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TRANSLATION OF BOOKS.

THE following suggestions, relative to the Translation of Books into the Languages of the East, are made under the persuasion, that there exists a greater quantity of well-arranged and intrinsicallyvaluable materials of knowledge in the languages of Europe, than can be found in the languages of any other similar portion of the globe; greater, perhaps, than in all the rest of the world taken together.

• What subject of useful knowledge has not, during the last three centuries, been cultivated with ardour and increasing success by the European Nations? Yet the results of this spirit of free and rational study have, to a very limited extent only, been transfused into the Oriental Languages-into Arabic, for example, the most extensively spoken of Oriental Tongues adjacent to the Mediterranean: while other dialects, which will claim, in their turn, to be fixed and used as the instruments of Education and Instruction-those, for instance, of the northern half of Africa*-seem, as yet, to be far out of the reach of such as would assist in converting them to these purposes.

From the perusal of the Author's Journal in Syria, it will have appeared to the Reader, that a pretty

*For remarks on these, the Reader is referred to "Christian Researches in the Mediterranean," pp. 303, 304.

The account of Mr. Greaves's Visit to Tunis has also opened to our view various dialects, which it cannot but be considered desirable to ascertain and fix in writing.

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extensive acquaintance with languages is desirable, even in that sphere alone. It were too much to say, that such a range of literary acquirement is NECESSARY: it would, in fact, be beyond the reach of any one individual; nay, of several individuals, dividing their studies among different languages.

The preparation of useful Books in the following languages, however, is a measure which ought to be constantly kept in view and prosecuted-Arabic, Turkish, Persian, Spanish - Hebrew, Armenian, Greek, Albanian, Abyssinian.

The following arrangement of subjects, with a view to the making of a selection from the best standard works existing in European Languages, may be useful to those who intend to give their attention to this department. It is, indeed, merely an outline; but the Author will be happy if it should lead some person, who has more leisure and better opportunities than himself, to fill up the sketch with a judicious list of suitable works under each head.

1. ELEMENTARY.-This branch will include Alphabets, Grammars, and Vocabularies. In some instances it may require much literary skill to fix a new Alphabet for a hitherto-unwritten dialect. In every language, it is a matter requiring much sagacity and labour, to arrange a Grammar or a Vocabulary.

II. RELIGION. This most important subject may be classed under the following six heads; premising, that the HOLY SCRIPTURES, being once faithfully translated into a language, furnish an inexhaustible store of Divine Instruction, compared with which all human writings are as nothing.

1. The Evidences for the Christian Revelation, as contained in the Holy Scriptures-External: containing the historical series of facts, direct and collateral, relative to the preservation of the Scriptures in a genuine state; and a similar historical series of facts, exhibiting successively the prophecies which have been accomplished-Internal: containing a view of the probability that this history is true; and that a Revelation, which could produce such effects on its genuine advocates in past times, and which still communicates to its true followers a peaceful and sanctifying influence, must have had a Divine origin.

It has been said, What use is there in giving to the Greek and Oriental Christians arguments, in proof of a religion which they profess, and the truth of which they never doubted? The reply, so far as it respects themselves, is, that, although they may be said generally to believe, and never to have doubted, the truth of Christianity; yet this faith of theirs is not grounded on a knowledge of the evidences for its truth, and is therefore in the greatest danger of being at any moment shaken and subverted. That it is likely to be shaken by the introduction of general knowledge, is apparent, from this consideration. Their creed is compounded, partly of the true religion, and partly of a large proportion of traditionary superstitions; all which they believe alike, on the same insufficient ground, namely, that they received them from their immediate forefathers. They believe rather from habit, than from conviction while the absurdity of many of their fables is so evident, that, when once ill-designing and infidel men shall enter among them and disseminate doubts

and dislike of their religion, their minds, unable to distinguish, will probably surrender the sound and the unsound parts of their faith together. Infidelity is a kind of wildfire; rapid and enlightening-but consuming! The difficulties of the Arabic, Turkish, and Persian Languages will not stand in the way of Infidelity; neither should they deter religious men from giving, in those languages, the fullest and best treatises upon the Evidences for the Christian Revelation.

As it respects the Mahomedans, in the midst of whom the Oriental Christians have so long lain buried in superstition and ignorance, the necessity of this measure is still more apparent. We do not expect to convince by the evidence of miracles: we must, therefore-besides giving them the knowledge of the truth, and, in our lives, an example of its efficacy-establish our proofs of the Christian Revelation on the grounds of historical fact and moral probability. It is deeply to be lamented, that, during the long night of thick darkness which has rested upon the East, the very circumstances of the Oriental Churches have been doubly unfavourable to the extension of the Christian Religion. On the one hand, the bulk of those Christians being ignorant and grossly superstitious, they have never been able to meet Mahomedans on the ground of Scriptural and Historical argument: their Ecclesiastical Rulers must, on the other hand, if at all enlightened, have seen that a course of sound evidence, in proof of Christianity to Mahomedans, would tend to disprove and to disparage many of their own tenets and usages. This would be to their own dishonour. It would also stimulate the

inquiring spirit and exercise the judgment of their dependents, in a degree beyond what is consistent with implicit faith. None know better, than a superstitious and intolerant priesthood, the danger which follows on allowing to their people scope for thinking on religious, moral, and historical subjects.

Next to the critical and devout study of the Holy Scriptures, which appeal mainly to the conscience, tending to give it a temper of uprightness and love of the truth, no study more conduces to the formation and improvement of the human character, than that of Historical Fact and Moral Probability: it may be added, that, second in order to the use of the Bible, no subject is more hostile to superstition and religious errors of every kind. For the sake of the interests of Truth itself, therefore; for the conservation of the genuine doctrines of Christianity, whenever the fire of Infidelity shall be applied to that mixture of truth and error which is professed by Christians in the East; and for the sake of the propagation of the Gospel on rational principles among Mahomedans and others; this subject of the EVIDENCES for Christianity merits to be taken up systematically, learnedly, and comprehensively: not grudging the cost which will attend the labour of prosecuting it*.

* The following will serve as a specimen of the kind of evidence current in the East. It is believed by many, that the decision concerning the Books of Scripture was thus made. The Christian Fathers, unable in any other way to determine which were authentic and which apocryphal and spurious, laid them all together upon the Altar of the Church, and left them there during the night, expecting a miraculous proof from heaven. They were not disappointed: for, in the morning, they found the Canonical Books in good order upon the Altar; while all the Spurious Gospels and Apocryphal