nected with a careful comparison of these three sources of information, and a just determination of their respective weight.

There are some principles of internal evidence, which can scarcely be said to be of less importance to the textual critic than those to which reference has been already made.

In certain cases indeed, that is, in those in which the external evidence, obtained from an examination of the best authorities, is complete and consentient, there can be little need of recourse to internal evidence. In most cases, however, of various readings, the authorities which are entitled to respect are divided; and the determination of the true reading must be the result of a careful scrutiny of conflicting evidence. In such cases there is obviously need, as in the ordinary administration of law, of recourse to other considerations than those of mere external evidence. "A Judge," says Professor Milligan, "can rarely, if ever, settle a dispute between two parties by external evidence alone. It is the mind that sees, and not the eye. It is the mind that hears, and not the ear; and according to the light in which different assertions present themselves to the Judge's mind will be the judgment that he forms." (p. 139.)

Now it is in the same way with regard to the criticism of the text of Holy Scripture. The external evidence is the ground of our proceedings. External evidence furnishes the facts, corresponding to the evidence of witnesses in a Court of Law. But we must resort to certain principles of internal evidence, as the Judge does, when he sums up the case which he submits to the Jury, before we can arrive at any really satisfactory conclusions from conflicting testimonies. Now, amongst the most important principles of internal evidence, Professor Milligan refers to the following:

1. "That reading is to be preferred which seems to have suggested the others, or out of which it is most easy to suppose that the others would arise.

2. "The more difficult reading is to be preferred to the more easy." The pious and learned Bengel was the first, we believe, who suggested this rule, the reason of which is obvious, inasmuch as the scribe was under much stronger temptation to substitute an easy reading for a difficult one than vice versa.

St. John vii. 39, may be adduced in illustration : "For the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because that Jesus was not yet glorified." The italics show that the word "given" did not exist in the Greek text, from which our version was taken, and yet it is found in several Manuscripts. It is obvious that the verse presents greater difficulty when the word "given" is omitted, than when it is supplied. Inasmuch, then, as the external evidence is altogether conflicting, it is fair to assume that the probability against the genuineness of the reading is

stronger than that in its favour; the temptation presented to the scribe to insert it being obviously much stronger than the temptation to omit it.

Other illustrations of the importance of this rule will be found in the determination of readings presenting historical difficulties, as, e. g., Mark ii. 26; and again, of readings of parallel passages in the Gospels, where certain words which are unquestionably genuine in one Gospel are inserted in some Manuscripts, and omitted in other Manuscripts, in the parallel places in which they occur in the other Evangelists. In the former of these cases, it is clear that a reading which removes a historical difficulty is less likely to be genuine than a reading which involves such a difficulty; and, in the latter case, the reading which supplies words from a parallel place in another Gospel is less likely to be genuine than the reading which omits them.

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(3.) The style of writing characteristic of particular writers, or what we know of their modes of thought, is to be taken into account in judging of the various readings of their text." Thus, in John xiii. 24, Simon Peter, according to the Authorized Version, is represented as beckoning to St. John that he should ask "who it should be of whom He spake." Now this reading implies that the verb "should be " is expressed in the Greek in the Optative mood, a mood which St. John does not use. The other reading, therefore, "Tell us who it is of whom He speaks," which is also supported by good ancient authority, is likely to be the genuine reading, and, as such, is adopted in the best critical texts.

The summary thus briefly given of the principles of external and internal evidence upon which the conclusions of textual critics are founded, will suffice, we trust, to dispel the impression which may exist in the minds of any of our readers, that the science of textual criticism is one which owns no allegiance to prescribed rules, but rests upon the mere caprice of individual critics.

In his " General Summary" Professor Milligan has some very admirable remarks on the subject of the application of these rules, and also upon the importance and interest which textual criticism possesses, not only for the professed Biblical student, but also for the private Christian, who may be able to follow the discoveries of others, though unable to make original suggestions.

