bestow many more years labour upon it; the result of which has been the edition before us, in five respectable tomes, which he just lived to complete. As most of our readers are, we doubt not, acquainted with the former editions of this work, we shall confine ourselves to a notice of the present, which, in many respects differs from its predecessors. I. The supplementary additions which were felt as a great inconvenience,are here incorporated with the text, accompanied with a number of important articles entirely new; and by a still greater number of additions and corrections annexed to others. The various names of persons and things have received considerable attention; their etymologies have been corrected; and in many cases they have been derived from a better selection of roots, and embrace a greater variety of languages. II.-In the Geographical department considerable additions have been made, and former errors corrected, from the discoveries and writings of modern travellers. But the most considerable and valuable improvements will be found in the Fragments, which form the third and fourth volumes of the work. Our own pages bear ample testimony to the estimation in which we hold these valuable dissertations, having so frequently had occasion to refer to their contents. In this edition they are considerably augmented. The second volume, which is entirely new, embraces a wide sphere of examination and research. Our limits will not allow an analysis of this volume. Of the importance of the subjects discussed, however, the following enumeration will give some idea. I. ASTRONOMICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL EXCURSIONS.-This embraces among other important topics-An enquiry into the origin of Sabianism-Of the primitive abode of man-Of the remains of Pagan emblems of the Deluge-On the origin of various Eastern Nations-On the localities of Egypt-On various parts of the Holy Land-and on Babylon. II. BIOGRAPHICAL INCIDENTS, &c. OF PERSONS.-This head, however, conveys a very imperfect idea of the multifarious subjects discussed under it.-III. ILLUSTRATIONS OF PERSONAL APPEARANCE, MANNERS, AND ACCOMMODATION.-IV. ILLUSTRATIONS OF DOMESTIC UTENSILS AND IMPLEMENTS.-Under this division is also contained, an enquiry into the Antiquity and various kinds of Eastern languages-the corruptions of Hebrew Numbers the various modes of recording numbers, &c.-V. ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE IDOLATRY MENTIONED IN HOLY WRIT.-VI. A SYSTEMATIC ARRANGEMENT OF SCRIPTURE NATURAL HISTORY-This outline by no means does justice to the work under consideration. What a field to expatiate in! We could delight to follow the author into it, but we dare not trust ourselves there. Of the qualifications of the Editor of these volumes, we have already spoken, in our notice of his edition of Wells' Geography, to which we must refer our readers, and more especially as a considerable part of that work is incorporated in the one before us. To the biblical student we most heartily recommend the work; promising him, that although he may occasionally have to withhold his assent to the legitimacy of some of Mr. Taylor's deductions, he will always be called to admire his learning and modesty, and frequently will have the happiness to discover, through his labours, many latent beauties of the Sacred page, and many harmonious displays of the Divine Government. Possessed of masculine powers of mind, much critical acumen, a sharp insight into existing circumstances, with the happy power of seizing on every incident likely to elicit information, and discover facts, an extensive acquaintance with Oriental manners and customs, and a lively but chastised imagination, Mr. Taylor was the man, of all others, for producing a Biblical Encyclopædia calculated to gratify the scholar, assist the student, and instruct and edify the private Christian. Such a work he has produced; and while Biblical Literature is considered worthy attention, his name will be associated with the worthies who have successfully laboured to promote its interests. * Page 189, supra. Biblical Entelligence. ENGLAND. British and Foreign Bible Society.-The twentieth Report of this Institution, just published, affords a gratifying account of the progressive advancement of Biblical knowledge. The net receipts of the past year amount to 97,7187. 17s. 6d., and the expenditure to 89,4937. 178. 8d. There has been an increase of 1,0671. 58. 10d. in the free contributions, and payments for Bibles and Testaments, Annual Reports, &c., from Auxiliary Societies, and from Subscribers; which have amounted to 82,3231. 