A work by Ed. Harwood, entitled A Neze, Intro duction to the Study and Knowledge of the New Tes tament, London 1767-71, was translated into Ger man by Schulz, Halle 177o-73, in three volumes. In this book there are so many heterogeneous materials, that it scarcely belongs to the science of introduction.
The study of N. T. introduction was in Germany especially promoted also by Johann Solomon Sem ler, who died at Halle in 1791. It was by Sem ler's influence that the critical works of Richard Simon were translated into German, and thc works of Wetstein re-eciited and circulated. The original works of Semler on Biblical introduction are his Apparatus ad liberalenz Novi Testanzenti Interpreta tionem, Halae 1767, and his Abhana'lung von fi-eier Untersztchteng des Canons, 4 vols., Halle 1771-75.
Semler's school produced Johann Jacob Gries bach, who died at Jena in the year 1812. Gries bach's labours in correcting the text of the N. T. are of great value. K. A. Haenlein published a work called Handbuch der Einleitung in die Schrif ten des Neuen Testamentes, Erlangen 1794-18o2, in two volumes, in which he followed up the lec tures of Griesbach. A second edition of this work appeared in the years 1802-9. This introduction contains excellent materials, but is wanting in deci sive historical criticism.
Johann Gottfried Eichhorn, who died at Gottin gen in 1827, was formed in the school of Michaelis at Gottingen, and was inspired by Herder's poeti cal views of the East in general, and of thc litera ture of the ancient Hebrews in particular. Eich horn commenced his Introduction when the times were inclined to give up the Bible altogether, as a production of priestcraft inapplicable to the present period. He endeavoured to bring the contents of the Bible into harmony with modem modes of thinking, to explain, and to recommend them. He endeavoured by means of hypothesis to furnish a clue to their origin, without sufficiently regarding strict historical criticism. Eichhorn's Einleitung in das Alte Testament was first published at Leip sic in 1780-83, in three. volumes. The fifth edi tion was published at Gottingen in 182o-24, in five volumes. His Einleitung in das Nene Testa ment was published at Gottingen in 18(34-27, in five volumes. The earlier volumes have been republished. The external treatment of the mate rials, the style, aim, and many separate portions of both works, are masterly and excellent ; but with regard to linguistic and historical research, they are feeble and overwhelmed with hypotheses.
Leonhardt Bertholdt was a very diligent but un critical compiler. He made a considerable step backward in the science of introduction, not only by reuniting the Old and N. T. into one whole,
but by even intermixing the separate writings witb each other, in his work entitled Historisch-kritische Einleitung slimmtliche kanonische und Apocry thische Schriflen des Allot und Hazen Testamentes, Erlangen 1812-19, in six volumes.
The Isagoge Ilistorico-critica in _Libros Novi Ftederis Sacros, Jenm IS3o, of H. A. Schott, is more distinguished by diligence than by penetra tion. The Lehrbuch der Historisch-kritischen killing in die Bibel A. und N. T., Berlin ; I, Die Allgenzeine Einleitung und a'as Alte Testa ment enthaltend, 1317 (fifth edition, IS4o) ; Theil 2, Das Neue Testantent enthaltend, 1826 (fourth edition, 1842), by W. M. Lebrecht de Wette, is distinguished by brevity, precision, critical pene tration, and in some parts by completeness. This book contains an excellent survey of the various opinions prevalent in the sphere of Biblical intro duction, interspeised with original discussions. Almost every author on Biblical criticism will find that De Wette has made use of his labours ; but in the purely historical portions the book is feeble, and indicates that the author did not go to the first sources, but adopted the opinions of others ; con sequently the work bas no internal harmony. An English translation of this work, with additions by the translator, Theodore Parker, has lately ap peared in America, under the title of A Critical and Historical Introduction to the Canonical Scrip tures of the Ola' Testament.
The word introduction' being of rather vague signification, there was also formerly no definite idea attached to the expression BIBLICATI, INTRO. DUCTION. In works on this subject (as in Horne's Atm/met/on) might be found contents belonging to geography, antiquities, interpretation, natural his tory, and other branches of knowledge. Even the usual contents of Biblical introductions were so unconnected, that Schleiermacher, in his Kurze Darstellzing a'cs Theologischen Stzza'ilims, justly called it ein Mancherlei ; that is, a farrago or omniuin - gathenim. Biblical introduction was usually described as consisting of the various branches of preparatory knowledge requisite for viewing and treating the Bible correctly. It was distinguished from Biblical history and archology by being- less intimately connected with what is usually called history. It comprised treatises on the origin of the Bible, on the original languages, on the translations, and on the history of the sacred text ; and was divided into general and special introduction.