Hebrew *." Of this tranflation by Wiclif, no part has yet been published except the New Teftament, which was edited by Lewis in 1731, with that hiftory of the English verfions prefixed, which the author afterwards enlarged by many additions, and publifhed feparately in 8vo. in 1739. The edition which Lewis published having been always highly efteemed, and latterly very difficult to be procured, Mr. Baber was induced to prepare the prefent edition, and has ftamped a new value upon the work by many important acceflions. In the firft place, he has given Memoirs of the Life of Wiclif, in which he has difcovered both diligence and accuracy, in compiling from various authorities, and fubjoining a very copious lift of his works, both Latin and Englifh. It must be faid, in common juftice, that no account of the life and writings of this eminent reformer, of equal value, has hitherto appeared. Subjoined to this is "An Hiftorical Account of the Saxon and English Verfions of the Scriptures, previous to the opening of the fifteenth century;" and at the end is added a copious "Gloffary" of the old and obfolete words occurring in the tranflation. The whole is introduced by a fenfible and modeft preface, in which the editor intimates a wish to publish the whole of Wiclif's verfion. "I would gladly," he fays, "have extended my labours, by giving to the world Wiclif's Verfion of the Old as well as of the New Teftament (a work which no man hath yet had the courage to attempt), and hence have wiped away a reproach which a learned foreigner + hath, with too much reafon, caft upon England; but, as my fortune is by no means commenfurate with my zeal, I muft, I fear, relinquifh even the moft diftant hope of ever engaging in fuch an honourable, employment.". P. iv., We should be glad if we could feel authorized to encourage Mr. Baber in this defign; but, perhaps, as he has now another arduous work on hand +, he has for the prefent, at teaft, difmiffed the thought. Whenever it should be under Lewis's Hiftory of Verfions. Wordfw. Lives, vol. i. P. 103... "Fabricius, after mentioning Wiclif's Version of the Bible, thus expreffes himself, Mirum vero eft Anglos eam tam diù neglexiffe, quum vel linguæ caufa ipfis in pretia effe debet." Bible Lat. med. et inf. &c. 4 MS. Publishing a fac-fimile of the Pfalter from the Alexandrian taken by any perfon to pubifh the remaining parts of Wiclif's translation, it can only be done fecurely by fubfcription, But, fhould the public appear to be defirous of it, there cannot perhaps be found a fitter perfon to conduct fuch a work than Mr. Baber, both from his fituation in the British Museum, and from his perfonal qualifications, Of Mr. Lewis's work, and the prefent, the editor gives this brief account: "As the edition of the New Teftament contained in this volume profeffes to be a correct reprint of Mr. Lewis's, it will be a fatisfaction to the reader to know what manufcripts were used by that editor for his work. The text of Mr. Lewis's edition was taken from two manufcripts; one of which was his own, and the other the property of Sir Edward Dering, Bart. of SurrendenDering, in Kent. From the former he tranfcribed, for the prefs, the four Gofpels; from the latter, the Epiftles, the Dedis of Apoftlis, and the Apocalips. The tranfcript was collated by the learned Dr. Daniel Waterland, Mafter of Magdalen College, Cambridge, with ten manuscripts depofited in different libraries at Cambridge, and afterwards compared by Mr. Lewis, with fpecimens, purpofely felected, of fix of the most curious manufcripts in the University of Oxford. At the end is a Table of the Piftils and Gofpels of the Newe Teftament unto Seynt Andrewe's Evyn,' tranfcribed by Mr. Lewis from his own copy; and, after the table, fome of the Leffons and Piftlis of the oolde Law that ben rad in the Chirche after the Ufs of Salisburi;' thefe were extracted by Dr. Waterland from the Pepys MS. of the N. T. in Magdalen College, Cambridge. The volume clofes with an explanation of obfolete words in Dr. Wiclif's New Teftamen This Gloffary, which was originally compofed by Mr. Lewis, I have corrected, and confiderably enlarged." P. v. Of the Memoirs of Wiclif, prefixed to the work, the author fpeaks with unaffected modefty. "When I compare this production with the magnitude of my fubject, I am well aware how imperfect it is; but had I indulged my inclinations, and gone as far as my materials would have allowed me, I fhould greatly have tranfgreffed the limits pre fcribed to a work, which is not intended to form the prominent part of this volume. However, in the fketch which I have drawn, I flatter myfelf, that I have delineated the great outlines of my author's character; as, what in truth he was, the most extraordinary man of the period