translations quarto volumes, ons, that be kept which has Marginal references may be The King's commission bears da from both Universities, the publishing Dr. Grey states more fully and accurately th text, and especially for the discovery of the corruptions of divers late translations, and for clearing the controversies in religion of these days. In the English College of Rhemes. Printed by John Fogny. The Old Testament of this translation was first published at Doway in two quarto volumes, the first in the year 1609, the other 1610, by Lawrence Kellam, at the sign of the Holy Lamb, with a preface and tables; the authors are said to be Cardinal Allen, sometime Principal of St. Mary-Hall, Oxford, Richard Bristow, Fellow of Exeter College, and Gregory Martyn, of St. John's College. The annotations were made by Thomas Worthington, B. A. of Oxford; all of them exiles for their religion, and settled in popish seminaries beyond sea. The mistakes of this translation, and the false glosses put upon the text, were exposed by the learned Dr. Fulke and Mr. Cartwright. At the request of the Puritans in the Hampton-Court Conference, King James appointed a new translation to be executed for the most learned men of both Universities, under the following regulations:-1. That they keep as close as possible to the Bishops' Bible. 2. That the names of the holy writers be retained according to vulgar use. 3. That the old ecclesiastical words be kept, as church not to be translated congregation, &c. 4. That when a word has divers significations, that be kept which has been most commonly used by the fathers.* 5. That the division of chapters be not altered.† 6. No marginal notes but for the explication of a Hebrew or Greek word. 7. Marginal references may be set down. The other regulations relate to the translators comparing notes, and agreeing among themselves; they were to consult the modern translations of the French, Dutch, German, &c. but to vary as little as possible from the Bishops' Bible. The King's commission bears date 1604, but the work was not begun till 1606, and finished 1611. Fifty-four of the chief Divines of both Universities were originally nominated; some of whom dying soon after, the work was undertaken by forty-seven men, who were divided into six companies; the first translated from Genesis to the first book of Chronicles; the second to the prophecy of Isaiah; the third translated the four greater prophets, with the Lamentations and twelve smaller prophets; the fourth had the Apochrypha; the fifth had the four Gospels, the Acts, and the Revelations; and the sixth the canonical Epistles. The whole being finished and revised by learned men from both Universities, the publishing it was committed to the care of Bishop Bilson and Dr. Miles Smith, which last wrote the preface that is now prefixed. It was printed in the year 1611, with a dedication to King James, and is the same that is still read in all the churches. *Dr. Grey states more fully and accurately these rules from Lewis and Fuller, "used by the most eminent fathers, being agreeable to the propriety of the place and the analogy of faith."-Ed. †The division of the chapters to be altered either not at all, or as little as may be, if necessity so require." Lewis, p. 317. Fuller's Church Hist. b. x. p. 46. The translations pointed out by name, as Dr. Grey remarks, were those of Tyndal, Matthew, Coverdale, Whitchurch, and Geneva.-Ed. HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF THE NEW TRANSLATION. THE Presbyterians have been most conspicuous in the enterprize of making new and improved translations. Other societies have made similar efforts, but none have been more distinguished nor more successful in their attempts than they. It is true that all the reformers were favorable to a more general reading of the Holy Scriptures, and expressed ardent desires for improved versions of them, The most eminent reformers were the authors of translations themselves.-Wickliffe, Luther, Beza, Wesley, with others of minor fame, gave to their contemporaries new versions of the Scriptures. Besides those called Reformers, other distinguished leaders in their respective communities have contributed by partial translations of the New Testament, and by some parts of the Old, to the improvement of the commonly received version. Erasmus, Newcome, Wakefield, Lowth, Simon, Piscator, Le Clerc, with many others, are distinguished for their labors in this department. But the Presbyterian Doctors have gained the highest reputation in the work of translating. Doctors Campbell, Macknight, Doddridge, and Stuart of Andover, are of the highest reputation in this denomination. Doddridge, it is true, in matters of church discipline and government was a Congregationalist; but this has not made a breach impassable between him and the Presbyterians. He, therefore, is fraternized by them. Unworthy objects have been ascribed to us for making an effort to introduce into the houses of private christians and into the public congregations, a new translation, in one volume, composed of the labors of Campbell, Macknight, and Doddridge, with such emendations as more recent critics and translators have suggested. But this scheme did not first originate with us. It was projected and accomplished in Europe before we thought of it. The four Gospels, from G. Campbell; the Apostolic Epistles, from J. Macknight; and the Acts and Revelation by John, from Doddridge, in one volume, were published in London without note or comment, before any attempt was made to print them in this country. A copy of that work was received at Bethany as soon as we could obtain it. It was very badly executed, had many typographical errors in it, and was printed in a very awkward form. The title page is lost, but I think it was published in the year 1818. Shortly after this time, a bookseller in New York, at the suggestion of Henry Errit of that city, issued proposals for publishing an octavo edition of it, full bound, at $3,00 per copy, and at $2,50 slightly bound. Mr. Errit forwarded to me a prospectus, having at that time become acquainted with me through my sermon on the law in 1816, and debate with Mr. Walker in 