156 NOTICE OF Η ΚΑΙΝΗ ΔΙΑΘΗΚΗ: The NEW TESTAMENT; with English Notes, Critical, Philological, and Explanatory. A New Edition, in 3 vols. 21. 5s. London, 1826. 8vo. Longman. THIS edition was prepared by the REV. EDWARD VALPY, who has been for many years the Head-Master of Norwich School. It is dedicated to Dr. Bathurst, the venerable Bishop of Norwich, in the following terms :-"An edition of the New Testament should be dedicated to Virtue, Learning, and Piety, —to him, whose life is a fair transcript of the Christian character. I presume, therefore, my Lord, with sentiments of respect, regard, and gratitude, to present this edition to your Lordship; and I remain, my Lord, your Lordship's obliged and humble Servant, E. V." The merits of this work, as originally published, were sufficiently appreciated by the literary public, and in its present state of improvement it has additional claims to their preference. The following Advertisement is short enough to be within the limits. of quotation, and from it the reader will learn the principal alterations which distinguish this edition : -- "A writer in the British Critic, who reviewed the former edition of the Greek Testament, concluded his able and judicious criticism in these words: We wish well enough to this edition, for the sake of the notes, which we have scrutinised with some care, to hope that the editor may be induced to incorporate the text of the editio princeps in his second impression. Were this carefully effected, and the notes extended with copious extracts from the Bishop of Calcutta's profound and learned volume, which we place in the very first rank of those works with which sacred literature has been enriched by modern ingenuity, we could safely recommend it as the very best book of the kind, with which we are acquainted, for the use of the student in divinity. In following this recommendation, the Editor has availed himself, to the utmost, of Bishop Middleton's work; as he has also of the assistance of other most eminent commentators and critics, in comparing, selecting, and adopting what he thought to be the true sense and the most satisfactory interpretation of each passage. "One important departure from the former edition will be immediately perceived. As his primary and most important object was extensive usefulness and inducement to study the book of life, he determined, after mature consideration, to give the notes in English. In this he has followed the example of our most learned divines and critics, who in offering the result of their pious labors to the English student in divinity, did not think it necessary to adopt the Latin language, though consecrated by the usage of ancient, and of German, critics. Nor is there any fear that the language, however plain and simple, should, on such a sacred ground, be found to shock the most refined taste, or offend the judgment, of the most fastidious scholar. "As the notes on St. Matthew are full and copious, there was less necessity in many instances, especially in the parallel passages, for the same extended mode of illustration, in the other Evangelists; but a frequent reference is made from the one to the other: and thus the student is induced to consult and to compare the whole body of annotations, and is thus enabled to fix more durably on his mind the result and fruit of his industry and research. Verbal criticism is also introduced, and observations on the Greek idiom from Vigerus, on the ellipses from Bos, and on the particles from Hoogeveen; with corrections, where it appeared necessary, of our venerated, but, in some instances, erroneous English version. Some imperfections will, it is feared, have insinuated themselves in the notes; but if pointed out or discovered, they shall be corrected or remedied, should a future impression be required. That the Lord may bless and prosper this Work, and that it may tend to the glory of God, by a greater diffusion of the knowlege of our Lord Jesus Christ, is the Editor's most ardent prayer." We doubt whether the editor has done sufficient justice to the superiority of this edition; for on examining the notes, we find that many quotations are given from Campbell, Gilpin, Doddridge, Hales, Harmer, Shaw, Townson, Whitby, and others, which do not appear in the first edition. We have examined several of the notes, and can speak with confidence of the editor's taste and judgment, knowlege and research. Pertinent matter has been collected with great care; and throughout the work the object of the editor has been to set before his readers useful information from every available source, not to display his own ingenuity by fanciful and recondite interpretations, or to make a parade of his learning by frequent and elaborate and unnecessary quotations. The young divine will find this work not only a safe guide in his studies, but the best guide which he can obtain within the compass of the same price and size. On Matth. xiii. 31. the editor has the following note:"Lightfoot and Buxtorf quote from the writings of the Rabbies, that a species of the sinapi rose to the size of a tree. See also Scheuchzer Phys. Sacr. R. Simeon said, I had in my ground a mustard-plant, into which I was wont to climb, as one may climb up into a fig-tree.' Hieros. p. 7. f. 20. 