New on the 10th of January, 1514. "In hac præclarissima Complutensi Civitate." On receiving from the printer the concluding volume, the cardinal exclaimed, “Grates tibi ago, summe Christe, quod rem magnopere a me curatam ad optatum finem perduxeris," and, addressing those around him, added, "Nihil est, amici, de quo magis gratulari mihi debeatis, quam de hac editione bibliorum, quæ una sacros religionis nostræ fontes, tempore perquam necessario, aperit." In attributing the precedence of date to this publication, I do not forget that the Septuagint was printed at the Aldine press in 1518, and the New Testament at Basil, under the supervision of Erasmus, in 1516, while this polyglott did not appear until after the death of Ximenes, in 1520. The Polyglott and the New Testament were severally inscribed to Leo X by the cardinal and by Erasmus. "I conclude," says Dr. Adam Clarke, "that the Hebrew, Septuagint, Vulgate, Chaldean, as far as it goes, and the original of the New Testament, are, as they stand in the Complutensian Polyglott, equal in critical value to manuscripts of these texts and versions of the tenth or twelfth centuries, or even higher. Lelong (Biblioth. Sacra, p. 11) makes them even coeval with the seventh or eighth centuries." To a Roman catholic university, therefore, and to a Spanish city, the christian world is indebted for these supereminent services.

"Prima via salutis, Quod minime reris, Graia pandetur ab urbe."

The work of Gabriel Diosdado Raym, "De prima Typographiæ Hispanica ætate," Romæ 1793, 4to. and the "Typographia Española," by F. Mendez, Madrid 1796, 4to. are worth consulting on this subject. The manuscript of the Complutensian New Testament is supposed to be in the Dublin University library. It contains the long-controverted passage in St. John's first epistle, chap. v. verse 7, on the three heavenly witnesses. Various further particulars relating to the Polyglott, and the donation to the French ex-king, will be found under my signature in the Gentleman's Magazine for April 1841, p. 368, &c.

and may not appear undeserving of recurrence to them. A special and enlarged narrative of the valuable publication by Sebastian Seemilerius appeared at Ingoldstadt in 1785, 4to. under the title of "De Bibliis Complutensibus Polyglottis." One of the ablest coadjutors of the cardinal was Stunica (Jacobus Lopez), a doctor of the university, whom Ximenes despatched to Rome in search of manuscripts, for seven of which in Hebrew Ximenes paid four thousand crowns, equivalent to so many pounds sterling of present currency. Stunica has left a rare volume," Itinerarium, dum Compluto (Alcala de Henares), Romam proficisceretur," in small quarto. His altercations with Erasmus exposed him to the shafts of ridicule not only of Erasmus but of Ulrick Van Hütten, who assigned him a prominent place in the celebrated "Litteræ Obscurorum Virorum." He died at Naples in 1530. The edifice of the university, commenced, at the expense of the cardinal, in 1500, was completed in 1508, and then organised for its destined purpose.

The Polyglott, this noble undertaking of Ximenes, is supposed to have cost altogether not less than 40,000l. so numerous were the learned co-operators engaged in the work, and all liberally remunerated, independently of the high prices paid for the manuscripts, though the successive popes, Alexander VI. Julius II. and more especially Leo X. placed those of the Vatican at the cardinal's free disposal. The cost to the public of each copy, of which the number was limited to six hundred, was six golden crowns and a half, or about 61. 10s. of present value. Of the three on vellum, two having been locked up in state or royal libraries, one solely could ever come to the hammer, as that originally reserved for the cardinal, and now, as abovementioned, in the National Repository of Paris, eventually did. At Venice, in the possession of the Pinelli family, no dust could touch the volumes. That several paper copies are to be found in the private collections of London your correspondent may be well assured. Formerly one was in my own library, and the precious vellum copy, of which we must regret the loss to England, was placed for some time, in 1793 and 1794, during

the reign of terror, for safe keeping, and many more rare articles, with me, Count McCarthy's quality of noble, and the renown of his library, being likely to expose him to special danger. No private gentleman ever possessed an equal number of works printed on vellum, amounting to above five hundred, while the royal library did not contain more than fifteen hundred, and no other national collection exceeded one thousand, if so many were any where to be found assembled. He was a native of Tipperary, but removed to Toulouse about the middle of the last century, for the freer enjoyment of his religion, when Louis XV. conferred on him the title of Count. He was considered one of the first amateur performers on the violin in Europe, and, indeed, was altogether a most amiable gentleman. One of his sons, an ecclesiastic, particularly distinguished himself in the pulpit, and his published sermons are highly valued. My recollections of him in early youth are most favourable to his character. He died after entering, late in life, into the order of Jesuits.

