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teenth century. It may, indeed, have suffered in simplicity; that could not possibly have been avoided: but the translators of the Bible, happily for posterity, were men of large understandings and extensive views; they saw of what great use their work might be as a standard of the language,-that it would, as it were, unite divine with human authority,—and they succeeded in effecting their praise-worthy purpose. To them, therefore, we are in a great measure indebted for that purity which our language still possesses; as much as lay within the compass of their means they have done; more it could not be expected that they should do.

It is an observation of Mr. Warton, in his "History of Poetry," that besides the many other great benefits conferred upon our tongue by the translation of the Bible, the making use of the Latin Vulgate as a medium by the translators, caused the introduction of many Latin words into our language, which were not naturalized at any former period, such as the Latin derivative substantives, "divination, perdition," &c.

and other words, such as "frustrate, inxecusable," &c. which have greatly enriched our language.

VII. It may be concluded from the foregoing observations, that the translation of the Bible into our language, is a most remarkable event in the history of English literature: that the influence it has exerted upon our writers, has been more fully developed in our poetical than our prose authors; but that it has, in general, been great and beneficial, whether the translation be considered as a book of reference, or a standard of style.

Before we entirely dismiss the consideration of this most important subject, we could wish to pay one sincere tribute of praise, thanks and admiration, to that body of men to whom we are indebted for this great work, and this cannot be done better than in the words of a learned divine." Those who have compared most of the European translations with the original, have not scrupled to say that the English translation is the most accurate and faithful of the whole. Nor is this its only

praise, the translators have seized the very spirit and soul of the original: and expressed this almost every where with pathos and energy. Besides, our translators have not only made a standard translation, but they have made their translation a standard of our language. The English tongue of their day was not equal to such a work; but God enabled them to stand as upon mount Sinai, and crane up their country's language to the dignity of the originals, so that after the lapse of 200 years, the English Bible is still, with very few exceptions, the standard of the purity and excellence of the English tongue."

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