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continue to ring them in the ears of the vulgar and unlearned Christian, as if they were owned and admitted to be unanswerable?"

Archbp. Newcome, in his Biblical Researches, collected and published the remarks of many able Criticks upon this important point; and in an interleaved folio, inserted the result of much labour and reflection; these verbal alterations were extended thro' the course of a long literary life, till the whole of the Old and New Testaments were completed; and after his death this unpublished work was, agreeably to his command, deposited by his brother in the Lambeth Library. His Version of the New Testament was printed, but not published till after his death. I had the honour of access to both these works, and if it were necessary to yield up the received Version, I should have little hesitation to adopt them, because he preserved the original purity, by the leading rule adopted by the Translators in 1607; but which some modern Translators have lost.

But admitting that there may be errors in this Translation, or at least some renderings which admit of different senses or interpretations, and of which the lapse of time and the difference of idiom, custom, and country, prevent us from correctly discovering the true and just interpretation, even then all these have had their obvious and best effect, in giving an increased excitement to investigation, a more enlarged enquiry, a deeper study of the original language, and fuller and more critical examination of the existing copies of the original, in order to establish the correct sense, or to assist by comparison and collation what would otherwise have for ever passed unexamined: in this view we may in these times, I had almost said, rejoice at errors which have produced the clearest sense, and have moreover for the most part been ultimately discovered to be non-essentials, or not tending to alter our faith.

Still there is a living testimony to the accuracy of the received Translation which seems to offer a close to all argument; namely, that all the sects of Dissenters, except the Unitarians at Essex Street Chapel, adopt it; had they found any just cause for objection to it, they who profess nei

ther duty or affection to the Established Hierarchy, and possessing at the same time, under the blessed Toleration of the Government of the united kingdom, the free choice of their modes of worship, in which they are protected by the laws, and of their exposition of the Holy Scriptures, would exercise their bias, which perhaps leads them the other way, to reject our Translation, if it had the preponderance of error in the essentials, to shake its merit and authenticity, and to adopt another, which their united learning is well capable of producing.

Our received Translation was begun under the recommendation of James I. in 1607, and was in consequence of a most judicious division of it into parts, completed in three years, and was printed in folio and 4to, in 1611. The leading rule was, to follow the Bishops' Bible, then read in Churches, and that it should be as little altered as the original will permit." See its Preface.

Bp. Lloyd, one of the seven Bishops who were afterwards, in the reign of James II. imprisoned, compiled the Chronological Index; and Mr. Smith, with Bp. Bilson, revised the whole for the last time, and furnished the Contents of the Chapters, before it was sent to the press.

A careful revision took place at Oxford in the year 1769, an account of which, by Dr. Blayney, has been preserved in Gent. Mag. for Nov. of that year; and which Mr. Hewlett has also preserved in his excellent Commentary, vol. I. p. 85. See also Bp. of Lincoln's (now Winchester's) able and very useful Elements of Christian Theology, vol. II. chap. 1.

When Ptolemy Philadelphus caused the LXX to translate the Holy Scriptures from the Hebrew to the Greek

language, he opened the way for their dispersion over all nations, which had theretofore been confined to the language of Canaan; although this Translation was currently received, yet it was not entirely perfect ; but it was the most perfect of any that succeeded, and it was received by Origen and the Greek Fathers for the foundation of their Commentaries; and the Emperor Justinian enjoined the use of it, because its Translators

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ries after Christ, the Latin Versions "were too many to be all good," and this excited the zeal of St. Jerome, the first Scholar of his age, to undertake a fresh Translation of the Old Testament from the original, for the use of the Latin Church, in the year 405. This was published before Christianity had become the faith of the empire; and it was decided that he had performed his labour "with that evidence of great learning, judgment, industry, and faithfulness, that he hath for ever bound the Church unto him in a debt of special remembrance and thankfulness." (Pref. to Bible, Jac. I.) And Pope Gregory gave it the sanction of papal authority in the sixth century.

