Bible, N.T. Matthew. Gothic- English THE GOTHIC GOSPEL OF SAINT MATTHEW, FROM THE CODEX ARGENTEUS OF THE FOURTH CENTURY; WITH THE CORRESPONDING ENGLISH, OR SAXON, FROM THE DURHAM BOOK OF THE EIGHTH CENTURY, IN ROMAN CHARACTERS; A literal English Lellon of each: AND NOTES, ILLUSTRATIONS, AND ETYMOLOGICAL DISQUISITIONS BY SAMUEL HENSHALL, M.A. RECTOR OF ST. MARY STRATFORD BOW, MIDDLESEX; AUTHOR OF SPECIMENS AND PARTS OF THE HISTORY OF SOUTH BRITAIN, ETC. London: PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR, AND SOLD BY J. WHITE, FLEET Street. 1807. FLATTERY is as grating to my ear, fulsome to my eye, and odious to my mind, as truth is sweet, pleasing, and satisfactory. I never was insensible of literary favours received, nor unwilling to acknowledge them; and I here publicly avow, that if I had not been honoured with your acquaintance, and generously furnished with rare and scarce books from your excellently selected library; like all other English septentrional scholars, I should still have called the UPSAL IMPRESSED FRAGMENTS of the fourth century, the manuscripts of Ulphila: I should never have pursued the study of Gothic learning, with an ardour that defies alike the mis representations of the malevolent, the envy of sciolists, and the self-corroding rancour of revenge. If I live to publish a Gothic and Saxon sheet, similar to those now presented for your acceptance, every month,or, at furthest, every two months, the whole will be completed in two years, and form volumes, perhaps not unworthy of a place amongst your duplicates from the king of Denmark's library. Errors manifold you must expect to find in such a novel and original work; but your liberal mind will make allowances for them; and, I flatter myself, you will frankly point out many inaccuracies for future correction. Believe me, Sir, 4 Your's, gratefully and sincerely, SAMUEL HENSHALL. ST. MARY STRATFORD, BOW, MARCH 25, 1807. OCCASIONAL PREFACE. Ar the recommendation of some literary characters, who understand Book-circulating much better than myself, I give a Title-page with this number, which will enable any gentleman, who has the three prior numbers, to have the Disquisitions and St. Matthew's Gospels stitched in boards, and properly arranged. When the work is completed, it may be bound in Three Volumes, as originally proposed. The intelligent reader must certainly have observed, that the farther progress I make, the more clear and correct is the rendering, the more obvious the principle on which I proceed. St. Mark's Gospel will form a Deal, or Fasciculus, of much greater extent, exhibit more variations from the Greek Text, and strongly elucidate some Christian Doctrines. As my health is precarious, and I consider the Passage of high importance to wavering Trinitarians, I shall select a valuable specimen. In Mark i. 3. the Codex Argenteus reads, RAIHTOS WAURKEITH STAIGOS GOTHS UNSARIS: Right work the steps of god ouren. Griesbach does not notice this difference at all, though he gives the Gothic reading of the preceding verse, "in Isaiah the Prophet." In my opinion, the Upsal Book is of greater antiquity and authority than any Greek or Latin MS. of the Gospels in existence; and let Heretics, if they can, get rid of this additional Evidence of the Divinity of Christ. The opposition, obstacles, and falsehood that I have encountered in the publication of this Gospel, are almost incredible*. A bookseller opposite the Exchange returned * I shall most probably be tempted to expose this mystery of iniquity, in which many Antiquaries, Blackstonians, Electioneering Oxonians, Reviewers, Low Churchmen, Presbyterians, Methodists, and other herds of animals that follow their leader's tail, are concerned. |