purity of the Creator, and of the aberration and fall of the living soul, formed in the Creator's own image-reasoning, responsible man.—From Mr. Miller's "First Impressions of England," in the Witness. REVIEW. The Annals of the English Bible. By Christopher Anderson. Two Volumes, 8vo. London: William Pickering. 1845. To the former of these comely volumes is prefixed the excellent observation of Boyle,—“I can scarce think any pains mis-spent that bring me in solid evidences of that great truth, that the Scripture is the word of God, which is indeed the GRAND FUNDAMENTAL.—And I use the Scripture, not as an arsenal, to be resorted to only for arms and weapons to defend this or that party, or to defeat its enemies; but as a matchless temple, where I delight to be, to contemplate the beauty, the symmetry, and the magnificence of the structure, and to increase my awe, and excite my devotion to the Deity there preached and adored." In these sentiments we joyfully concur; and, pursuing the thought of their truly "honourable" author, we account the utmost labour well bestowed in defending the authority, applying the catholic lessons, and illustrating the history, of the Bible. Each fresh inquiry tends to sustain the claims of Revealed Truth. It is THIS which interprets the mystic characters of Nature,-which meets the deepest wants of the human spirit,—and which gains its crowning victory amid the ruins which no other system can even profess to repair. Its argument grows with the lapse of ages. To its just renown, the minutest investigation has become tributary. Researches in the physical varieties of our race, in the theory of language, and in the philosophy of mind, are rising into illustrious science, which does homage to the sacred record. At the same time the traveller is reminded, by Orientalisms that have remained steadfast as if for this very purpose, of words and thoughts dear to his earliest recollections. From the banks of the Nile,-where the "reeds," once famous, are found no more; though other vegetable productions, against which no prophecy went forth, flourish in their ancient luxuriance, from the banks of the Nile to the marshes of Babylon; and thence to the desolations of Nineveh, which, as by a resurrection from oblivion, are now arresting the attention of Western nations,―lies, solemn and irrefutable, the evidence of a divine religion. Great and manifold are the advantages which Revelation confers. In its train every real blessing comes. Right views of truth and duty exert their healing influence only where Christianity has prevailed. HENCE innumerable rays, which appear to stream from other sources, are reflected; as truly as the moon draws her brightness from the absent sun, and the purple glow of evening survives the great luminary's course. When will history trace the beautiful connexion? And when will communities, as well as individuals, acknowledge the infinite debt?-Religion has explained the value of life, a principle sculptured in the legislation of Christian countries. By teaching conquerors humanity, it has made triumph glorious and enduring. And, by awakening genius, by directing thought, by shedding forth a pure intellectual light, it has exalted our literature beyond all common conception. The last of these illustrations is too rarely observed. With little regard to it, we loudly talk of Homer, Virgil, and “our greater Milton;" or we mark the points in which the " Dying Christian to his Soul" excels the lines of expiring Adrian, and the fine fragment of Sappho which, in certain turns of language, it confessedly resembles. But a just criticism, surveying all the particulars of comparison, will at length give honour to "the testimony of the Lord," which is "sure, making wise the simple,"-to "the commandment of the Lord," which is "pure, enlightening the eyes." The narrative to be reviewed abounds in proof of Britain's obligation to the Bible. Mr. Anderson's interest in his theme is above our praise. While other topics have engaged historical pens, this has been erroneously thought likely to want stirring incident and brilliant passages. Our author judges otherwise, and with reason. There is a magnanimity that is announced by no trumpet; and " scenes surpassing fable" rise in the life of those "of whom the" disdaining "world was not worthy." Providence, ever an instructive study, is especially visible in preserving the sacred oracles, vindicating their lofty independence of human might and rank, and baffling the most resolute opposition to their spread. The history of the Bible blends, moreover, with that of Protestantism. It is most interesting to remark the influence of Scripture-reading on the English Reformation. This was, in truth, the great instrument; and it must never be forgotten that the word of God was extensively read, in the language of this island, long before Luther arose in Germany. If any additional commendation of Mr. Anderson's subject be required, we need only advert to the vast proportion of the entire race that speak English. It is delightful, on the one hand, to find large portions of the pure word in more than a hundred and fifty dialects, thus rendered intelligible to the overwhelming majority of Adam's scattered children. Succeeding labourers in the department of translation will find it inspiriting to think of the men, pale with care and philological studies, who, for such a result, have willingly consumed the midnight oil or prevented the dawning of the morning. But, on the other hand, it is easily calculated that the copies of holy Scripture in English surpass, in number, those in all other languages taken together. "Notwithstanding all that had been printed and sold for more than two centuries and a half; the number of English Bibles and New Testaments separately, which have passed through the press within the perfect recollection of many now living, has exceeded the number of