of Dr. Holmes's; reprinted on a bold and beautiful type: but not on fo good a paper, nor difpofed in fo elegant a manner, as Dr. Kennicott's text of the Hebrew Bible. The paper is too white and too thin; the lines of the text are too long; and the columns of various readings have a perplexed and embarrassed look. To give a fpecimen of either text or readings would be to no purpose: unless our narrow page could contain the fame quantity of letter-prefs, as the prototype, and from the fame font of letters. We muft, therefore, content ourselves with giving a felection of fuch variety of lection, as appeared to us to merit particular attention: from which our learned readers will be able to form an idea of the importance of Dr. H.'s undertaking, and the benefits to be derived from it. Genefis i. v. 6. Και εγενετο ούτως. in Bafil. Wanting in Compl. and V. 7. After the second σTEGEMATOS 17 Mss. add nas EYĒVĒTO ούτως. V. 9. For suvaywyn μxv, 2 Mss. with Greg. Nyff. have tas συναγωγας αυτών. V. 14. After επι της γης, 4 Mss. add και αρχειν της ημερας και της νυκτός. V. 22. Instead of wλneuvestway, 19 Mss. have wanbuveofw. Ch. ii. V. 2. After xaTeTavGE, 7 Mss. with Compl. and several fathers have eos. V. 5. For Urny, 23 Mss. with Compl. Alex. and several fathers, have Tyyny: as in the Hebrew text. V. 23. After λngen, 27 Mss. with Compl. and Alex. add auTn; conformably to the Hebrew. Ch. iii. V. 7. After λabovoa, 20 MSS. with Compl. add 1⁄2 V. 10. (In Heb. g.) The second Adau is wanting in Compl. and 15 MSS. V. 12. Al. 11. eos is wanting in 22 Mss. and in Compl. and Alex. &c. V. 15. al. 14. Twy E7, wanting in 13 Mss. Ch. v. The principal varieties in this chapter confift in the different arrangement of the numbers: for example; instead of τριακοντα και διακοσια ετη, 14 Mss. with Compl. have ετη διαxooia Tpianovτa: and fo forth.-In the number of the years of Methuselah, v. 27. we find the following var. readings. The Vatican text and Aldus have εννεα και ἑξήκοντα και εννακόσια έτη : Alex. with Coptic verfion and 3 MSS. Evvaxоola xaι Enxovтa εννέα έτη. Compl. with 8 mss. ετη εννακόσια εξήκοντα εννεά. One Ms. it would feem, has ετη εννακόσια ἑξήκοντα πεντε ; and another εννέα και τεσσαρακοντα και εννακόσια έτη. The prefent Hebrew text has only 960 years; and the Samaritan Copy but 720.-The years of Lamech v. 31. are, according to all the printed printed editions and the greater number of MSS. 753. but 3 Mss. have 755. I мs. 565. 1 Arab. 765. another 777. I Armen. 733: the present Hebrew 777. and the Sam. copy 653. Such is the confufion and uncertainty of Antediluvian chronology.. Ch. vi. v. 3. For viol, or io, 3 MSS. with Alex. and se veral fathers have δι αγγελοι. V. 15. For Tergaywvwv, I MS. has in the margin xed; and 6 Mss. with Chryfoftom αATWV. Ch. vii. v. 4. After momoa, I Ms. adds ano av@gwπou Ews Xous; which is not in any Hebr. or Sam. copy; nor in any other version. V. 8. Here in the Roman edition birds are placed before beasts; contrary to both Heb. and Sam. But for the 1ft weten, 20 MSS. have xтw, preceded in 13 by wavτwv. and for the 2d. πετεινων 19 Mss. have likewife κτηνων, preceded in 12 by παντων. -On the other hand, for the 1ft xv, 18 мss. have war, Η θηρίων, preceded in Ii by παντων: and for the 2d. κτηνων 14 MSS. have WETENWY, preceded in 8 by avtav. V. 11. The Vatican, Complutenfian and Alexandrian copies agree with Heb. and Sam. in the number fix hundredth; but 3 Mss. with Ald. have ενι και εξακοσιοστῳ, and I πρωτῳ και εξακο σιοστώ. Ch. viii, v. 7. All the Mss. have the negative oux or oux before ανεστρεψεν, οι υπεστρεψεν, which is the reading of 26 Mss. with Ald. and Alex. V. 13. The addition Ev rn (wn Tou Nwe is wanting only in one Ms. and that, we think of little authority. Ch. ix. v. 2. After the first yns, not less than 18 mss. have this fingular addition και επι πασι τοις κτήνεσι της γης. Ch. x. v. 21. For adeλow, 3 Mss. have adeλpou; and for MeiČovos, 7 Mss. have μon: both, in our opinion, better readings than that of the printed