great merits of Mr. Scrivener's accurate collation, and the great importance of many of the points which he has brought forward, we are still forced to express our dissent from some of the principles which seem to animate this work. We have not unfortunately opportunity now to do more than record our conviction that Mr. Scrivener has scarcely formed a just estimate of what constitutes the critical value of a manuscript. Too often a MS. which presents a great number of unique readings finds a favour in the eyes of Mr. Scrivener, which other questionable characteristics should preclude it from enjoying. For instance, it is scarcely possible to consider the various readings of the miserable scrawl marked C. in Mr. Scrivener's list as worth much serious attention. Abounding as it does in unprecedented barbarisms, unequally dispersed itacisms, and other indisputable marks of carelessness, must not a vast number of its unique readings resolve themselves into the errors of an ignorant scribe? The same remark applies with greater force to the Evangelisterium y, in which, beside more than the usual crop of barbarisms and itacisms, the halves of many words are found omitted, clauses are lost by similarity of ending, and every possible evidence of its untrustworthy character is made glaringly patent. Who can wonder that Mr. Scrivener remarks that it is more full of various readings than any he has ever collated? and who can doubt that the greater portion of these are only instances of what the astronomers call the large 'personal equation' of the writer. In fact Mr. Scrivener's definition of 'valuable' MSS. is scarcely fixed, or rather he strives to include under it two things wholly disparate, high approximations to the probable text on the one hand, and unusual divergencies of Palæographical interest on the other. Again, we think that Mr. Scrivener wholly over-estimates the value of these cursive MSS., and in consequence somewhat undervalues the great uncial authorities. While we may agree with him in censuring the narrow limits to which Lachmann has confined himself, and may deplore a onesided criticism that would ignore or only partially notice the great body of cursive MSS., we are still decided in our opinion that the ancient uncial MSS. must ever be considered the first authorities for settling the text; then let us cheerfully take in the cursive MSS., but ever remember the sensible remark of Dr. Tischendorf, that the large number of witnesses of a later date must never be unduly pressed against the fewness of those of an earlier date. With these two protests we can heartily recommend this volume to our readers, and express our satisfaction that we have some antidote provided against the tentative criticism which has rendered the text of Mr. Alford's edition of the Holy Gospels even worse than useless. Sermons, preached in Village Churches,' by Mr. Jackson, of Warbleton. (Mozley.) If it were not that there is so great a difficulty in getting Sermons to be read at all, these Sermons would be very much read, and they would be felt to have distinguishing points of excellence which may well recommend them for a variety of purposes. It would be hard to say whether they are best fitted for private reading, for families, or for preaching,-for the topics being well chosen, and treated by one who seems to have chosen them for the satisfaction and amendment of his own mind as much as for anything else, there is not only truth in what he says, but truth that almost every body wants to have said to him; and an earnest sensible man, let him be of what rank he may, could hardly read one of these Sermons without being glad when the time came for reading another. Let any one try for himself by reading 'Peace in Christ the Christian's Present Portion,' and see whether he is content with that only, or whether of his own accord he does not read further. 'Voyage Religieux en Orient,' par M. L'Abbé J. H. Michon. Tom. i. (Paris, Comon, 1853.)