means version or explanation. They are also known by the name of Chaldee Paraphrases, as they are rather comments and explications, than literal translaations of the text. Some of these Targums are yet extant, and they are often mentioned in the writings of the ancient Fathers of the Church. The most ancient, valuable, and memorable Greek translation of the Old Testament, now extant, is that called the Septuagint, made in the joint reigns of Ptolemy Lagus, and his son Ptolemy Philadelphus, 286 years B. C. It derives its name from its being supposed to be the production of seventytwo Jews, usually called the seventy interpreters— seventy being a round number. If the Pentateuch, and the Book of Joshua were translated into Greek before the time of Alexander the Great-as some have affirmed all the copies have perished. It is supposed that the Church at Antioch possessed a Syrian translation of the Bible, A. D. 100. In Abyssinia, there is an Ethiopic version of the Bible, ascribed to an author of the fourth century. Chrysostom, who lived at the end of that century, and Theodoret, who was fifty years later, state that they possessed Syrian, Indian, Persian, Armenian, Ethiopic, and Scythian versions of posed by men divinely inspired, yet without any public mission as prophets.

The books of the Old Testament are now generally divided into four classes-the Pentateuch, or five books of Moses-the Historical Books, comprising from Joshua to Esther, inclusive—the Doctrinal or Poetical Books, consisting of Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon-the Prophetic Books, comprising Isaiah, Jeremiah with Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, and the Twelve Minor Prophets. See Horne's Introduction.

the Bible. The ancient Egyptians possessed a translation into their language; also the Georgians. The most ancient German translation is that made by Ulphilas, A. D. 360. In all these versions, except the Syrian, the Old Testament is translated from the Septuagint, and not immediately from the Hebrew, in which language it was originally written. Notwithstanding the great excellence of the Septuagint, competent judges decide that it should not, as has sometimes been done, be considered as equal to the Hebrew text.

The Old and New Testaments were translated into Latin by scholars among the primitive Christians. During the continuance of the Roman Empire in Europe, the Scriptures were every where read in Latin, which was the universal language of that Empire: before the Christian æra, the Greek had been the general language. But, after its overthrow, and the erection of various kingdoms upon its ruins, the Latin language gradually fell into disuse; and hence the necessity for having the Bible translated into as many modern languages as there are different nations professing the Christian religion, not using the same language. The total number of dialects, in all parts of the world, is supposed to be about five hundred: and of these, more than one hundred constitute languages generically distinct. The Sacred Scriptures have been translated, either wholly or in part, into upwards of one hundred and fifty of these various dialects. The chief translations of the Scriptures, which have been made into the different modern languages of Europe,

amount to about forty-two. The Vulgate is a very ancient translation of the Bible into Latin; and is the only translation acknowledged by the Church of Rome to be authentic. Latin translations were made for the Latin Church, soon after the first introduction of Christianity: one of which obtained a more extensive circulation than the others, and was called by Jerome the Vulgate, and the Old translation. Jerome made, towards the close of the fourth century, another Latin translation, which surpassed all that preceded it. There are three classes of the Vulgate; the ancient Vulgate, translated from the Septuagint; the modern Vulgate, the greater part of which is translated from the Hebrew text; and the new Latin translation, by Sanctes Pagninus, made in the sixteenth century-also from the Hebrew

text.

I will now give a very condensed account-derived from several authorities of the translations of the Bible, at different periods, into the English language. The assertion that Adelme, Bishop of Sherborne, who lived early in the eighth century and was a man of great learning, translated the Psalms into the Saxon, is supposed, by some authorities, not to be supported by sufficient evidence. Egbert, Bishop of Lindisfern, who died in 721, translated the four Gospels into Saxon; and, about the same period, the venerable Bede made a Saxon version of the entire Bible. Two hundred years later, King Alfred made another translation of the Psalms: and, in 995, Elfred, Archbishop of Canterbury, translated into Saxon, the Pentateuch, Joshua Kings, and Esther. The first English translation of

the Bible, known to be extant, was made in 1290-the author unknown. Of this there are extant three manuscript copies, in the Bodleian, Christ's Church College, and Queen's College libraries.

In 1382, Wickliffe, who has been called the Apostle of England, completed his translation of the Bible, which was made from the Latin Vulgate. This was not printed; but, there are several manuscript copies of his work still extant in some public and private libraries. Wickliffe's translation of the New Testamentthe price of a manuscript copy of which, in 1429, was £40 of the present currency was printed in 1731.

Several English versions of the Old and New Testaments were published in the reign of Henry VIII.the most remarkable of which was that of William Tyndal, printed at Antwerp or Hamburg, in 1526. The New Testament was translated from the original Greek: it is supposed the Old Testament was translated from the Latin of the Vulgate, or the Greek of the Septuagint. After the death of Tyndal-who, at the time of its occurrence, was engaged on a second edition of his translation-the work was prosecuted by Coverdale, and the Proto-Martyr John Rogers who revised the translation of Tyndal by comparing it with the Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and German; and he also added notes taken from the Bible of Luther. This was the first translation of the whole Bible printed in the English language; and was the first English Bible allowed by royal authority. This work was published in 1535; and, as Rogers assumed the name, Thomas Matthew, the edition of 1537, was called Matthew's

Bible. It was first printed at Hamburg, and afterwards in England, in virtue of a license obtained by the influence of Cranmer, Latimer, and Shaxton. In 1539, a large folio Bible was published under the direction of Cranmer, styled the Great Bible: and, in the same year, another was published, called Travener's Bible, from the name of its conductor, Richard Travener. Cranmer wrote a preface for the Great Bible— hence called Cranmer's Bible-and every parish Church throughout England was required, by royal proclamation, to have a copy of this Bible in the Church; and the curates and parishioners were commanded, by like proclamation, to have it, under a penalty of forty shillings for every month they should be without it. By the order of Henry VIII. Tonstal and Heath, Bishops of Durham and Rochester, superintended a new edition of Cranmer's Bible, which was published in 1541: but, as it did not please Henry --who added the title of Defender of the Faith, to that of King of England—it was suppressed, by authority. It is doubtful whether another translation was made in the reign of Edward VI.; or, as has been said, two editions printed-in 1549, and 1551.

In the reign of Mary, seven English exiles residing at Geneva made a new translation, which was published in 1560; and was called the Geneva Bible.* This was the first English Bible in which the chapters

*John Knox was one of the translators of the Geneva Bible, among whom, we may readily suppose, he occupied a distinguished position. The Geneva version of the Bible is considered, by some eminent theologians, as more accurate on what are called the Doctrines of Grace, than that of King James I.