souls in Britain! It has been more than double the population in 1801 ! " With this statement we connect another, which occurs in a different part of Mr. Anderson's work : The sphere occupied by the British and Foreign Bible Society, in the ENGLISH department, has been delightfully large; and this has been dwelt upon in a variety of ways so frequently, that it is in danger of diminishing the rate or pace of exertion, if not of filling the whole field of vision. But as it regards the English Scriptures printed within the last fortyfour years, the field we now contemplate is far greater. Independently of whatever number of English Bibles and Testaments may have been dispersed through that one medium, we have to include those which have been printed in Scotland, and the general sale throughout the Since 1844, this important agency has even surpassed its former fame. In the space of twelve months, the press has been latterly sending forth more than a million of copies; while mariners, merchants, emigrants, who speak our language, have been navigating every sea, and entering every considerable haven of the known world. So that, regarding the activity of the .consecrated press and the wide dispersion of our countrymen, we may boldly ask, In what zone, in what meridian, is not the English Bible read? The idea of dominions from which the daylight is never withdrawn, is familiar. It was first offered in incense to Spain, during the day of her glory; and it has been proudly appropriated by the sons of Great Britain. But it now arises in more pleasing and solemn aspect. The Annalist reminds the British Christian that "his Bible, at this moment, is the only version in existence on which the sun never sets. We know full well," he continues, "that it is actually in use on the banks of the Ottawa and St. Lawrence, as well as at Sidney, Port-Philip, and Hobart-Town; but before his evening rays have left the spires of Quebec or Montreal, his morning beams have already shone for hours upon the shores of Australia and New-Zealand. And if it be reading by so many of our language in Canada, while the sun is sinking on Lake Ontario ; in the eastern world, where he has risen in his glory on the banks of the Ganges, to the self-same sacred volume many, who are no less our countrymen, have already turned." Surely here is hope for the world. Our voluntary exiles, carrying their Bibles with them, may yet emulate the zeal of primitive Christians; who, when scattered abroad, made known "the common salvation" to Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch. Into the question of A UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE,—of one which may serve, at least, for general communication among the learned,- -we dare not now enter. The elegant writer on the "Advancement of Society" maintained the affirmative twenty years ago. And, if dialects are most numerous in a savage state, if civilisation, commerce, and religion give permanence to speech, if political greatness and influential literature, combined, promise the extensive adoption of a language, is it mere prejudice that prompts an opinion in favour of the English? Our tongue is free and unlimited, from the variety of its sources; and into it the riches of foreign learning are abundantly imported. We presume not, of course, to decide the question : but, if the claim of any rival be urged, let Britain with her forty colonial governments, her varied institutions, and her millions of Bibles, give the answer,—an answer to be echoed and confirmed by the great Republic of the West. We return to our subject, then, with deepening interest. It has been matter of just regret that the pages to which inquirers naturally refer, and which are graced by such names as Foxe, Strype, Burnet, Collier, Dibdin, Townley, and Horne, contain no adequate and consecutive history of our Bible. The work of Lewis, to which succeeding writers are indebted, is unalluring and scanty. Mr. Anderson's volumes are to be hailed, therefore, as a most seasonable contribution to our libraries. He tells us that his work is "drawn from authentic and unpublished manuscripts, from the original printed authorities in succession, and the editions of the Scriptures themselves." He has most diligently availed himself of access to the British Museum, the Chapter-House of Westminster, the State-Paper Office, the Libraries of Oxford and Cambridge, the Baptist Museum of Bristol, the Northern Library of the Faculty of Advocates, and other celebrated Collections. In addition to patient researches here, he has hastened, the willing captive of his theme, to visit the principal continental cities in which scenes of his narrative lie. In regard to style, arrangement, and the like, the writer cannot be much applauded. If we had a revival of Olympic festivities, we could not. promise any parallel to the occasion when Herodotus by repeating his history fired young Thucydides, and obtained, from an admiring throng, the, names of the Muses for his nine books. The work is prolix and heavy; but he who shrinks from more-than-thirteen-hundred pages, may enjoy a satisfactory outline by following the largest type of the text. By the strict form of "Annals," the life of the story is to some extent sacrificed. This we are prepared to expect; but there are other imperfections on which we must just animadvert, unless the office of criticism be virtually abdicated. Mr. Anderson brings information, ramified to tediousness, which he probably regards as collateral, though much of it is so slightly and distantly related to the main subject as to render such epithet questionable. The selection of circumstances the most apt, and their skilful combination, are of high importance to the effect of description, a thought which the great Longinus worthily expresses in sect. x. of his one remaining Treatise, and which can scarcely be too generally applied :.........