Theodore Beza translated the New Testament out of the Greek into the Latin.  This was first published in England in 1574, and afterward frequently.  In 1576 it was “Engelished” by Leonard Tomson, under-secretary to Sir Francis Walsingham, and was afterward frequently annexed to the Genevan Old Testament.  The following is a copy of the title-page of the New Testament, verbatim et literatim:  “The New Testament of our Lord Jesus Christ, translated out of Greeke by Theod Beza:  with brief summaries and expositions upon the hard places by the said authour, Ioach Amer and P Loseler Vallerius.  Engelished by L Tomson.  Together with the Annotations of Fr Junius upon the Revelation of S. John.  Imprinted at London by the Deputies of Christopher Barker, Printer to the Queene’s Most Excellent Majestie—­1599.”  The volume opens with a primitive version of the Psalms in verse, then follow the Old Testament, the Apocrypha and the New Testament, as in Bibles of the present day.

The version of the Scriptures now in use among Protestants was translated by the authority of King James I., and published in 1611.  Fifty-four learned men were appointed to accomplish the work of revision, but from death or other causes seven of the number failed to enter upon it.  The remaining forty-seven were ranged under six divisions, different portions of the Bible being assigned to each division.  They entered upon their task in 1607, and after three years of diligent labor the work was completed.  This version was generally adopted, and the former translations soon fell into disuse.  The authors of King James’s version of the Bible included the most learned divines of the day; one of whom was master of Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Chaldee, Syriac and fifteen modern languages.

Among other rare and highly-coveted editions of the Bible is one printed in England in the seventeenth century, in which the important word not was omitted in the seventh commandment, from which circumstance it has ever since been known as “The Adulterer’s Bible.”  Another edition, known as the Pearl Bible, appeared about the same time, filled with errata, a single specimen of which will suffice:  “Know ye not the ungodly shall inherit the kingdom of God?” Bibles were once printed which affirmed that “all Scripture was profitable for destruction;” while still another edition of the sacred volume is known as the “Vinegar Bible,” from the erratum in the title to the twentieth chapter of St. Luke, in which “Parable of the Vineyard” is printed “Parable of the Vinegar.”

J.G.W.

LITERATURE OF THE DAY.

Life and Labours of Mr. Brassey, 1805-1870.  By Sir Arthur Helps, K.C.B.  Boston:  Roberts Brothers.