these compositions, especially of the Christian scriptures, first published in an age of literature and science, induced many to adopt measures for their spread and perpetuity. There existed, before the times of Christ, a Greek translation of the Old Testament; and there were, afterwards, several other versions of it in that language. Copies of the scriptures of both Testaments were, in the first periods of Christianity, multiplied by the labours of transcribers. The primitive writers of the Christian church diffused the knowledge of their contents by numerous and large quotations from them in their own works, and by expositions and commentaries of whole books. The zeal and generosity of some Christians were nobly displayed in procuring and dispersing copies of the holy scriptures. Here Pamphilus, an eminent presbyter of Caesarea, about the year 294, deserves to be mentioned with peculiar praise. He was a man who excelled in every virtue, and the most admirable person of his times. It was a peculiar instance of his benevolence and piety, that besides his active and generous care to furnish the library of the church at Caesarea with copies of the scriptures and commentaries upon them, it was his practice to be always supplied with copies of them, transcribed with the greatest accuracy by his own hands, to give or to lend to those who had a desire to read them, whether men or women. But the circulation of our sacred books, as of all other writings, must have been very limited, till the glorious invention of printing opened a large sphere for multiplying and dispersing copies of them, with an unspeakably greater facility, and a great diminution of expense, beyond what the labours of the pen admitted. This happy and important effect of the art of printing was greatly promoted, not only by the revival of letters, but by the Reformation. The appeal made by the reformers to the scriptures, as the ground of their protest against the doctrines and practices of the church of Rome, and as the unerring and divine standard of religious truth, excited, of course, a growing and universal attention to them, and created an increasing demand for copies of them which this invention furnished the means of supplying with a rapidity, of which former times had no idea or expectation. Not the scriptures in the original languages only, but the various versions which had been made of them could be extensively and rapidly circulated; and, with a quick progress, all nations were enabled to read them in their own vernacular tongues. The learning and zeal of pious individuals were directed and animated to afford the countries, of which they were natives, or in which they resided, new translations of the book of life. The authority and patronage of princes gave a sanction and aid to this desirable and important undertaking.One provision for advancing the knowledge of the scriptures in England was by furnishing the churches with bibles, chained to the desks, to be read, before the beginning or after the close of publick worship by individuals to themselves, or to knots of the people, who crowded round a reader, with ardent curiosity and holy desires, to hear the word of truth and salvation, which they, who had not learnt their letters, could not peruse for themselves. Philanthropy and generosity, consecrating their exertions. to the purposes of religion, began to form plans for dispersing versions of the scriptures, in their own languages, among the Welch, the Irish, and the remote Indian tribes of America. The biographical page records the names of some of the most eminent divines, and some of the most excellent characters of the seventeenth century, as engaged in these measures of disinterested benevolence; particularly that of the Hon. Mr. Robert Boyle. A Bishop Hall and a Lord Wharton, by their testamentary provisions, created funds for the annual distribution of bibles, in this nation, through future generations. Towards the end of the seventeenth century there arose, amongst the members of the established church, a society for the promotion of christian knowledge. About the middle of the eighteenth another was formed by a body of dissenters, consisting principally of young persons, for the spread of religious knowledge amongst the poor: the distribution of bibles was a main object of each institution. In our own times we have seen a bible society, formed about thirty years since, the specifick design of which was to give bibles to our soldiers and sailors; and which, in two years, at the charge of upwards of 1500/. had distributed