_Old Version_. _New Version_.
Ch. lii. 13. Behold, my servant Ch. lii. 13. Behold, my servant
shall deal prudently, he shall be shall be prosperous; he shall be
exalted and extolled, and be very exalted and extolled, and be
high. magnified exceedingly.
14. As many were astonied at 14. As many were astonished at
thee; his visage was so marred thee; (so marred was his visage
more than any man, and his form more than any man, and his form
more than the sons of men: than the sons of men.)
15. So shall he sprinkle many 15. So shall he sprinkle many
nations; the kings shall shut nations; kings shall shut their
their mouths at him: for _that_ mouths at him (_do him homage_);
which had not been told them for that which had not been told
shall they see; and _that_ which them have they seen, and that
they had not heard shall they which they had not heard have
consider. they considered:
Ch. liii. 1. Who hath believed Ch. liii. 1. (Who hath believed
our report? and to whom is the our report? and to whom hath the
arm of the Lord revealed? arm of the Lord been revealed?)
2. For he shall grow up before 2. And he grew up before him as
him as a tender plant, and as a a tender plant, and as a root out
root out of a dry ground: he hath of a land of drought: he hath no
no form nor comeliness; and when form nor comeliness that we
we shall see him, _there is_ no should see him, and no beauty
beauty that we should desire him. that we should desire him.
3. He is despised and rejected 3. Despised and rejected of men;
of men; a man of sorrows, and a man of sorrows, and acquainted
acquainted with grief: and we hid with grief; and concealing as it
as it were _our_ faces from him; were _his_ face from us;
he was despised, and we esteemed despised, and we esteemed him
him not. not.
4. Surely he hath borne our 4. Surely _it was_ our griefs
griefs, and carried our sorrows; _that_ he bore; and our sorrows,
yet we did esteem him stricken, he carried them: but we esteemed
smitten of God, and afflicted. him stricken, smitten of God, and
afflicted.
5. But he _was_ wounded for our 5. But he _was_ pierced for our
transgressions, _he was_ bruised transgressions, _he was_ bruised
for our iniquities: the for our iniquities: the
chastisement of our peace _was_ chastisement of our peace was
upon him; and with his stripes we upon him, and by his infirmity we
are healed. were healed.
6. All we like sheep have gone 6. All we like sheep have gone
astray; we have turned every one astray; we have turned each one
to his own way; and the Lord hath to his own way; and the Lord hath
laid on him the iniquity of us laid on him the iniquity of us
all. all.
7. He was oppressed, and he was 7. He was oppressed; but he,
afflicted, {17a} yet he opened submitting himself, {17c} does
not his mouth: he is brought not even open his mouth: as a
{17b} as a lamb to the slaughter, lamb is brought to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before her and as a sheep before her
shearers is dumb, so he opened shearers _is_ dumb, so he openeth
not his mouth. not his mouth.
8. He was taken from prison and 8. From oppression and from
from judgment: and who shall judgment was he taken: but _the
declare his generation? for he wickedness of_ his generation who
was cut off out of the land of shall declare? for he was cut off
the living: for the transgression out of the land of the living;
of my people was he stricken. for the transgression of my
people, for the stroke _due_ to
them!
9. And he made his grave with 9. And he made his grave with
the wicked, and with the rich in the wicked, and with the
his death; because he had done no [impious] {17d} in his death;
violence, neither was any deceit though he had done no violence,
in his mouth. and _there was_ no deceit in his
mouth.
10. Yet it pleased the Lord to 10. But it pleased the Lord to
bruise him; he hath put _him_ to bruise him; he hath put him to
grief: when thou shalt make his grief, _proclaiming_, If his soul
soul an offering for sin, he shall make an offering for sin,
shall see _his_ seed, he shall he shall see a seed, he shall
prolong _his_ days, and the prolong _his_ days, and the
pleasure of the Lord shall pleasure of the Lord shall
prosper in his hand. prosper in his hand.
11. He shall see of the travail 11. He shall see of the travail
of his soul, _and_ shall be of his soul; he shall be
satisfied: by his knowledge shall satisfied: by his knowledge _of
my righteous servant justify woe_ {18a} shall my righteous
many; for he shall bear their servant make many righteous, and
iniquities. himself shall bear their
iniquities.