editions. Ch. xi. v. 12. The genealogy of Chanaan is wanting only in I MSS. and the Armenian version. Ch. xii. v. 8. After ovoμati nugis, 2 мss. with Ald, add r OPOETI AUTO; and I has the fame reading, with Te OEM after Ch. xiv. v. 1. For the 2d Basiλews 19 MSS. with the three other printed editions have βασιλευς. Ch. xv. v. 2. Kugie wanting in Compl. and 24 MSS., &c. Sam. V. 16. For εcovτai, 22 Mss. with Compl, have ežeλevGOVTAI : but the former reading is more agreeable to the original Hebrew. V. 27. After ε0vwv, 22 MSS. with Ald. add xa @RIETEMED AUTOU, agreeably to the Hebrew: but better 2 Arabic copies, circumcifi funt cum eo. V. 38. Xeyoua wanting in Coml. Alex. and II Mss. Ch. xx. v. 14. xiix didgeyue not wanting in any copy. But Alex. and II MSS. have ideaxa; and 2 with Copt. and Aquila add agyugou, which is alfo the reading of Sam. V. 16. Compl. and II MSS. read with Sam. & eos, for xupios. κύριος. Ch. xxi. v. aveConσav is the prefent reading of all the printed editions: but 12 Mss. with Cops. have aveConσe, one has ανεβόησεν, and I εβοήσε. Ch. xxiv. v. 43. The addition to the Hebrew in this verse, is in all the copies. V. 45. After worisov μe Compl. with 9 Mss. have with Sam. and Syr. μικρον ύδωρ—but the addition in V. 46. is wanting in Compl. and 24 MSS. V. 6. After PECExxav, 25 MSS. with Compl. Alex. Cat. Nic. and Copt. add Twv adeλQnv ́autwv: and only one мs. (X) has an obelos prefixed. The addition is alfo in Syr. and Vulg. Ch. xxv. v. 8. The words wλngs egy are in all the copies, and in the Sam. exemplar. and even in fome Hebrew Mss. Ch. xxvi. v. 5. warnp oou wanting in 13 MSS. Ch. xxvii. v. 6. For eλasow, Compl. with 11 MSS. have νεωτερον. V. 27. For wλngous, 7 Mss. have pns. V. 38. Karavy Evros wanting only in one Mss. Ch. xxviii. V. 4. For Tou Targos Mov, Alex. with Cyr, Alex. and Austin have wargos os which is Sam. reading. Ch. xxix. V. 1. The addition here is in all the copies Ch. xxx. V. 9. Και εισήλθε προς αυτήν. Wanting in Compl Ald. and 13 MSS. V. 32. For παρελθέτω, 1 Ms. has και περιελθέτω- 1 περιελθε -1 παρελθατω, and I παρελθατωσαν.—παντα is wanting in 18 MSS. Ch. xxxi. v. 31. T 66, wanting in Compl. Ald. and 17 MSS. Ib. Και παντα τα εμα, in all the copies. V. 33. All the copies have EEUVEV, or ngeunaev: but 7 MSS. with Compl. and Chryfoftom want as before Toy OIKOV AEIRS. V. 44. The addition here is in all the copies: only the Alex. Ms. has Ιακωβ after αυτῳ. V. 46. After eQayov 21 Mss. with Compl. add xai emiov. V. 51, For Couvos, Ald. with 6 мS$. have owgos-and for και μαρτυς ἡ στυλη αυτή, I Ms. has και ιδου ἡ στυλη ἣν εστησας μεταξύ εμου και μεταξυ σου ; μάρτυς 80 σωρος και μαρτυς ἡ στυλη and to nearly other 3 Mss. Compl. has nai notuλn aUTN, ÀV EONOÀ ανα ανα μέσον εμού και σου μαρτυει· ὁ βουνος ουτος και ἡ στυλή, ἣν έστησα, άυτη μαρτυρεί. Ch. xxxiii. v. 1. In 1 Ms. the words & adeλços autou have an obelos prefixed. Ch. xxxiv. v. 14. The addition in this verse is marked with an obelos in I MS. and in the margin of another. V. 28. The addition here is in all the copies with some small variety of lection. Ch. xxxv. v. 3. The addition xai diɛowσe μe is marked with an obelos in i Ms.-5 Mss. have εσωσε με: 3 διέσωζε and 1 εσωζεν. V. 5. The addition in this verfe is marked with an obelos in I MS. V. 21. Only 1 Ms. has an obelos before the addition in this verfe και πονηρόν εφάνη εναντιον αυτού. Ch. xxxvi. v. 2. All the copies have rou vou, with Sam. and Syr. V. 6. Both the additions in this verfe are in all the copies. Ch. xxxviiii. v. 13. Tη vuon autou, in all the copies as in Sam. V. 15. Και ουκ επεγνω αυτήν. wanting only in i Ms. V. 22. To dεoμwτngiov in all the copies. Ch. xl. v. 17. The word T8 ouęavou is wanting in Ald. and 28 Mss. but in v. 19. they are not wanting in one. From these few famples, we apprehend, our learned Biblical readers will be able, in fome measure, to appreciate the value of this collation, and to fee what helps may be derived from it toward a more perfect edition of the Septuagint. But that