—The Abbé Michon is already favourably known by his Sermons, entitled 'La Femme et la Famille dans le Catholicisme;' and the present work, of which we have only at present received the first volume, will add to his reputation. It appears that, for many years, the reconciliation of the Eastern and Western Churches has been the object of his deepest interest. An opportunity being afforded him of visiting the East, he left France in the September of 1850, and the present volume relates his travels in Greece and his visit to Constantinople, and brings him to the borders of the Holy Land. He gives a good deal of information on the present condition of the Eastern Church, which could scarcely be found elsewhere; but the main value of the book consists in the truly liberal character of his views, which it is as surprising as it is pleasant to meet in the midst of Gallican Ultramontanism. The three following extracts are surely remarkable : : 'L'image de la Vierge est très répandue dans les églises. Elle tient con'stamment l'Enfant Jésus. La Vierge représentée seule, ne se comprend pas en Orient. Ce mot, MÈRE DE DIEU, écrit en Grec et en monogramme 'près de la tête de la Vierge, et qui est son plus beau titre de gloire, lui 'serait ravi, dans la pensée des Orientaux, si elle était représentée sans 'l'Enfant Dieu. 'Un idéalisme, selon nous assez peu orthodoxe, substitue d'un jour à 'l'autre, dans l'Occident, la Vierge considérée abstractivement, à la Vierge 'honorée de la maternité Divine. Un faisceau lumineux, appelé rayons, 'est suspendu à ses mains comme deux larges palettes, au lieu du doux 'Sauveur des hommes porté amoureusement à son bras. Cela s'appelle 'UNE IMMACULÉE. Nos pieuses mères disaient, UNE NOTRE DAME. Qu'on ' nous laisse aimer la Vierge comme l'aimaient nos mères. Nous avons en 'France des communautés d'hommes et de femmes où la statue de la Vierge se rencontre partout, et dans lesquelles il serait difficile, sauf à quelque recoin, de trouver une Notre Dame avec l'Enfant Jésus. Cela se 'fait sans malice aucune; mais on pensait autrement au Concile d'Ephèse.' -P. 181. A conference which the author had with the Abbé Marinelli, Latin Archbishop designate of Naxos, is full of interest : 'Il me donna le chiffre des Catholiques Grecs du continent et des îles. 'Il s'élève à environ seize milles. En 1666 le P. Richard, missionnaire à Négropont, en portait le nombre à plus de quatre-vingt-milles. L'Abbé 'Marinelli attribue la décadence du Catholicisme en Grèce aux ordres reli'gieux qui, depuis le dix-septième siècle, étaient presque exclusivement ' chargés du soin pastoral des églises. Tant qu'une nation n'a pas un clergé 'indigène qui tienne à elle par le sang, qui appartienne aux familles du pays, auquel, par conséquent, se rattachent les affections de parenté et de patrie, elle fait bon marché dans l'occasion de ses croyances réligieuses.. 'C'était aux Capuchins surtout qu'étaient confiées les paroisses Catholiques 'de la Grèce. Quand les commotions politiques arrivèrent, que le lien de 'la communauté fut brisé pour les religieux, les pauvres églises furent 'abandonnées. On a trouvé récemment encore des églises Catholiques ' en Grèce, où le dernier ornement qui a servi à la célébration des mystères 'est plié dans un coin, et n'a pas été touché depuis le départ des religieux. 'Les paroisses délaissées ont faibli peu à peu dans l'orthodoxie, et sont 'allées demander à l'Eglise Officielle les secours religieux que ne pouvait plus leur donner le Catholicisme. On a fait là une expérience décisive. Il 'n'y a qu'un Clergé indigène, qui ait une puissance incontestable de perpé'tuité. Rome le comprend aujourd'hui, et récemment, grâce au zèle d'un 'Evêque Français, homme de pensée et de cœur, M. Lugul, Evêque d'Hé'sebon, la Propagande a adopté pour les Missions étrangères, le principe 'des Clergés indigènes, au moyen d'un Episcopat qui doive trouver dans 'le pays même les éléments de l'apostolat évangélique. L'Evêque d'Hése'bon triompha, dans cette circonstance, de l'opposition toute puissante d'une 'société religieuse, qui a toujours professé le système opposé. Rome s'est 'heureusement rendue à l'évidence des raisons apportées en faveur de cette 'mesure, par les savants Evêques Français.'-P. 197. 6 It is thus that he speaks with reference to the Encyclical Letter of Pius IX., which excited such indignation in the East: 'La Mission confiée au Nonce de Sa Sainteté auprès des patriarches de l'Orient, aurait eu plus de succès, si l'ont eût appris que le pieux Pontife se proposait d'offrir à l'Eglise d'Orient ses majesteuses assises de la représentation Catholique, où les Evêques du monde entier viendraient traiter avec elle la grande affaire de la réconciliation. Les Orientaux, surtout ' dans le Clergé du premier ordre, voient toujours dans le Pape le patriarche 'd'Occident. Il leur semble qu'ils ont à traiter d'égal. La question de ' rivalité des sièges se présente trop à eux: ils ont le malheur de regarder comme une humiliation personnelle, une cession de leurs droits, un renoncement au glorieux priviléges des patriarchats qu'ils occupent, l'accep'tation de la suprémacie de juridiction du Pape. 