12. Therefore will I divide him 12. Therefore I will allot him
_a portion_ with the great, and the great for his portion, and he
he shall divide the spoil with shall divide the mighty as spoil,
the strong; because he poured out because he poured out his soul
his soul unto death: and he was unto death, and was numbered with
numbered with the transgressors; transgressors. So he bore the
and he bare the sin of many, and sin of many, and intercedes {18b}
made intercession for the for the transgressors.
transgressors.
NOTE.—The new translation is less soft and mellifluous than the old, but
let it not be hastily condemned in the comparison on that account. It is
more exact, and that is the principal object now. Probably it may yet
fall into hands that shall combine all the beautiful flow of the old
version, with no less, and even far greater exactness than we have been
able to achieve.
Thus far for the Old Testament. We adopt a somewhat different mode of
selection in dealing with the New, but adhere to our plan of exhibiting
the two versions in juxtaposition. The amended passages that follow are
taken, with a few exceptions, from Professor Scholefield’s “Hints for an
Improved Translation of the New Testament.” They are, it is presumed,
sufficiently important to warrant the selection, but it must be premised
that it is not by taking isolated passages for emendation that the WHOLE
TRUTH insisted upon in these pages can be enforced. There are numberless
points of correction of which our version is susceptible that are not
adapted for such isolated exhibition, and which it is the special
business of the Greek particles to supply; but the exhibition of such
points, involving the structure of sentences and the mutual relation of
the clauses of which they are made up, would require a much larger
canvass. We indicate this source of correction only to avert the
conclusion, that our argument rests solely on the basis supplied in the
particular mode of illustration adopted.
_Old Version_. _New Version_.
Mark iv. 13.
And he said unto them, Know ye And he says to them, Know ye not
not this parable? and how then this parable? how then will ye
will ye know all parables? know any {19} parables?
Luke xvi. 12.
And if ye have not been faithful . . . in that which is another’s
in that which is another man’s. (_i.e._ God’s).
John xviii. 15.
And Simon Peter followed Jesus, And Simon Peter was following
and _so did_ another disciple. Jesus, and _so was_ the other
disciple (probably Judas).
John i. 9.
Which lighteth every man that Which coming into the world
cometh into the world. lighteth every man.
Acts xix. 2.
Whether there be any Holy Ghost. Whether the Holy Ghost be given.
Rom. vi. 17.
But God be thanked, that ye were But God be thanked that whereas
the servants of sin. ye were the servants of sin.
Rom. xiv. 23.
Is damned if he eat, because _he Is condemned if he eat, because
eateth_ not of faith. _it is_ not of faith.
2 Cor. iv. 3, 4.
But if our gospel be hid, it is . . . be hid (_with a veil_), it
hid to them that are lost: is hid to the abandoned:
In whom the god of this world As to whom the god of this world
hath blinded the minds of them habitually blinds their minds,
that believe not. being unbelieving.
1 Pet. iii. 6.
Whose daughters ye are as long as . . . as long as ye do well, and
ye do well, and are not afraid yield to no fear, (_as Sarah on
with any amazement. one memorable occasion did_).
2 Pet. i. 19, 20, 21.
We have also a more sure word of Moreover, we have the word of
prophecy; whereunto ye do well prophecy _made_ more sure, (the
that ye take heed, as unto a voice from heaven while in the
light, &c. holy mount _confirmed_ it).
Knowing this first, that no Knowing this first, that no
prophecy of the scripture is of prophecy of Scripture is of the
any private interpretation; nature of a private revelation;
For the prophecy came not in old For prophecy was not prompted in
time by the will of man; but holy old time by the will of man; but
men of God spoke _as they were_ holy men of God spoke _as_
moved by the Holy Ghost. prompted by the Holy Ghost.
2 Pet. iii. 5, 6.
For this they willingly are For this they willingly are
ignorant of, that by the word of ignorant of, that by the word of
God the heavens were of old, and God, the heavens and the earth
the earth standing out of the were of old involved in a
water and in the water; confluence of waters;
Whereby the world that then was, Whereby the world that then was,
being overflowed with water, being deluged with water,
perished. perished.
