it is rather to be wondered that it has not done it long ago. It is a common case, and what all who are afflicted with any indisposition a great while together experience as well as he. Such is our make, such the condition of embodied spirits, that they cannot act with freedom, or exert their native powers, when the bodily organs are out of tune. This shows how necessary it is for people (especially the young) to improve the present blessing of health and strength, by laying a strong foundation of piety towards God, of submission, patience, and all other Christian virtues, before the decline of life,-before the shadows of the evening lengthen upon them, and those years draw nigh in which, without solid piety, they can find no pleasure.

The young gentleman you mention seems to me to be in the right concerning the real presence of Christ in the sacrament. I own I never understood by the "real presence," more than what he has elegantly expressed, that "the divine nature of Christ is then eminently present, to impart, by the operation of his Holy Spirit, the benefits of his death to worthy receivers." And surely the divine presence of our Lord, thus applying the virtue and merits of the great atonement to each true believer, makes the consecrated bread more than a sign of Christ's body; since, by his so doing, we receive not only the sign, but with it the thing signified, all the benefits of his incarnation and passion! But still, however this divine institution may seem to others, to me it is full of mystery. Who can account for the operations of God's Holy Spirit, or define the manner of his working upon the spirit in man, either when he enlightens the understanding, or excites and confirms the will, and regulates and calms the passions, without impairing man's liberty? Indeed, the whole scheme of our redemption by Jesus Christ is beyond all things mysterious. That God, the mighty God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, the possessor of heaven and earth, who is Being

itself, and comprehends in his most pure nature absolute perfection and blessedness,-that must necessarily be infinitely happy in and of himself; that such a Being should in the least degree regard the salvation of sinners; that he himself, the offended, the injured, should propose terms of reconciliation, and admit them into covenant upon any conditions; is truly wonderful and astonishing! As God did not make the world because he needed it, so neither could that be any reason for his redeeming it. He loved us because he loved us; and would have mercy because he would have mercy. Then the manner of man's redemp. tion, the way by which he condescended to save us, is altogether incomprehensible. Who can unfold the mystery of the hypostatic union? or forbear acknowledging, with the Apostle, that "great is the mystery of godliness, God manifest in the flesh?" That the divine person of the Son of God should (if we may be permitted so to speak) seem so far to forget his dignity and essential glory as to submit to a life of poverty, contempt, and innumerable other sufferings, for above thirty years, and conclude that life in inexpressible torments; and all this to heal and save a creature that was at enmity against God, and desired not to be otherwise. Here is public and benevolent affection in its utmost exaltation and perfection. And this is the love of Christ; which, as the Apostle justly observes, passeth knowledge.

I have been led away so far by this vast subject, that I have hardly left myself time or room to add

more.

The writing anything about my way of education I am much averse to. It cannot, I think, be of service to any one to know how I, that have lived such a retired life for so many years, (ever since I was with child of you,) used to employ my time and care in bringing up my children. No one can, without renouncing the world, in the most literal sense, observe my method; and there are few, if any, that would entirely devote above twenty years

1783, as we learn from Dr. Marsh, (afterwards Bishop of Peterborough,) in the second volume of his "Translation of Michaëlis's Introduction to the New Testament," part ii., pp. 642, 643, application was made to Pius VI., by Spaletti, to publish a fac-simile of the Vatican MS. But this, likewise, came to nothing.

Within the last ten years, however, great expectations have been excited, that the desired work would be executed, and executed on a magnificent scale; that the learned Christian world would be gratified, not only with a fac-simile of the original, the most celebrated of the Vatican Biblical мss., but with a critical edition likewise of the same, by the practised pen of Dr. Wiseman; or, as the announcement was altered, by Professor, now Cardinal Mai, and lately made Prefect of the S. Congregation of the Index; a man of well-earned and still growing reputation for editorial talent.

The grateful announcement took something of an official shape, when Dr. Wiseman, in the first edition of his "Lectures on the Connexion between Science and revealed Religion," vol. ii., lecture x., pp. 187, &c., gave a very precise and minute, but not very intelligible, account of the actual undertaking, and considerable advance of the work; together with some strictures of a remarkable character. This was in the year 1836; a year which must be remembered. Since that year, silence seemed to prevail on the interesting subject, till the commencement of the year 1843, when newspapers and other periodicals, particularly "The Complete Catholic Directory," (Annual,) by W. J. Battersby, gave the intelligence a run like that of wild-fire through the country. A year since then has passed, 1844, in which expectation still continues unsatisfied.