'Dans un Concile Ecuménique, au milieu de leurs frères dans l'Episcopat, ' réunis de toutes les parties de la Chrétienté, où la Papauté, représentée par ses légats, ne paraîtrait plus se poser seule comme l'Eglise, mais se 'montrant ce qu'elle est dans l'institution divine, la tête du corps dont 'l'Episcopat compose les membres, les Evêques d'Orient n'éprouveraient aucun froissement dans les discussions religieuses auxquelles ils pren'draient part. Ils seraient là, au rang hiérarchique, que leur donnent les canons. On se rappelle l'heureux effet produit sur les Orientaux par les 'honneurs rendus à Ferrare au patriarche de Constantinople.'-P. 236. We shall probably recur to the travels of the Abbé Michon when we shall have had an opportunity of perusing the second volume. Mr. Francis Newman has translated the 'Odes of Horace into unrhymed metres, with Introductions and Notes.' (Chapman.) Of the last we can speak with respect; the former shall introduce themselves. We select at random, only choosing a short ode Eli vetusto, &c. 6 Ælius! sprung of Lamus old, Their name deduc'd, and all the offspring Of Formiæ, and Liris floating Soft against Maríca's sandbanks, Mr. Newman is not a Columbus in these seas of Horatian metre. Among Milton's early prolusions is a famous unrhymed metrical translation of a single ode; we will venture to contrast Milton and Newman in the famous Quis multa gracilis. From Milton's sinewy and sounding lines, we only learn in despair that the thing attempted is not to be done; from Mr. Newman, even with Milton's grand failure by way of beacon before his eyes, we discover that the unsuccessful attempt can be made very ugly. Mr. Newman's reproduction is as correct and grim as a daguerreotype portrait; a likenessindeed a truth-but with every pleasant feature obliterated. Translations of the classics are in the highest sense unattainable; but the attempt to reproduce classic metres in corresponding English forms, except in the very rarest and so to say accidental instances, has always failed. Pope's Homer may not give an adequate representation of Homer, but it is not a failure; which English unrhymed hexameters are; while Chapman or Maginn's ballad metres most faithfully convey the general impression to the English reader. Horace done into equivalent metres is to the scholar superfluous; and to one who cannot read the original, unjust. English Alcaics and Sapphics have neither flow, melody, nor sweetness. And the parallel plan which Mr. Newman has adopted, simply to copy the Latin idioms, has produced a wonderfully crabbed, inverted, amphisbænic dialect, which is no more English than is the language of Nineveh. Here is a sentence for the English reader :— Or this, 'THOU the rivers turnest, THOU 'Frankincense and harp, with calf Dear partaker of his schoolboy-hours, Dear for gown together chang'd.' In a word, Mr. Newman has at infinite pains and care, and with consummate scholarship, produced a version of Horace which is utterly and totally unreadable; and being as far as the form goes the most faithful, is in spirit the most unfaithful translation conceivable. In addition to his other labours, Mr. Newman has constructed a chronological arrangement of the odes, which resting on very slender foundations, would be somewhat useless could its certainty be established. At present its main use is to perplex those who are familiar with Horace. This translation reminds us of another. The Book of Psalms:' translated into English verse. By a Layman. (Rivingtons.) We should be disposed to contest every assumption contained in the title. They are neither Psalms, nor a translation, nor verse. If, as the writer intimates, this is the sixty-sixth entire metrical English version of the Psalter, although our experience in this unhappy lore is considerable, we must say that the last experiment quite surpasses all which we remember in badness. As in the previous criticism, we will let the translator speak for himself:PSALM CXXV. 'They, in the LORD that put their trust, Are ev'n as Sion hill! Immoveable and firmly bas'd, It stand for ever will. 'Jerusalem, the hills her gird! Ev'n so the LORD's great pow'r NO. LXXXI. -N.S. |