1 Cor. v. 9.
I wrote unto you in an epistle. I have written to you in my
epistle (the present).
1 Cor. vii. 11.
But and if she depart. But if also she be separated.
1 Cor. x. 17.
For we _being_ many, are one For _there is_ one bread, and we,
bread _and_ one body. who are many, are one body.
1 Cor. xv. 41.
For _one_ star differeth from Nay (or, this is not all, for)
_another_ star in glory. one star differeth from another
star, &c.
2 Cor. iii. 18.
But we all, with open face And we all with unveiled face
beholding as in a glass the glory reflecting as in a glass . . .
of the Lord (Moses put a veil on his face,
not so the disciples of Christ).
2 Cor. v. 1.
If our earthly house of _this_ If the earthly house of our
tabernacle were dissolved. tabernacle be dissolved.
2 Cor. xii. 2, 4.
I knew a man in Christ. I know a man in Christ.
It is not lawful to utter. It is not possible.
Gal. iii. 22.
That the promise by faith of That the promise may be given to
Jesus Christ might be given to believers by Jesus Christ.
them that believe.
Eph. v. 13.
But all things that are reproved But all things are reproved, and
are made manifest by the light. made manifest by the light.
Phil. i. 7.
Partakers of my grace. Partakers with me of grace.
Phil. i. 10.
That ye may approve things that That ye may try things that
are excellent. differ.
Phil. iv. 8.
If _there be_ any virtue, and if Whatever virtue, and whatever
_there be_ any praise. praise there be.
Col. i. 19.
For it pleased _the Father_, that For all the fulness of the
in him should all fulness dwell. God-head was pleased to dwell in
him.
Col. ii. 23.
Not in any honour to the Not with any regard to the
satisfying of the flesh. satisfying of the flesh.
2 Thess. ii. 6, 7.
And now ye know what withholdeth And now ye know what withholdeth
that he might be revealed in his _him_, that he may be revealed in
time. his own time. For the mystery of
iniquity is already working; only
For the mystery of iniquity doth there is one that now withholdeth
already work: only he who now it, until he be taken out of the
letteth _will let_, until he be way.
taken out of the way.
Heb. iv. 2.
For unto us was the gospel For we have the glad tidings
preached, as well as unto them: thereof even as they; but the
but the word preached did not word of its report (_i.e._, which
word profit them. they heard) did not profit them.
Heb. ix. 12.
He entered in once into the holy He entered once for all into the
place. holy place.
Heb. ix. 15, 16, 17.
And for this cause he is the And for this end he is the
mediator of the new testament, mediator of the new covenant,
that by means of death, for the that, his death having taken
redemption of the transgressions place for the redemption of the
_that were_ under the first transgressions under the first
testament, they which are called covenant, they that are called
might receive the promise of might receive the promise of the
eternal inheritance. eternal inheritance.
For where a testament _is_, there For where a covenant _is_, there
must also of necessity be the must of necessity be brought in
death of the testator. the death of the mediating
_sacrifice_.
For a testament _is_ of force
after men are dead: otherwise it For a covenant is valid over dead
is of no strength at all while _sacrifices_: since it is never
the testator liveth. of any force while the mediating
_sacrifice_ continues alive.
Heb. xii. 18.
To the mount that might be To the mount that could be
touched. touched.
Heb. xiii. 4.
Marriage _is_ honourable in all, Let marriage be honourable in
and the bed undefiled. all, and the bed _be_ undefiled.
1 Pet. iii. 20.
Were saved by water. Were saved through the water
(brought safely through).
1 Pet. iv. 8.
Shall cover the multitude of Will cover a multitude of sins.
sins.
2 Pet. i. 16.
For we have not followed For we did not follow cunningly
cunningly devised fables, when we devised fables when we made known
made known unto you . . . unto you . . .
2 Pet. ii. 1, 3.
And bring upon themselves swift . . . and their destruction
destruction . . . and their slumbereth not (_destruction_,
damnation slumbereth not. precisely the same word as
before).
2 Pet. ii. 5.
Noah the eighth _person_. Noah, with seven others.
2 Pet. ii. 14.
Cursed children. Children of the curse.