From this Work is to be traced the subsequent copies and Translations down to those in English, and to our modern accepted Version.-Probably in so long a march as that of nearly 1500 years, the errors of merely copyists and the different interpretadifferent

the undetected bias to circumstances of their own time and country, lead ing them insensibly, and not wilfully, to glosses and interpretations, however few, are to be found, which the originals did not correctly warrant: such errors were seen by our Translators, who declared their design to have been to make a good one better; or out of many good ones, one principal good one, not justly to be excepted against. "They trusted in him that hath the key of David, opening, and no man shutting; they prayed to the Lord the Father of our Lord to the effect that St. Augustus did, O let thy Scriptures be my pure delight, let me not be deceived in them, neither let me deceive by them," and they had before them the Hebrew text of the Old Testament, and the Greek text of the New; and they consulted the Translations or Cominentaries of Chaldea, Syria, Greece, and Rome,-Spain, France, Italy, and Holland. It hath pleased God in his Divine Providence bere and there to scatter words and sentences of that difficulty and doubtfulness, not in doctrinal points that concern salvation (for in such it hath been vouched that the Scriptures are plain), but in matters of lesser moment, that fearfulness would better beseem us than confidence; and if we

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will resolve- to resolve modestly with St. Augustine, Melius est dubitare de occultis, quam litigare de incertis. Their desire was, that Scripture might speak like itself, as in the language of Canaan, that it might be understood even of the very vulgar. (See Pref. to Theodore Beza's Bible, Amsterdam, 1642.)

I have been led into greater length than I had at first designed to extend these remarks, but I could not dismiss the subject without guarding our present Version from misconception of any of its imperfections, as to either motive or skill; nor without recapitulating as briefly as possible, what our Translators have said in their own behalf; and after this, it is just to leave the candid Reader, who studies bis Bible with a pious willingness to receive instruction in the way of his salvation, to form his own judgment upon the case. A. H.

Mr. URBAN,

your

THE timely notice of Corre

spondent, J. S. (p. 126) will, it is hoped, produce some effectual measure for the preservation and cleanliness of St. Paul's Cathedral, and its increasing ornaments; but the last time when I visited it, I was much concerned to see that the paintings within the dome, by Sir James Thornhill, were going fast to decay. From the situation in which they are placed, I do not judge of the expence or power of raising a scaffold for their repair; they were performed at the time when the scaffolding necessary for the whole interior was standing: but as I have a degree of hereditary interest in their repair and perpetuity, I should be glad to learn whether any steps have been taken for this purpose. I say hereditary interest, because Edward Thornhill, the uncle of this celebrated painter, married the daughter of a side ancestor of mine, and resided at Thornhill in Dorsetshire, in 1667; and I am now in possession of his signature in the title-page of the 4to copy of Q. Hor. Flacci Emblemata Studio Othonis Væni, 1612, who was the master of the celebrated Rubens. I believe this book to have been a gift from Sir Jas. Thornhill to my late grandfather. This curious work is now very little known; it was published by Philip Lisaert at Antwerp. Venius was a

Dutch

Dutch painter, born at Leyden in
1556; he was much esteemed there,
and had studied at Antwerp in the
most flourishing times of that School.
Tindal, in his "Polymatis," p. 79,
criticises this work with his usual
acuteness, giving the palm to Ripa,
who also published Allegories of the
same kind; but he says those of Ripa
are far-fetched and obscure, and
these of Venius are too literal and
trifling.
A. H.

Mr. URBAN, Cheapside, July 18.
YOUR valuable Miscellany having

called the Orphans' Fund. This Rate, however, still continues, tho' its funds are applied to various City purposes; among other charges upon it was one of 3,000l. per annum for 35 years, by authority of Parliament, to the Mercers' Company, whose own funds had become so reduced, that they applied to Parliament for relief in 1745. And what is more to our subject, 400l. was paid out of this Fund by the City, in 1687, to the united parishes to which this Church belongs, for the site of Allhallows Church and church-yard, for the pur

Y at all times been the repository pose of building Honey-lane Market.

of memoranda relating to Public Edi. fices, particularly of Ecclesiastical Topography, I make no apology for sending you the following Account of the re-placing the famous Dragon of Bow Steeple on its elevated Pinnacle; also a short Account of this beautiful Structure, in general considered the most elegant of Sir C. Wren's works.

The antient Church of St. Mary le Bow is generally so called from its dedication to the Virgin, and from being built on arches or bows, as they were vulgarly termed, in the same way as the bridge at Stratford was called Bow Bridge, being one of the first bridges of stone arches erected uear London.

But its name seems more probably derived from the arches or bows on the summit of the old Steeple, as it appears on an antient parish seal of the year 1580.

