BIBLIA HEBRAICA quarto impressa, in 4to. Venetiis, DA Masch tells us "hanc editionem non integrum codicem sacrum, sed tantummodo Pentateuchum cum libris festivalibus continere sequitur." Then why does he place it among editions of the whole Bible? we give it merely to complete the series of editions published by Bomberg. BIBLIA HEBRAICA quinto impressa, in 4to. Venetiis opera CORNELII ADELKENAD, in domo DANIELIS BOMBERGI, .(1544) 304 שייר This is the last edition of Bomberg, it is expressly stated in the title page of the volume to be the fifth edition, whilst at the end of the second volume is a sentence of the following import : Impressa (sunt Biblia) quarta vice per Cornelium Adelkind, anno 305 (1545). We subjoin the criticism of Carpzovius, upon the various editions of the Hebrew Bible, by Bomberg; it is particularly worthy of attention, not only for its brevity, but also for its correct estimation of the different merits of the works. "Omnes vero Bombergi editiones sunt nitidæ satisquæ correctæ, . sed evolventibus remoram in eo ponentes, quod nullis prorsus numerorum notis Capitum commata vel versus, ipsa vero capitu pro more Judæorum litteris distinguunt." Critica Sacra, p. 421. BIBLIA HEBRAICA, studio SEB. MUNSTERI, 2 vol. 4to. Basilea. HIERONYMI FROBENII et AMBROSII EPISCOPII, 296 (1536). Upon the first page, immediately beneath the well known device of FROBEN, is the following passage, in Hebrew, translated by Masch: Finitus est in urbe Basilea liber viginti quatuor librorum per The account given by Brunet (Manuel du Libraire, vol. i. p. 192.) of Hebrew Bibles is very inaccurate and unsatisfactory : he has not noticed any one of the editions published by Bomberg; in fact we have too frequently cause to regret the flimsy nature of this book, notwithstanding it is the best general Manuel of the kind yet published; if public encouragement were greater we should soon have better works upon the subject; to accomplish so desirable an object, an association of men of learning and perseverance should be formed, for no one man is capable of compassing singly an undertaking of such vast magnitude. In a small work, which we have just seen, there is a list of Bomberg's editions, which, although taken from good authorities, is very incorrect, it is as follows: "Bib. Heb. (Bombergi) Venet. 1525-26, 4 vol. fol. edit. sec. 1549. edit. ter. 1568. See De Bure, Bibl. Instructive, t. i. p. 20. No. VIII; Classical Collector's Vade Mecum, p. 5. Hieronymum Frobenium typographum, studio Sebastiani Munsteri, omni adhibita cura, anno creationis mundi millesimo quinto, ducentesimo et nonagesimo sexto, mense Elul. Gloria et laus sit summo numini, quod hucusque manus nostras corroboravit, et nobis ab initio usque ad finem vires surrogavit. Under this follows in Latin: Basileæ ex officina Frobeniana per Hieronymum Frobenium et Nicolaum Episcopium. Anno M. D. XXXVI, Mense Septembri. To this edition is subjoined a very useful and learned appendix, by Sebast. Munster, who was a scholar of no common attainments." Masch has justly remarked: "Rarioribus annumeratur hæc editio libris;" its typographical execution is very inferior to the beautiful editions of Bomberg, but the great utility of the appendix renders it a most desirable acquisition to the biblical student, BIBLIA HEBREA, 4 vol. 4to. Parisiis, ex officina. Roberti Stephani, 1539-44. This edition consists of twenty-four parts, which were published at thirteen different times and sold separately: thus to meet with the whole complete is a circumstance of very rare occurrence, we shall therefore enumerate the various parts, following the order in which they appeared: 1. Prophetia Isaiæ, Parisiis, ex officina Roberti Stephani, Ex his scriptis Hoseas, Micheas, Nahum, Habacuc, et So- 4. Proverbia Salomonis. Parisiis ex officina Roberti Stephani, Typographi Regii. MDXL. 5. Prophetia Jeremiæ. Parisiis ex officina Roberti Stephani, Typographi Regii, MDXL. 6. Daniel. Parisiis, ex officina Roberti Stephani, Typographi, 7. Quinque libri Judæorum Festivales, Canticum Canticorum, 9. Esdras, Parisiis, ex officina Roberti Stephani Typographi For the life of Seb. Munster, see Freheri Theatrum Virorum, &c. p. 1453 Teissier Eloges des Hommes savans, tom. 1. p. 53, et tom. 2. p. 395; and Du Pin Bibliothèque des Auteurs, séparez. tom. 1, p. 92. The book of Nehemiah will be found in this part, although not specified in the title. 10. Ezechiel. Parisiis, ex officina Roberti Stephani, Typographi Regii, MDXLII. 11. Liber Paralipomenon. Parisiis, Ex officina Roberti Ste phani, Typographi Regii. MDXLIII. 12. Prophetæ Priores. Josue, Judicum liber, Samuel, Regum II. Parisiis, ex officina Roberti Stephani, Typographi Regii, MDXLIIII. 13. Liber Genesis. Parisiis, ex officina Roberti Stephani, Typographi Regii. MDXLIIII. This edition was conducted by Vatable, and contains the commentaries of R. David Kimh, its intrinsic value is not regarded in a very favourable light by critics; "Hæc Roberti Stephani editio pulchris" says the unfortunate Simon Ockley, "quidem characteribus est impressa, sed pluribus mendis scatel, quæ libri pulcherrimi nitorem turpiter fœdarunt. Masch does not agree in toto with this sentence; he denies the beauty of the type, throughout, "Typi," he observes," sunt mixti quidem generis: alii sunt attriti, alii vero satis luculenti, atque sese majori forma legentibus maxime commendant." At the Vallière and Crevenna sales, copies were sold for 30 fr. It is worthy of observation that an error or misplacing of the columns is evident in Hosea, extending from chap. v. ver. 8, to chap. vii. ver. 14. In some few copies, however, this confusion has been avoided, these are singularly rare and curious. BIBLIA HEBRÆA. Parisiis ex officina ROBERTI STEPHANI, Typographi Regii. 