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the friends of the work here doubt, let them contribute their assistance towards increasing its value. Their contributions would increase its interest, at least, in their own circle of acquaintance.

They will, if I may judge from experience, find several in that circle, who would readily give the Repository their support, if the opportunity were afforded them; and some sch representations as what I have stated will effectually call the attention of their friends to the object. It is surely worth the

trial.

I regard a periodical publication as a very important instrument, in giving a bias to reflection. I have no doubt that the permanent success of the Methodists, depends nearly as much on their magazine, as on their preaching. It will often, too, communicate a zest for religious inquiry, among those who would not look into a regular treatise.

The Repository somewhere informs us, that of the Evangelical Magazine, 18,000 copies are sold; I have heard that 20,000 are sold of the Arminian. The sale of the latter de-. pends upon the exertion of the Preachers. We cannot yet do as much as they; let us do what we can.

Some of your readers perhaps would gladly recommend the work; but one friend would not like the expense, and another cannot afford it. Three persons subscribing one penny a week, have a fund sufficient to purchase it.

I feel that I have the interest of the Repository much at beart; I believe I do not overrate its importance to the cause of truth; and I most cordially hope, that it will not fail for want of support."

I solicit the candour of your readers for these remarks, and am, Sir, your's very sincerely,

BIBLICAL CRITICISM.

L. C.

To the Editor of the Monthly Repository.
SIR,

Your insertion (Vol. I. p. 594.) of the Remarks which I ventured to offer, respecting the proposed Version of the New Testament, encourages me to request the same favour for a continuation of them.

Of the idioms in the original, there is one class which, though not agreeable to the idiom of the English language, are perfectly intelligible, and are familiarized to the reader of the

VOL. II.

E

New Testament: these it is needless to give up, though Newcome sometimes does it. Another frequently occurring class of idioms, not only are not accordant with the structure of our language, but are either harsh or unintelligible, or both. The simplest corresponding expression should here be chosen for the text; but, as the version is designed for the unlettered thinker, the literal translation should be inserted in the margin. To this should be prefixed, Lit. or some similar contraction, and not Gr.-for this (which Newcome uses) has a tendency to lead the reader to the idea, that the corresponding expression is to be considered rather as a paraphrase than an exact translation; whereas that only is the exact translation of the original expression, which gives to the English reader the same total of thought which the Greck reader received from it; and if the translation do this, a diversity in the fractional parts, where it' cannot be avoided, must be submitted to, and will seldom prove of ill consequence.

The customary meaning of words is not always the literal meaning, especially in particular combinations of them: still less is the customary meaning, in classical writers, always the literal translation of expressions employed in the New Testament. Where it can be well ascertained, that the customary classical meaning is not the meaning in the New Testament, or that even the customary meaning in the New Testament is not the meaning in any particular passage, there appears to be no propriety in stating the customary meaning as a literal representation of the Greek. For instance, "so that it was fulfilled," is as literal as, "that it might be fulfilled." The former is not indeed the customary meaning; but it is indisputably the meaning in the New Testament. If it be desirable to notice the latter in the margin, neither Gr. nor Lit. should be prefixed, but, Or. denoting merely a variation in the translation. Another very important case of the same kind occurs in the class of expression noticed by Symonds, page 150.

While I earnestly wish to see the proposed work calculated for the wants of the unlettered thinker, I am aware that there may be an extreme and perplexing attention to such considerations as I am stating. On this account, I do not think it desirable to notice every practicable variation of translation; but where there is more than one plausible rendering, consistent with the connection, and with the general custom of the New Testament writers, or of the particular writer, it will answer an useful purpose to insert in the margin, that of those which the conductors of the version do not prefer for the text.

Where any custom can be easily and fully understood by the English reader, either the exact translation of the expression founded upon it should be employed, or at least an expression perfectly consistent with it. (I would extend this rule farther, but foresee that even in its limited application it is liable to some objections.) For instance, the ancient posture at meals may be easily understood, why not give an exact translation of the words employed to denote it? Lobserve Dr. Symonds objects to this, and even approves rendering them" sitting." Newcome has taken a more guarded plan; and if the exact translation be not adopted, his mode is surely next to be preferred. The literal translation should in all such cases be scrupulously noticed in the margin.

