Hiff=Paul Hiffernan, M.D., author of Dramatic Genius, &c." Mr. Peter Cunningham, in his forthcoming edition of Goldsmith, will probably tell us more.

Replies.

SCHOOL LIBRARIES.

(Vol. viii., pp. 220. 395. 498.)

When I mentioned the above subject in "N. & Q.," I admit that my meaning may have taken too wide a signification. I, however, wrote advisedly, my object being to draw the attention of those schools that were in fault, and in the hope of benefiting those that desired to do more. I suppose I must exonerate Tonbridge, therefore, from any aspersion; and as it appears they are well provided, from Bacon and Newton to Punch and the Family Friend, I am at a loss to know how I can be of service.

Of the defects in popular education I am as sensible as the rest of the multitude appear to be, and my particular view of the case would, I fear, be too lengthy a subject for these columns. It is quite clear, however, that education is partial, and in some sort a monopoly; its valuable branches being altogether out of the reach of more than half the population, and the staple industry of the people not sufficiently represented,—as, for instance, the steam-engine. In them there is not sufficient concentration, if I may use the term, of instruction; and the requirements of many arts and trades insufficiently carried out; the old schools and old colleges much too classical and mathematical. If this position is untrue, no popular scheme can be adopted at present; but it appears more than probable that before long the subject will be brought before the House of Commons, and education made accessible to all. As to the money for the purpose, the country will never grudge that. The obstacle appears to lie more in persuading the endless religious sects into which we are divided to shake hands over the matter.

At present my only desire is, that boys at public schools should have plenty of books, being assured that reading while we are young leaves a very strong and permanent impression, and cannot be estimated too highly; besides which, if a youth has access to works suited to his natural bent, he will unconsciously lay in a store of valuable information adapted to his future career.

Weld Taylor.

When I was at the College school, Gloucester, in 1794, there was a considerable library in a room adjoining the upper school. I never knew the books used by the boys, though the room was unlocked: in fact, it was used by the upper master as a place of chastisement; for there was kept the block (as it was called) on which the unfortunate culprits were horsed and whipped. The library, no doubt, contained many valuable and excellent works; but the only book of which I know the name as having been in it (and that

only by a report in the newspapers of the day) was Oldham's Poems, which, after a fire which occurred in the school-room, was said to have been the only book returned of the many which had been taken away.

P. H. Fisher.

Stroud.

In Knight's Life of Dean Colet (8vo., London, 1724), founder of St. Paul's School, there is a catalogue of the books in the library of the school at the date specified. The number of the volumes is added up at the end of the catalogue, in MS., and the total amount is 663 volumes. The latest purchases bear the date of 1723, and are:—Pierson (sic) On the Creed, Greenwood's English Grammar, and Terentius In usum Delphini. The books for the most part are of a highly valuable and standard character. Does the library still exist? have many additions been made to it up to the present time? and is there a printed catalogue of it?

J. M.

Oxford.

TRENCH ON PROVERBS.

(Vol. viii., pp. 387. 519.)

The error, which Luther was the first to fall into, in departing from the anciently received version of Ps. cxxvii. 2., Mendelsohn adopted; but no translator of eminence has followed these two Hebraists; although some critics have been carried away by their authority to the proper Jewish notion of "gain," and not sleep, being the subject. Luther's version—"Denn seinen Freunden gibt er es schlafend"—was certainly before the revisers of our authorised version of James I.; but was rejected, I consider, as ungrammatical and false: ungrammatical, because the transitive verb "give" (gibt) has no accusative noun; and false, because he supplies, without authority, the place of the missing noun by the pronoun "it" (es), there being no antecedent to which this it refers. Mendelsohn omits the it in his Hebrew comment, supplied however unauthorisedly by Mr. Margoliouth in his translation of such comment. But Mendelsohn introduces the "es" (it), in his German version (Berlin, 1788, dedicated to Ramler), without however any authority from the Hebrew original of this Psalm. He is therefore at variance with himself. And, farther, he has omitted altogether the important word כֵּן‎ (so or thus), rendered "denn" (for) by Luther.

As to the "unintelligible authorised version," I must premise that no version has yet had so large an amount of learning bestowed on it as the English one; indeed it has fairly beaten out of the field all the versions of all other sections of Christians. The difficulty of the English version arises from its close adherence to the oriental letter; but if we put the scope of this Psalm into the vernacular, such difficulty is eliminated.

Solomon says, in this Psalm: "Without Jehovah's support, my house will fall: if He keep this city, the watch, with its early-risings, late-resting, and ill-feeding, is useless: thus He (by so keeping or watching the city himself) gives sleep to him whom He loves." The remainder of the Psalm refers to the increase of population as Jehovah's gift, wherein Solomon considers the strength of the city to consist. The words in Italics correspond precisely in sense with those of the authorised version—"For so He giveth His beloved sleep;" and the latter is supported fully by all the ancient versions, and, as far as I can at present ascertain, by all the best modern ones.

T. J. Buckton.

Lichfield.

What is there unintelligible in the authorised translation of Psalm cxxvii. 2., "He giveth His beloved sleep?" It is a literal translation of three very plain words, of the simplest grammatical construction, made in accordance with all the ancient versions. A difficulty there does indeed exist in the passage, viz. in the commencing word כן‎; but this word, though capable of many intelligible meanings, does not enter into the present question. Since the great majority of critics have been contented to see no objection to the received translations, it is perfectly allowable to maintain that the proposed rendering makes, instead of removing, a difficulty, and obscures a passage which, as generally understood, is sufficiently lucid. Hengstenberg's difficulty is, that the subject is not about the sleep, but the gain. But is not sleep a gain? Can we forget the ὕπνου δῶρον of Homer? that is, sufficient, undisturbed sleep, rest. Hengstenberg's remark, that all, even the beloved, must labour, is a mere truism. The Psalmist evidently opposes excessive and over-anxious labours, interfering with natural rest, to ordinary labour accompanied with refreshing sleep. The object