III. The discovery of the art of printing in the fifteenth century, and the establishment of the glorious Reformation throughout Europe in the following century, facilitated the circulation of the Scriptures. Wherever its pure doctrines penetrated, the nations that embraced it, adopting its grand principle that the Bible contains the Religion of Protestants, were naturally desirous of obtaining the sacred volume in their respective languages. And even in those countries into which the Reformed Doctrines were but partially introduced, it was found necessary to yield so far to the spirit of the times, as to admit, in a limited degree, vernacular translations among the people. Since the Reformation, wherever learned and pious missionaries have carried the Christian Faith, the Scriptures have been translated into the languages of its professors. The total number of dialects, spoken in any part of the world, is computed to be about five hundred; and of these somewhat more than one hundred appear to constitute languages generically distinct, or exhibiting more diversity than resemblance to each other. Into upwards of one hundred and fifty of these various dialects the sacred Seriptures have been translated, either wholly or in part; and not less than sixty of them are versions in the languages and dialects of Asia. It is obvious that very few modern versions can be of service in the criticism or interpretation of the Bible; but as the author was censured for omitting them in the first edition of this work, he has endeavoured to supply that deficiency, and to procure the best information possible, on a topic so interesting to every sincere professor of Christianity. The modern versions of the Scriptures are twofold, viz. in the Latin language, and in the vernacular language of all the countries in which Christianity has been propagated; and both are made either by persons in communion with the Church of Rome or by Protestants. § 2. MODERN LATIN VERSIONS of the Old and New Testaments. [i.] LATIN VERSIONS OF THE ENTIRE BIBLE, OR of the Old Testament. Versions made by Romanists. Of the modern Latin versions of the Old Testament, made by individuals in communion with the Church of Rome, those of Pagninus, Montanus, Malvenda, Cajetan, and Houbigant, are particularly worthy of notice.2 1. PAGNINUS.-Veteris ac Novi Testamenti nova translatio, per Sanct. PAGNINUM edita. Lugduni, 1528, in large 4to. as the first (and which is noticed above) cost at the sale of M. de Boze, in 1753, 1000 livres (431. 15s.); at the sale of M. Gaignat, in 1769, 830 livres (361. 68.); at the sale of M. Paris, in 1791, 517.; and that of Mr. Willet, in 1813, two hundred and forty-five guineas! The edition, described by Heinecken as the second, produced, at M. Verdussen's sale, in 1776, 250 florins of exchange (about 241.); at that of M. la Vallière, in 1783, 780 livres (341. 28 6d.); and at that of M. Crevenna, in 1789, 946 livres (411. 7s. 9d.) Copies of the Biblia Pauperum are in the Royal Library in the British Museum (formerly Gaignat's copy); in that of Earl Spencer; the Bodleian and Corpus Christi Libraries, at Oxford; Corpus Christi College Library, Cambridge; in the Hunterian Museum, Glasgow (it is very imperfect); in the Royal Library at Paris (formerly Vallière's copy; it is imperfect); and in the Public Library at Basle. For an account of the Speculum Humanæ Salvationis and the other curious Books of Images, see the author's Introduction to Bibliography, vol. ii. Appendix, pp. v.—xiv.; and Baron Heinecken's Idée Générale d'une Collection complète d'Estampes. Leipsic, 1771. 8vo. 1 Historical Sketch of the Translation and Circulation of the Scriptures, by the Rev. Messrs. Thomson and Orme, (Perth, 1815, 8vo.) p. 44. 2 The materials of this section are derived from Masch's and Boerner's Edition of Le Long's Bibliotheca Sacra, vol. ii. Walchii Bibliotheca Theologica Selecta, vol. iv. pp. 64 -76. Carpzovii Critica Sacra Veteris Testamenti, pp. 707-757. Simon's Hist. Critique du Vieux Testament, livre ii, ch, xxii. Sect. VI. § 2.] Modern Latin Versions. Sanctes Pagninus, a Dominican monk, was the first modern oriental scholar who attempted of men and cities, and has substituted others in their place, which are pronounced according 2. MONTANUS.-Biblia Latina Pagnini, à Benedicto Aria MONTANO recognita. Antverpiæ, 1584. folio. The translation of Pagninus was revised by Benedict Arias Montanus, who has erroneously been considered as a new translator of the Bible in the Latin language. His chief aim was to translate the Hebrew words by the same number of Latin ones; so that he has accommodated his whole translation to the most scrupulous rules of grammar, without any regard to the elegance of his Latinity. Montanus's edition, therefore, may be considered rather as a grammatical commentary, than a true version, and as being adapted to instruct young beginners in the Hebrew, than to be read separately: being printed interlinearily, with the Latin word placed exactly over the Hebrew, it saves the student the trouble of This revision frequently referring to his Lexicon. In the New Testament, Montanus changed only a few words in the Vulgate version, where he found it to differ from the Greek. has been very frequently printed in various sizes: it is also found in the Antwerp, Paris, and London Polyglotts. Lug3. MALVENDA.