The third and concluding part of the volume before us, for which we are indebted to the joint labours of Professors Roberts and Milligan, contains the results of textual criticism as brought to bear (1) upon certain important Texts of the New Testament specially selected, and (2) upon the Text of the New Testament generally in its successive Books.

It would, obviously, be impracticable for us to transfer to our own columns these results. We will add only to the opinion which we have already expressed of the great value and importance of this contribution to our stock of Biblical Literature, our earnest recommendation to those of our readers who desire to cultivate some acquaintance with the extremely interesting subject on which it treats, to procure and to study this able and well-timed effort to make the general principles and results of textual criticism intelligible to all who read and who prize their English Bibles.

NOTICES OF BOOKS.

Drusie's Own Story. By Agnes Giberne.-Elsie's Choice.-The Story of the Wanderer, a Scriptural Allegory. By the Author of Down in Dingyshire.-Strawberry Bank, or Home from India. By the Author of the Busy Bee, &c. London: Seeleys. 1874.—“ Drusie's own Story will add to Miss Giberne's reputation as a graceful writer of volumes which have for their object, not merely amusement, but edification. The tale is well conceived, and the characters are pourtrayed with considerable vigour and distinctness, well calculated to interest the reader in the several fortunes which befal them. It has much more claim to consideration as a literary work than is usual with productions of the class to which it belongs. "Elsie's Choice" may also be commended. It addresses a more juvenile class of readers than Miss Giberne contemplates; but it is prettily told, and young folk will, we dare say, be interested in the heroine of the tale. It will be found an attractive and pleasant volume. "The Story of the Wanderer" is an expansion of the parable of the "Prodigal Son," thrown into the form of an allegory. The author does not seek to compete with John Bunyan, as he asserts in his preface, still he has striven to bend the bow of Ulysses, but "non omnibus datur;" he deserves great credit, however, for his attempt; comparing him with himself, we prefer his original work, which was distinguished by stirling merit, and more than ordinary ability. Many readers will, however, welcome his present attempt. "Strawberry Bank" is adorned with coloured illustrations, and furnishes small reading of a harmless character for small folk. It may be owing to the sophistication of our palate, that we hardly know what we can say more in its favour.

Parochial Sermons. By the Rev. Edward Wilson, M.A., Canon of Lincoln, and Vicar of Nocton. London: Hatchards. 1874.-More than a quarter of a century ago, the writer of these Sermons was well known as the author of the most deservedly popular religious Biography of the day, the Life of John Hamilton Forsyth. It was a book that passed through several editions, was read with interest

by men of all shades of religious thought, was stamped with the approbation of critics, was noticed even with a sort of mocking kindliness by Mr. Conybeare, in his well-known article on Religious Parties. We welcome these sermons as if we were grasping the hand of an old friend, met in a crowd after the lapse of many years. The face, the voice, the whole man recalls in a moment old times and old thoughts, perhaps better times and better thoughts. Here is a language and a doctrine seldom heard now-a-days, but which it is well to hear in our day of religious excitement and conflict. It is the language and the doctrine of one who sat at the feet of Charles Simeon himself, and has evidently not lost sight of the original stamp of his teaching and example. There is little to strike or to startle in this little volume; no daring challenge of authority; no subtle insinuation of unbelief; neither quotations from Shelley, nor plagarisms from Carlyle; only a plain and sober statement of Christian truth in such a form as to be intelligible to a village congregation, and early assimilated by any searcher after truth. The volume will indeed be of special value to any Christian household whose practice it may be, when the evenings are dark and wet, and the Church distant, to gather together for a home service, for prayer, and praise, and instruction. Our notice, however, would be incomplete if we did not add that Mr. Wilson's style is conspicuous, almost unique, in one characteristic, that of the easy and natural use of scriptural phraseology for the expression of all his convictions. It suggests a mind saturated with the Bible, and using Bible words and phrases as the habitual vehicle of thought; we subjoin a single passage as an example of this peculiarity :

"The Lord God may have wakened your ear' so early, that you cannot recollect when you had not some spiritual understanding according to your age. This is the case with a few, but with only a few, who, like their Redeemer, from their childhood 'grow and wax strong in the Spirit;' and He' morning by morning,' as they advance in life,wakens their ear to hear as the learned,' giving them 'precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little and there a little,' till, by reason of use, they have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.' Some of you may thus be able to say with the thankful Psalmist, 'Thou, O God, hast taught me from my youth up.'"

