102
NOTES AND QUERIES. [n s. m. FEB. n, 1911.
John Edwards, Fellow of St. John's
College, Cambridge, in his ' Perfection of
Holy Scripture,' 1695, pp. 531, 543, 565,
suggests that Convocation should revise the
English Bible, and advises the disuse of
" obsolete " words such as " ere," " trow,"
" wist," " wot."
A. Blackwall, 'Sacred Classics' (1725), 2nd ed., 1727, gives instances where our version is faulty, harsh, improper, indecent, low, obscure, pp. 74, 87, 132, 204. In a third part, issued later, he supplies improved translations.
B(oss), H(ugh). Essay for a New Translation of the Bible. Wherein is shewn from Reason and the Authority of the Best Commentators, Inter- preters, and Criticks, that there is a Necessity for a New Translation. 2nd ed., 8vo, pp. 338, 1727. Translated from Charles Le Ceiie.
Scott, William. The New Testament Illus- trated.... a Correction of our Translation. 4 to, 1775.
Symonds, John, Professor of Modern History, Cambridge. Observations on the Expediency of Revising the Present English Version of the Four Gospels and Acts. 4to, Camb., 1789.
Lindsey, Theophilus, Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge, Unitarian. List of False Readings and Mistranslations of the English Bible. 1790.
Newcome, William, Archbishop of Armagh. Historical View of English Biblical Translations. 8vo, Dublin, 1792. Attempt towards Revising the English Translation of the Greek Scriptures. 2 vols., 8vo, Dublin, 1796.
Tomlinson, Robert. Attempt to rescue the Holy Scriptures from the Ridicule they incur with the inconsiderate, occasioned by incorrect Translations. 8vo, 1803.
Barrett, Richard A. F., Fellow of King's College, Cambridge. Synopsis of Criticisms upon those Passages of the Old Testament in which Commenta- tors have differed from the Authorized Version. 5 vols., 8vo, 1847.
A Plea for a New English Version of the Scrip- tures. By a Licentiate of the Church of Scotland. 8vo, 1864.
W. C. B.
CRABB ROBINSON AND
DE QUINCEY. .
THERE are some interesting references to Thomas De Quincey in the * Diary ' of Henry Crabb Robinson. The first mention of the Opium-Eater is dated 17 June, 1812, when Robinson dined in the Middle Temple Hall with De Quincey, who was, as he notes, very civil and gave him a cordial invitation to the Cottage in Cumberland.
Crabb Robinson says that De Quincey' 3 " person is small, his complexion fair, and his air and manner are those of a sickly and enfeebled man. From this circumstance his sensibility,
which I have no doubt is genuine, is in danger of
being mistaken for effeminateness. At least
coarser and more robustly healthful persons may
fall into this mistake."
On 5 September, 1816, Crabb Robinson says :
" I took an opportunity of calling on De Quincey, my Temple-hall acquaintance. He has been very much an invalid, and his appearance bespoke ill-health."
The visit was mainly to Wordsworth, but after reaching home Robinson notes :
" Just as we were going to bed De Quincey called on me. He was in much better spirits than when I saw him in the morning, and expressed a wish to walk with me about the neighbourhood."
This shows that De Quincey's nocturnal habits had already started. On the 24th the diarist says :
" Wordsworth conducted me over the fell, and left me, near De Quincey's house, a little after one. He was in bed. but rose on my arrival. I was gratified by the sight of a large collection of books, which I lounged over."
They had a walk across Grasmere to Easdale Tarn, and returned to dinner, after which De Quincey accompanied him to the gate of Wordsworth's garden terrace. When he returned -he says : " I found De Quincey up, and chatted with him till past twelve/ Of 25 September he says :
" This was a day of unexpected enjoyment. I lounged over books till past ten, when De Quincey came down to breakfast. It was not till past twelve we commenced our walk, which had been marked out by Wordsworth. We first passed Grasmere Church, and then, going along the opposite side of the lake, crossed by a mountain road into the vale of Great Langdale."
Under date 7 October, 1821, Crabb Robinson- remarks :
" My journal mentions (what does not belong io my recollections, but to my obliviscences) an able pamphlet by Mr. De Quincey against Brougham, written during the late election, entitled ' Close Comments on a Straggling Speech/ a capital title at all events."
This pamphlet is anonymous. I traced a copy to the Bibliotheca Jacksoniana at Tullie House, Carlisle. An account of this effort of the Opium-Eater as an electioneer appeared in The Manchester Guardian (28 September, 1907).
In the following month the Opium-Eater was in London. On 7 November Crabb Robinson writes :
" Called on De Quincey to speak about the Classical Journal. I have recommended him to Valpy, who will be glad of his assistance. D& Quincey speaks highly of the liberality of Taylor and Hessey, who gave him forty guineas for his ' Opium-Eater.' "