Rev. iv. 6.
Four beasts. Four living creatures.
Rev. x. 6.
That there should be time no That there should be no more
longer. delay.
Thus far, by way of specimen of the improvement of which the authorized
version is susceptible on the score of fidelity to the original. The
instances might have been multiplied indefinitely, but we designed only a
specimen. We would repeat that there is a large amount of improvement
practicable in elucidating and enforcing the sense, when it is not
positively misrepresented, that is less fitted for such display, and
which alone it would require the transcription of a large portion of the
Bible to render apparent.
“Claudite jam rivos pueri; sat prata biberunt.”
We have indeed said enough to justify our plea, and here we might close
the evidence, but we are tempted further to observe that the sense of
Scripture is not only obscured in the authorized version by errors of
translation, but there is almost an equal amount of mischief done to the
sense by the present mode of distributing the subject-matter into chapter
and verse; for which, as is well known, there is no valid authority,
{24a} either as regards the Old or the New Testament. This fault it is
the special object of the new Paragraph Bible lately published by the
Religious Tract Society, to remedy. We confine ourselves to two
illustrations.
The 53rd chapter of Isaiah begins with a parenthesis, (‘Who hath believed
our report, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?’) {24b}
This, in our view, is a _soliloquy_ into which the prophet breaks forth
in relief of his feelings, while contemplating the overpowering events
that pass in review before him, coupled with the rejection of the message
by the great body of his countrymen. {25a} These events had already
begun their career at the 13th verse of the foregoing chapter, and they
go steadily on through the remainder of that, and the whole of the
following chapter, broken only by the ejaculation of the prophet, thus
violently wrenched from its place, as the matter now stands.
The other instance we adduce of the obscuration of the sense occasioned
by the present faulty distribution of the letter-press, occurs Joshua v.
and vi. It is an example of an analogous kind to that already given. It
makes a parenthesis used simply in explanation of a series of
instructions from the Lord to Joshua to vacate its place in the
narrative, and actually stand at the commencement of a new chapter, in
which the same series of instructions is still continued. See the
“Edinburgh Review” for October last. {25b} We shall place the old and
new arrangement in juxta-position, when the violence done to the sense,
as the matter now stands, will be apparent at once.
_Old Arrangement_. _New Arrangement_.
Joshua v. 15.
And the captain of the Lord’s And the captain of the Lord’s
host said unto Joshua, Loose thy host said unto Joshua, “_Loose
shoe from off thy foot; for the thy shoe from off thy foot_, _for
place where thou standest _is_ the place where thou standest is
holy. And Joshua did so. holy_.” And Joshua did so.
Ch. vi. Now Jericho was straitly (Now Jericho was straitly shut
shut up, because of the children up, because of the children of
of Israel: none went out, and Israel; none went out, and none
none came in. came in). And the Lord said unto
Joshua, “_See_, _I have given
2. And the Lord said unto into thy hand Jericho_,” &c.
Joshua, See, I have given into
thy hand Jericho, &c.
The reader will observe in the above paragraph that, in addition to a
better distribution of the letter-press, we have given the _spoken
language_ in italics, with inverted commas,—a character of type we
recommend to be carried out continuously in the revised version, as it,
actually is with excellent effect, in the new Paragraph Bible. These may
be thought small matters, but we have been led to mention them as
thinking the adoption of them will give facility, not merely to the
private, but also to the _vivâ voce_ reading of Scripture,—a point surely
not undeserving of attention.
Connected with these desiderata are others of a minor character, as—an
improved punctuation—the substitution of vernacular for obsolete
words—the use of _euphemisms_ where the allusion is obvious, and no
violence is done to the sense—appropriate concise headings to the
different sections in the margin—_chronological arrangement of the
several books_—chronological data, &c. &c.
We are proceeding beyond the strict limits we assigned to ourselves in
the course of these last remarks, and scarcely venture further in
recommending attention—though especially worthy of it, in the case of a
Book we wish to make universally attractive,—to what may be called the
_æsthetics_ of _book-making_. We all know the advantage of a readable
type, open space between the lines, paragraphs and smaller divisions
clearly indicated, large margin, &c.; and though, in comparison with our
main object, these are small matters, they yet constitute distinct items
in the Roll of convenience, and therefore merit attention—especially in
subserviency to the object of giving to the Bible the adjuncts
appropriate to a HOUSEHOLD BOOK.