-Thomæ MALVENDE Commentarii in Scripturam_Sacram, una cum nova ex Hebræo translatione, variisque lectionibus. duni, 1650. 5 tomis, folio. The translation of Thomas Malvenda, a Spanish Dominican, being more grammatical and barbarous than that of Montanus, is but little esteemed, and has fallen into oblivion. 4. CAJETAN.-Librorum Veteris Testamenti, scilicet Pentateuchi, Josuæ, Judicum, Regum, Paralipomenon, Esdræ, Nehemiæ, Job, Psalmorum, Proverbiorum Salomonis, et priorum trium capitum Esaiæ, Versio nova Latina ex Hebræo a Thoma de Vio, Cardinale CAJETANO, ope duorum Linguam Hebræam scientium (alterius Hebræi Magistri illius linguæ, alterius Christiani) instituta juxta methodum quam ipse tradidit in præfatione commentariorum in Psalmos. Lugduni, 1639. 5 vols. folio. The version which bears the name of Cardinal Cajetan, strictly speaking, is not his production; having been made by two persons, (one a Jew, the other a Christian,) both of whom were well skilled in the original language of the sacred volume. Cajetan carefully avoided those barbarous expressions which he must have used if his version had been grammatically literal. 5. HOUBIGANT.-Biblia Veteris Testamenti Latine, ex Versione Caroli Francisci HOUBIGANT. Lutetiæ Parisiorum, 1753. 4 tomis, folio. The Latin version of the Old Testament, printed by Father Houbigant in his critical The Latin Text of Houbigant's version was also Versions made by Protestants. Since the Reformation, several Latin versions of the Old Testament have been made from the original Hebrew by learned Protestants. The most esteemed are those of Munster, Leo Juda, Castalio, Junius and Tremellius, Schmidt, Dathe, Schott and Winzer. 1. MUNSTER.-Biblia Latina, ex Versione Sebastiani MUNSTERI. Basileæ 1534; 1546. folio. In the year 1534, Sebastian Munster printed at Basle a new translation of the Old Testament from the original Hebrew, with the Hebrew Text; and in 1546 he published a second edition, with the addition of some notes, which Father Simon thinks useful for understanding the style of the sacred writings. Without rigidly adhering to the grammatical signification of the words, like Pagninus and Montanus, he has given a more free and intelligible version but by not deviating from the sense of the Hebrew text, he has retained some of its peculiar idioms. He has also availed himself of the commentaries of the best of the rabbinical writers. Though Simon freely censures particular parts of Munster's version, he decidedly prefers it to those of Pagninus and Montanus; and Huet gives him the character of a translator well versed in the Hebrew language, whose style is very exact, and conformable to the original. : 2. LEO JUDA.-Biblia Sacro-Sancta Testamenti Veteris et Novi, e sacra Hebræorum lingua Græcorumque fontibus, consultis simul orthodoxis interpretibus religiosissime, translata in sermonem Latinum. Tiguri, 1543, folio; 1544, 8vo., and various subsequent editions. The translation which bears the name of Leo Juda was commenced by him; but being prevented by death from finishing the work, he left it to be completed by Theodore Bibliander, professor of divinity at Zurich. With the assistance of Conrad Pellican, who was professor of Hebrew in the same place, Bibliander translated the rest of the Old Testament from the Hebrew; the New Testament was undertaken by Peter Cholin and Rodolph Gualter, two learned Protestants, at that time resident at Zurich. This version was first printed in 1543, and was reprinted by Robert Stephens at Paris, in 1545, with the addition of the Vulgate version, in two columns, and with short notes or scholia, but without specifying the translator's name. Though it was condemned by the divines at Paris, it was favourably received by those of Salamanca, who reprinted it with some trifling alterations. It is acknowledged to be very faithful; and its style is more elegant than that of Munster: but the translators are said, in some instances, to have receded too far from the literal sense. 3. CASTALIO.- Biblia Latina, Interprete Sebastiano CASTALIONE. Basileæ, 1573, folio; Lipsiæ, 1738. 