Review of Religious Publications.

The Book of Psalins. Translated from the Hebrew; with Notes, Explanatory and Critical, by Samuel Horsley, L. L. D. F. R.S. F. A. S. late Lord Bishop of St. Asaph. Two vols 8vo, 1l. 48.

cient marks for distinguishing the first
voice from the second, or semi-chorus
from the chorus-a very few instances
perhaps excepted: and the introduction
of an oracular voice from the temple,
sometimes uttering a single word or
part of a sentence, appears to us per-
fectly arbitrary, and without authority.
Indeed, these are liberties which would
hardly be tolerated toward an heathen
classical writer, and with an inspired
are dangerous,
one.

profane.

and almost

WE suppose there was a general unanimity of feeling and sentiment among all the lovers of sacred literature, in opening the volumes now before us. That the popular translations of this book, in the Bible and Prayer-Book, were, in many parts, defective, was extremely evident to Whatever imperfections may be the biblical critic; and the gigantic marked in our popular version (and talents of Bishop Horsley greatly we think there are many) there apraised our expectations: and if we pear to us as many in this New Transconfess that we have been disap- lation, and perhaps more exceptionable. pointed, as we really must, we do not The introduction of high-church and so much blame the author as the edi- political phrases may be very consisttor of these volumes. The enuncia- ent in a bishop, but we hope they tion of a New Translation of the Psalms will never be forced upon us by naturally led us to expect it extended authority. The modern, and someto the whole book; when alas! the times affected, expressions frequently very first Psalm, and upwards of introduced, appear very inferior to seventy more, among which is the the venerable language of our trans119th, are wanting, amounting in the whole to about one half of the book; nor can we admit the ingenious apology of the editor, that the Bishop approved of the popular version of all the Psalms he has omitted; for even in the Notes to the first Psalmi, and many others, he has marked passages which he meant to alter. The fact evidently appears to be, that the Bishop translated the Psalms at different times, as they engaged his attention, intending to consider the others at a future period, which, alas! never came. As to the Notes, we cannot help thinking many of them are mere hints, on which he intended to enlarge. Taking the work however as it is, we confess it valuable; though we have no doubt but it would have been greatly improved, had his Lordship lived to prepare it for the press; and we cannot but express our regret that it has not fallen into more judicious hands.

That the original form of many of the Psalms was dramatic we can have no doubt, after the masterly demonstrations of Bishop Lowth; and the same is certain of the Song of Solomon, and many other parts of Scripture; yet we think there are no sufi

XXIV,

lators, and exhibit an equal impropriety, as the dressing the heroes of Greece and Rome in the English costume of the last century; but, the principal fault we have to mark, in this respect, is the cold and formal language often adopted instead of that which was full of piety and uncticu. We cannot enter into the proof of these charges at length, but shall give a few instances of each, that our censures may not stand wholly unsupported.

Among the high-church phrases borrowed from the Christian hierarchy, may be reckoned, pomp of holiness; and in the Notes church of Christendom.'

'mother Political:

Critical times conspiracies statesmen schemes of treachery loyalty antichristian, - persecuting,. Barbarous Atheistical faction-plot.' or vulgar: -Be full fed-the overpowered man-my fortunes are in thy hand-who is fond of life to see prosperity? thy bright beauties (for thine honourable woman,' Ps. xlv.)

godly sort-shall be getting them out of the way-a fright to all who knew me how brief I am! Affected :- Mansion of thy sanctityset a polish constituting the clouds

F f

his chariots-the maxims of the apostate-turmoiled in vain -- void pitprecincts.' Modern: Chaunt the holy lay-raise the loud peal-consternation how extraordinary thy thoughts!-how multiplied the particulars of them!-perversity of my sin -my heart palpitates.' Mean, technical, or theatrical:-'Sum total of my joy-patemuttering- make scorn at them-wonderfully am I composeda strong push · the earth and its whole furniture-bring things to a conclusion-play the tyrant-no God is the whole of his philosophy.'

Horsley so nearly allied in sentiment to Bishop Horne, much less to trace any approbation of the interpretations of the great apostle of the mystical school, Mr. Hutchinson himself. We cannot but lament that the present translator should have so frequently discarded the historical references to the life and circumstances of David and other inspired writers of the Psalms;- and that he should have found the great Antitype in Psalms and passages, where but few others would expect to discover him. It is true, we would rather err with CocWe are not concerned in the dis- ceius than with Grotius on these pute concerning the merits of Tate points. It must, however, be asand Brady, compared with Sternhold knowledged, that the Bishop has gone and Hopkins, whose cause the Bishop as far in the mystical interpretation strongly advocates, by asserting that of the Psalms, as any preceding the old metrical version of the Psalms writer even farther than Bishop is the best and most correct we have.' Horne, who certainly went far We find, however, that our present enough. translator prefers the version of the former before that of the latter, in some passages where they remarkably differ, particularly in Ps. Iviii. 8.

