dundance of his polish fubmits, not only to the fimplicity of his rival Beza, but often to the more fervile representations of Tremellius and Junius, and even those of Montanus and Pagninus.

For thefe, among other reasons, a critical revifion and improved Edition of the Old, is more desirable than a New, Translation: for, not only the Hebrew Idiom, but as many of the Words as poffible of the old translation fhould be retained, on account of their fimplicity and dignity, and alfo, to indulge the honeft prejudice of the people: for the re

When the Terms and Phrafes employed by former Interpreters are well adapted for conveying the fense of the author, they are justly preferred to other words equally expreffive and proper; but which, not having • been used by former Interpreters, are not current in that ' application.' Campbell's Diff. XI. p. 521.

Words that are too fine, too learned, or too modern, are repugnant to the ftyle of the facred penmen, are too flowery, too affected, and too modifh, to fuit their style, which is eminently natural, fimple, and dignified. And, on the other hand, words that are low and vulgar, are • ftill more derogatory from the exalted fublimity of the • fubject and language of holy Scripture.' Ibid. Diff. XI. p. 570.

The fimple and ancient turn of the prefent Verfion • should be retained.' Bp. Newcome's VIth Rule, p. xxxii.

mark,

mark, from whatever quarter it may have come, is very justly made, that common ' minds can with difficulty difcriminate between the language and the fubftance; and in lofing the one they will be in no little anxiety about the other: befides that the long ufe of writings avowedly facred gives a venerable air to the language, and seems almost to confecrate it to the fervice of religion .'

6

But, to crown this general reafoning in fupport of the preservation of the ancient idiom, we have two precedents whofe authority will be allowed to be unquestionable. The Septuagint is a tranflation of the Old Teftament, of very high, if not of divine, authority; in which, though the language be Greek, the idiom is uniformly Hebrew and in the New Teftament itself, though the words are Greek, the ideas are Jewish, and the idiom Hebrew; which afford a convincing proof that the original idiom is, at any rate, to be preserved.

In regard to the particular Spirit, Style, Charafter, and Manner, of each facred writer, the

VOL. II.

& Critical Review, Nov. 1789.
C

transfufion

transfufion of which into their new language conftitutes, in the idea of our modern tranflators, the main difficulty, and the chief merit, of their art: they are things much

more

"It is incumbent on every Tranflator to study the • Manner of his author; to mark the peculiarities of his Style; to imitate his features, his air, his gesture, and, as far a different language will permit, even his voice; in order to give a juft and expreffive resemblance of the original.' Lowth. Prelim. Differt. to Isaiah xxxv.

The fecond thing a translator is to do, is, to convey • into his version as much as poffible, in confiftency with the genius of the language which he writes, the author's · spirit and manner, and, if I may so express myself, the very • character of his ftyle.' Campbell's Differt. X. part 1.

The fifth quality of a good translation is that diversity of flyle which characterized the different scripture writers, which, however difficult to attain, ought certainly, by 'all means, to be aimed at.-Every writer, whether facred

or profane, has fomething peculiar to himself, and it ' ought to be the endeavour of a tranflator to retain as ' much as poffible of that peculiarity.' Geddes' Profpectus, p. 137, 138. This learned author then quotes the above words of Bp. Lowth, as authority, which, I hope, he does not embrace without confidering what precedes and follows them.

To convey into his Verfion as much of his Author's Spirit and Manner as the genius of the language which he < writes will admit,' is the fecond qualification of a scripture Translator mentioned by Dr. Campbell, and Mr. Wakefield

more arbitrary and uncertain than either words or idioms, varying more in different authors, than thefe do in different languages; and to transfufe them in tranflating is an act of imitation which is fanciful and capricious, depending on the taste and genius, more than the found judgment, of the tranflator, without fo much as a limit to restrain the imagination. This favourite Rule is obviously taken from profane tranflation, without fufficiently attending to the different nature of inspired productions; and is too vague and licentious for the fevere principle of fcriptural tranflation to admit. Tranflators fhould reflect, that by labouring to obferve this rule, they are in the act of infringing the preceding, to which they are more strictly bound, and of defeating their own design.

To give his production all the beauties and advantages of the original, the tranflator of a human work, especially if it be poetical, fees that, in this imitation, lies his fulleft and fairest scope, and that his fuccefs will depend on his poetical genius. In the execution, he not only Wakefield is of opinion, that a considerable share of human Ingenuity and Invention is requifite in order to preferve this Spirit and Manner. See his Preface.

leaves many of the words and idioms of his author, but his figures too, and flies to the recourses of his own fancy to supply him with fuch others, as, whilft they in a good measure convey the thought, fuit the nature and elegance of his own language, and rife of themselves to that proportion of spirit and animation, and to that particular style and character, which he conceives his author to poffefs. And if, to heighten and improve thefe qualities, he fometimes give a new turn to the thought, the licence has been commended; as, by making the author fhine in the translation with a higher luftre than his own, it makes amends for fome of the many particulars in which every tranflator must fall fhort of his original. And, however different it may be in many particular inftances, if the tranflation produce the general effect of the author, the tranflator has arrived at the fummit of his art, to which, though all hope and imagine they have attained, their fuccefs is in proportion to their genius, and their imitations as various as their tafte.

Such imitation of the flyle, character, and manner, of the facred writers, whofe language