The right management of the connectives forms a very important part of the translator's duty. In our language, juxtaposition is a continually occurring mode of connection: it was not the mode of the Greek and Latin languages; and even their sentences were almost always united, by connective words. These should be always translated; but the meaning should be varied to suit the kind of connection, unless any word can be found in English of equal extent with the original. Ka and de are continually employed for almost every kind of connection; and has the same generic signification, but is not susceptible of the same specific application; and that less general connective should be employed, which better suits the exigencies of the situation. Without diminishing the exactness of the translation, this would give it more energy, because more intelligibility. Tag has a less extensive application; but much more than our for, which, as every reader of Horne Tooke knows, always means cause. What the connective is which must supply its place in given instances, must be left to be determined by the known usage of the particular writer, of the New Testament writers, or of the Greek writers in general; but it seems necessary to perspicuity and force, to give the appropriate English connective, provided it is authorized by known usage. This is frequently neglected by Newcome.

The grammatical usages of our language should be rigidly observed. This will direct to a change in Newcome's employment of an and thine before words in which the h is sounded. The unpleasant sound, an house, is continually occurring. Perhaps to the same head may be referred his employment of the relative, in such cases as the following" He saith to the commander, May I speak to thee? Who said, &c." It surely should be," And he said," &c. Every person conversant with the Greek and Latin languages, knows that the relative, in its

customary force, is no more than a demonstrative with some connective particle, or even alone.

Dr. Symonds has the merit of pointing out the great importance of supplying the antecedents, where omitted in the original, yet necessary for intelligibility in our own language. Newcome has made good use of his remarks; but sometimes he has omitted to supply them where this was desirable; and sometimes the reference is still somewhat ambiguous.

I believe I have pretty nearly exhausted the topics on which I proposed to offer my remarks. Should those which I have offered be attended with any advantage, direct or indirect, I shall be amply repaid; and if they appear useless, or at least unnecessary, I trust I shall be excused on the score of intentions. I am, Sir, your's very respectfully,

L. C.

POETRY.

SIR,

To the Editor of the Monthly Repository.

I Now send you two more poems by my young friend Jons JACKSON, whose first and second productions you obligingly inserted in the number for September last. The following pieces were com municated to me in a short-hand letter, abounding with sentiment, and exhibiting in every line strong and unequivocal marks of original genius.

That John Jackson possesses the genuine temperament of poetic inspiration these pieces do abundantly manifest. In a letter which I have this day received, my young friend laments his present situation in the following couplet:

Here, 'midst my fellow brutes, I spend my days,
Unchcer'd by learning's salutary rays.

These lines are part of a Poetical Epistle, addressed to a certain Lyric Bard, of high poetic fame. As some apology for a trifling. defect in the last stanza of "Lines written in a Wood," it should be understood, that both the poems are the first unpolished effusions of an unlettered muse; and that I present them to the notice of your readers, only as the promising buds of future excellence, which time will mature, and which the candour of your readers will hasten. towards perfection.

Your obliged reader,

Fleet-street, Jun. 12, 1807.

J. NIGHTINGALE

* Vol. I. A. Joo.

TO SOLITUDE.

Written in a Wood, Nov. 30, 1806.

BY JOHN JACKSON.

HAIL Solitude! still, dark, sequester'd gloom,
Where silent bats and blinking owlets sleep,
Where undisturb'd the dangling wildflow'rs bloom,
And where the child of grief retires to weep!

If I a faithful friend had never known,

Had never mourn'd his loss with grief sincere;
If, turn'd by stern misanthropy to stone,
Had never shed a sympathetic tear;

If, bow'd with age, sad, fretful and forlorn,
Each youthful pleasure hateful to my sight;
For thy still shade I'd leave the world in scorn,
And hide my frailties in thy cheerless night.

Far otherwise! my longing anxious heart,

In love with social joys, shrinks from thy view;
At friendship's call from thee I'd gladly part-
Gladly I'd bid thy darksome shades adieu.

THE ORPHAN.

BY THE SAME.

I've no parent to protect me,

No one calls me love or friend!
All of some foul crime suspect me *;
Where shall all my sorrows end?

He that ought to feed and clothe me,
Worse than all the rest is he;
Mean and wretched, all men lothe me,
Comfort I shall never see!

Winter comes and finds me naked;
Soon its storms shall lay me low!

I shall sleep nor more be waked,
Till the last loud trump shall blow!

I've no parent to protect me,

No one calls me love or friend!
All of some foul crime suspect me ;
Death shall all my sorrows end!

A person in a mean habit, though innocent, is often suspected of guilt. ↑ The Overseer of the poor.

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