28. The number of Bibles and Testaments issued from the Depository during the same period is as follows: 128,193 Bibles, 167,298 Testaments; exceeding the number of the former year by 30,941 copies; and forming, with the issues in preceeding years, an aggregate of 3,442,328 copies of the Sacred Writings Dispersed in the British dominions, and upwards of 800,000 copies on the continent of Europe. During the year there have been formed in various parts of England, five new Auxiliary Societies, twenty two Branch Societies, two Ladies' Branches, thirtyfive Bible Associations, and sixty Ladies' Bible Associations, making a total of 124 new Biblical Institutions. The Appendix contains a correspondence with several eminent Oriental scholars relative to the fidelity of the Turkish version of the New Testament, translated by Ali-Bey, and printed by the Society under the revision of Professor Kieffer. It is pretty generally known, that in consequence of the attack made upon this version by Dr. Henderson, its circulation was suspended until it should be ascertained whether the errors imputed to it had any foundation in truth. In order to ascertain this point, the committee adopted the only safe and practicable mode in their power, by proposing a series of queries on the subject to the learned Orientalists in France and elsewhere. Answers to these queries having been received, the printing sub-committee, assisted by the judgment of the Rev. G. C. Renouard, late Arabic reader at Cambridge, and formerly Chaplain at Smyrna, and the Rev. J. F. Usko, also formerly Chaplain at Smyrna, who favoured the sub-committee with their attendance on this occasion, proceeded to the perusal of this correspondence, after which the following resolution was unanimously adopted: "That, upon the most attentive consideration of the preceeding documents on the subject of the Turkish Testament, this Sub-Committee see no sufficient reason for longer suspending the circulation of it." This resolution was confirmed at a subsequent meeting of the general committee. The following are among the scholars consulted on this occasion, and who were unanimous in their recommendation of the version in question: M. le Baron Silvestre de Sacy, M. Jaubert, M. Gascin de Tassy, M. Langlès, M. Andréa de Nerciat, M. Caussin de Perceval the younger, M. Bianchi, M. Desgranges, Rev. H. D. Leeves, of Constantinople, M. Petropolis, and M. Erémian, of Constantinople. On a subject so deeply interesting, and so vitally important, as the fidelity of a translation of the Scriptures, intended to form the faith of thousands of immortal beings, we are of opinion that our readers will not object to our giving the following enumeration of Dr. Henderson's objections, with an abstract of the replies with which they have been met by these eminent Oriental scholars. OBJECTIONS, 1. The typographical errors are nu merous. REPLIES. 1. These are rectified by the cancel leaves, and table of errata. Independent of these, however, the errors are so slight as neither to render the text unintelligible, nor alter the spiritual meaning of the word of God. 2. The translation is so inaccurate as to misrepresent, in many instances, the sense of the original. 3. There is a degree of superfluous embellishment in the translation, not consistent with the subject, and which is displayed by translating the same word in the original by different words, in different places. 4. The names of God and of Jesus Christ, &c. are accompanied by epithets or additions not found in the original, and are sometimes even rendered by circumlocutions; these things give the translation a Mahometan cha racter. 2. This defect can by no means be attributed to the translation. On the contrary, the author has preserved all the fidelity which the subject required, and has even preferred sometimes expressions not quite accordant with the idiom of the Turkish language, rather than deviating from the true meaning of the original. Far from having sacrificed clearness and simplicity to elegance, he has generally sacrificed elegance to simplicity and the literal exactness of the translation. 3. This objection is equally untenable with the former. Elegance in the Turkish language consists in making long periods, the different parts of which shall rhyme with each other, in seeking the most figurative expressions, and in multiplying epithets to excess. In this translation, on the contrary, the phrases are short, clear, and precise. Its construction is simple, and there is nothing studied in the language. It should be also remarked that the Turkish is different from most other languages. There are terms strictly synonymous, arising from the custom of using conjointly, in this dialect, Persian and Arabic words, and those which properly belong to the Turkish language. Thus the use of different expressions in translating the same Greek word cannot be productive of any inconvenience: it is only a mode of expressing the same idea, less monotonous, and required in this language. 