In all these points there has been, to a much larger extent than is commonly known, a work of unauthor- ized revision. Neither italics, nor references, nor readings, nor chapter-headings, nor, it may be added, punctuation, are the same now as they were in the A. V. of 1011. The chief alterations appear to have been made first in 1G83, and afterwards in 17G9, by Dr. Blajmey, under the sanction of the Oxford delegates of the press {Gentleman's Magazine, Nov. 1789). A like work was done aliout the same time by Dr. Paris at Camliridge. There had, however, been some changes previously. The edition of 1G38, in particular, shows considerable augmentations in the italics (Turton, Text of the English Bible, 1833, p. 91, 12G). To Blay- ne\' also we owe most of the notes on weights and measures, and coins, and the explanation, where the text seems to require it, of Hebrew proper names. The whole question of the use of italics is discussed elaborately b}- Turton in the work just mentioned. The late issues of the American Bible Union (q. v.) have, too uniformly perhaps, rejected this mode of dis- tinction ; discarding it on the ground that, if the ital- icized words are not necessar}' to the sense, they have no business there ; if necessary, then the reader is mis- led by marking them as though they were not.
11. AVhat has been said will serve to show at once to what extent a new revision is required, and what are the chief difficulties to be encountered. The work, it is believed, ought not to be delaj-ed much longer. Names of men competent to undertake the work, as far as the N. T. is concerned, will occur to every one ; and if such alterations only were to be introduced as commanded the assent of at least two thirds of a cho- sen bod\' of twenty or thirty scholars, while a place in the margin was given to such renderings only as were adopted by at least one third, there would be, it is be- lieved, at once a great change for the better, and with- out any shock to the feelings or even the prejudices of the great mass of readers. ]Men fit to undertake the work of revising the translation of the O. T. are con- fessedly fewer, ami, for the most part, occupied in
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other things. The knowledge and the power, how- ever, are there, though in less measure ; and, even though the will be for the time absent, a summons to enter on the task from those whose authorit}^ they are bound to respect, would, we cannot doubt, be listened to. It might have the result of directing to their prop- er task, and to a fruitful issue, energies which are too often withdrawn to ephemeral and unprofitable con- troversies. As the revised Biljle would be for the use of English-speaking people, the men appointed for the purpose ought not to be taken exclusively from any one Church, and the learning of all denominations should at least be fairly represented. The changes recommended liy such a body of men, under condi- tions such as those suggested, might safely be allowed to circulate experimentally for two or three years. When they had stood that trial, they might, without risk, be printed in the new Authorized Version. Such a work would unite reverence for the past with duty towards the future. In undertaking it we should be not slij:hting the translators on whose labors we have entered, but following in their footsteps. It is the wisdom of the Church to bring out of its treasures things new and old.
XIV. Literature. — In addition to the works cited above, see especially Johnson's Account of the several EnfiHsh Trans, of the Bible (Lond. 1730, 8vo ; reprinted in Bp. Watson's Tkeolog. Tracts); Bp. Marsh's Hist, of the Translations which have been made of the Scripttires, from the earliest to the ^iresent Age (Lond. 1812, 8vo) ; Lewis's Histoi-y of the principal Translations of the Bi- ble (3d ed. London, 1818, 8vo) ; Newconie's Historical Vino of the English Biblical Translations (Dublin, 1792, 8vo) ; Cotton's List of Editions of the Bible (2d ed. Ox- ford, 1852, 8vo) ; Walter's Letter on the Independence of the Authorised Version of the Bible (Lond. 1823, 8vo) ; Todd's Vindication of our Authorized Translation, etc. (Lond. 1819, 8vo); and especially Anderson's Annals of the English Bible (Lond. 18'J5, 2 vols. 8vo ; in part reprinted, N. Y. 1856, 8vo) ; also Beard, Revised Eng- lish Bible the Want of the Church (new ed. Lond. 1860, 8vo) ; INIrs. Conant, History of the English Bible (N. Y. 18oG ; Lond. 1859, 8vo) ; Bp. Hinds, Scripture and the Authorized Version (Lond. 1853, 12mo) ; Malan, Vindi- cation of the Authorized Version of the Bible (London, 185(5, 8vo) ; Anon. Renderings of the principal English Translations of the Bible (Lond. 1849, -Ito) ; Scholefield, Hints for an improved Translation of the New Testament (London, 1857, 12mo) ; Dewes, Plea for translating the Scriptures (Lond. 1866, 8vo) ; comp. Bihliotheca Saci'a, April, 1858; Ch. of Eng. Quarterly, Oct. 1856; Chris- tian Review, April, 1857 ; Jour, of Sac. Lit. July, 1857. July, 1858 ; Soulh. Presb. Review, Jan. 1858 ; Br. For. Evangelical Rev. iv\j, 1857, Jan. 1858, Ap. 1858, Oct. 1859, July, 1863; Prot. Episc. Quart. Rev. Jan. 1859; North Am. Rev. Jan. 1859 ; New Englander, Feb. 1859, May, 1859 ; United Presb. Quart. Rev. Jan. 1860 ; Free- will Bapt. Quart. Rev. July, 1863 ; Meth. Quart. Review, July, 18G4 ; Jour. Sac. Lit. Apr. 1867. See Author- ized Veksion.