Who are the Children of God? By Horace Noel, M.A. London: Macintosh. 1874.-Throughout this little brochure there is a deep vein of earnest piety which will make it very acceptable to spiritually-minded Christians. There are also many salutary cautions and admonitions which we could wish were more generally heeded by parents and guardians than we fear is the case. We would join, too, with the author in reprobating the extreme sacerdotal views which unhappily too commonly prevail. There are, however, sundry statements interspersed, to which we would demur; and in order that the treatise may be read with profit, it should be read with discrimination. Evidently Mr. Noel has felt the testimony of Scripture in the time of the Old Covenant to be a difficulty, and we do not think he has surmounted it in a satisfactory

manner. He cannot but acknowledge that God looked upon the Jews as His children, notwithstanding all their multiplied transgressions and abominable idolatries, but he has put forward a curious statement. We might, he says, have expected that when God called Israel collectively His children, "every pious Israelite would have enjoyed yet more fully the privilege of addressing God as his Father, and calling himself God's child." "Yet," he observes, “we find them crying My God,' and not 'My Father.' They say, 'I am thy servant,' but not, I am thy child."" One exception he notes as a special privilege of David. And yet he had himself quoted Isaiah lxii., where, as he says, the pious remnant of the Israelites plead with God, "Doubtless, thou art our Father." So in Isaiah Îxiv. 8, we read, "But now, O Lord, thou art our Father." In the same way, the Psalmist, in Psalm lxxiii., says, "lest I should offend against the generation of thy children." We may quite concede that the more full disclosure of God's fatherly goodness was made under the New Covenant, but holy men under the Old were conscious of it. The point, after all, is not very material; for if God recognized Israel collectively as His children, and acknowledged that He was their Father, and they knew it, we do not see the necessity for pressing the matter further. We have noted some other inaccuracies of statement which more diligent research would have corrected. We do not care to dwell upon them, but we would be glad if, in a future edition, they could be amended, as likely to prejudice many readers, more especially those whom Mr. Noel would be most anxious to convince, against his more important declarations. The question he has handled is a thorny one, and many have wounded themselves with the difficulties wherewith it bristles.

The Hero of Elstow. By James Copner, M.A. London: Hodder and Stoughton. 1874.-The name and the story of John Bunyan are ever fragrant and ever fresh, and it would hardly be possible to imagine the time when details concerning him would come amiss to Englishmen. Just at the present moment, however, more peculiar interest has been aroused concerning him by the recent erection of a statue in Bedford, which has been unveiled with much pomp and ceremony, the Dean of Westminster officiating. The modest volume put forth by the Vicar of Elstow is therefore well-timed, and contains miscellaneous information about the birth-place of Bunyan which will be very acceptable. Mr. Copner has executed his task with good feeling and judgment.

Texts and Thoughts for Christian Ministers. By Bishop Harding. London: Longmans. 1874.-This is a volume "ad clerum." Peculiar interest attaches to it, as the legacy of a dying man who was himself singularly gifted as a preacher, and which he has bequeathed to them out of the ripeness and fulness of his own experience, which was great and diversified. The object is well described in the titlepage as an endeavour to exhibit "the authority and responsibility, the duties and the privileges, of the office of Christian ministers, as indicated in various aspects throughout Holy Scripture. Bishop Harding had a firm and comprehensive hold of the great truths of the Gospel, and had great power of expressing them in a terse and