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. 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. 66 "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 sup"position, 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." 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, or 1549, was printed the first edition, containing only nineteen Psalms, all by Sternhold: in 1549 appeared the second, containing thirty-seven by Sternhold, and seven by John Hopkins: in 1556 we had fifty-one Psalms printed; viz. thirty-seven by Sternhold, seven by Hopkins, and the rest by others: in 1560, we had sixtyseven: in 1561, fourscore and seven: and in 1562 (or 1563 at furthest) the entire book. h Some idea of the great hold, which this version formerly had upon the English mind, may be obtained from observing the almost incessant editions of it, which the press continued to pour forth during the first hundred and fifty years of its reign. In this my List will be found entries of about 309 distinct editions (and I do not imagine that I have given the whole) before the year 1700; about which time the recent translation of Brady and Tate began to divide the public favor with its older companion, and by degrees nearly drove it from the field. We must not imagine that the text is the same, in all those editions of Sternhold. Many and great changes were made in it from time to time: the first considerable alteration appeared in the editions published at Geneva; and various slighter changes of expression were introduced at subsequent periods,—(but by whom, or upon what authority, we do not know)-till about the commencement of the eighteenth century. From that time, I believe that it has continued to be printed without material alteration: and therefore I ceased to specify later editions, except they had something peculiar. The earliest editions of Sternhold are pieces of the utmost rarity. Small in size, and exposed to continual use, the copies have perished through fair wear and tear; so that a perfect one is scarcely to be met with, even in the most richly furnished libraries. Herbert had a copy of the first edition. I do not know what became of it at his sale: and I never have been able to find another. Of the other principal versions, by Brady and Tate, by Barton, Patrick, the Scottish, the American, Merrick's, &c. I have chiefly noticed the earliest editions, with a few others of later dates, if they presented any particular feature. h Namely, to the end of the year 1600, 74 editions. from 1601 to 1620, from 1641 to 1660, from 1661 to 1680, from 1681 to 1700, Total 309 C Of several translations, we know of only two or three editions; as those of Rous, King James I., G. Wither, Boyd, Bp. King, Goodridge, &c.; and sometimes only a single one; as those of Archbishop Parker, Dod, Top, Burnaby, Ford, Milbourne, and the "Psalterium Americanum," 1718. With respect to the very large number of writers, who have occasionally exercised their talents of versification in translating small portions of the Psalter, or even one single Psalm-I have felt considerable doubts whether their desultory labours ought to find place in a work like the present. But, not to mention that magnificent burst of genuine feeling, by Richard Crashaw (see p. 376), such names as Bacon, Milton, Donne, Wotton, Herbert, and Addison, could not be passed over, without the appearance of disrespect: and their undoubted reputation has paved the way for the admission of others, of perhaps more questionable pretensions. I may add, that the publication of Mr. Holland's valuable work i, "The i Besides those compositions, which Mr. Holland has recently brought before the public, there is no doubt that many others are still lying dormant in manuscript, among the half-forgotten papers of old family libraries. We remember, that, within the last thirty years, the beautiful version of the Psalter by Sir Philip Sidney and his accomplished sister the Countess of Pembroke lay thus concealed from the public. And here I may take occasion to mention another metrical translation, by a person of considerable eminence in his day, namely, Thomas Lord Fairfax, general of the Parliamentary army under the Commonwealth. That rough soldier occasionally found leisure to cultivate the muses, in his way: and the results of those recreations still remain, in a very interesting volume, which formerly was in the library at Denton in Yorkshire, the seat of the Fairfax family. Afterwards it came into the possession of Ralph Thoresby, and is described in his Catalogue, attached to the Ducatus Leodiensis. Subsequently it passed into the hands of His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex: and at present, adorns the choice collection of my friend the Rev. Dr. Bliss, at Oxford. The volume is a thick quarto, consisting of about 650 pages, entirely in the hand-writing of the author, with many alterations and corrections subsequently added by him. I give the 137th Psalm here, as a specimen of the considerable nerve and vigour which is displayed throughout the work; though it is cramped by the quaint formality which characterised the language of those days. Psalm cxxxvii. Thinking vpon Euphrates bankes to rest, |