In Psalm xiv. three instances occur where Jehovah is found in the text, and the word God in the notes; for what reason we are at a loss to conjecture. In many passages the article before 7 is rendered by the English article the:- Serve the Jehovah-bless the Jehovah,' &c. So also 'Seeking the Elohim,'

Tremellius and Junius do not translate the artiele in these passages, though they have beep censured for the abundant use of the pronoun, expressed by the Hebrew emphatic prefixed to nouns the article is frequently placed, before proper names following a verb, but how strange it would be to say 'the Jacob, the David!' &c.

Ps. xxxvii. 2. For suddenly, like hay, they shall be mown down. Our common version has like grass,' which is better, as in the eastern countries they make no hay

We little expected to find Bishop

*The chanting of psalms was introduced into the western churches by St. Ambrose, about A. D. 353; and in 600, was improved by St. Gregory the Great. The Book of Homilies condemnschanting, and playing upon organs, as sorely displeasing God, aud filthily defiling his Holy Place.'2d Part of the Service of the Place and Time of Prayer.

The

The 51st is a most important Psalm, and we are much surprized at the Bishop's temerity in taking away the title, and referring it to the time of captivity: and we cannot help smiling at its interpretation being referred to the 'penitential confession of the converted Jews.' This Psalm, however, is not translated, and only a few hasty Notes are given. question of applying this Psalm and the 88th to Christ, is a serious one and gives us pause. In the first place, we are by no means disposed to cancel the title of the former, much less to spiritualize it, as some have done. That Christ bore our sins by imputathereby became a sinner we deny, tion we fully believe; but that himself because he could not then have atoned. Nothing occurs in our Lord's agony and prayers like confessing sin. We think it, therefore, unwarrantable to apply such language to him; and as to imploring pardon, this seems altogether improper; for if our sins were pardoned to him, they could not be atoned by him.

We examine a few of the criticisms in the Notes.

Ps. xvi. 2. After a waste of criticism, to shew how easily the original may have been corrupted, Bishop Horsley shews that it gives a good it? meaning as it stands ;~why then alter

'I have said unto Jehovah, O Lord, Thou art my Good-not [Good] be. sides thee!-- i. 6.

Hing up the ellipsis, in the genuine Is not the writing of the people in this idiom of the original, Thou art my passage to be understood in the same Good-[I have] no good, or [there is sense as- - written in the writing of no good to me] besides thee,which the house of Israel,' mentioned by is exactly the same as expressed by Ezekiel (xiii. 9)? And does not the the same writer in Ps. lxxxiv, 'Whom expression refer to a register in which have I in Heaven,' &c. We think citizens are enrolled, rather than to it a rule which cannot be objected the historical Scriptures of the New to, that when the sense of a passage Testament? Bishop Horne refers it is doubtful, we should prefer one that has been used by the same author. Ps. xxv. 11, 'Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.' The same method of filling up as the Bishop uses, Ps. xvi. 2. (and it is used in other places by our translators) gives a clear and beautifal sense. Pardon my iniquity [pardon it] for it is great'-i.e. not making the greatness of his sin an argument for pardon, but the cause of his earnestness in supplicating it.

Ps. 1. 21. We admire the introduction of the sacred name; but to preserve the equivocation of the original we would omit the verb is, and read, "Thou thoughtest that I AM such a one as thyself. We are so far from thinking the common rendering wrong, that we consider it uncommonly expressive.

These things hast thou done, and I kept silence,

*Thou thoughtest that I AM such a one as thyself;

But I will reprove [or convict ] thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.' That is,

