error lies with the Samaritan copy, which will not be admitted by those who maintain that it is independent in its authority; and the fact stated respecting the differences arising from the mistakes of scribes is not true; for though such mistakes of similar letters may appear in the Polyglott texts, the Samaritan MSS. do in most cases correct these printed copies, and shew that the deviation from the Hebrew originated with the printers, not with the transcriber. Thus in Exod. xxviii. 9. three out of four of the French MSS, and all the English MSS., which contain the verse, read with the Hebrew, and not On with the printed Samaritan. Although some persons may dissent from us, yet we are satisfied that this is a copy of the Mosaic law independent of, and not derived from, the modern Masorite text, and that it is descended from those copies which remained among the ten tribes after their revolt; and we regard it as a most valuable source of critical emendation, though it has, like the Hebrew, suffered from transcription. Where the ancient versions and ancient Hebrew MSS. agree with it, when the Hebrew printed text differs from them all, no intelligent editor ought to hesitate which to follow.

The Samaritan Pentateuch will be found to vary from the Hebrew chiefly in additions of new matter, in repetitions of what had previously occurred, and in the various readings of particular passages. For example, Gen. iv. 8. stands thus in the Samaritan, "And Cain said unto his brother Abel, let us go into the field, and it came to pass while they were in the field, &c." This reading has ample confirmation from other sources.- -Exod. xii. 40. "Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, and their fathers, who dwelt in the land of Canaan and in the land of Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years."-Ex. xxiii. 19. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk, for whoso doeth this is as he that sacrificeth an abomination which provoketh the God of Jacob." The repetitions in the Samaritan Pentateuch are chiefly in the speeches of Moses to Pharaoh; in it we have, in each case, the message

of God given to Moses, and then the same message repeated by Moses to Pharaoh. The various readings are numerous, and we shall only notice one, that is of great importance in Chronology. Gen. xi. 32. in the Samaritan, Terah is said to be only 145 when he died; which accords with the history of Abram, and with St. Stephen's assertion, that he removed into Canaan at his father's death. If, therefore, Terah was 70 years old at Abram's birth, Gen. xi. 26.-if Abram was 75 when he left Haran, and if he left Haran as soon as Terah died, it follows that Terah's age did not exceed 145 years. Michaelis notices the confirmation of the Samaritan Pentateuch, which is thus incidentally afforded by the New Testament; and the Bishop of Peterborough was guilty of a strange oversight in saying, "What our author means by Stephen's having preferred the Samaritan reading, I am at a loss to conjecture," see Marsh Michaelis, vol. 1, p. 221, note 12. The most remarkable and important difference between the Hebrew and the Samaritan, is Deut. xxvii. 4. where the Hebrew has "Mount Ebal," and the Samaritan "Mount Gerizim." This variation is not an error from carelessness and inattention, but a wilful and deliberate corruption; either the Samaritans put Gerizim instead of Ebal, to sanction their scheme in building a temple upon it, (comp. John iv. 20,) or the Jews put Ebal in their copies, instead of Gerizim, out of opposition to them. The learned in general condemn the Samaritans, but they have found a zealous advocate in Kennicott.

We have already stated the argument against the antiquity of the vowel points which is furnished by the Samaritan text; this argument has always been confidently relied on by the Antipunctuists, for it is absolutely conclusive. If the Samaritan text be independent of the Masorite text, the question is decided; but if it be merely a copy of that text, in different characters, it is impossible to account for the copyist omitting the points, supposing he found them in the MS. before him.

From what has been said of the independent origin of the Samaritan Pentateuch, its critical use in correcting the text may be easily conceived; but in interpreting the text we may sometimes derive assistance from the Samaritan version, which is to its original, what the Targum of Onkelos is to the Hebrew Pentateuch,

a literal and close translation. This version is printed in Samaritan letters, and its language is a mixture of Chaldee and Hebrew, with a few Arabic words. In the Polyglott, the same Latin translation serves both for the text and the version; the few differences which occur are marked in the margin.

Our critical readers must be aware, that complaints have often been made of the inaccuracy of the Latin translations affixed to the oriental texts in Walton's Polyglott. No list of these errata has ever been published, and we think we shall gratify them by transcribing one from the blank leaves of the copy of a friend, who has paid much attention to the subject.

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An important version of the Holy Scriptures, is at this moment. printing at Bayonne; the Gospel of St. Matthew has already appeared, entitled, JESUS CHRISTOREN EVANGELIO SUINDUA, S. MATHIUREN ARABERA. Itçulia escuarara Lapurdico Lenguayaz.