But, in order to understand as much as is allowed to us, we must return to Dr. Wiseman, and make the best of the notice given by him in 1836, now eight years past.

Following so competent a guide, in the place which has been pointed out, meaning of course, and carefully, the first edition of his work;

for that will be sufficient, (except some inferences deducible from the phenomena of the second,) we learn, in his own words, writing of the Vatican мs. of the Greek Scriptures, -the principal, for there are several other Mss. of the same,-that it is "the most valuable ms. of the Septuagint version and New Testament now in existence;" adding, immediately, "It is known by the name of Codex Vaticanus, and was published in 1587 by order of Pope Sixtus V."

He

It is no object to dispute the preference given to the Vatican above other мss., such as our Alexandrine, or the Cambridge with the Clermont of the New Testament. The great point in controversy, or to be proved, is, whether or not the Greek New Testament was printed together with the Septuagint, both of which are contained, and acknowledged to be contained, in the Vatican мs. This is the fact to be settled. Let us now, then, examine the grammatical declaration of Dr. Wiseman. affirms, that the Vatican мs. contains the Septuagint, (or Greek Old Testament,) and the New Testament, the Greek original. He adds, "It is known by the name of the Coder Vaticanus." What is meant by the pronoun it a little word, but which often, as here, purports great things, and with reason. It follows, " And was," that is, it, namely, the Septuagint, together with the New Testament,-"it was published in 1587," &c. in other words, and in

:

The learned Doctor has strangely forgotten himself in the note, p. 360, (second edition,)

when, in order to depreciate the late edition of the Septuagint with various readings by Dr. Holmes and his successor, as being essentially defective, because it wanted the collation of the Vatican, which collation had been commenced, and when interrupted had not been resumed, he has brought a charge which could be substantiated in no other way than by affixing a disparaging stigma to the edition of the Septuagint issued by the authority of his own Church, with the Papal sanction of the time. Dr. Wiseman could hardly be ignorant that the Vatican мs., as represented in the Sixtine edi. tion of 1587, forms the text of Dr. Holmes's edition. Even a Protestant heretic would have

treated, and has treated, the Roman edition

with more respect, or rather justice. But an enger polemic, on tempting occasions, does not always see where he is running.

plain necessary grammar, the New Testament, as well as the Septuagint, was then published. That this is the necessary and deliberate meaning of Dr. Wiseman, is evident from the assertion afterwards made; when, defending Mamachi, who is said to have thwarted the impression of the Vatican in 1783, against the imputation of ignorance, he states, that Mamachi "surely knew that the Vatican Ms. had been published nearly two centuries before," &c. ; that is, if language has any definite meaning, the whole of the Ms., including the New Testament, the most important part as concerns the present investigation, was then published; or, as Dr. Wiseman scruples not to affirm on his own responsibility, known to have then been published.

What will the reader think, when he is told, that this assertion, thus reiterated, is flatly and absolutely false? The edition of the Vatican Ms., in Rome, in 1587, is in many libraries, both public and private; it is now before the writer, and, on inspection, it is palpably, or rather visibly, evident, that it contains the Septuagint singly and alone,-the New Testament does not accompany it. In the previous Aldine edition in Venice, from whatever мss., both the Septuagint and the Greek New Testament are given; and the example was worthy of being followed at Rome, but was not. Whether Dr. Wiseman knew what he had done, or not, must be left to the decision of a more solemn tribunal than any which is human. However advantageous the statement to his own Church, and however incredible that a scholar should be ignorant of the truth, we rather trust he did not. But, then, in what position does this most charitable supposition place his information on a subject which is peculiarly within his own province, and of so little difficulty to understand? At all events, however, it must be allowed to have been a fortunate shot.

But it will be desirable to hear Dr. Wiseman speak to the end; for he speaks volumes.

"When Monsignor Mai, lately

Librarian of the Vatican, suggested to Leo XII. the propriety of publishing the New Testament of the Codex Vaticanus, His Holiness replied, that he would wish the whole, including the Old, to be accurately printed. Upon this the learned Prelate undertook the task, and advanced as far as St. Mark's Gospel. Not satisfied with the execution of the work, he has since recommenced it on a different plan. The New Testament is finished, and the Old considerably advanced. This publication will be the most satisfactory proof of how little apprehension is felt in Rome of any injury to the Christian religion,' from the critical study of the holy Scriptures."