4 tomis, 12mo. The Latin version of Sebastian Chatillon, or Castalio (as he is generally called), was begun at Geneva in 1542, and finished at Basle in 1550, where it was printed in the following year, with a dedication to Edward VI., king of England. His design was, to render the Old and New Testaments in elegant Latin like that of the antient classic authors; but his style has been severely censured by some critics, as being too much affected, and destitute of that noble simplicity, grandeur, and energy, which characterise the sacred originals. Professor Dathe, however, has vindicated this learned Protestant from these charges. Castalio's version has been frequently reprinted: the best edition of it is said to be that printed at Leipsic, in 1738, in 4 vols. 12mo.; but the folio edition, printed in 1573, is in most request, not only on account of its beauty, but also because it contains the author's last corrections, together with a very complete table of matters. 4. JUNIUS and TREMELLIUS.-Testamenti Veteris Biblia Sacra: sive Libri Canonici priscæ Judæorum Ecclesiæ a Deo traditi, Latini recens ex Hebræo facti brevibusque scholiis illustrati ab Immanuele TREMellio. Accesserunt Libri, qui vulgo dicuntur Apocryphi, Latine redditi et notis quibusdam aucti a Francisco JUNIO. Quibus etiam adjunximus Novi Testamenti Libros ex Sermone Syro ab eodem Tremellio, et ex Græco a Theodoro BEZA in Latinum versos, notisque itidem illustratos. Secundâ curâ Francisci Junii. Genevæ, 1590. 4to. The version of Francis Junius and Immanuel Tremellius was first published at Frankfort on the Main, in four tomes folio, in the years 1575-76-79: it was subsequently corrected by Junius, and it has since been repeatedly printed. By the Protestant churches it was received with great approbation; and to this day it is held in great esteem for its simplicity, perspicuity, and fidelity. Father Simon criticised it with great severity; but our learned countryman, Matthew Poole, in the preface to his Synopsis Criticorum Sacrorum, reckons it among the best versions: and the ecclesiastical historian, Dupin, commends it for its close adherence to the Hebrew. Junius and Tremellius have been very particular in expressing the article by demonstrative pronouns. 5. SCHMIDT.-Biblia Sacra, sive Testamentum Vetus et Novum ex linguis originalibus in Linguam Latinam translatum, additis Capitum Summariis et Partitionibus, a Sebastiano SCHMIDIO. Argentorati, 1696. 4to. Sebastian Schmidt was professor of Oriental languages at Strasburgh. Of his version, which was published after the author's decease, there have been several editions. It is strictly literal; and is chiefly useful to students in the Hebrew language. 6. DATHE.- Libri Veteris Testamenti, ex recensione Textûs Hebræi et Versionum Antiquarum, Latine versi, Notis philologicis et criticis illustrati a Joanne Augusto DATHIO. Halæ, 1773-89. 6 vols. 8vo. The version of John Augustus Dathe, who was professor of Oriental literature at Leipsic, is deservedly in high repute for its general fidelity and elegance, both in this country and on the Continent. Prof. Dathe" never published any part, until he had repeatedly explained it in his public lectures, and convinced himself that no difficulty remained, but such as could not be removed. In this manner was his translation produced, which may be considered as a perpetual commentary." (Aikin's Biographical Dictionary, vol. x. Supplement, p. 306.) 7. SCHOTT and WINZER.-Libri Sacri Antiqui Fœderis ex Sermone Hebræo in Latinum translati; notatione brevi præcipuæ Lectionum et Interpretationum diversitatis addita. Auctoribus D. Henrico Augusto SCHOTT et Julio Friederico WINZER. Volumen primum. Altonæ et Lipsiæ, 1816. 8vo. This volume comprises the Pentateuch only; the three first books were translated by M. Schott, and the two last by M. Winzer; but the whole work has been so carefully revised, that it appears to be the production of only one person. It professes to be very close. This work was never completed. [ii.] LATIN VERSIONS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. ERASMUS.-Novi Testamenti Æditio postrema, per Desiderium ERASMUM, Roterodamum. Basileæ, 1535. 8vo. The celebrated Erasmus has the honour of being the first translator of the New Testament into the Latin language from the original Greek. His object was, to give a faithful and clear version, in which it is admitted that he succeeded as far as it was possible at that time. In this version he followed not only the printed copies, but also four Greek manuscripts; according to the example of Jerome, he varied but little from the Vulgate. The first edition of his translation appeared with his Greek Testament in 1516, and was dedicated to Pope Leo X., by whom it was highly commended in a letter of thanks which he wrote to Erasmus. The pontiff's praises, however, did not prevent his labours from being censured with great severity by certain writers belonging to the Romish communion, against whom Erasmus defended himself with great spirit. His version has been frequently printed and corrected, both by himself and by his editors. 2. BEZA.