IV. The London Polyglott. This was edited by the learned Brian Walton, who became afterwards bishop of Chester. It is in six vols., large folio. It was published by subscription, and the volumes came out in the following order :—the first volume in September, 1654 ; the second in July, 1655; the third in July, 1656; and the last three in 1657. " And thus," says Dr. Twells (` Life of Pocock), " in about four years was finished the English Polyglott Bible, the glory of that age, and of the English church and nation, a work vastly exceeding all former attempts of that kind, and that came so near perfection as to discourage all future ones." Some portions of this Polyglott are printed in seven languages, all open at one view. No one book is given in nine languages ; but nine languages are used in the course of the work, namely, Hebrew, Chaldee, Samaritan, Syriac, Arabic, Persian, Ethiopic. Greek, and Latin. A vast body of introductory matter is in the first volume, and the sixth is made up of various readings, critical remarks, &c. Brian Walton was assisted by a number of men who formed a constellation of oriental and general scholars, such as perhaps have appeared together at no other period during the whole history of our country. One of these men was Dr. Edmund Casten, who published his' Lexicon lieptaglotton' in 1669, two vols., folio. This is a lexicon of the seven oriental languages occurring in Walton's Polyglott, and it has grammars of all these languages pre fixed. It generally accompanies the Polyglott, which can hardly be pronounced complete without it. Walton's work is by no means equal in appearance to the three preceding Polyglotts, but in point of solid usefulness to the biblical scholar it is far beyond any one of them.
The eight volumes form an extraordinary collection of aids for study ing the original scriptures. As the London Polyglott is frequently found in private libraries, a more minute description of its contents appears to be unnecessary. Its history is recorded at length in Arch
deacon Todd's ' Memoirs of the Life and Writings of the Right Rev.
Brian Walton, 1).D., lord bishop of Chester,' 2 vols. 8vo., London, 1821, a work which comprises also notices of all 1Valton's co adjutors.
V. Bagster's Polyglott. This work was published by the enterpris ing bookseller by whose name it is known, in 1 voL folio, London, 1831. The Old Testament is in eight languages, and the New Testa ment in nine. Eight languages are exhibited nt once upon opening the book. The languages are Hebrew, Greek, Englimh, Latin, German, Italian, French, Spanish, and Syriac, the New Testament being given in the last language as an appendix. To these are added the Samaritan Pentateuch in Hebrew characters ; the notes and readings of the 3Lasorites ; the chief variations of the Vatican text of the Septuagint (which is followed in this Polyglott), and of the Alexandrian as given by Grabe, Oxford ; and of the Greek Testament the whole of the selected various readings given by Griesbach in his own edition of 1805. Prefixed to the work are fifty pages of prolegomena in Latin, by Professor Lee, of Cambridge. The types are small, but clear and elegant, and the paper is of excellent quality. The whole volume pre sents a very handsome appearance.
On the subject of Polyglott Bibles in general, the reader will bo gratified by consulting Horne's Introduction ;' Butler's Hone Biblicae ;' Clarke's Bibliographical Dictionary,' Le Long's Biblio theca Sacra,' improved by Masch. There are many more Polyglotts than these we have mentioned. Among the latest is a Biblia Poly glotta,' in four languages—Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and German ; it was published during 1S50-55, under the editorship of Dr. R. Stier and Dr. Theile. It contains, vol. i., the Pentateuch ; vol. the historical books and the Prophets, Daniel excepted ; vol. the poetical books, Daniel, and miscellaneous ; vol. iv., the New Teitament.