(a.) The first volume contains the Pentateuch in Hebrew, Chaldee, Greek, and Latin. The Hebrew text, which has the vowel-points but not the accents, occupies the outside of the three columns, the Sept. with an interlineary Latin tmnslation occu pies the inside column, and the Vulg. occupies the middle column, indicating that just as Christ was crucified between two thieves so the Roman Church, represented by St. Jerome's version, is crucified between the synagogue represented by the Hebrew text, and the Eastern Church, denoted by the Greek version. At the lower part of the page are two smaller columns, one containing the Chaldee paraphrase and the other a Latin translation of it. This volume is preceded by-4 St Jerome's Preface to the Pentateuch. i4 The Bull of Leo X. permitting the circulation of the work. iii. Ad dresses to the reader by Francis, bishop of Abyla, and Francis of Mendoza, archdeacon of Pedroche. iv. The dedicatory epistle of Cardinal Ximenes to Leo X. v. An address to the reader about the language of the O. T. v4 A treatise on finding the roots of the Hebrew words. vii. An introduc tion to the N. T. viii. An introduction to the Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon and Hebrew Gram mar, as weIl as to the interpretation of proper names. ix. On the manner of studying the sacred Scriptures. x. Epistle of St. Jerome to Paul the l'resbyter about the history of the sacred books. At the end of the volume are two leaves of errata.
(b.) The second volume contains Joshua, Judges, Ruth, Samuel, Kings, Chronicles, and the Prayers 'of Manasseh. It is preceded by—i. The dedica tory epistle to Leo X. ii. Address to the reader as in the first volume, and at the end of the volume are two leaves of errata. In this volume, as well as in the remaining two volumes, which embrace the O. T., the two columns containing the Chaldee paraphase and the Latin translation of it are omitted. The cardinal tells us that he has only given the Chaldee version of the Pentateuch, and omitted the Targum on the Prophets and Hagiographa, because he looked upon it as corrupt, interspersed with Talmudic fables, and as unworthy to be bound up with the Holy Scriptures.
(c.) The third volume contains Ezra, Nehemiah, Tobit, Judith, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Wisdom, and Ecclesi asticus. It is preceded by the same dedicatory epistle and address to the reader as given in the previous volumes, and the end has two leaves of errata. It is to be observed that the Sept. on the Psalms, instead of having the new interlineary Latin translation, which is the case in all the other books of the O. T., has the old Latin version occu pying this interlineary position.
(d.) The fourth volume contains Isaiah, Jere miah, Lamentations, Baruch, Ezekiel, Daniel with the additions, the Minor Prophets, and the three 'Maccabees. Like the other volumes it begins with the dedicatory epistle and ends with two leaves of errata. At the end of this volume is the date July to, 1517.
(e.) The fifth volume contains the whole N. T. in Greek and Latin (Vulgate) in two columns. A
letter of reference connects the Greek and Latin texts verbally together, as will be seen from the following specimen of Matt. xxvi. :— Kai rycvero c 8-re Et h factum est c cum d ITAccrev e 6 Incras d coc summasset e Jesus, rapras g ro6s XlYyous gsermones h hos orn 1, raraus. nes, When there is anything in the one to which there is nothing in the other to correspond, a hyphen or circles are used to fill up the vacant space, in order that the student may easily see whether the Latin translation has always corresponding words to the Greek original.
The volume is preceded by—t'. A Greek address to the reader with a Latin translation. ii. A Greek epistle of Eusebius. iii. St. Jerome's Prologue on the four Evangelists addressed to Pope Damasus. At the end of the volume is the date January to, 1514, and on the next leaf are some Greek and Latin verses in commendation of the book. The editors of this volume were dElius Antonius Ne brissensis, Demetrius Cretensis, Ferdinadus anus, and especially Lepoz de Stunica, who pre pared the Greek text.
(f.) The sixth volume contains—i. A Hebrew and Chaldee vocabulary of the O. T., dated March 17, 1815. it.. An explanation of the Hebrew, Chaldee, and Greek proper names of the O. and N. T. in alphabetical order, whereunto is added a list of names according to the various readings. iii. An introduction to the Hebrew Grainmar, dated May- 1515. i71. An alphabetical Index of tbe Latin words which occur in the work. v. A Greek and Latin L,exicon. vi. An introduction to the Greek Grammar. vii. An explanation of the Hebrew, Chaldee, and Greek names which occur in the N. T. This volume is almost entirely the work of Zamora. [ZAmoRA.] When with the aid of the most learned converted Jews and Christians that Spain could produce, the last sheet of this magnificent Polyglott was finished, in 1517, after spending over it fifteen years of incessant labour and fifty thousand ducats, John Broccario, the son of the printer, then a child, was dressed in his best attire and went with a copy to the cardinal. The latter, as he took it up, raised his eyes to heaven, and devoutly offered up his tha.nks to the Saviour for being spared to see the completion of this good work, which had cost him so much labour and anxiety. Then turning to those who smToundecl him, Ximenes said, that of all the acts which distinguished his administration, there was none, however arduous, better entitled to their congratulation than this !' It does indeed seem that Providence had just spared Ximenes to complete this grand work, for he died a few months after it, November 8, 15 r 7, aged 81. His death, however, delayed its immediate circulation. For although completed in 1517, the Polyglott did not receive the sanction of Pope Leo X. for its publication until March 22, 1520, and the copies were not circulated and vended till 1522. As there were only 600 copies printed, the Polyglott became very scarce so early as the latter part of the 16th century.