"sented to the Lambeth library by Dr. Gifford, hath furnished "some part of this publication: later discoveries of several learned gentlemen have supplied the rest. London, 1778." In 8°. containing thirty-seven leaves, printed only on one side. In this list, which, like the former, was printed (by Bowyer) for presents only, the Psalms are placed in chronological order by themselves: an arrangement which, as being more distinct, I have thought it best to follow.

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These two compilations were generally known by the name of "Dr. Ducarel's Lists," being supposed to have been drawn up by him but I discovered that this opinion was erroneous, by accidentally meeting with a copy of each of them, formerly belonging to Mark Cephas Tutet, Esq. and containing in his own handwriting the explanation given below: the former of those two notes being prefixed to the edition of 1776, and the latter to that of 1778b. "from his list: I have never before

b

I. "This list (down to the year "1600 only) was made by me more "than twenty years ago, merely for my own use; but at the latter end "of last year Dr. Ducarel requested

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brary, drawn up by the Rev. Dr. Gif

ford, one of the librarians of the "British Museum, brought down, if I "remember right, to about the year 66 1757, in which I found a few edi"tions not mentioned by me, but very Imany errors, and editions multiplied "without number. A fair copy of my "list I gave to Dr. Ducarel, and 250 "copies have been printed for presents "only. Whoever will compare this "printed list with the MS. one in the "Lambeth library, will find a great

difference, as I omitted many pre"tended editions inserted by Dr. Gif"ford. Those marked G. are taken

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seen them. Many more editions of "the Psalms might have been added, "but I purposely omitted them, as "being rather paraphrases; such as "those of Ant. Gilbie, 1581. Sir E. Sandys, 1615. Church of Scotland, "1602. Ravenscroft, 1621. Geo. Sandys, 1636. R. B. 1638. Miles Smith, "1668. Ld. Coleraine, 1681. Isaac "Watts, 1718. R. Daniel, 1722. Geo. Atwood, 1730. Zach. Mudge, 1744. "Mr. Pike, 1750. W. Green, 1762. "Chas. Bradbury, 1763. Jas. Merrick, 1765. Chr. Smart, 1765.

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66

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“ Feb. 6. 1777, M. C. Tutet."

2. The annotation in the opposite title-page was occasioned by Dr. Gif"ford being much displeased, and complaining on not finding himself " mentioned in the first edition as the compiler; but surely without cause; see my note in that edition. The present, like the former edition, has "been printed for presents only, at "the expence of the Abp. of Canterbury; I have had no hand in any "additions that may have been made "to it; there are still retained some I editions, the existence of which I very much doubt. 24 Jany. 1778. 66 M. C. T."

3. "The Lambeth list, enlarged and improved by the Rev. Cle"ment Crutwell; prefixed to his edition of the Bible, with Bp. Wil"son's notes, published at Bath in 1785." Several editions which appear in the former lists are left out from this, probably because the editor was not satisfied of their existence: but I have not considered myself justified in adhering to Mr. Crutwell's omissions; since it may easily happen that other observers may be fortunate enough to meet with editions which have not been seen either by him or by me.

This List was reprinted in the Prolegomena to the Bible edited by the Rev. John Hewlett, 4o. 1811.

4. Mr. Tutet's List, No. 2, continued to the year 1792, with a notice of two manuscript versions: this is attached to Abp. Newcome's "Historical view of the English Biblical Translations," printed at Dublin, 8o. 1792.

5. A reprint of No. 4, with a scanty supplement brought down to the year 1816; appended to a republication of "Lewis's History "of the English Translations," 8°. London, 1818. Neither the editor of this last list, nor of No. 4, appear to have seen that of Mr. Crutwell.

6. A List, appended to "Anderson's Annals of the English Bible," entitled, "Various editions of the New Testament and "the Bible, in English, with certain Public Libraries and indi"vidual proprietors in possession of copies."

This list professes to contain about a hundred editions not specified in my former list. It is confined to Bibles and New Testaments alone, making no mention of PSALMS or other detached portions of the Scriptures c.

But the most minute, accurate, and satisfactory account of a large proportion of these ancient records is found in a remarkable volume, entitled, "Bibles, Testaments, Psalms, and other books of "the Holy Scriptures in English, in the collection of Lea Wilson, esq. F. S.A." London, 1845. 4o. This book was not intended for public sale. Only a few copies were printed, for presents to the author's friends. The work is divided into four departments: the first of which, comprising Bibles, (p. 1-135: and Appendix, p. 129* -136*) contains 292+19=311 articles. Part ii. comprising New

c Mr. Holland's interesting work, The Psalmists of Britain, is duly noticed in its place; p. 232. infra. And I may here add, that a list of metrical

versions of the Psalms (only) is attached to the Rev. H. Latham's Anthologia Davidica, 12o. London, 1846.

Testaments, (p. 137-221.) contains 154 articles. Part iii. Editions of the Psalms, (p. 223-283,) contains 258: and Part iv. Editions of Parts of the Bible, (p. 285-345, contains 271; altogether 994 articles. Many of these are pieces of the utmost rarity: and I have been informed, that the copies in general are in the finest possible condition, and that a much larger number of the earlier and scarcer editions are quite perfect, than is the case in any other known collection of equal extent.