The second great polyglott publication of the Bible was also the fruit of Spanish munificence, being at the cost of Philip II., and printed at Antwerp, from 1569 to 1572, by Plantin, whose establishment continues to this day in the hands of his posterity, through the female line,—an unexampled instance, I believe, of so long a duration of family succession in the same industrial pursuit. Most of the Catholic missals proceeded from this press, as did that vast collection, the " Acta Sanctorum," now in process of publication for two centuries. After a suspension of some years the compilation has been resumed.

Concerning the Hebrew sources of the Complutensian Polyglott in manuscript, as well as the earlier Jewish editions, in various cities of Italy (Soncino, Ferrara, Brescia, Cremona, Naples, and Venice), I would refer to the numerous works of John Bernard de Rossi, more especially to his "Annales Hebræo-typographici, seculi xv." Parma, 1795-1799, two parts 4to. and to the catalogue of his library, "Libri stampati di Litteratura Ebraica," &c. Parma, 1812, in 8vo. The first He

Uckfield, May 8th, 1796. DEAR SIR,-To enliven the tedious hours of an indisposition, which seized me during a visit to my mother, I have lately been employed in reading Boswell's Johnsoniana.

In the course of my very desultory perusal of this curious system of biography I discovered, to my astonishment, the name of my respected master, introduced as one among those who have imitated in their writings the "ampullæ et sesquipedalia verba" of Johnson.

The indignation I feel at an imputation so grossly inapplicable to the tenor of those compositions which have instructed and amused me ever since I became capable of receiving either improvement or pleasure has induced me to write to you. In so doing I will neither deprecate your censure, nor demand your pardon, because I am sensible that your politeness and affability will render the one unnecessary and the other superfluous.

Accustomed as I have been from my earliest years to appreciate works of genius according your approbation, it is but natural that, in my estimation of your own productions, I may be suspected of partiality. But, when I behold this predilection sanctioned by the united voice of Europe, when I have the satisfaction of seeing them introduced to foreign nations, and translated into every language where refinement and literature prevail, I must confess I cannot patiently suffer any cold, systematic critic of Caledonia to depreciate their excellence, by bestowing upon the effusions of inventive genius the mere encomium which attaches only to a talent for imitation.

With your usual candour, I find you

I do

were induced to gratify Boswell by a tribute of commendation: his mode of acknowledgement accords minutely with his national characteristic. not recollect at what period of my life I first conceived a prejudice against the Scotch; but I know that a more extensive intercourse with mankind has neither obliterated the impression, nor convinced me of its impropriety; and this last instance of Scotch servility, in endeavouring to appropriate the style of our first writers to the pen of an individual whom it was his interest to celebrate will only serve to confirm the antipathy.

De mortuis, nil nisi bonum ! Johnson and his Boswell, the lion and his jackall, both are gone. The latter probably possessed your friendship; he, at least, obtained your encomium: and I am therefore ready to anticipate the reproof I have merited in speaking disrespectfully of one who is no more. Yet remember, it is not Boswell, the memorialist of the dead, whom I condemn, but Boswell, the slanderer of the living-Boswell, who had the effrontery or ignorance to pronounce the writings of Robertson, of Gibbon, and of Knox, mere imitutions of the turgid and bombastic style of the moral, the virtuous, but elaborate Johnson.

At the same time permit me, in the humblest manner, to request of you, as an instructor and a friend-as one whose opinion I revere, and by whose judgment I would form my ownwhether you consider Robertson or Gibbon imitators of Johnson? Morcover, whether you feel sensible of having been yourself an imitator of any author? Or whether your writings do not possess that degree of peculiarity (if I may so call it) and consistency which are ever the marks of original genius?

It would give me real pain to learn from your decision that the triumvirate I have mentioned were a triumvirate of imitators; and all imitators of a single individual, whose works hitherto I have never suffered to be brought in competition with theirs.