Such is an outline of what we hope to see done. We might have multiplied
instances of mistranslation to an unlimited extent, and many other
improvements conducing to a clearer exposition of the sense of Scripture
might have been suggested: but we stop here. Enough has been said to
substantiate our argument, and we desist from the present line of thought
to indulge the flattering belief that we have at length gained our
object; that, in fact, we have a Bible such as we have invoked—with a
purer text,—a correcter version,—and other appliances better adapted to
fit it for the high ends for which it was given, than the present. What,
now, it may be asked, are the _peculiar advantages_ we promise ourselves
from the ACQUISITION? Some advantages seem to flow very naturally and
directly from the measure; and one that we may very confidently
anticipate is, a keener perception and appreciation of Scripture in its
fundamental qualities of truthfulness, power, and majesty, as the volume
is spread out before us with increased effulgence, and life-likeness to
the original. The whole orb of truth will shine out with a brightness of
which it is now in part shorn through defect in the instrument by means
of which it is viewed. Moreover, the _evidences_ for the Divine
authority of the sacred books would be yet clearer, as blemishes were
eliminated, obscurities cleared up, weak parts strengthened. The
evidences of Christianity, in their brightest array, and most decisive
effect, lie in the sacred oracles themselves. They vouch for their own
authority. How potent a power this is may be judged of from the fact
that they are accredited by those to whom they not only show no favour,
but the most decided and uncompromising hostility! Many circumstances
wrongfully accredited to them mar and weaken the evidence; but these,
however perplexing in some cases, and damaging—as the text now stands—in
others, cannot overlay their credibility. There are, moreover, doctrines
embedded in their pages that appeal solely to faith, and that receive our
assent mainly as part and parcel of a BOOK that we deem divine. It is
the word of God, and we turn away at our peril from the voice that speaks
to us from HEAVEN. Certain passages there are, as we think, so impressed
with the character of Divinity, so reassuring of a divine utterance, and
so marvellously radiant with truth, that, under the full force of the
impression, the whole soul resigns itself to the spell, and faith is
scarcely so much a voluntary emotion as a necessity. We believe because
we have no alternative. {28} Such is the power of the sacred oracles in
themselves to command belief. Nevertheless, the evidence generally of
their divine authority would be yet more conclusive, as the result of a
version more true to the sacred text. The Divine voice would be still
more audible. The arguments that have hitherto commanded our assent
would acquire fresh force, while obstacles and imperfections would
dwindle into insignificance, or altogether disappear. The force of our
plea could scarcely present itself more strongly. The Scriptures
themselves constitute the great battle-field of the argument affecting a
Divine Revelation. The question is decided in the minds of thousands, on
considerations drawn from _the Scriptures themselves_,—in virtue, that
is, of their own credentials, and not on the elaborate speculations or
ingenious apologies of (assumed) interested advocates. A more direct and
forcible evidence is required for men in no ecclesiastical position to
forestall opinion, and with little time or ability to enter into abstruse
and recondite arguments. The ordinary books of evidences, however
effective _concurrently_ with the evidence furnished by Scripture itself
(and in this way they are—many of them—doubtless exceedingly useful), are
not _alone_, and, in the absence of such corroboration, calculated to
produce the evidence that is desired to rebut the counter arguments to
which human nature in its infirmity is assailed. It requires the
re-assuring voice of God himself to give the requisite confidence and
satisfaction. Hence we have sufficiently indicated the field to which
our labours may be most successfully directed while endeavouring to
establish and diffuse, in their most telling and cogent form, the
evidences of the Christian faith.
Moreover, a competent knowledge of Biblical erudition would, under the
new conditions of the Holy Books, be no longer so costly or onerous as at
present. Truly, this is a great desideratum. The mass of reading now
required to peruse Scripture with due edification and interest is
altogether beyond the leisure of the busy, or the means of the less
affluent: and to be doomed to hopeless ignorance of so much enlightenment
as is symbolized in the goodly tomes that meet the eye on every side,
devoted to the elucidation of Holy Writ, is by no means satisfactory.
