ARABIC.-AMHARIC. 159 were deemed satisfactory. In 1671, a version was printed at Rome under the auspices of Urban VI. It was prepared at the request of several oriental churches, but was found to follow the Vulgate too implicitly, and was, moreover, written in inelegant Arabic. In 1816, a version, prepared by Sabat, whose history has excited so much attention, was printed at Calcutta, and was intended for the use of intelligent Mohammedans. Though it has been reprinted, it has never been very acceptable. The case seems to be, that any version in classical Arabic is rejected because thought impiously to copy the Koran, while versions made in vernacular Arabic are deemed vulgar. A new version is now in progress, under the care of Dr. Mill and Mr. Cureton. The New Testament has also been twice printed in Cars hun-that is, in Arabic with Syrian characters, chiefly for the use of the Syrian churches. The history of the Amharic version illustrates the care of God over the interests of his church. The French consul of Cairo, in 1810, M. Asselin de Cherville, was anxious to provide a version of Scripture in the Amharic. After years of fruitless inquiry, he was directed to an old man, named Abu Rumi, whom he found to be a thorough scholar, having been the companion of Bruce, and the tutor of sir William Jones. For ten years this old man and the consul met twice a week, till the whole version was completed. The version thus prepared INDO-EUROPEAN LANGUAGES. INDO-EUROPEAN FAMILY (continued.) 161 TEUTONIC BRANCH:-The following and twelve other Dialects. |