τὸ τῶν ἐμφερομένων ἐκλέγειν ἀεὶ τὰ καιριώτατα, καὶ ταῦτα τῇ πρὸς ἄλληλα ἐπισυνθέσει καθάπερ ἕν τι σῶμα ποιεῖν dúvaobai But the question of the English Bible is sometimes quite lost in the multiplicity of surrounding detail. And many will observe in Mr. Anderson a passion for finding analogies; an extreme desire to magnify his heroes, at the expense of all beside; a prejudice against Bishops, truly North-British; a hatred of monopoly, which, however just, beguiles him from the far higher subject ;—not to dwell on reiteration of topics, and the error of impairing the interest by telling what he will tell. But we gladly leave this part of our task. In these elaborate volumes there is much, very much, to instruct and regale the Christian reader. This we shall find it easy to show, by examples of valuable information; especially of such as is new, and such as qualifies or corrects former statements. The Annals begin with Tyndale* and the sixteenth century. But in a lengthened "Introduction," the general history of preceding times is surveyed. From the beginning of the seventh century to the revival of letters in the fourteenth, we commonly reckon THE DARK AGES. Over this protracted period the names of Bede, Alcuin, Charlemagne, Louis the Pious, Alfred, Anselm, Bernard, and a few Easterns, throw but a feeble glimmering. We need not discuss the question as to the most gloomy hour of this mediæval night,-what Mr. Anderson calls "the nadir of the human mind." Our present aspect is on the dawning of the day. Before this happy change, indeed, Italy had been for some time distinguished by reviving literature and art; of which the exquisite productions now adorn the palaces, cabinets, and galleries, of many a land. And it is to be observed, that the Italian Republics were slower to bow to the Pontiff than were the remoter States of Western Europe. The British Isles were especially oppressed; and over these beautiful plains the rod of ecclesiastical empire was swayed, with feeblest exception or resistance. Milan was withstanding the hierarch. Venice, as though triumphing in her defence of rocks and Adriatic waves, was acting in the spirit of an anti-monarchical constitution; laughing at the excommunications that pealed from the awful Vatican; maintaining com It is perhaps worth noting that, throughout this paper, Mr. Anderson's spelling of names is adopted. merce inviolate and free; vindicating civil against canon law; and humbling the warriors that came with crosier, sceptre, sword, and the Pope's irreversible blessing. Dante, in Florence, was not only singing of Paradise, but writing against the assumed supremacy. In brief,—cities all but under the shadow of Rome, were fighting for liberty, while our islands were submitting to the yoke of bondage. There are chapters that patriotism would gladly blot from a country's annals. But it is not quite unseasonable to reflect that, in the morning twilight of a better day, the Pontiff's income from England was thrice as much as that of native royalty. As during the Anglo-Saxon period, so for ages after the Conquest, this realm was obsequious, beyond many others, to the power of the Seven Hills. Here monastics chose the loveliest and most fruitful spots on which their discriminating eyes ever rested; and St. Peter's successor exclaimed, 66 'Truly, England is our garden of delight! It is an unexhausted well! and where so much abounds, much may be acquired." Yet in Britain, as in Germany and Italy, the fourteenth century is marked by events full of hope. Italy, as we have seen, claims the honour of precedence in some respects; and the claim is admitted. In that peninsula learning rose again, as from the sepulchre. Captive Greece had once instructed and refined her iron conquerors; but for more than a millennium Athens had ceased to be the University of the world, and her admirable books had been neglected. Such a state of things was not to continue. Petrarch and Boccaccio set the fair example of studying the long-forgotten literature; and one of their countrymen has called them "the Pontiffs and interpreters of antiquity." Honour to their memory! We can trace the bearing of their pursuits far beyond their calculation. And yet, allowing every fair claim in behalf of Italy, we partake Mr. Anderson's glow of joy in remarking that whatever revival of letters was seen in these islands, at this and yet earlier periods, was "associated with a special leaning towards the oracles of God." The declaration of GROSSTESTE is in point. It belongs to the thirteenth century. More than a hundred years before the establishment of Boccaccio's chair of Greek in Florence, this Englishman is said to have translated Dionysius, Damascenus, and the Lexicon of Suidas, and to have evinced some knowledge of Hebrew. "It is the will of God," says he, "that the holy Scriptures should be translated by many translators, and that there should be different translations in the Church, so that what is obscurely expressed by one may be more perspicuously rendered by another."—Another testimony, too beautiful to be omitted, is that of an Irish Primate, FITZRALPH, who flourished in the middle of the fourteenth century. He was the energetic precursor of a more illustrious man, soon to be introduced, in contending against the all-grasping Friars; and to him many have attributed an Irish version of the New Testament. As for the Primate himself, by his own account, "the Lord had taught him, and brought him out of the profound vanities of Aristotle's philosophy, to the Scriptures of God." "To Thee be praise," says he, "to Thee be glory, to Thee be thanksgiving, O Jesus most holy, Jesus most powerful, Jesus most amiable, who hast said, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life,'-a way without When Fitzralph died, WICKLIFFE appeared ready to catch his mantle and justify his zeal. It is the undying fame of the latter, that his is the first |