With this partial distribution of spiritual advantages, the Christian
Church seems drifting away from its fundamental basis of _universality_,
and,—in the very spirit and wake of heathenism,—abetting and consecrating
the principle of an esoteric and exoteric school—a pet and a common class
of disciples—the one furnished with all the erudition—the prime secrets
and witcheries of knowledge—the other abandoned to the merest
generalities, a sorry heap of prejudices, or at best a dubious and
insufficient light. But however this be, certain it is there is now
available a vast amount of Biblical lore of no mean value, and which no
good Christian would willingly forego, that is all but sealed to the bulk
of the Christian world. {30} The publication of Scripture on the
principles we advocate would go far to remedy the evil. The beautiful
emendations of the Sacred text that are now scattered over a wide waste
of territory, and all but lost, would be garnered up, and made available
for common use. The occasional criticisms of Archbishop Whately, for
instance, and the specific emendations of the late Professor Scholefield,
would become alike the property of the esoterics and the exoterics: they
would be treasured up and embalmed in our own Bibles. In a word, we
should succeed to a large inheritance of the labours of others. There
would be still much left, of course, to reward industry and sagacity, and
succeeding times might fairly expect to have the benefit of all future
discoveries in this important field. The immediate benefit would be to
relieve the unlettered from dependence on the Commentary to the extent
they now are. They who run might read. {31}
We may further be entitled to expect some abatement of our present
unchristian differences, which are fostered to some extent, as we think,
by the difficulties inherent in the Book rather as a _translation_ than
as an _original_. To some extent it gives a less certain sound, as it is
obliged to avail itself of human organs. By repairing the instrument, we
may find a great impediment to our common understanding and accord
removed, while the union thus formed will be all the more valuable as it
will be real, not simulated—uniform, not patched up for the occasion to
defeat a common enemy. It will grow out of the only bond of
union—sympathy, namely, of belief—that promises to be permanent and
available in the hour of trial. Divers forms of worship, and many
varying shades of opinion, may co-exist with this unity. Charity
thinketh no evil, is not easily provoked. If this happy purpose could be
secured by imparting a clearer light to the firmament of Christian truth,
as the result of the measure we advocate, it would not be easy to
overrate the boon in the removal of the scandal that belongs to the
present divided state of Christendom, and in the service it would render
to the church in carrying out her many offices of healing and comfort to
the world.
Still further: Popular Education, to the extent to which it is identified
with the Bible, would be subserved by an improved translation. In many
parts of the kingdom the Bible, as is well known, is the only organ of
education available—the only apparatus by which any ray of intellectual
light finds entrance into men’s minds. This may be accounted for from
the fact that, in addition to knowledge, Scripture brings with it _the
soul’s health_; otherwise, in the rude state in which it finds a large
portion of the population, it would have small chance of fulfilling this
incidental office of educating the masses. In this light Scripture,
where, as in Protestant countries, it is freely diffused, must be
regarded as a most precious boon to a nation—as a guarantee, in fact,
that the people shall be in some sort educated, and invested with the
attributes of rational and responsible beings. Nor is the benefit of
Scripture, as a help to education, confined to the poor: in early youth
it smooths the entrance on the path of knowledge, not less effectually to
the rich than to the indigent. There is, moreover, to be considered the
part that Scripture plays in the education of the land, in the actual
occupancy it enjoys in almost every family as a HOUSEHOLD BOOK, available
as the Urim and Thummim of the ancient economy, and actually doing that
service which the “lares and lemures” of heathen households were vainly
invoked to perform. It is in vain to exclaim against this state of
things, from whatever motive, sceptical or superstitious: the fact is as
we have stated it, and, with the absence of such means of education, the
country, to a large extent, must necessarily be uneducated.
Thus obviously is the Bible the recognized organ of popular education in
this country, and in this view it is most important that its efficiency
should be complete. But this inference derives its chief force from
considerations affecting the _character_ of the education it supplies.