to the book of life, the register of Heaven.' Dr. Durell had applied the passage to the pedigree of our Lord, as given by the evangelists, though Bishop Horsley does not refer to him. In the critical Notes, which constitute one half of the volumes, we have a most affecting mass of conjectural emendations of the original text, collected from the labours of Archbishop Secker, Bishops Lowth and Hare, Dr. Kennicott, Father Houbigant, and others. It is true, Bishop Horsley sometimes prefers the. present readings to their adventurous corrections; but, in other instances, while he rejects their emendations, it is only to offer his own proposal of new readings. We suspect these notes, at least some of them, were amongst the early labours of the Bishop in the field of sacred criticism. The Note on Ps. vii., where is a reference to the emigrant clergy of France, seems to designate the time of his writing the observations we there meet with. In the Preface to his Hosca, alater work, it appears as if his Lordship had altered his judgment on the subject of conjectural emendation of the sacred the matter only as a problem in the text, when he remarks-' Considering doctrine of Chances, the odds are For one instance in which conjecture always infinitely against conjecture. may restore the original reading, in one thousand, or more, it will only leave corruption worse corrupted.' One of the most peculiar renderings (Hosea, p. 34.) We prefer Bishop is given of Ps. lxxxvii. 6, 'Jehovah shall record in the scriptures of the Horsley's Preface to his Hosea before peoples-[that] this man was born his Notes on the Psalms. It is well known how many passages in the there'-that is, as the Bishop explains classic authors of Greece and Rome it, Every one shall confess, to the honour of the Israelites, that the have been spoiled by the rash hand of conjectural emendation; but we Saviour was a native Jew; and God fear that still more serious mischief shall provide that this circumstance has been done to the sacred text of shall be particularly recorded in the the Hebrew Scriptures by the same Scripture of the peoples-the historical books of the New Testament, called presumptuous meddling. On Ps, evii. the Scripture of the Peoples, as in- 3., Bishop Horsley wishes us for I tended for the instruction of the whole to read, with Bishop Hare and Dr. world; not like the Scriptures of the Kennicott, j''.' We will cite Dr. Oid Testament, peculiar to the Jews.' Kennicott's words on this emenda

as thy Judge I will exhibit thy crimes openly—lay them in order before thy face. For a comment on this passage, see Rev. xx. 12, And the books were opened,' &c. The Bishop and the lxx. give nearly the same sense, only. modernized. It is the Judge himself -no public accuser, that will bring to light the crimes of the wicked.

The

tion, just as a single specimen of the will well recompense the perusal of value of such conjectures:- Verbum every student in the kingdom. It is D'auster, decurtatur in 'n occi- founded on Ephes. i. 19, 20. dens; nam nullus sane auctor, nedum general observations are clear, arguafflatu usus divino, scribere potuit mentative, and masterly. Two or "ab oriente et occidente, a septentri- three phrases, viz. at the bottom of one et occidente." Hinc perspicere p. 4, at the top of p. 5, and near the velim quantopere conducat, vel potius close of p. 14, are not, however, quam necesse sit, textum nostrum quite so correct as we could wish. aliquando ex conjectura sola corri- Perhaps they escaped the respectable gere; quia hic deserimur omnino a tutor's notice, in transcribing for the manuscriptis Hebræis æque ac versi- press. onibus antiquis.' Dissert. Gen. BibHeb. § 26. On the passage we may remark, that the sea, commonly indeed denotes the West, because the great mid-land sea was on the west of Canaan; but here, as it appears from the opposition of this to the north, it describes the sonth, so called from the Red Sea, which was on the south, and which is sometimes called the Sea, simply and with out addition, as Ps. lxxii. 8., and

By

The Purple Island, a Poem. Phineas Fletcher. With the Critical Remarks of the late H. Headley, A. B; and a Biographical Sketch, by W. Jaques, 8vo, 5s.

MR. Hervey, was so much delighted with this poem, that he wished some bookseller could be prevailed on to reprint it. This we believe was done; and it had become again scarce before the appearance of this new edition, which is therefore welWhen genuine various readings of come both to the friends of genius ancient manuscripts are produced, and religion. Mr. Hervey justly

cxiv. 3.

we will attend to them; but when remarks, that this poem abounds mere conjecture proposes emenda- with useful, picturesque, and striking tions, without the authority of a sentiments' The five first cantos single manuscript or ancient version, we will pause before we admit them. We have noticed some errata, not acknowledged among the few that are given at the end of the work. Vol.1, p. 235, lands for lambs. Vol. 2, p. 26, in the note, fast, probably for feast.

p. 215 and Index, 77 for 71T p. 239, and not we ARE ourselves. Bates, for Bate, frequently occurs, and also in the Index.-&c. frequently placed after Hebrew citations, which is improper. Poole, in his Synopsis, and others, use the Rabbinical abbreviation for 11-as after Greek citations the initial letters, x. T. λ. are commonly adopted.

We cannot conclude our Review without expressing our admiration at the fine paper and open pages of these volumes, and still more at the high price affixed to them: surely this is not the way to encourage sacred literature!

The Power of God in the Soul of Man: a Sermon preached at Masborough. By Jos. Gilbert, 15. 6d.