in which he flourished, and the greatest benefactor to mankind." P. v. Criticifm will readily admit all that the author of the Memoirs has here faid for him elf; and muft in juftice add to to it, that he has made a good ufe of his materials, and has delivered his narrative in a clear and fatisfactory flyle. With refpect to the orthography of Wiclif's name, which we have been used to fee differently written, he fays that he has found inftances of fixteen different ways of fpelling the name; but that he has preferred the prefent, because it fo appears in the oldeft document in which his author's name is known to appear; namely, in the inftrument preferved in Rymer's Foedera, wherein he is nominated one of the embaffy to meet the Pope's delegates, in 1374. This is certainly a fufficient reafon, especially when we confider that Wiclif himfelf probably wrote it, at different times, in many different ways. It would be of little fervice to give a fpecimen of the tranflation itself, the language and fpelling are fo obfolete, that few would read over the extract, except those who are curious in fuch matters, who are not likely to be fatisfied with fo fmall a portion. The account of the Saxon verfions will be found to contain much matter that is very little known, and we are glad to recommend it to the attention of the curious. The whole volume indeed forms a very meritorious and valuable publication. BRITISH CATALOGUE. POETRY. ART. 11. Pfyche, with other Poems; by the late Mrs. Henry Tighe, The third Edition. 8vo. 314 pp. Longman and Co. 1811. The elegant poem of Pfyche was fo long circulated in one or two private editions, that to defcant upon it as a new performance would be to repeat only what the majority of our readers already know ; and to accumulate fuperfluous praife, where abundance has been already beftowed. The fair author is, alas, no more ;* and the talents and amiable fer fibility which produced this alle gory, correfponding with the interefting form which is prefixed to this volume, must have left a regret upon the minds of her rela. tives and friends which no public approbation could alleviate. Turning to her other poems, which are lefs known, we fix with melancholy pleasure on the following fonnet, in which the poetefs evidently prefages her own fate; a prefage too fadly realized in the thirty-feventh year of her age. As nearer I approach that fatal day away; Behold, how quickly melted from your fight By which hope led the wand'ring cheated foul; Her fighs, and tears, and youth, were spent in vain, P. 229. We are told at the end that fhe died in blifsful peace and humble confidence. די ART. 12, Il Paftor Fido, or the Faithful Shepherd, a Paftoral Tragi.comedy, attempted in English Blank Verfe, from the Italian of Signor Cavalier Giovanni Battifta Guarini. 12mo. 239 PP. 78. Black, Edinburgh; Longman and Co. London. 1809. If Paftor Fido is to be tranflated in blank verfe, it should be fmooth and fpirited verfe, which this feems to be. Witness the following fpecimen. "Tell me, O Silvio! if in this fo fair Bared of its verdure, and the plains around Silvio, would't thou not say "creation faints, The world is languishing." P. 6. This fpirit is not confined to a few pages, but appears to pervade the whole tranflation. That it is more literal than rhymed tranflations may eafily be believed. ART. 13. The Tyrolefe Villagers, or a Profpect of War, an Epiftolary Tale, with other Poems. By T. Robinfon, late of Seaford. Suffex, 12mo, Hookham, 6s. 1810. This little volume of Poems, confifts of tales in verse, with fome tranflations or rather paraphrafes from the Odes of Horace. They are all indicative of tafte, and an elegant mind, but it is mot not eafy to select a fpecimen. The following concludes the book: 66 TO MR. CHARLES MARCUARD, R.A.S. ON HIS PAINTING THE PORTRAIT OF MRS. *** Marcuard while painting Stella's charms divine, ART. 14. The Times, or the Prophecy; a Poem. 4to. 2s. 6d. This is a very spirited Poem. The Prophecy is a prefumed parallel between Henry V and a certain illuftrious Perfonage, and of the author's powers, the reader can entertain no mean opinion, if he fhall only perufe the following tranfcript: "If then a Prince would aim at Henry's fame, No carpet generals full of boaftful words, Who'll draw their toothpicks fooner than their fwords, No fops from Paris, and no priefts from Rome; Sad monuments of impuder.ce and age, With hackneyed jefts Joe Miller told before, ART. 15. The Poetical Chain, confifting of Miscellaneous Poems, 1811. The multitude of volumes of poetry, which, to use the words of this modeft writer, do not effect any thing beyond mediocrity, has increased, is increafing, and ought to be diminished. What good refults from their publication, except the gratifica |