1826. Price 2f. 50c.

An unique copy of this ancient version of the Gospel in the Basque dialect, was discovered in the University Library at Cambridge, but the name of the translator is not known, nor are we aware when, or where this editio princeps was printed; however, it was transmitted to Paris, and the Bible Society undertook to reprint it. The Basque is spoken by a very considerable portion of the population in the South West of France, who understand no other language; to them, therefore, the French Scriptures are a sealed book. The part which has been published, is much sought for and eagerly read by this interesting people, though their Bishop and

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Priests have opposed themselves to the word of God. We gave in the 71st page of this volume, the circular letter of the Bishop of Bayonne, prohibiting the use of this version, but we rejoice to find that these unchristian efforts have been of no avail. history of the Basques is interesting and little known. They are descended from the Phenicians, who at a very early period visited the Pyrenees, for the purpose of working their rich mines, and traces of these excavations still remain. Under the name of the Cantabri, they were the last to acknowledge the Roman power, and when they yielded, their submission was only nominal, for they still preserved their laws and language unimpaired. The greater number of the Basques live on the western side of the Pyrenees, subject to Spain, and inhabit the provinces of Navarre, Alcava, Biscaya and Guipuscoa. The French Basques occupy a little territory along the eastern side of these mountains, divided into three districts, BasseNavarre, Soule and Labour. Their language was originally Phenician, but it is not easy to determine what variations it has undergone. The celebrated Prussian, Mr. de Humbolt, resided for some time among them in the year 1795, for the sole purpose of learning their language. Mr. La Borde in his Itineraire d'Espagne, gives very strong reasons, drawn from the names of several places, which are evidently Basque, for supposing that it was once universally spoken on the Peninsula. For instance, in Valencia, he saw some old subterranean excavations, which were probably designed for granaries, these are called Siloa, which in the Basque dialect signifies a cavern. In Portugal there is a city founded by Flavius, a Roman General, which is called Hivi-Flavia. Hivi in the Basque is city. Many other examples of the same kind might be brought forward. Our own antiquarians who claim for the Irish a Phenician origin, may perhaps, found a strong argument in one remarkable custom, which is common to the two countries. The practice of howling over the dead prevailed among the Basques to a very late period, and so unwilling were they to renounce it, that it was necessary for the government to interfere by this ordinance-Comme il existe en ce pays un usage indécent de pousser des cris immodérés à la mort d'une personne, et de troubler par toutes sortes d'actions violentes la cérémonie des funerailles; nous ordonnons et etablissons loi qu'il pour sera dorénavant défendu de faire entendre a la mort d'une personne quelquonque, des lamentations désordonnées; de s'arracher les cheveux, de se meurtrir la chair, de se blesser à la tête, et de prendre le deuil de bure, sous peine d'une amende, &c. &c. &c.

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A DAY AT CAPE CLEAR.

to the editor of the cHRISTIAN EXAMINER,

MR. EDITOR,

Observing that your excellent Examiner has latterly engaged in large and deep disquisitions on certain subjects, that ladies and light readers may think too heavy to take in hand; and lest your work should thus undeservedly fall into disrepute with some who may abstain from handling it, because of its specific gravity, never considering that its weight proves its worth in sterling metal; therefore, as it is my wish that your Magazine should not only serve the Parson, but the Parson's family, it may be well while we allow his Reverence to pore over Tertullian's Prescriptions against Heretics, if I should now and then, for the use of the ladies of the Doctor's family, proffer a prescription against ennui; and so treat you with some light matter which shall serve the purpose of a bowl of whipped cream, or a plateau of flowers set in the midst of a table, groaning with more solid food. You, my good Sir, were pleased some months back to give to the public a few sketchy things of mine-Ten Days in Munster, Three Weeks in Donegal: allow me to beg insertion for another triviality; and knowing, Sir, as I do, how you are encumbered with matter; how your editorial table totters under the weight of communications from correspondents, chaffed, and angry, under hope deferred; looking month after month for the sun-rising of their bright conceptions, I shall not, I hope, trespass too far on your partiality, in offering for publication, One Day at Cape Clear; and thus, my good Sir, you may see that I possess a sort of ubiquity-like a kangaroo, can jump from one end of Ireland to the other; I who erewhile carried your readers to the extreme black North, where Horn-head butts like a bull against the hyperborean sea, now invite them to spend a day with me, at its very southern point; even on that little islet which bravely outposts itself against the Atlantic, towards the sunny shores of Spain. -You also may perceive, gentle readers, for I address myself now to you, in good Irish confidence that you will please to read me, how it is not my way to tread on worn tracks I; leave to tourists and lakers to hurry along, like a gang tied to fashion's chain, from the Giant's Causeway to Killarney no, (to use a huntsman's phrase) like a flinging hound, I track a scent of my own, and desire to bark about upon scenes, where neither the seal-skin cap, nor the Tilbury turnout of a tourist ever were seen. It pleases me not, here to tell what brought me to this extreme southern part of the County of Cork; suffice it, reader, for your purpose and mine, that I arrived at the village of Skull, (as it is now called; but in older and Catholic days, Sancta Maria de Scholia, St. Mary of the Schools,*) on a fine cold clear

• This was, as tradition informs us, the Maynooth of Munster.

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