to assume, at a distance, the appearance of smoke and conflagration.'

Sir William Gell is no neologist in matters of history; his faith is not in Beaufort nor in Niebuhr. His creed takes in the good old times of Evander and Romulus; and, with something of the spirit of a topographer, he relies implicitly on the antique traditions which connected distinguished names with distinct localities or existing monuments.

‹ The early history of Rome has been called incredible, because no ceremony, or other memorial, commemorative of Æneas, was preserved in the city; but Eneas was never there, and even his descendants came not directly from Lavinium, but from Alba. Of those recorded in tradition as having been connected with the more ancient establishments on the site of the city, memorials did exist. A notice of the passage and club of Hercules, whoever he might have been, was preserved in the Forum Boarium. Cacus is said to have lived at the Porta Trigemina, and Roma Quadrata to have extended from the area of Apollo to the steps or stairs of Cacus, near the hut of Faustulus, when Romulus lived. We are also informed by the ancient historians of Rome, of the residences of the succeeding kings. Tatius, the contemporary of Romulus, lived in the citadel, which he fortified; his habitation being on the spot afterwards occupied by the temple of Juno Moneta. Numa lived at first on the Quirinal, afterwards in the palace near the temple of Vesta; and the Janiculum. the place of his burial. Tullus Hostilius resided at the temple of the Dii Penates, in the Marsh, or Velia; Ancus Martius at the temple of the Lares, at the end of the Via Sacra; Tarquinius Priscus at the Porta Mugonia, above the Via Nova; Servius Tullius resided on the Esquiline, having rendered it safe by the erection of a wall and and Tarquinius Superbus lived on the same spot. Now, it seems scarcely credible that all the houses of all the kings should have been recorded by history or tradition, if their existence was doubtful; and it is difficult to discover what advantage could have been expected from any inventions relative to the kings of Rome, in republican times, when the kingly name was odious, unless the inventions were such as tended to their disparagement.'

...... was

agger;

We do not know whether all this quite comes up to the requisitions of Charles Leslie in his 'rules' of 'infallible proof'; but we are not without suspicion that such collateral testimony may have been too much neglected in the controversy. We have no disposition to over-estimate these indirect illustrations, but we cannot go the length that the historical Destructives plead for, by discarding them altogether. Much, indeed, of the entire matter of these volumes, independently of its direct interest, derives an additional value from its tendency to elucidate the circumstances of individual and general history. This, however, is not its peculiar merit: in our view, the more important parts are

decidedly those where the skilful observer is at work. No one, in fact, but a sound antiquary can be, in any degree, adequate to the labour of dealing with the multiplied involutions and contradictions which beset the study of Italian archaics. The various races, Gallic, Greek, Asiatic, perchance African, which have left traces of their languages, their arts, and their habits, on the still existing monuments that prove the high and remote civilization of ancient Italy, seem to have jostled one another so roughly, to have intersected so strangely each other's path, to have encroached and receded with such puzzling alternation, and ultimately to have been so completely melted down in the processes of Roman policy and conquest, that it demands the most practised discrimination to obtain even the glimpse of a satisfactory conclusion. Few men have been more thoroughly qualified for these inquiries than Sir W. Gell; and few writers have thrown more light on the special objects of their investigation. He has cleared up many a topographical difficulty, and given more correct appropriation to the vestiges of antique art, and to the remains of ancient cities; he has touched on disputed points with clearness and impartiality; and it would not be easy to speak too strongly in praise of a work so replete with solid instruction, and so entirely free from dogmatism or idle speculation.

Sir William Gell's volumes are not constructed for that sort of exhibition which is usually considered as forming the attraction of a review; nor, in fact, should we be dealing fairly with the work, if we were to cut it up into shreds and patches to answer our own especial purposes. It is not suited to the requirements of mere general readers; but, to those who are in quest of substantive information on the learned subjects to which it refers, we would strongly recommend a thorough familiarity with its contents. Some of the articles are admirable specimens of illustration. The Lake and region of Albano, for instance, are excellently described the real site of Alba Longa is ably investigated, and the construction of the Emissarium, by which the waters of the Lake were lowered, is made perfectly clear by description and diagram. The situation of the antique Veii is ascertained by a deduction and combination of particulars that seem to us decisive. The history of the Etruscans, the Pelasgi, and the other races which peopled ancient Italy, is given in brief compass, but with distinctness and sufficient detail. Many wood-cuts are introduced, in illustration of modes of construction, chiefly as exemplified in walls and tombs.

:

'There are,' says Goldsmith, in the preface to his History of Rome, some subjects on which a writer must decline all attempts to acquire fame, satisfied with being obscurely useful. After "such a number of Roman Histories, in all languages, ancient and 'modern, it would be but imposture to pretend new discoveries,

6

or to expect to offer any thing in a work of this kind, which has not been often anticipated by others. The facts which it relates have been an hundred times repeated, and every occurrence has been so variously considered, that learning can scarce find a new 'anecdote, or genius give variety to the old.'-' Poor Goldy !'— clever as he was, he took here, as he often did, the view that suited his own convenience best, rather than that which he would have gained from a laborious examination of authorities. Much has been done since his time, that had not then 'been anticipated;' and the new discoveries,' of which he despaired, have been proposed, at least, if not absolutely established. It is not necessary for us to repeat the contents of former articles, on the subject of Niebuhr and his historical views; but it may be expedient to state briefly the advantages afforded by Mr. Twiss's volume, in the prosecution of a study of which the more extensive range is somewhat formidable. Most general readers, and even some tolerably industrious students, have found the entire work too 'harsh and crabbed for continuous attention.' The style is involved and obscure, and the punctiliousness of the English Translators has too closely followed the peculiarities of the original. Even Mr. Twiss has preserved something of this; but he has put aside much that is not strictly necessary for average purposes, and, by good management, has reduced quantity, without impairing quality. He has, moreover, added something of his own; and his appendix will be found both interesting and illustrative. His suggestions concerning the office of Dictator, are well worth consideration.