4. This objection has taken its rise in extreme ignorance of Oriental customs, and the religious feeling generally prevalent in the East. It would be deemed profane among the people for whose use this translation has been made not to subjoin to the name of God, Jesus Christ, &c., phrases expressive of respect or praise. As the French priests never utter the name of God, or our Saviour, without uncovering their heads, so the Orientalists cannot write or pronounce them without prefacing them with the words, the Lord, his Excellency, &c., or without subjoining to them epithetswhich have their origin in that infinity of perfections which emanates from their Divine Essence. Nor do the epithets adopted give to the translation too much of a Mahometan character; since the translator has rejected those which are peculiar to the Mussulmans, and chosen those which belong to the idiom of the 5. The translator has adopted language not in common use, and introduced to excess, Persian and Arabic words. language, whether it be spoken or writ- 5. The principal aim of the translator Be On each of these topics the scholars above enumerated, whose names stand high in the records of Oriental Literature, have bestowed much attention, and The result of their enquiries fully justifies the examined it with great care. Committee in their resolution, of removing the order for the suspension of the Turkish Testament. The Society has just completed, for the benefit of Wales, a new edition of the Scriptures with marginal references, in the Welch Language; repeated applications having being made for a work of this kind. It has also been determined to print a neat Welch pocket Bible upon pearl type, at the earnest desire of several Auxiliary Societies in that principality. The Committee has also resolved to print the entire Bible in the Irish character as well as language, and an edition of 5000 copies is now preparing. The version to be followed, is that of the venerable Bishop Bedell. IRELAND. The Hibernian Bible Society, has resolved on printing a pocket edition of the Scriptures in Irish. To the London Hibernian Society very considerable grants have been made by the British and Foreign Bible Society, consisting of 4,000 English Bibles, and 35,000 Testaments; 500 Irish Bibles, and 2,500 374 Testaments; and 1,000 Irish Testaments, in the Irish character ; or 43,000 copies altogether. The largeness of the above grants has been occasioned by the flourishing state of this Institution. The schools in connection with it amount to 1,072, and their scholars to 88,699; being an increase in the last year of 308 schools, and 21,826 scholars. Of these schools 180 are entirely for adults, and are filled by 10,817 scholars. The Society has extended its operations over four additional counties, and now occupies twenty-nine out of thirty-two; and the number of Bible readers is increased to sixty. The Committee of the Hibernian Bible Society, in their Report, speak in the following gratifying manner: "Your funds are not less than last year; a considerable addition has been made to your Auxiliary Institutions, and those chiefly in districts of the Island where they are most needed; the issue of Bibles and Testaments from your Depository has been greater during the last year than it has been for several years preceding; and your Society at this, its Eighteenth Anniversary, wears the cheering and animating aspect of prosperity in all its departments. Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory." This Institution numbers among its supporters 161 Auxiliaries, Branches, and Associations, being an increase of forty-seven new Institutions during the past year. It has distributed in that period 11,263 Bibles and 10,610 Testaments. Its receipts amount to 4,7677. 16s. 6d. FRANCE. Bible Society-The number of Auxiliary and Branch Societies in France has, during the past year, increased from sixty-four to seventy-five. The Associations in Paris alone are doubled. The distribution of the society has been 4,050 Bibles, and 8,304 Testaments; making, since its formation, 18,606 Bibles, and 23,523 Testaments. We are happy to observe that there is a growing desire prevailing in the French nation to possess the Holy Scriptures. The Turkish Bible, from the MS. version of Ali Bey, has proceeded as far as the second book of Samuel. The modern Armenian Testament is passing through the press, as is also, the Carshun and Syriac New Testament, editing under the care of the Baron Sylvestre de Sacy. This version will be considered of importance when it is remembered that the Carshun is made use of in all Mesopotamia, in the mountains of the Druses, at Aleppo, and in many other parts of Syria. THE NETHERLANDS. Bible Society-This society with its fifty-seven Auxiliaries, continues its operations; and has issued in the last year, 3,975 Bibles and 4,238 Testaments. From Netherland Indian information has been received of the revival of the Society at Batavia, under the patronage of the Governor General, SWITZERLAND. Bible Societies. -The intelligence from Switzerland relative to the circulation of the Scriptures is highly gratifying. The number of Bibles and Testaments issued by the various societies in operation amounts to 193,549. GERMANY. Bible Societies.-Most of the Biblical Institutions in Germany proceed with spirit and success. The Hamburgh-Altona Bible Society has distributed, during the eight years of its existence, 23,864 copies, and has now another large edition of the German Bible in the press. The Rostock Auxiliary increases in its subscribers and receipts, as well as in its distributions. In the Report it is stated that although fourteen presses are |