17 tom. 1544-46. As this edition, in like manner to that just noticed, is comprised of various parts published at different times, and consequently rarely found united, we shall enumerate them for the information of our readers. 1. Prophetia Isaiæ. et Esther. 6. Psalterium. Such is the order of the parts given by Masch, but Brunet departs from this, and offers the following: This very rare and accurate edition is formed upon the Codex Brixiensem, the second edition of Bomberg, and the edition of Seb. Munster; it is beautifully and accurately printed, and reflects great honour upon the learned editor and printer Robert Stephens.* At the sale of la Vallière, this edition bound 17 vol. red morocco, produced 60 fr. ; and at that of Brienne, bound in 7 vol. red morocco, 41 fr. BIBLIA HEBRAICA, 4to. Venetiis, in ædibus ANTONII JUSTINIANI, opera Cornelii AdelkENAD.† 5311. (1551.) This edition is divided into four parts, 1. The Pentateuch and Megilloth; at the termination of the former we find the following sentence: Finitum est opus sanctuarii circa finem mensis Elul (Augusti), anni supputationis minoris 311. per manus præfecti operis Cornelii Adelkind, in officina Domini Marci Antonii Justiniani. 2. The first Prophets. 3. The latter prophets, and 4. the Hagiographi. This volume is distinctly and elegantly printed in double columns, and is generally esteemed the best of all those at this celebrated press, we shall enumerate the subsequent editions: BIBLIA HEBRAICA, 4 vol. 18mo. Venetiis, ex officina JUSTINIANEA. 312. (1552.) BIBLIA HEBRAICA, 4to. Venetiis, M. ANTONII JUSTINIANI. 5323. (1563.) BIBLIA HEBRAICA, 4to. Venetiis, 1573. Masch attributes the editorship of this last edition to John de Gara. BIBLIA HEBRAICA, 4to. Venetiis, JOANNES DE GARA.326. (1566.) The Colophon is thus translated from the Hebrew: Impressum omni cura per Joseph Chansan mense Februario, anno 326 minoris supputationis, (1466.) in domo Joannis de Gara, litteris Bombergianis. Theodor. Janssonius ab Almeloveen, in his "Catalogus librorum a Stephanis editorum", attributes an edition of the Hebrew Bible in folio, 1545, to Robert Stephens. We can only say we never met with this edition, neither can we trace it in any bibliographical work. + It is rather extraordinary that Bomberg should have fallen into the error of writing Adelkenad, when the name is Adelkind. be weighed. The Evangelist, (John xx. 30, 31.) expressly asserts that the purpose of his writing, was to make such a selection of facts as might be good ground of faith in the divine mission of Jesus Christ; but he no where affirms the chronological order of the selection. Luke, also, thus declares the purpose of his writing to Theophilus, Ίνα επιγνως περὶ ὧν κατηχήθης λόγων την ασφάλειαν (Luke i. 4.), and the expression in the preceding verse, 'Edožɛ kaμoi, παρηκολουθηκότι άνωθεν πασιν ακριβως καθεξής σοι γράψαι, is to be interpreted according to that purpose. For this purpose, thus distinctly expressed by two of the Evangelists, and evident from the manner of writing common to them all, it was assuredly necessary that, either directly or indirectly, they should furnish us with such information, as might enable us to refer the facts in the Gospel history to a certain country, and a certain period in the history of the world. Without this, the Gospels would not have afforded the proper means for distinguishing them from fictitious histories; and hence, could not have answered the purpose of furnishing evidence to the truth of Christianity. This it was possible to do, either formally by dates, such as are found in the beginning of the 2nd and 3rd chapters of Luke's Gospel; or by allusions to known places, persons, and circumstances, to be learnt from other histories. Of these two modes, the Evangelists, with a few exceptions, follow the latter; natural to men writing immediately for contemporaries, upon or near the scene of the events; and conformable to the usual simplicity by which their whole style is pervaded. But for this purpose, it was not in the least necessary to frame regular chronological narratives; and accordingly, what was not necessary, has not been effected; the connexions carrying forward the arrangement of events in the Gospels, being not merely those of time, but of the various associations, such as similarity in the facts themselves, vicinity of place, &c. by which it is possible that the human mind may be guided, in recollecting and classifying things that are past. And such, perhaps, upon the whole, is the impression made on most readers by the narratives of the Evangelists. As we read them, we have a general feeling that they are rying us ultimately forward, from preceding to subsequent events, yet, occasionally, over intervals of time concerning which nothing has been recorded, or with deviations from the chronological order; thus rendering it difficult, or impossible, to make one harmonious arrangement of the whole Gospel history, in which each event shall obtain, in perfect consistency with the account of each Evangelist, its proper chronological place. car Adopting this hypothesis concerning the purpose for which the Evangelists wrote, we get rid, and in the fairest way, of all the difficulties with which the authors of Harmonies of the Gospels, have to combat. These Harmonies may be reduced to two classes, 1. That which supposes all the four Evangelists to have adhered to the order of time. 2. That which takes one of the Gospels as the chronological standard, to which the order of events in the rest must be adjusted. Of these two, the first is the most consistent hypothe |