THIS sermon, published at the request of the students at Rotherham,

describe the subject of the Poem, which is allegorical, the Purple Island being the human body. The description is indeed very ingenious; though, as Mr. Headley remarks, too minutely anatomical: but, in the to the passions and mental faculties, subsequent cantos, which are devoted the fatigued attention is not merely 'relieved, but fascinated and enraptured.' The lovers of religious poetry will be much gratified; especially the admirers of Spencer, from whose bright lamp' Mr. F.'s poetic torch avowedly was kindled.

*Hervey's Letters, No. 131. Works, vol. v.

The Young warned against the Enticements of Sinners: in two Discourses on Prov. 1. x. By the Rev. Andrew Thomson, minister of St. George's, Edinburgh. 1s. 6d.

WE rejoice in the multiplication of discourses, adapted to the religious instruction of youth, and especially when they are so well written

as

Mr. Thomson's. The author points out some of the methods by which sinners usually entice the young; exposes their evil nature

and dangerous tendency; and faith-
fully warns his readers against their
influence. This is a very respectable
performance, and may be given with
confidence to young persons of every
class.

The Tendency of Infidelity and
Christianity contrasted: in two Ser-
By Rev. A. Fletcher, of
Miles's Lane. On the Conclusion of

mons.

Peace with America. 1s.

TAKING Matt. xxiv. 27, as a passage, by way of accommodation, Mr. F. makes many appropriate observations on the gospel, as a system of light, and its progress from east to west. In the second sermon, some affecting incidents occur of the influence of infidelity, contrasted with the spirit of Christianity, in the United States. We cannot forbear the insertion of one of them. One of the members of Congress, in a speech be delivered in that assembly, made the following observation:-"I wish I had the red hot artillery of Heaven in my power, then should I drive the British island from her moorings!" That day the thunderbolts of Heaven fell upon his villa and plantations, and levelled them with the ground!' We presume that this remarkable circumstance is well authenticated. A pleasing glow of patriotism and Christian fervour pervades these dis

courses.

The Death of Godly Relatives a
Cause for Weeping:
a Sermon
preached at Bethnal Green, on
Account of Mrs. Morss. By J.
Kello. 8vo, 1s.

LAMENTING the loss of an excel. lent daughter, Mr. K. improves the event by a very judicious and consclatory discourse, on Luke xxiii. 28; and to persons who are mourning under bereaving providences, a perusal of these pages may prove very consoling to their minds.

LITERARY NOTICES.

The Hebrew MS. mentioned in our last, is 159 feet long, and in good preservation,

Proposals are issued for publishing the Whole Works of the Rev. Oliver Haywood, in four vols. 8vo, including original Matter, Life, Portrait, &c. By the Rev. J. Slate and W. Farmer.

Also for a thick 12mo vol. of Essays of
Theological and Literary Subjects. By

The Christian Doctrines of the Trinity and Incarnation considered and mainBy the Rev. J. Oxlee. Vol. I, 8vo, 12s. tained, on the Principles of Judaism.

The Works of the Rev. R. Cecil, M.A. three vols. 8vo, new edit. £ 2. 25.

History of the Inquisition, abridged from Limborch; with an Historical Survey of the Christian Church. 8ve, 13s.

Eighteen Sermons, from the MSS. of the Rev. Ph. Henry, A. M. 8vo, 9s.

Dr. John Scott's Christian's Life,

abridged and corrected, 8vo, 8s.

A concise System of Self-Government. By J. Edmondson. 8vo, 8s.

Burder's Village Ser. vol. 7. 12mo, 2s. Transactions of the Missionary Society. No. 27, 1s.

An Attempt to delineate from Scripture the Beginning, Progress, and End of a Work of Grace. 12mo, stitched, 2s. Memoirs of Mrs. Newell. 2nd edit. 12mo, 4s.

Dewhirst's Lectures. Part 1, 33. Funeral Ser. for the Rev. G. Lambert, with the Address at the Interment, by Rev. E. Parsons and J. Gilbert. 8vo, 2s.

The Guilt of neglecting the Knowledge of Christ: a Sermon by J. P. Smith, D. D. 1s. 6d.

Errors of the Church of Rome, ditto, by J. Bennett, Rotherham. 8vo, 1s.

The Labouring Man's Friend, do. by J. Ovington. 6d.

Friendly Remarks on Mr. Cunningham's Conciliatory Suggest. 12mo, 1s.

The Retrospect, or Review of Provi-' dential Mercies. 12mo, 5s.

Burder's Supplement to Watts. New .edit. 18mo and 32mo,

Concordance to the N. Test. 24mo, 6s.
The Cottage in the Wood (for Sunday
Schools) by P. Bronte. 1s. 6d.
Time well spent.

Is.

The Old Lady, or the bappy Effects of attending the Missionary Meeting, 1815. No. 1, 6d.