Notes and Queries, Number 28, May 11, 1850 | Page 6

is one at Wittemberg in 1596, which was repeated in 1597, 1604, 1605[2], and 1625. It also appears, but printed in smaller type, in the Hamburgh Bible by Wolder in 1597, in that of Jena 1598, and in Hutter's Nuremburg, 1599.
In a curious edition of the N.T. printed at Wandesbeck in 1710, in 4to., in which four German versions, the Catholic, the Lutheran, the Reformed, a new version by Reitz, and the received Dutch version, are printed in parallel columns, both verses are given in every instance; but a note points out that Luther uniformly omitted the 7th verse, and the words auf erde.
There cannot be a doubt, therefore, that the insertion is entirely unwarranted in any edition of the New Testament professing to be Luther's translation.
S.W. SINGER.
April 25. 1850.
[Footnote 1: "Ich bitte alle meine Freunde, und Feinde, meine Meister Drücker und Leser, wolten dis Newe Testament lassen mein sein, Haben sie aber mangel dran, das sie selbs ein eigens für sich machen; Ich weiss wol was ich mache, Sehe auch wol was andere machen, Aber dis Testament sol des Luther's Deudsch Testament sein, Denn Meisterns und Klugelus ist jtzt weder masse noch ende. Und sey jederman gewarnet für andern Exemplaren, Denn ich bisher wol erfaren wie unfvleissig und falsch uns andere nachdrücken."]
[Footnote 2: Fr. Er. Kettner, who printed at Leipsic, in 1696, a long and strenuous defence of the authenticity of the 7th verse, exults in the existence of this verse in an edition of the Bible, Wittemberg, 1606, which is falsely said on the title-page to be juxta ultimum a Luthero revisum exemplar correctum.]
Luther's Translation of the Bible (No. 25, p. 309.).--De Wette, in his critical Commentary on the verse 1 John, after stating his opinion that the controverted passage is a spurious interpolation, gives a list of the codices and editions in which the passage is not found, and of those in which it is found.
The passage is wanting in all Greek Codd. except Codd. 34. 162. 172. (of his introduction, where it is introduced from the Vulgate), and in all MS. {454} of the Vulgate before the tenth century; in Erasmus' edit. of 1516 and 1518; in Ald. Ed. Venet. 1518; in all editions of Luther's translation published by him during his life-time, and up to 1581; in the edit. Withenb., 1607; Hamb. 1596. 1619. 1620.
The passage is found in all the editions printed of the Vulgate, and in all translations from it before Luther; and the edit. complut.; in Erasmus' of 1522, and in his paraphrase; in the edit. of Rob. Stephens, 1546-69; and Beza, 1565-76. 1582; in the Lutheran translations reprinted by Froschauer, Zurich, 1529-31. (but in small type); edit. 1536-89. in brackets; edit. 1597, without the brackets; in the edit. Frankf. 1593; Wittenb. 1596-97, and many later ones. I may add, that the passage is in every edition of recent date that I have seen of the Lutheran Bible, but not, of course, in De Wette's translation.
S.W.
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LINES ON LONDON DISSENTING MINISTERS.
In reply to one of the Queries of "W." (No. 24. p. 383.), I transcribe from the MSS. of Mr. Chewning Blackmore, a Presbyterian minister of Worcester, the "Lines on London Dissenting Ministers of a former Day," which I have never seen entire in print:--
"Behold how Papal Wright with lordly pride Directs his haughty eye to either side, Gives forth his doctrine with imperious nod, And fraught with pride addresses e'en his God.
"Not so the gentle Watts, in him we find The fairest pattern of a humble mind; In him the meekest, lowliest virtue dwells, As mild as light, as soft as ev'ning gales.
"Tuning melodious nonsense, Bradbury stands, With head uplifted and with dancing hands, Prone to sedition, and to slander free, Sacheverell sure was but a type of thee.
"Mark how the pious matrons flock around, Pleased with the noise of Guyse's empty sound; How sweetly each unmeaning period flows To lull the audience to a gentle doze!
"Eternal Bragge in never-ending strains Unfolds the mysteries Joseph's coat contains, Of every hue describes a different cause, And from each patch a solemn mystery draws.
"With soundest judgment and with nicest skill, The learned Hunt explains his Master's will, So just his meaning, and his sense to true, He only pleases the discerning few.
"In Chandler's solid, well-composed discourse, What wond'rous energy! what mighty force! Still, friend to Truth, and strict to Reason's rules, He scorns the censure of unthinking fools.
"But see the accomplish'd orator appear, Refined his language, and his reasoning dear, Thou only, Foster, has the pleasing art, At once to please the ear and mend the heart!
"Lawrence, with clear and solid judgment speaks, And on the sober mind impression makes, The sacred truths with justness he explains, And he from ev'ry hearer praise obtains."
Of the author of these lines I