1820. I subscribed for 100 copies of the proposed impression, for the benefit of the congregations amongst whom I then labored. They failed in obtaining subscribers, and the project was abandoned. This was the only prospectus, as far as known to me, ever published in America before that which 1 issued. Being extremely disappointed in the failure of the New York project, and deeply convinced of the immense importance of such a work, I began to think of undertaking it, but in form different from the London edition and from that proposed in New York. I thought the price ought to be reduced, and that prefaces and some critical notes and amendments from other translations, ought to accompany it, and that it should appear in another form on the paper. Proposals were issued at $1,75 per copy, plain binding, with the additions contemplated. And although it appeared a hazardous undertaking in a pecuniary point of view, and still more as respected the prejudices of the community, it was accomplished, and the impression was soon disposed of, without any loss, but some profit to the publisher. Conscious, however, that the work could be still farther improved, and desirous to keep it in my own hands until it was made as perfect as possible, I obtained for it a copy-right. A second edition, with some emendations, has been published and chiefly disposed of long since. Through the failure of both printers and bookbinders, this edition did not justify our proposals nor realize our expectations. We expected that it would have been more generally carried to the places of meeting, and more used in families than it is. The dimness of the impression, and the unportable form and size of the volume, have been generally assigned as an objection against carrying it to meeting: and the aged say the print is too small for them. To perfect two editions of this version (a pocket and a family Testament) has long been a desideratum with us; the latter, in large type, suited to those of dim sight-the former, for the young and middleaged, suited to the pocket, as a constant companion. But we have hitherto been prevented, and the principal obstacles in our way are these: age In the first place, the printing of Testaments in the old-fashioned way, by setting up one letter at a time, is too expensive for this of labor-saving machinery. The stereotype, or standing plate form, is now the order of the day; and hence the immense reduction in the price of books so printed The Scriptures now are reduced to onethird their cost in the last generation. But again, when a book is stereotyped there is no opportunity of correcting, altering, or amending a word; and we could not have the approbation of our own conscience in putting into a standing and immutable form the version, unless in some respects corrected and improved. Let none be startled at this. It was not until several editions of the present authorized version were stricken off, that the work was made as perfect as it is now: and even in defiance of the governmental arrangements in favor of the king's version, it is not now what it once was in all respects This we have before shown. We never intended to part with the copy-right until the version has our fullest approbation: and for this reason we have delayed a third edition, that we may have it as unexceptionable as possible, and because we wish VOL. III. 23* to have the pocket edition reduced to at least half the price of the second edition. This delay has been much longer than was anticipated; and although another edition might have been circulated before this time, we could not find that leisure, from pressing obligations, necessary to revise and prepare the work for this permanent form. But the expences of stereotyping are so great, that we cannot think of stereotyping the family Testament; and therefore cannot reduce the price of that edition. Indeed, the plan now proposed for the large Testament must necessarily enhance the value of it very much; and the price of it, if not proportionally greater, at least somewhat higher than the first edition. The improvements in contemplation for the family Testament, are these: 1. A marginal enumeration of chapters and verses, for the sake of reference, without indenting the page or breaking the connexion. 2. Some enlargement of the notes critical and explanatory of im portant emendations in the version. 3. In addition to the prefaces in the first edition, such geographical, chronological, and historical documents, as are conducive to a more correct knowledge of the books of the New Testament. 4. Sundry tables, explanatory of Scripture names, and miscellaneous matters, necessary to an easy intelligence of the New Testament style.. 5. Other improvements, tending to make the volume what it originally was a self-interpreting volume. The type designed for this impression are the type on which the first edition was printed, not having been since used. The volume will of course be something larger than the first edition, which contained about 526 octavo pages. The pocket edition will not be executed until after the family Testament is completed; and just as soon as the sale or orders for the large Testament will justify us to proceed with the pocket edition, it shall be executed. As the pocket Testament will be stereotyped from the third edition, brought to the greatest accuracy which our times and opportunities will permit, it can be issued in a much shorter time than we have formerly employed to perfect an edition. But the time of its appear. ance will necessarily depend on the orders. received for it and the family Testament. Such are our plans and objects relative to this all-important undertaking. We are every hour which we can appropriate from our current expenditures of time, preparing for this great work. But some will ask, 'What are you preparing?" To them I will answer in general terms: We are collecting from all quarters every thing which can elucidate the text. We have within a few days, for example, received from London the last edition of all the works of Lardner, in 10 volumes, 8vo, who spent 43 years in collecting all the documents from Christian, Pagan, and Jewish antiquity, on the credi |