the other explanation everything follows naturally; moreover it has tradition in its favor, which ought not to be neglected, when it can be rationally confirmed, and when it can show analogies in another Semitic idiom.1 Instead of acknowledging with Rödiger that the theory of former grammarians is wrong, who hold that be arose by a process of shortening and by a contraction from, or bp, for which denial he does not offer any reason whatever, we rather agree with the old grammarians—if it is at all proper for us to give an opinion concerning the genesis of this archaic form—and we hold that this form arose from the old verb for () which is only found in seven places, but still survives in the name in (not as Ewald reads, prompted by a desire of innovation). This verb, like g, n, coalesced with the following word, as in

be for, and the first syllable was dropped, as in the Syriac. When, subsequently, the verb passed over into, and the people were no longer conscious of the old form, the construction itself, indeed, remained, but the prefix was wrongly taken for the conjunction. The fact that the particular form of construction of commencing with the perfect tense, and following with the future or imperfect tense, did not arise on Hebrew ground, but is founded on the primitive Semitic mode of viewing and representing things, is proved by this consideration, that in the Arabic, also, we meet with a similar form of construction, and, indeed, the verb cana, which in this language is in the the place of the Hebrew ( 32) amabat, he used to love,(27), literally: it was or came to pass [that] he will (would) ride, i. e. he used to ride.

1 Even in the Ethiopic one single instance, like a solitary relic from older times, perhaps may survive, văyěbě, and he said, for it happened that he would or did say.

ARTICLE III.

A SHAKSPEARIAN GLOSSARY FOR OUR ENGLISH BIBLE.

BY REV. LEMUEL 8. POTWIN, BRIDGEWATER, Conn.

THERE are but two books, we believe, in the English language, which have been honored with a complete concordance. These books- Shakspeare and our English Bible happily originated at nearly the same time; and the comparison of their words, therefore, for which we have such facilities, is a valuable means of clearing up the language of both.

The immense range of Shakspeare's vocabulary, and the fact that his writings were finished, though but just finished, before the version of 1611, make his works peculiarly useful as a standard to which to bring the language of the Bible. His topics are indeed largely unlike those of scripture, but this, while it diminishes the number of words used in common, enhances the value of the rest; for it shows that the words thus employed were not technically religious, but used in every-day life.

Our Bible, does not admit of a perfectly satisfactory collation, in respect to vocabulary, with other works of its time. For this there are two prominent causes :

1. It is a translation; and no translation represents with correctness and copiousness the language in which it appears. E. g. "Judge," in the sense of rule, is not English, but Hebrew masked as English, and must therefore not be looked for in indigenous English works. In some instances, however, a translation contains the best possible clue to a successful collation of its words, for the original serves as a kind of Glossary for that age. E. g. "Take no thought," as a version of μǹ μepiμvâte, never could have meant “take no reflection." Nothing in the Greek word would have suggested "thought" to the translator, unless thought familiarly

meant "anxiety." Carry the word thus explained to contemporary authors, and numerous parallel passages are brought to light.

2. This translation is affected in its vocabulary by previous translations. The discussions of our time respecting "Bible Revision," show how the religious mind will tolerate only those deviations from a "received version" which are imperatively required. Many a word continues to flourish in the sheltered seclusion of religious fervor, when no trace of it can be found in the cold worldliness without. We know that our translators were cautioned against making unnecessary changes.

These two causes bring to us a large number of words which find their parallels only in an uncertain age or in a a foreign tongue.

Let us now just glance at the peculiarities in our version, arising from the change of vocabulary since 1611. The words that we first think of are, of course, the obsolete. But these, because they convey no intelligible idea, merely obstruct, but do not pervert, the meaning. They send the reader to his unabridged dictionary.

More injurious to the sense are those familiar words, which have partially changed their meaning, and, like wellexecuted counterfeits, escape detection because they are not suspected. These may be put into two classes, comprising:

1. Those which convey an obvious but erroneous meaning; e. g. "quick into hell;" "Take no thought;" "Let your conversation," etc.

2. Those which produce a certain obscurity, or infelicity of expression, without leading into positive error; e. g. "Endure hardness;""The former treatise."

Now the difficulties arising from these words the mere reader of English imputes to the sacred writers, while the student of the original, with better piety perhaps, but with no more justice, charges the same to King James's translators.

With these few remarks, we present the following Table of scriptural words illustrated in Shakspeare. All but seven

are words now in common use, which, indeed, except two or three, had in the time of Shakspeare the same meaning as now, but had additional meaning, since lost. The original word has been added, in almost every case, to show what the translators ought to have meant, while the passages from Shakspeare will show what they did mean.