-Novum D. N. Jesu Christi Testamentum. Latine jam olim a Veteri Interprete, nunc denuo à Theodoro BEZA versum, cum ejusdem annotationibus, in quibus ratio interpretationis redditur. Oliva Roberti Stephani [Genevæ], 1556. folio. This version has been repeatedly printed. On account of its fidelity, it has always been highly esteemed by Protestants of every denomination. Bishop Walton, indeed, was of opinion that he was justly charged with departing unnecessarily from the common readings, without the authority of manuscripts; but a careful examination of Beza's translation will show that that distinguished prelate was in this instance mistaken. 3. Chr. Guil. THALEMANNI Versio Latina Evangeliorum Matthæi, Marci, Lucæ, et Johannis, itemque Actuum Apostolorum, edita a C. C. Tittmanno. Berolini, 1781. 8vo. The remaining books of the New Testament were translated by M. Iaspis, and entitled, Versio Latina Epistolarum Novi Testamenti, perpetua annotatione illustrata a Godofredo Sigismundo IASPIS. Lipsiæ, Vol. I. 1793, Vol. II. 1797. 8vo. Editio nova, Lipsiæ, 1821. 2 tomis 8vo. 4. Sacri Novi Testamenti Libri omnes, veteri Latinitate donati ab Henrico Godofredo REICHARDO. Lipsiæ, 1799. 8vo. VOL. II. App. (E) 5. SEBASTIANI. Novum Testamentum, ob frequentes omnium Interpretationum Hallucinationes, nunc demum ex Codice Alexandrino, adhibitis etiam compluribus manuscriptis variantibusque Lectionibus editis, summa fide ac curâ Latine redditum. Omnibus Sacris Auctoribus Græcis, Sacris Criticis, Glossariis, et Instructioribus per totam Græciam Ecclesiasticis Viris diligentissime consultis. Interprete Leopoldo SEBASTIANI. Londini, 1817. royal 8vo. M. Sebastiani is advantageously known to scholars as the editor of Lycophron (Romæ, 1803, 4to.) His version is made from the text of the Alexandrian Manuscript, with which the translator states that he collated several manuscripts and collections of various readings, availing himself also of every critical aid he could procure, and particularly of the writings of the Greek fathers, and the assistance of the most learned of the modern Greek clergy. To obtain the latter, M. Sebastiani expressly travelled through the whole of Greece. In all doctrinal points, this version is made conformable to the tenets inculcated by the Romish church. For notices of the modern Latin Versions of Schott, Naebe, and Goeschen, see pp. 26. 30, 31. and 33. of this Appendix. § 3. VERSIONS IN THE LANGUAGES OF MODERN EUROPE. [i.] VERSIONS IN THE LANGUAGES SPOKEN IN THE BRITISH ISLES. English Protestant Versions.1 Although it is impossible at this distance of time, to ascertain when or by whom Christianity was first planted in this island, as well as the earliest time when the Scriptures were translated into the language of its inhabitants, yet we know that, for many hundred years, they were favoured with the possession of part, at least, of the sacred volume in their vernacular tongue. Of the Anglo-Saxon versions an account has already been given: to which we may now add, that a Saxon translation of the Pentateuch, of Joshua, part of the books of Kings, Esther, and of the apocryphal book of Judith, and the Maccabees, is attributed to Elfric or Elfred, who was archbishop of Canterbury, A.D. 995. A chasm of several centuries ensued, during which the Scriptures appear to have been buried in oblivion, the general reading of them being prohibited by the papal see. The first ENGLISH translation of the Bible known to be extant was executed by an unknown individual, and is placed by Archbishop Usher to the year 1290: of this there are three manuscript copies preserved, in the Bodleian library, and in the libraries of Christ Church and Queen's Colleges at Oxford. Towards the close of the following century, John de TREVISA, Vicar of Berkeley in the county of Gloucester, at the desire of his patron, Lord Berkeley, is said to have translated the Old and New Testaments into the English tongue. But as no part of this work appears ever to have been printed, the translation ascribed to him is supposed to have been confined to a few texts, which are scattered in some parts of his works (several copies of which are known to exist in manuscript), or which were painted on the walls of his patron's chapel at Berkeley Castle, It is by no means improbable, that, before the invention of printing, recourse was had to the painting of the principal events in the sacred history, on the windows of churches, in order to convey some knowledge of Scripture facts 1 Our account of English translations is drawn from Lewis's History of the translations of the Bible, prefixed to his edition of Wickliffe's New Testament, folio, 1731; Johnson's Historical Account of the several English translations of the Bible, originally published in 1730, in 8vo. and reprinted in the third volume of Bishop Watson's Collection of Theological Tracts; Archbishop Newcome's View of the English Biblical Translations, Dublin, 1792, 8vo.; Mr. Whittaker's learned and elaborate Inquiry into the Interpretation of Hebrew Scriptures, pp. 38-114.; and Mr. Walter's Letter to the Bishop of Peterborough, on the Independence of the authorised Version of the Bible. |