task must be executed by fome one well verfed, not only in the Greek language, but in all the other ancient dialects into which the Hebrew Scriptures have been tranflated; and, moreover, gifted with a critical difcernment which erudition alone cannot give; and which good fenfe only, unfettered by fyftematic prepoffeffion, can ever hope to acquire. Were the manufcript copies of the other antient verfions, particularly of the Syriac and Arabic, collated in the fame manner, we are perfuaded that much light might be thrown on many paffages of Scripture; which, in fpite of all the comments that have been written upon them, are still veiled in obscurity. C. A. ART. III. The Works of the late John Maclaurin, Efq. of Dreghorn. In 2 Vols. 8vo. Ridgway. INDEPENDENTLY of the high and paramount importance which is ever connected with truth, private opinions are fubjects of curious attention, when promulgated by perfons to whom the circumftances of their external fituation might have been fupposed to give a contrary bias; more particularly when fuch opinions opinions are apparently hoftile to the fuppofed perfonal and profeffional interefts of the author. As much of the notice to which thefe volumes are entitled arifes unquestionably from this fubordinate confideration, it is feriously to be regretted that the anonymous editor has furnished us with fo few particulars of the life of their writer. He was the eldeft fon of Colin Maclaurin, the celebrated mathematician, and was born in the year 1734. Having been left, by his father, with a bare competence for his education, under the patronage of the archbishop of York, and having gone through the ufual courfes of ftudy at the high school and univerfity of Edinburgh, his inclination led him to the law. He was, in 1756, admitted a member of the Faculty of Advocates at Edinburgh, and began his legal career before the General Affembly of the Church of Scotland, where he was always employed by the party which oppofed the fettlement of minifters by the presentation of patrons. In 1782 the Edinburgh Royal So ciety was established, and in the royal charter he was appointed one of the conftituent members; and, in january 1788, through the interest of his friend, The Right Hon. Henry Dundas, he took his feat as a fenator of the College of Juftice under the title of lord Dreghorn. This judicial truft he executed with univerfal approbation till December 1796, when he died of a putrid fever. From his earliest years he was the friend and lover of liberty, and appears to have predicted and rejoiced in the iffue of the American contest. His fentiments concerning the French revolution, that all-embracing and all-absorbing fubject, are here ftated, and they feem to agree, in general, with what have been the avowed opinions of the English oppofition in parliament. Though it is faid that he shared in the common fate of the minority, calumny; and was even accused of favouring a revolution; yet he does not seem to have diftinguished himself by an open and manly oppofition to public measures: on the contrary, we are told, in language which it is fomewhat difficult to understand, that, confcious of the rectitude of his principles, he was not afraid to avow them, but prudence made him obferve a cautious filence.' That his conduct was the refult of principle we have no doubt, and probably he intended that the remark should be applied to himself which he makes concerning Helvetius, who left his Treatife on Man to be published after his death, viz. that he who follows that method has moft merit, for he can have no other motive "than good will towards mankind." But his Lordship should have diftinguished between the abstract nature of Helvetius's Inquiries, and the local and immediate interest which constituted the principal importance of his own. However, during the eventful years 1792, 1793, 1794, and 1795, he kept a Journal of public Tranfactions, to give vent to his feelings and emotions,' thinking it not wife or proper to speak them |