This is highly important information: the New Testament, in the year 1836, eight years ago, is finished, and the Old considerably advanced. We are not told whether the fac-simile, or an edition, the one promised, be here to be understood, It is amusing, too, and not without instruction, to observe the gentle change of terms in the last sentence. The most natural course of the sentence, to make it of any benefit to Rome, would have been,—how little apprehension was felt in Rome of any injury to the Roman or Papal religion, from the critical study of the holy Scriptures. But such an assertion would have been a little hazardous, or problematical; and, therefore, we are put off with the truism, important enough in its place, that the Christian religion does not fear a critical study of the Scriptures; besides that the question is not of the critical study of the Scriptures, but of publishing those Scriptures under particular circumstances.

But this is not all. It deserves especial remark, that in the year 1842, after a lapse of six years, a new edition of Dr. Wiseman's Lectures has been published; in an advertisement to which, the author inforins the reader, that it is " merely re-printed," without any alterations, but which, if any should appear necessary, are reserved to a future possible Supplement. This is somewhat extraordinary, and certainly

as

savours of no great respect for the public, particularly for his own community. But with such palpable, and not very innocent, errors have been pointed out in the particular and important portion just subjected to criticism, it was perhaps the best shield by which the disgrace of acknowledgment could be covered.

But, to bring the subject to a close: after all the circumstances which have been detailed, exciting in no common degree the expectations of the public; when the great body of Christendom, not scholars and heretics only, but the very flower of the Catholic faithful, were stretching their necks and eyes to behold the grand effort of their Church, the result of four hundred years' consideration, in the first and only printed Greek New Testament in the apostolic city, and from the apostolic press; to be still held in suspense, still doubtful-whatever veracity be pledged, and how frequently soever repeated-when, and whether at all, the promises of the Mother and Mistress of all Churches would be accomplished; is a spectacle not often seen in a world which exhibits no small share of strange things. To plead as an explanation the large expense of such an undertaking, will be received with little satisfaction by those who are pretty well assured that if a subscription for the purpose were solicited, and a prospectus published in London, names in a short time would be given in, in number nearly, if not quite, sufficient to cover the whole expense, by theological students eager enough to obtain so desirable and long-withheld a curiosity; more especially when it is considered, that the New Testament is that alone which is the object of most precise and intense desire, and a plain reprint, without inflicting the charge of a fac-simile, even of the New Testament by itself, would be hailed with fervent gratitude. True, we have the substance in the readings collected and published by the accurate and industrious Birch; and a specimen of part of the triplecolumned page of the original is to

be found in Blanchini's Evangeli arium, tom. i., p. ccxcii., referred to by Birch mistakenly as cdxcii.; but the entire text is still a desideratum, and would be valued accordingly. So much for the formidable expense.

It is not impossible, however, that the whole of the present disappointment may admit of an easy solution. The rumour was certainly not without an interest as regards the party with whom it originated, and by whom it was circulated; but a doubt was reasonably entertained, that, when the time of execution came, the courage of Rome would fail; and, as on the two former occasions, a mysterious abandonment would recur. And it must be admitted, that, for the supreme and infallible Church, the case was a trying one. What! shall that Church, from her own metropolis and centre, exhibit and proclaim a rival to her Vulgate!

it may be, a superior! unless original and translated will consent to change places. Who, likewise, can tell,-Dr. Wiseman perhaps can,whether Professor Angelo Mai, now for some years a Cardinal, and promoted to a very responsible office, may not be too much engrossed by Cardinalesque occupations to engage any longer, except in completing former undertakings, in the editorial duties which he has so long and honourably pursued? The age of His Eminence, compared with that of the present occupant of the Papal throne, is not so circumstanced as to forbid ambitious thoughts, and the pursuits necessarily connected with them. And other individuals, in former times, who have cultivated the same views, have felt the light increase as their elevation at least appeared to approach; and what, as a humble and honest scholar and professor, he imagined to be right and desirable, considered nakedly and in se, by the maturer consideration of the subject connected with its circumstances, he may be induced to view as unsuitable, and even dangerous. It is important, too, to observe, that, having been advanced to the delicate as well as important dignity of Prefect of the Congregation of the Index, the Cardinal