Between Robertson and Gibbon, I have often observed a striking similarity; but was not capable of pronouncing which imitated the other. GENT. MAG. VOL. XXX.

Whoever will examine the last of Robertson's productions, the "History of Ancient India," will be struck with so forcible an analogy between the two historians that it is impossible it should escape the observation of the most undiscerning. This similarity is not so apparent in the earlier works of Robertson. One peculiarity in which they resemble each other, is a happy talent of bringing together words of opposite meanings into the same sentence. As in Gibbon, vol. 1, page 30.

"As soon as it was allowed that Sages and Heroes, who had lived, or who had died, for the benefit of their country," &c.

And again in the same volumes, pages 478, 479

"Accustomed long since to observe and to respect," &c.

"The most curious, or the most eredulous, among the Pagans," &c.

"They felt, or they fancied, that on every side," &c.

"The real or imaginary prodigies," &c. Of these, there are numerous instances in the writings of Robertson; but, not having his works by me, my memory is not sufficiently retentive to deliver them with accuracy.

To Johnson, however, they bear no resemblance. The style of Johnson consists of fine sonorous sentences; frequently of considerable length; all the words moving in harmony; the epithets numerous and judicious; and the whole winding up to a majestic and rebounding period; so that, at the close of each sentence, the satisfied ear reposes it waits not in expectation for the beginning of the next, but feels every distinct passage complete within itself.

Gibbon, frequently abrupt and inconclusive, rouses the imagination, and prepares it for something that is to follow. He has been styled the imitator of Tacitus, between whom and

Johnson I am sure there is no resemblance.

Robertson brandishes with dignity a weapon that glitters but does not cut. His pen appears more dedicated to ornament than utility.-Robertson selected his subject to display his pen; and therefore differed materially from Johnson, who made his pen display his subject.

If I have stated my sentiments er3 C

roneously, or intruded upon your notice opinions which are not calculated to coincide with your determinations, I hope you will be candid enough to tell me so. Whatever notions I may entertain, whatever system I may pursue, remember they are founded upon a basis established according to your principles; and, though you may be inclined to despise the superstructure, you will at least respect the architect, according to whose instructions the edifice has been erected.

With my comp. and kind remembrance to Mrs. Knox, I have the honour to be, Dear Sir,

Your much obliged

and very faithful Servt., EDWD. DANL. CLARKE.

REVEREND SIR,-As your works have tended to promote attention to my favourite subject of Education, I have been constantly attentive to them from their first appearance, and ought not to have withheld from you my approbation if I had thought it could have been of any use either to yourself or your writings; but, on the contrary, knowing that every thing in Britain hinges upon interest or party, and knowing myself to be no favourite either at courts or universities, and as little with what are called patriots, I abstained.

What calls forth this letter, after so long an abstinence from merited commendation, is your fragment of Erasmus on War, than which nothing could be better done, or better timed; and your philosopho-christian-like conduct, relating to the base and barbarous insult you underwent for doing your duty as a clergyman in the pulpit. It is with deep concern that I acknowledge the little hope (I should say expectation) that I have of any amendment of public or private manners in Britain or its dependencies, which has made me to desist altogether from attempting to move them. I retired from publick life almost as soon as I came into it, on account of what I saw behind the curtain during the short time I was upon the stage, and in deep retirement I have bent my attention to Englishmen, Scotchmen, and Irishmen on the other side of the Atlantic, and it is there that I have strenuously en

deavoured to promote a plan of Education that may produce a better age. After having sedulously moved in this way from the worthiest motives for six-and-twenty years, I am desirous of visiting the scene on which they have been employed, and I think of doing so in the ensuing spring.

It is mathematicians and elementary people that I have endeavoured chiefly to procure for the Americans, but now I seriously desire that good men, who cannot live with comfort, or even with safety on this side of the Atlantic, may go to the other; and I am wishing to make up an assortment of such in the department of education of youth for my fellow-citizens! I say my fellowcitizens, because my great-grandfather, Henry Lord Cardross, being forced to take refuge from arbitrary government in Britain, went in 1682 to the province of Carolina, and there founded at Port Royal, whence he was driven afterwards by the Spaniards, and came over in 1688 with the Prince of Orange.

Having considered the state of schools in America, as Howard did prisons, I shall return and report. I am, Revd. Sir,