ALLow, approve. (συνευδοκέω, γινώσκω, δοκιμάζω.)

That ye allow the deeds of your fathers. - Luke xi. 48.
That which I do, I allow not. — - Rom. vii. 15.

As we were allowed of God, etc. - 1 Thess. ii. 4.

....

Ford (to Falstaff). You are a gentleman of excellent breeding, ally allowed for your many warlike, court-like, and learned preparations.

gener

Merry Wives, ii. 2.

That will allow me very worth his service. — Twelfth Night, i. 2. P. John. I like them all and do allow them well.-2nd Hen. IV. iv. 2. ANON, immediately. (evéws.)

Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell him of her.

Mark i. 30.

Ford. Up, gentlemen, you shall see sport anon. — - Merry Wives, iii. 3. ATONEMENT, (at-one-ment), reconciliation. (karaλλayý.)

By whom we have now received the atonement. - Rom. v. 11. Lodovico. ... Is there division 'twixt thy lord and Cassio? Desdemona. A most unhappy one; I would do much

.....

To atone them, for the love I bear to Cassio. - Othello iv. 1. Buckingham (to Q. Eliz.). Ay, madam ; he desires to make atonement Between the duke of Gloster and your brothers.

Pistol. Discuss unto me; Art thou officer

Or art thou base, common, and popular?. Hen. V. iv. 1.

BESOM, broom. (N.)

I will sweep it with the besom of destruction. — Is. xiv. 23.

.....

Cade, ... I am the besom that must sweep the court clean of such filth as thou art. 2nd Hen. VI. iv. 7.

BOWELS, Seat of the affections. (2, onλáyɣva.)

The sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies. - Is. lxiii. 15.

Refresh my bowels in the Lord. — Phile. 20.

Hector. There is no lady of more softer bowels

More spongy to suck in the sense of fear,
Troilus. ii. 2.

Than Hector is.

Phil. iv. 6.

CAREFUL, anxious. (μepuváw.)

Queen.

.....

Be careful for nothing.

- Rich. II. ii. 2.

O, full of careful business are his looks-
For heaven's sake speak comfortable words.
Q. Eliz. By him that raised me to this careful height
From that contented hap which I enjoyed,
I never did incense his majesty, etc. Rich. III. i. 3.

CHARITY, love of the highest kind. (ảɣáπŋ)

Biron.

Now abideth faith, hope, charity. 1 Cor. xiii. 13.

.....

See Rom. xiii. 10, as quoted below.

It is religion to be thus forsworn,

For charity itself fulfils the law

And who can sever love from charity. - Love's Labor Lost, iv. 3. Longaville. Dumain; thy love is far from charity,

That in love's grief desir'st society. - Love's Labor Lost, iv. 3. CLEAN, entirely. (orus.)

Aegeon.

Cicero.

Is his mercy clean gone forever? - Ps. lxxvii. 8.
Those that were clean escaped. -2 Pet. ii. 18.

Five summers have I spent in farthest Greece
Roaming clean through the bounds of Asia. - Com. of Err. i. 1.
But men may construe things after their fashion,
Clean from the purpose of the things themselves. -J. Caesar, i. 3.
CLEAVE, adhere. (F, κολλάω, προσμένω.)

.....

Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth. - Ps. cxxxvii. 6.
Cleave to that which is good. - Rom. xii. 9.

That they would cleave unto the Lord. Acts xi. 23.

Clifford. ..... And this, thy son's blood, cleaving to my blade,

Ariel. Thy thoughts I cleave to; what's thy pleasure?

COMMEND, commit. (aparinμ.)

Temp. iv. 1.

They commended them to the Lord. - Acts xiv. 23.

Northumberland.

..... His glittering arms he will commend to rust,
His barbed steeds to stables, and his heart
To faithful service of your majesty.- Rich. II. iii. 3.

COMMUNICATION, sharing, communion. (Kowovía.)
The communication of thy faith. Phile. 6.

Adriana. Thou art an elm, my husband, I a vine;

Whose weakness married to thy stronger state

Makes me with they strength to communicate. Com. of Err. ii 2.

CONSCIENCE, consciousness, belief. (ovveídnous.).

Heb. x. 2.

Should have had no more conscience of sins K. Hen. By my troth, I will speak my conscience of the king; I think he would not wish himself anywhere but where he is. Hen. V. iv. 1. K. Hen. But shall I speak my conscience?

Our kinsman Gloster is as innocent, etc. 2nd Hen. VI. iii. 1.