In this aspect of it there is nothing that should make us regret the
actual occupancy it enjoys in this regard. On the contrary, it is
admirably adapted by its own peculiar power over men’s souls to
create—not a learned, but an intelligent people; and if intelligent, then
free, independent, powerful,—a match for tyranny in every shape, and at
every turn. Nor are the ruling powers themselves less benefited in thus
being able to lay deep the foundation of their authority in the fixedness
of principle, just appreciation of good as distinct from its counterfeit,
and sober and well-advised aims of the people so trained and nurtured.
Closely connected with education, or such an education as we have now
been considering, is _public morality_, and with it the strength and
prosperity of a Nation. The condition of England in her various
phases—civil, military, political, and religious—has naturally arrested
the attention of intelligent foreigners, as presenting a marked
superiority in these respects, or in some of them, to their own country.
They have inquired the cause of this distinction with little success, and
are as much at fault in being able to trace no symptoms of decay or
flagging vitality in the system, cruelly tried as it not unfrequently is,
prognosticating its ruin. Perhaps there is a solution of the enigma
here. Perhaps the use of Scripture as the prime material of our early
education has generated a better morality among us, and precluded the
admission of certain forms of evil, little consonant to national
greatness or national welfare, from which we see other countries,
differently schooled, are not exempt. On this head, while avoiding undue
pretension, we would not choose to say less than truth permits. With all
the deductions to be allowed in disparagement of our claim to a high
place in the scale of morals absolutely, we have yet, as compared with
other countries,—a conscience, a sense namely of right and wrong,
pervading the bulk of the people, and leavening the land with a wholesome
morality,—we are not habituated to treat suicide as a virtue, {34}—our
functionaries, as a body, are not venal,—we are not dangerous to the
State when we meet in numbers beyond two or three,—and we are not
incapable of self-government. M. de Montalembert, in his late work on
the Future of England, while generously doing homage to the greatness of
this country, the destinies of which he undertakes to decide, has not
adverted to this high moral and religious training as supplying any
explanation of the phenomenon: perhaps deeming his own country to be not
less amply supplied with the means of religious culture. On this point
we are at issue with him, if such is his opinion. In France, as in
Catholic countries generally,—and it must be confessed in some Protestant
countries too,—it is not so decidedly a religious or moral, as an
ecclesiastical and conventual training, that is accorded; one, that is,
which, while it overlays the memory with dogmas, and deals in technical
and artificial requirements, leaves the conscience all but uninformed,
and morality, as a pervading, practical, germinating principle, almost a
non-entity. {35}
_Paullo majora canamus_. The time is come when countries, as such, need
to be educated no less really than smaller bodies and isolated
individuals. Countries are brought now almost into as close contact with
one another as individual members of the same commonwealth; and the
identical principle that inculcates the education of individuals—that,
namely, of mutual self-defence and reciprocal advantage—applies to the
aggregation of individuals in a nation. The times of ignorance picture
to us man as a savage, a terror to his neighbours, and everywhere an
object of rightful destruction. Education became a necessity, if he
would be safe from violence, or reap advantage from the society of his
fellow. The picture presented by the history of nations in relation to
one another is substantially the same. There has been little improvement
in this respect yet visible. Nor has the necessity for it seemed urgent,
while the nations were separated by the natural obstacles of their
position, and their means of mutual annoyance in a corresponding degree
circumscribed. Science has now removed these obstacles, and the nations
are brought into immediate contiguity and contact, while their means of
mutual annoyance have been enormously and frightfully multiplied.
Startling it is to think of the growing power of nations for evil, and
inflicting evil upon one another, in the present temper and _morale_ of
the nations. Surely we may say the time has come for providing a remedy
appropriate to so fearful a crisis. There is none that occurs to us so
sure as a system of instruction that recognizes as its basis a _sanctity_
in the relations of state with state, and lodges deep in the consciences
of the several people those great principles of justice, truth, and
benevolence, in which God has indissolubly bound up all human happiness,
whether of nations or of individuals. Unhappily there is so much to
unlearn on the subject of the relative duties of nations to one another
before this good work can be proceeded in. The sacred records have not
been supposed to furnish any lessons on this branch of human duty, and
none have been sought for. But—
“In them is plainest taught and easiest learn’d
What makes a Nation happy, and keeps it so.”