The High Court of Arches, or Curia de Arcubus, took its name from holding its sittings in this Church; the antiquity of this Court is too remote to be traced, but it is so called in 17 Edw. III. (1344) in a document of that date in a book belonging to St. Pancras, Soper Lane, one of the united parishes which has escaped the general Conflagration of 1666, and contains many curious articles.

This Church suffered in common with other buildings in that great Fire, and was rebuilt with nearly all the present public City Edifices by Sir Christopher Wren, under the Act of Chas. II. for building 52 churches. The expence of the whole was to be defrayed by a duty of 28. per chaldron on all coal borne to London seawise. The Act was granted for 17 years and five months, and was found. ed on a city rate at that time existing,

Some of your Readers may be a little surprised to learn what this Orphans' Fund really is, the cruelty of robbing the Orphans being so frequently made a charge against its worthy Treasurer, to serve electioneering purposes, and to which foolish charges people who know better, too often lend themselves.

The present Church is built over and on the arches of old Bow Church, which was erected in 1512, on the ruins of one built by William the Conqueror, on the site of a Roman Temple. Its form is taken from the Templum Pacis at Rome; was finished in 1673, and cost 80717. 18s. Id. The Steeple was an original building of Sir C. Wren, for which purpose the site of two houses between the Church and Cheapside was purchased [which probably was the Crown Silde, a place for the Queen and ladies of the Court to view tournaments and other pageants, then commonly held in West Chepe (Cheapside); it was originally a wooden building; but in conse quence of its falling when Queen Philippa and her ladies were therein: it was rebuilt more substantially by Edward III.] On digging considerably below the old Church, a Roman pavement was discovered, which Sir Christopher Wren took for his foundation; it was begun in 1671, and finished in 1680.

The Dragon, supporter of the ensigns armorial of the City, was mounted in 1679*, the whole expence was 73881. 8s. 74d. A Dame Dyonis Wilkinson gave 2000l. towards its erection and beautifying.

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large bell; for which pious act he feet ine, probably was promised some years remittance in purgatory.

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By some slight differences in new work the Steeple is 4 inches higher.

The Structure is light and elegant, and is sometimes said to embrace the five orders of Architecture, but the fancy of the Architect is more apparent than an adherence to regular orders. More credit is due to the Architect than to the Builder, the masonry being executed in an indif. ferent manner, both as to materials and workmanship; whilst the geometrical skill of Sir Christopher is highly conspicuous. His original intention was to have built a facade to the street extending to Bow Lane, but probably the increased expence prevented it. An engraving of the whole, as intended by the Architect, is in the Vestry.

The staircase is of very ingenious construction and good execution, working spirally round the pillar, without any well.

There are 10 fine-toned bells in the Steeple, originally intended to contain 12, and it is pierced for that number. The present set were first rung June 4, 1762.

By an order of Common Council, in 1469, they were to be rung regularly at nine, p. m.; and by another order of the same body, lights were to be exhibited at night, in the centre lanthorn, to direct the traveller towards the Metropolis. A worthy Citizen, John Donne, left two tenements in Hosier Lane, now Bow ́ Lane, for the maintenance of the

* The height of the Monument is 202 feet; and of St. Paul's, from the ground to the top of the Cross, 340 feet.

The Belfry has been secured by cast-iron ties surrounding it internally and externally, the latter bedded in the masonry; space being allowed for expansion.

This Steeple has had many repairs. The Dragon was taken down in 1760, when the upper part of the Steeple was repaired by Mr. Wm. Staines, afterwards Sir William, and Lord Mayor; the charges altogether amounted to 2547. 118. 1d. The Committee presented Mr. Staines with 10 guincas for the skilful and expeditious executing of his contract.

The last time of its examination was in 1805, when the Church underwent thorough repair, at a very great expence, but from motives of economy, or some other cause, the upper part of the Spire, which had at that time somewhat lost its perpendicular, was not taken down; it appears that the injudicious use of iron in its construction, by expansion and oxidation, has been a principal cause of the Spire losing its perpendicular; to which may be added the great weight of the bells, and the tremendous shaking it must have undergone (when these cockneyfying instruments were in almost continual motion); the upper part of the Steeple being of remarkably thin masonry.