more than 11,000 bibles amongst our regiments and ships' crews.t This concise view of the progressive spread of the scriptures is gratifying to the devout mind of him, who ardently * Owen's (James) Life, p. 10, 11. Birch's Life of Boyle, p. 385, 396, 402. Robinson's Sermon before the Society, p. 21. wishes that the knowledge of the Lord may cover the earth; and the benevolent mind feels a high pleasure in contemplating the extensive circulation of those books which afford a rule of life, open the springs of rich consolation to the afflicted breast, and raise, under the expectation of death, immortal hopes. Such I would congratulate on an institution similar to those I have recounted; but more liberal, more extensive, and more efficient than any, or all, of them: I mean the Institution of the British and Foreign Bible Society in 1804. "Its exclusive object is to diffuse the knowledge of the holy scriptures by circulating them in the different languages spoken throughout Great Britain and Ireland; and, according to the extent of its funds, by promoting the printing of them in foreign languages, and the distribution of them in foreign countries." The basis of its establishment is wise and liberal; for it unites, to a degree hitherto unexampled, the zeal and exertion of Christians of every denomination. And it is a high recommendation of its design, that it is meant to circulate the scriptures only, without any comment or note. This is laudably, this is nobly, to wave all authority to judge concerning the sense of scriptures for others; or to influence their opinion by the weight of great names or of numbers. By the dispersion of bibles, on such a plan, the minds of the receivers are left free and unshackled: the Bible alone is the instructer and the monitor. The attention of the reader is not called off to the exposition of others: but he is set upon inquiry, and, as he proceeds, naturally asks himself,-Understandest thou what thou readest? "That Christian," observes an ingenious writer, " seems to me to enter thoroughly into the spirit of revelation, who dares to trust the holy scriptures alone to convince and convert a sinner from the errour of his way." From the commencement of the institution to the 31st March, 1809, 52,454 bibles and 105,975 testaments, in various languages, have been issued from the society, in not less than seventeen of the languages and dialects current in Europe, besides in other translations; and the efforts of all parties and denominations of Christians have been directed to one object, highly honourable to divine revelation, and most conducive to human salvation that of putting into the hands of thousands and ten thousands the WORDS OF ETERNAL LIFE. FOR THE ANTHOLOGY. DRACO GUANTLEIUS.* CARMINIS hujusce vetustissimi quae ruinis temporum supersunt in manus tuas, lector benevole, integra tradidimus. Quo tempore, vel a quo scriptum est nobis non satis constat. Versibus autem minimè trivialibus descriptum esse uno oculo discreveris. Romani veteres poetae in modis rhythmicis rariùs cecinisse creduntur. Non desunt tamen qui, cum multo observantiae, rhythmos frequentes tum honestos, tum doggrelissimos, apud poetas meliores, necnon pejores, saepissimè deprehenderunt. Ecce, exempli gratiâ, quâ harmoniâ tintinnat Horatius Non satis est pulchra esse poemata; dulcia sunto, Eodemque modo Catullus, Dî magni, horribilem et sacrum libellum ! Quem tu scilicet ad tuum Catullum Persius etiam in satirâ primâ Neronem deridet, qui versus quosdam pessimos sic ornare voluerat, Claudere sic versus didicit "Berecynthius Attin Et qui coeruleum dirimebat Nerea delphin.” Et hos quoque terminis paribus alterne positis Evion ingeminat; reparabilis adsonat echo. "Draco Guantleius" in modo paulò infrequentiori, sed nihilominus lauto et venusto, Bailliaco vocato, conditus videtur. VETUSTAM hydram, perhibent, immanem et infernam Et quatuordenis oculis se circumspiciebat. Sed nisi clavam Hercules ingentem habuisset, *"The Dragon of Wantley" poema quod reperiet lector in "Percy's reliques of Ancient English Poetry" nihil aliud est, quam carminis hujusce versio anglicana. Hoc monstrum alas habuit in tergo non exili Œdesque edit templaque pro ansere et turdo ; Degebat urbe vicino invictus quidam miles, Ad illum omnes fugiunt exanimes terrore "Tut!" respondebat contra miles, "vestri nihil volo, Cum proximo diluculo cubili exsurrexit, Nam braccas atque tunicam, sinistrâ atque dextrâ, Tunc aedibus egreditur, et vico spatiatur, "Nunc occupet te scabies," vociferavit draco, In hostem tunc conversus est et stercore aspergit; |