2." The account of the mustard-tree in Dr. Harris's Natural History of the Bible, Lond. 1824, p. 274, is this:-"A wellknown garden-herb. Christ. compares the kingdom of heaven to a grain of mustard-seed, which a man took and sowed in the earth; which indeed,' said he, is the least of all seeds, but, when it is grown, is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.' This expression will not seem strange, says Sir Tho mas Browne, if we recollect that the mustard-seed, though it be not simply and in itself the smallest of seeds, yet may be very well believed to be the smallest of such as are apt to grow into a ligneous substance, and become a kind of tree. He observes, likewise, that the parable may not ground itself on generals, or imply any or every grain of mustard, but point at such a peculiar grain as from its fertile spirit and other concurrent advantages has the success to become arboreous. The expres. sion also that it might grow into such dimensions, that birds might lodge on its branches, may be literally conceived, if we allow the luxuriancy of plants in India above our Northern regions. And he quotes on this occasion, what is recorded in the Jewish story, of a mustard-tree that was to be climbed like a fig-tree. The Talmud also mentions one, whose branches were so extensive as to cover a tent; (see on this subject Lightfoot's Hebr. and Talm. Exercc. in loc., Tremell. in loc., Raphel. Annot. ex Herod. 163. and Doddridge's Fam. Expos.) Without insisting on the accuracy of this, we may gather from it that we should not judge of Eastern vegetables by those which are familiar to ourselves. Scheuchzer describes a species of mustard which grows several feet high, with a tapering stalk, and spreads into many branches. Of this arborescent or treelike vegetable he gives a print (Phys. Sacr. 8, 59. tab. DCLXXXIII.); and Linnæus mentions a species, whose branches were real wood, which he names sinapi erucoïdes." From the above quotation the editor may improve his note, when a third edition is called for; and we have no doubt that a book so useful and commodious for the student will get into greater circulation. This edition is accompanied with references and extracts from Bishop Middleton's profound and learned treatise on the Greek Article, as applicable to the criticism and illustration of the New Testament; and this cannot fail to render it, valuable as it is, still more valuable. Mr. VALPY has also recently printed an epitome of the Bishop's own admirable work, to serve as an accompaniment to this edition; containing in each rule by the side of each classical example a correspondent parallel scriptural illustration from some well-known passage in the New Testament; containing also various additional remarks, and particularly Mr. Granville Sharp's Canon. The purchasers of this edition of the New Testament with English notes have now, therefore, an opportunity of adding to it what we consider a valuable improvement, and at a trifling expense, a plain and concise view of the principles and canons on which the important doctrine of the Greek article is founded. 159 OXFORD LATIN PRIZE POEM, FOR 1775. ALFREDUS. Isis ubi lambit fœcundo flumine lucos Huc forte Alfredus gressum tulit, arvaque circum Angliacumque aperit felici carmine Pindum. Hic animæ latebras princeps patefecit opertas, 1 Locke. Hunc olim Rhedycina canet, quotiesque recenset Grata suos, celebresque memor per sæcula cives, Insignem ante alios felix memorabit alumnum. Nec te, Castalidum proles lectissima, plectro Musa ingrata silet, cui fontes ipsa reclusit Integros Pallas, facilisque indulsit Apollo, Musæoque dedit contingere dicta lepore. At neque dilectis solum penetralia Musis Et patrium advexit peregrina in regna Draconem. O! quis me ducet qua Faringdonia clivo Assurgit viridi, sublimi a vertice montis Lætus ubi intentos pascens per singula visus Explorare humiles campos, subjectaque possim Moenia, et eductas non nullo numine turres ! Hic ulmos inter patulas caput erigit alma Alfredi nutrix Wantagia: sæpe sub umbra Hac puer, agresti meditatus arundine musam ; Sæpe hanc ad lympham, subductæ in margine ripæ, Parvulus incerto se lusu exercuit heros. Colle ex adverso candenti e rupe minacem 1 Addison. |