Art. V. The Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments; now translated from Corrected Texts of the Original Tongues, and with former Translations diligently compared: together with a general Introduction and short Explanatory Notes. Boothroyd, D.D. Royal 8vo. Price 30s. London, 1836.

By B.

SINCERELY do we congratulate the venerable and learned Translator on having lived to complete and superintend the publication of this his third great literary enterprise. His critical edition of the Hebrew Bible, published upwards of twenty years ago, first established his reputation as a Hebraist and Biblical scholar. In 1818; appeared the First Volume of his "New Family Bible and Improved Version ", of which a favourable report and critique was inserted in the thirteenth Volume of our Second Series. The third volume, completing the Work, was published in 1824. As the production of an individual, this Improved Version must be regarded as an immense achievement;

and though of course open to criticism, the execution being unequal, and the Version recommending itself more by its fidelity than by its euphony, it forms altogether an extremely valuable repository of philological and critical illustrations of the sacred text, and was, at the time of publication, to an unlearned reader, the best exhibition of the genuine text of the Inspired Originals. The present Work is a revised edition of that Improved Version in a cheaper and more convenient form, with short explanatory Notes. The "Practical Reflections" of the Family Bible are omitted; but a valuable Introduction is prefixed to the Translation, comprising observations on the genuineness and authenticity of the several canonical books; on the Various Codices, and English Versions; on the Tabernacle, and the Religious Polity of the Hebrews, the Levitical Institutes, and the Jewish Sects, with a Table of Measures and Calendar. In the Translation itself, it has been Dr. Boothroyd's great aim, he tells us, to give the sense of the sacred authors, without, on the one 6 hand, rendering verbally, or, on the other, being too diffuse or paraphrastic.'

The rules laid down by Archbishop Newcome have been followed, as not only founded in good sense and an intimate acquaintance with the subject, but as paying that deference to the Authorized Version which its general fidelity and its long use demand. Hence the language of this Version is uniformly preferred, and rarely are any terms introduced but what are already sanctioned by Biblical use...... Preserving as much as possible the language of the Common Version, that language is arranged in such a manner as to endeavour to secure precision, harmony, and strength; and it is hoped that every reader of taste will find that these ends have, in some degree at least, been attained . . . .

In this edition, the Author has availed himself of the many valuable and critical works issued from the press since the publication of his Family Bible and Improved Version. By a repeated perusal of the original text, he has been induced to vary the arrangement of the language, and occasionally the sense of some ambiguous terms and phrases. In the New Testament, various corrections have been made as to the arrangement and punctuation; and in some few places as to the sense.'

The Author concludes his Preface by giving expression to the hope, that the Work, though it cannot be expected to give complete satisfaction to every critic, will aid Biblical scholars in their studies, and lead to a more accurate exposition and state'ment of Divine truth in the ministry, and to a more compre'hensive knowledge of it among judicious readers.' In this hope he may reasonably and confidently indulge. The volume ought to be in the possession of every teacher and every student of the Holy Scriptures, if not for general use, in preference to the Re

ceived Version, yet for the purpose of collation and reference. It imbodies the results of the patient labour and research of a life devoted to the study of the sacred text; and is now committed to the press by the Venerable Author in the decline of his strength, as the completion of his labours. As such, we cannot doubt that it will be received by the religious public with sentiments of affectionate respect and gratitude.

As a specimen of the Version, we cannot do better, perhaps, than select the difficult portion comprising Jacob's dying benediction and prophecy.

GEN. XLIX.

THEN Jacob called to his sons, and said,

Assemble, that I may tell you, what shall be

fall you in the latter days.

1

Assemble, and hear, ye sons of Jacob!

Yea, hearken to Israel your father.

REUBEN! my first-born wast thou;
The beginning of my vigour and strength;
Superior in excellence-superior in power!
Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel
Because thou ascendedst thy father's bed :-
Ascending my couch, then wast thou degraded.
SIMEON and LEVI are brethren;

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3

4

5

They accomplished by violence their schemes.
Enter not, my soul, into their counsel;

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Join not, mine honour, their assembly.

For in their anger they slew the men,
And in their self-will cut off the princes.
Accursed be their anger, for it was fierce;
And their wrath, for it was cruel!

I will divide them in Jacob!

And disperse them in Israel.

JUDAH! thee, thee shall thy brethren praise; 8
On the neck of thine enemies shall be thine hand;
To thee, thy father's children shall bow down.
Like a youthful lion is Judah;

From the prey, my son, thou returnest.
When, like a lion bending, he coucheth,

Or like a lioness,-who shall rouse him?

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A sceptred chief shall not depart from Judah, 10
Nor a judge from his own offspring,

Until the SHILOH Come,

And to him the nations shall be obedient.

To the vine he shall bind his ass;