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In his preface Mr. Wilson says, "In printing a list of my col"lection of Editions of the Bible in English, and parts thereof, -I have endeavoured to give a minute and careful collation "or description of the most rare editions in my collection, for the purpose of ascertaining the identity of other copies, or proving "the existence of editions not yet enumerated and also to cor"rect in some degree the errors which have been carried on from one author to another, as to the number of Editions which have "been printed of the earlier versions; and thereby to remove "the imputation or implication that our ancestors were indif"ferent as to the possession of the Holy Scriptures in their own "language.

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"Of the early volumes many very closely resemble each other "in type, arrangement, and general appearance: and of several, "the first and last words of each page read alike: so that actual comparison and collation is necessary to discover the variations: "and the precious volumes in most instances lying in widely "distant libraries, it was almost impossible to bring them toge"ther. This similarity of appearance led, therefore, to the supposition, in many cases, that only a single edition had been put forth, where actually three or four, or even more, were issued, "every leaf differing throughout the volumes in composition and "orthography: a favorite or particularly saleable book being seve"ral times reprinted, as in the case of the 4o. Genevan Bible "bearing the date of 1599, of which there are at least eight distinct "editions.

"The greatest care has been taken to establish the proper ar"rangement of the Prolegomena belonging to many of the volumes; "the printers' signatures to these being frequently very arbitrary " and irregular; particularly in the Bishops' Bibles of 1568 and "1572, and they are in consequence continually found misplaced. "I think I may confidently assert my accuracy herein.

"To aid future collectors of an English series, I have added

"the more modern versions; many of which, though comparatively "recent, are rare and very difficult to be procured—particularly of "the detached books.

"In affixing the sizes to the different volumes, I found consider"able difficulty. Much confusion has hitherto existed; one author considering a book as an octavo, which another styles a duodecimo: "and in many catalogues every size below quarto is rated as "octavo. In this list, without regarding the printer's signatures, or gathering of the sheets, I have generally given to each the "designation that a volume of similar dimensions would receive, if published at the present time."

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I have much pleasure in testifying to the great accuracy and minuteness of many of the collations and descriptions in this Catalogue. Those of the earlier and more rare editions are given with a fulness and distinctness which leaves nothing to desire. I could not insert all those particulars into a slight work like the present List: but confidently refer those persons, who desire more detailed notice of any remarkable edition, to this curious and valuable catalogue of Mr. Wilson.

With respect to the contents of any former lists, I have felt myself bound to retain whatsoever I found there; except where subsequent examination proved a statement to be erroneous: but there is little doubt, that several editions, cited by me as well as by my predecessors in these inquiries, owe their supposed existence to mis-descriptions; being called folios by one, and quartos by another; or octavos by this writer, and duodecimos by his fellow. This is a point, in which even our great bibliographical authority, Mr. Herbert, is not to be depended on. He himself has acknowledged, that he often calls octavos volumes which really are twelves, (or, more likely, sixteens: for in old books the signatures more often run in eights than in any other number.) It has been seen above, that Mr. Lea Wilson confessed himself to be at fault in this mysterious nomenclature: and it is well known, that in the printed catalogues of some great libraries, as for instance, the Bodleian, no size below an octavo is specified: but all the smaller fry of twelves, eighteens, twenty-fours, thirty-twos, forty-eights, &c. &c., are made to take brevet rank and appear as octavos.

I have been careful to note down every known possessor of copies of the earlier and more rare editions: for, since many of these are imperfect, it is of some consequence to know where a second or third copy may be found. With regard to more recent editions, many of which are scarcely yet out of ordinary circulation, it did

not appear to me that such exactness was indispensable. I have usually named some one public library which contained them, as just sufficient to verify their existence.

In the Introduction to my former edition, I expressed a wish to see a careful reprint of the first 12o. edition of Tyndale's New Testament. This has since been effected; as also has a handsome republication of the FIRST EDITION OF COVERDALE'S BIBLE; facts which evince the increased interest taken by the public in these memorials of the Reformation; at the same time that they afford to many persons an opportunity, which they could not previously have enjoyed, of making themselves acquainted with the language of our first translators; and of tracing the gradual changes and improvements which have been adopted from time to time. I think, that an observant reader cannot fail to remark the circumstance, that many of the words and phrases, used in our very earliest versions, have maintained their ground for centuries against repeated revisions of the translation, and are retained to this very day. Let him take up the first edition of Coverdale's Bible (printed in 1535) and read a chapter from it. To say nothing of that general similarity which pervades the whole book, he will find many verses almost word for word with those of the version in present use. Surely, that rendering must have been near the truth, which repeated examination has not seen fit to alter; that language must have been well chosen, which not only could maintain its ground amidst many changes of style and taste, but could continue to be generally intelligible after more than three centuries had elapsed, and when almost every other composition of the same age had become enveloped in considerable obscurity.

The first part of this List having been devoted to all the other portions of the Bible, the second part comprises editions of the Psalms alone, both in prose and metre. This latter class, as might reasonably be expected, is by far the more numerous; it is also the more difficult to deal with; all poetical versions being in their very nature paraphrastic, and departing more or less from the character of direct translations from a given original.

Among these, the version by Sternhold and Hopkins holds a distinguished place; having been the earliest which is known to have been adopted in our public worship, and having retained, to a certain extent, its popularity and use in many churches to the present day.

That collection was formed and published by degrees. In 1548,