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habit of consulting; and in general, wherever he has been reduced to the necessity of guessing, (which must often be the case) he has mentioned in his notes the grounds from which he has drawn his conclusions. Those notes (though *snot so numerous as, perhaps, might be wished) are frequently valuable, and tend to remove obscurity and assist conjec

ture.

With regard to the style he has adopted in his translation, it is (in general) clear, easy, and unaffected. But here we are reluctantly compelled to pause in our praise, and make some observations that have occurred to us in the course of our perusal, which we have deferred to the conclusion of our criticism, with the hope that the translator may think them worthy his consideration in the further progress of his work.

b Though we have commended Mr. J. for presenting Frois sart to the public in dress of his own, rather than reviving all the antique cuts and slashes of Lord Berner's jerkin, yet. wowe by no means think that he should have appeared before us without his hat and feather, his point-laced ruff, and his golden spurs. Mr. J.'s is, at least, as much too modern, as Lord Berners' is too ancient a garb to enter the drawingroom in, with the gravity becoming our historian. Chivalry 1. has a particular costume of its own; it has it own dictionary and grammar; its own vocabulary (as we may say) of technical terms, which can with no more propriety be interchanged for each other, or parted with for those of any other art or proIfession, than the language used on board ship in a storm ean sbe applied to the evolutions of a marching regiment. In order to explain ourselves by examples, we will produce some instances to justify the censure we, in this respect, are compelled to pass on Mr. J.'s translation. I fit moult de faits d'armes, is rendered by the indefinite and vulgar expression of he performed wonders;' Grand pillage, et grande forage, inmense wealth; Droite fleur de cheva5derie, the flower of all his chivalry; Ainsi couroyoient les François un jour, et les Hainuyers l'autre,' is rendered by the very vulgar phrase of the Hainaulters returned the compli - ment Et plusieurs dirent qu'ils avoient ete en fantosme, of means not that they had been bewitched, but that they had e been struck with a panic. Bonnes Gens, good sort of peo ple; Et qui d'honneur et de largesse estoit plein acquitted himself with honour and generosity Ils ne luy eussent accorde celle courtoisie, would not have granted their reJaquests; Si estoient montez sur fleurs de coursiers et voides roussins et apperts,'' were mounted on excellent and well

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dressed horses;' Ce que fait en avez, vient de grand gentil lesse, he told him his actions were full of honour and nobleness,' These are but a very few instances of the general habit of Mr. J.'s translation to neglect all the striking pecu liarities of the original, and soften them down into one indiscriminate equality of language. One word more before we part with him on this subject. In translating such a book as this of Froissart's, it should be considéred what is that term in the English language which answers nearest to every pecu, liar word, in the French, and then that term should be applied with great care wherever the original word occurs. Thus, Beau fils, Beau frere,' Bel cousin,' &c. should be uniformly rendered Fair son,' &c. &c. but Mr. J. sometimes has it sweet son,' sometimes.. dear son,' sometimes' amiable son,' &c. &c. The word moult,' when joined to an adjec tive or an adverb should be always right,' as moult vallainment, moult courageux,' right valiantly, right brave,' &c &c. This striking phrase which occurs on the description of the battle of Najara or Navaretta, Fut le bataille moult dure, grande, felonneuse, et horrible, et moult y eut de gens mis a.grand mechef,' is.dwindled by the translation into a severe and bloody battle,' terms hardly forcible enough for a report in the newspaper. Some words are so peculiar thar they will hardly bear translation at all, and yet have thei own fixed and appropriate meaning, and which is well un derstood by all who are in the least conversant with the writings, of that period. Such are preux; as un preux che valien, and un prud homme ; Chevauchée, which answers. (as we have before observed) to the Scottish Raid,” but hardly has an appropriate phrase in English.--When such terms as these occur, we confess that, for our own parts, we had, rather see them left in their original language than weakoned, and done away by false translation. The periods of the day, which are always marked in Froissart by the canonical, terms of " tierce,'' haute nonne,' 'basse noune,' &c. would be better rendered literally or not rendered at all, than translated by the corresponding hours in general language. The technical law-terms which now and then occur should also be preserved with care; for the manners of the age" are often shewn by them. Je me mets en suisine is erroneously rendered by Mr. J. J. take possession; Droit hoir de Brethque is the right heir of Britanby, not the lawful Duke. En austerent le Comte de Montiort, why not they ousted the Earl of Montiont'

Mr. J. is also sometimes careless in altering his own expressions unnecessarily. The peculiar addition, or surname pf' Le Borgne de Rouvroy' is sometimes made the one-cycd,'

and sometimes left (as it should be) untranslated. 'The untelligible names of Bellemarines' and Tramesames' are in one place (very properly we should imagine) converted into Benamarin' and Tremecen,' but, further on, Froissart's blunder is preserved in the translation without a comment. The free-booter whom Froissart calls Ruffin,' Mr. Johnes calls sometimes Ruflin' and sometimes Griffith,' on the authority of a guess of Barnes's in his history of Edward III. which he acknowledges in a note to be no authority at 'ali for the alteration:

