holy writers, with the other names in the text, to be retained, as near as may be, according as they are vulgarly used." Lewis. 2d. ed. p. 317.

Bishop Lowth writes Tsoar for Zoar, Botsrah for Bozrah, Retsin for Rezin, and Amots for Amos: &c. Mr. Blayney also has Jabetz, Jahatza, &c.

It is material that the names of the same persons should be written in the New Testament as they occur in the Old: and that we should read Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Noah, Haran, Joshua, &c. for Elias, Eliseus, Esaias, Noe, Charran, Jesus, Hebr. iv. 8. &c.

RULE X. The best-known geographical terms should be inserted in the text, and the original ones should stand in the margin. As Syria, marg. Aram: Ethiopia, marg. Cush. &c.

RULE XI. The language, sense, and punctuation, of our present version should be retained; unless when a sufficient reason can be assigned for departing from them.

RULE XII. The critical sense of passages should be considered; and not the opinions of any denomination of Christians whatever.

The translators should be philologists, and not controversialists.

RULE XIII. Passages which are allowed to be marginal glosses, or about the authenticity of which critics have reason to be doubtful, should be placed in the text between brackets.

RULE XIV. In the best editions of the bible, the poetical parts should be divided into lines answering to the metre of the original.

The common editions would be made too expensive by such a distribution, which would occupy a large space: but this inconvenience may be avoided by placing each hemistich between inverted commas, or by any other proper mark of distinction for the pause.

Dr. Kennicott's words on this subject are: "Si "universa in Bibliis Hebræis carmina, more poetico, "lineis brevibus, et plerumque fere æqualibus (sal"tem ubi non fuerint corruptæ) nunc demum imprimerentur; mirum quantum elucesceret statim "sacri poetæ mens, idque in mille locis; ubi sub "usitata prosæ forma difficillimum est ullam, saltem veram, expiscari sententiam." Præf, ad Vet. Test. Hebr. §. xx.

Thus Gen. iv. 23, should be pointed as follows; "And Lamech said unto his wives:

"Adah and Zillah, hear my voice;

"Ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech,"

And Isai. liii. 2:

"He hath no form nor comeliness, that we should regard him;

"Nor appearance, that we should desire him." See Præl. Hebr.

RULE XV. Of dark passages, which exhibit no meaning as they stand in our present version, an intelligible rendering should be made on the principles of sound criticism.

F

"There is scope enough for the improvement of "sacred literature: especially if proper hands were "employed in doing the same good office for the "Hebrew bible as bath been done for the Greek "Testament; I mean, in mending the text a little,

by consulting the most ancient manuscripts and " versions." Taylor pref. to Hebr. conc. Sect. iv. "If the translation should sometimes appear to be "mercly conjectural, I desire the reader to consider "the exigence of the case; and to Judge, whether "it is not better, in a very obscure and doubtful passage, to give something probable by way of "supplement to the author's sense apparently defec"tive, than either to leave a blank in the translation, or to give a merely verbal rendering, which would be altogether unintelligible."

Bishop Lowth prel. diss. to Isai. p. lxxiii: where see p. xxxix. xl.

And the same excellent critic, after making a conjectural emendation of Isai. Ixiv. 5, adds: "This, "it may be said, is imposing your sense upon the "Prophet. It may be so: for perhaps these may "not be the very words of the Prophet: but however "it is better than to impose upon him what makes "no sense at all; as they generally do, who pretend "to render such corrupt passages.'

"It is manifest," says † Professor J. D. Michae"lis, "that in some of the Minor Prophets the text "has been sent down to us in very faulty copies: so

very faulty, that the true reading of several pas"sages is wanting in all the MSS. and ancient ver"sions, and that conjectural criticism is necessary."

Bibl. Orient. et Exeget. Part xxi. Communicated by Mr. Woide.

Emendations founded on external authority will of course be preferred; and, when there is a choice of them, that particular one which furnishes the best sense, and most resembles the present text. When outward helps fail, recourse can only be had to the exigence of the place.

In printing the best edition of a new version, I propose that the references to parallel places should be retained; that supplemental words should be distinguished by Italics; that different interpretations of obscure places should occasionally be given in the margin; that the paragraphs sho ld be accurately divided according to the sense, and should consist of larger ones marked ¶, and of smaller marked; that the contents, briefly comprehending the critical sense of the writer, should be prefixed to each large paragraph; that the chapters should be distinguished in the margin, and the verses, either in the margin, or by a small numerical figure over the line, as in the Louvre edition of the Greek Testament; that there should be different marks for various readings adopted in the translation, denoting (1.) whether they are founded on the ancient versions and paraphrases, (2.) on MSS. including the Samaritan, or (3.) on both these authorities, or 4.) only on conjecture; and that a large explanatory index of difficult terms throughout their several classes should be subjoined, together with an accented table of proper names, and also a table of the sacred books m their chronological order; according to which order it is my opinion that they should be read in churches.

I trust that these rules have obviated some objections to the proposed undertaking: as, according to them, a new version would be as simple, natural and majestic,

xl

as beautiful, affecting and sublime, as that in present use; with the additional recommendation of being more pure, exact and intelligible. It is true that nothing of this kind can be undertaken without temporary offence to the prejudiced and ignorant. But the opinion of these will soon be outweighed by the judgment of the reasonable and well informed. The real question amounts to this; whether we shall supply Christian readers and Christian congregations with new means of instruction and pleasure, by enabling them to understand their bible better; and let all who can promote a work of such moment consider this question with due seriousness and attention.