In 1818, after a thorough examination by a scaffold, it was decided to take down so much as was seriously injured (on the South and West exposure, the stone was much decayed and perforated as it were, to a great depth), and to rebuild it precisely on its original plan. About this period, the appearance of sinking in one part of the Church indicated the necessity of examining the vaults as to the security of the foundation; and after removing an immense number of coffins (among which two perfectly dried bodies or mummies were discovered (which are preserved for the observation of the curious), an arch was observed, closed with brick-work ; and on cutting through this, the old Church appeared, choaked up with bricks and rubbish, apparently the ruins of such part as was destroyed by the Fire, and not removed at its rebuilding; all this was taken out, and the soil cleared to its original base, 134 feet below the present

present street. In digging where the Roman Altar was supposed to have stood, the writer observed two ram's horns taken up, and he is not aware of any antiquities being discovered.

The last stone having been placed on Saturday, July 8; on Tuesday the 11th, the Dragon, part of the supporters of the City Arms, which had been splendidly re-gilt, and the City Cross on its wings painted red, as originally finished by Sir Christopher Wren, was launched from the vestibule; and being surmounted, by Neale, one of the masons, with a flag, standing on a narrow bar (as the famous Jacob Hall, it seems, had done at its original elevation), it was hauled up at one operation to the block immediately over its intended situation; and as the clock struck one, was lowered on to the spindle, amid nine cheers from the Committee and workmen on this lofty and frail looking platform, to the number of 33. The concourse in Cheapside, on St. Paul's galleries, the Monument, and all open places, to see the Dragon flying up as it were with his rider, was immense. The Dragon had a glass of wine and some coins put into his mouth, and the superior crossbar was immediately struck.

The animal is of copper, 8 feet 10 inches long, of elegant taste and superior workmanship; it works upon an Egyptian pebble; the spindle is of polished steel.

This Church and Steeple are certainly a great ornament, but a most expen. sive one, to the united parishes. The present repairs and clearing the vaults will cost about 60001.; and the annuities from the repair in 1806 are only beginning to fall in.

The architectural department under Mr. Gwilt, and the masonry under Mr. Chadwick, have been executed in a manner to give perfect satisfaction to the Committee, and ensure credit to themselves. Considerable part of the new work, where the weather had made greatest inroads, has been replaced with granite.

Mr. Gwilt has a most beautiful and elaborate section of the interior of this Steeple; and, from his minute acquaintance with it, it is to be hoped he will favour the public with some observations. It is on the scale of one-third of an inch to a foot.

Mr. Gwilt discovered in the Library
GENT. MAG. September, 1820.

of All Souls' College, Oxford, an original draught of Sir Christopher Wren's, of a design for the East end of Bow Church; it is numbered 75; and although obviously different, is materially the same: and also another drawing of a plan for the Steeple, numbered 47, not so lofty or elegant as the present structure; the bows being left out, and a cross substituted for the dragon. This plan Sir Christopher seems to have adopted, with some variation, to St. Magnus, London Bridge.

There are but few monuments in the Church particularly worthy notice; but among them is one of the respectable Bp. Newton, who wrote

on

the Prophecies, and who was nearly 30 years rector.

The present rector, Dr. William Van Mildert, Bishop of Llandaff, and lately appointed Dean of St. Paul's, was instituted in 1796, presented by the Grocers' Company, formerly patrons of All Hallows, Honey Lane, before being united with Bow and Pancras, and have the gift alternately with the Crown and Archbishops of Canterbury. It may be mentioned, that he was the first Clergyman prosecuted for non-residence, on which occasion his character shone forth so worthily, that his subsequent great preferment may possibly have been contemplated from that time. N. G.

Mr. URBAN,

Maer Parsonage, Staffordshire, July 15. I FEEL desirous of correcting any

erroneous impression or inference which may be made from a perusal of a Pamphlet I have lately published, entitled "The Sorrows of Mastus," and which you have noticed in p. 49.

The death of our late venerable Sovereign is an event which appears to me momentous in the annals of our country. The beginning of this year exhibited a truly interesting and affecting scene;-that of a great and good man, one who had gained the most universal esteem and love among his subjects, departing this life a victim to one of the most awful visitations with which Providence afflicts the sons of men.

It is well known that his late Majesty was overpowered by the excess of exquisite feelings arising from parental love. Deeply affecting is the account given of his youngest child

and

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