We have not been sparing of our censures in these par ticular points, because we think them serious blemishes in a work that (in all other respects), deserves the highest praise it is in our power to bestow. We consider it as an undertaking of great importance, and even of high national interest. Froissart is an historian, consulted and cited by every writer whose subject leads him to the period in which he wrote; and yet he reinains very generally unknown, except through the medium of short quotations and imperfect illustrations: He is the chief, if not the only authentic source of informa tion we are possessed of with regard to one of the proudest and most striking portions of our national annals. Yet his antique original garb, and the yet more uncouth and obso-" lete dress imposed on him by his translator, have deterred most general readers from approaching him, till Mr. Jolines. undertook to present him in a more familiar and agreeables form. But, in order to render that undertaking of the utility he proposes to himself, he must not sacrifice the peculiar and distinguishing marks of character to an easy and com-1 mon phraseology, nor confound the language and manners of the first knights of the garter, and the martial exploits of the Preux Chevaliers' of France and England, with those of the court of George III. or the camps of Bonaparte. We most sincerely applaud bis undertaking, and hail the continuance of his labours. Whether our opinion of his defects be well or ill founded, we are equally ready to thank him for the benefit he has conferred upon the cause of literature; and we should not perhaps have remarked so freely on his ima gined faults, did we not reflect that when a work is yet unfinished, every suggestion from an unprejudiced reader may claim consideration, and consideration may lead to im provement..

The engravings from old illuminated MSS, which accom pany the present portion of the work, are useful, as well as en rious, ornaments. As the authenticity of the sources from which they are taken, cannot be doubted, they present valu

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able pictures of the costume of the times; and, as such, we recommend them to the attention not only of the professed antiquary, but also of the managers of our theatres.

ART. II.Sylloge Confessionum.
(Concluded from page 122.)

IT gave us very sensible pleasure when we first heard of the publication of the book of Homilies by the University t of Oxford. There has been of late years a great deal of... controversial artifice exerted, to prejudice the minds of the vulgar with an opinion that a large portion of the English. clergy have renounced the venerable principles of the res formation, and would gladly suffer the memory of the doc trines and the example of their forefathers to be forgotten. On this account we beheld with much satisfaction the pube lication of the Enchiridion Theologicum, by a public pro fessor of divinity, which contains so many valuable productions of the æra of the reformation; we saw with the same feelings the publication of Nowell's Catechism, by the learned Bishop of Bangor (then of Chester); we saw with like pleasure the diligent perusal of these and similar works continually inculcated upon the younger clergy and the candidates for holy orders, by several prelates and otheri dignitaries of the church, such as are perfectly free from all suspicion of Calvinism, or have even distinguished theməq selves for their opposition to Calvinistical doctrines; and i besides, on many other accounts, we saw with sensible pleas sure the book of Homilies issuing from the Clarendon press (certainly not under the influence of Calvinism,) because and opportunity was thereby afforded for every one to examine! in person, and to acquaint himself with the genuine temper and principles of our reformers, in a way infinitely more complete and satisfactory than can be done from the muti lated, imperfect extracts, and partial comments of ignorant! or angry controversialists, The book of Canons, and of the thirty-nine Articles, we regard also as very appropriate com panions to the Homilies; and we were therefore well pleased to see them all associated together. But why, letus. be permitted to ask, was so thrifty a spirit: suffered to pres Vail as to withhold from us the Latin edition. of those ar ticles, and to leave us to content ourselves solely with the: English? It is certain that the Latin copy is by no means Among the least and lowest of the many helps towards the

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investigation of the true interpretation of our articles. Nay, do not learned men with reason affirm, that the Latin copy. was the genuine original; and that the English being a translation, and not executed with all the success which might have been desired, contains more than one or two blemishes from which the Latin is free?

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We have already remarked that we recollect only one note from the editors contained in all the several volumes which we are referring to in this article. This note therefore must, if on that account only, needs be an object of curiosity. But it has besides intrinsic claims to our notice. It is as follows, and is subjoined to the eleventh article of the church, of the Justification of Man: The homily here referred to is that entitled, " Of the Salvation of all Mankind," Book i. Num. 3. This laconic annotation speaks in so summary and authoritative a strain, that, were there not an opportunity of referring to other editions, we are persuaded it would be taken for an expository remark of the original compilers, and as requiring the same submission and Subscription with the rest of the book of articles. But being, we presume, the work merely of a man, such as men are now-a-days, of an expositor like ourselves, we really should have been better pleased had he condescended to unbend a little, and to vouchsafe to give some small reasons for, or cons firmation of his assertion. We like much better the manner in which this subject has been handled by a Cambridge expositor, who, it will be found, entertains, along with other learned men, a very different opinion on the subject from the Clarendon editor: and yet, we believe, the latter is bearer the truth, and had we leisure, could give, as we think, a full and satisfactory proof of our judgment. But to come to the Homilies themselves.

These being venerable for their excellency and antiquity, being appointed to be read in the congregation, being acknowledged as a part of the public confessions of the Engfish church, and possessing on so many accounts something of a sacred character, we might have expected that a more than ordinary degree of circumspection should have been exerted in the publication of them. But we are sorry to observe, that he who entertains such hopes will be miserably disappointed in the result. The matter being of so great importance, we shall give what will approach at no great interval to a detection of all the principal errors of this edi

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Hey's Lectures, vel, iii. p. 973, 4.

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