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Sanscrit Writing and Language. &J 



in the original record at the time when the Greek translation of it was made ! 

 Upon following up this thought I found, with the aid of certain consequences 

 arising from it which the investigation suggested, that in far more than nine 

 cases out of ten — perhaps I should come nearer to the true proportion in rating 

 it at nineteen cases out of twenty — all difference between the Hebrew and its Greek 

 version could at once be removed. And the unquestionable truth of the position 

 on which I proceeded, was confirmed to me by inspection of the Samaritan text, 

 in which it is, indeed, the same set of letters that are employed as vowel-signs, 

 but the two I have already mentioned are much more frequently inserted, and 

 the Haleph, though not very often, yet oftener than in the Hebrew ; which 

 proves beyond a doubt that all three were introduced into it at a later period, 

 and when the use of such signs had become better understood among the 

 Shemitic tribes. Thus the present Hebrew, the Samaritan, and the Greek me- 

 morials of the word of God, enable us to ascend to one common skeleton text ; 

 to the antecedent existence of which they all bear testimony ; since, according to 

 the different vocalizations of that original text, it admits of being read so as to 

 agree with each of the three records. But I must add that, as the reading which 

 is indicated by the Septuagint version is the oldest, so it is the best of the three ; 

 for, whenever the inspired writers of the New Testament quote from the Old, 

 they sanction this reading, even where it differs from the Masoretic one* ; and 

 generally, in case of such difference, it is supported also by the Samaritan 

 vocalization. 



Causes of delay, over which I had no control, and interruptions which I did 

 not anticipate when I published a preliminary volume with reference to this 

 subject, have interfered with the progress of my labours in its more immediate 

 development, and retarded the appearance of the second volume much longer 

 than I could wish ; but before another year elapses, I trust I shall be able to 

 come forward with a corroboration of the views I have already submitted to the 

 judgment of the public, together with such solutions of difficulties and answers 

 to objections as have occurred to me, in explanation and support of the matter to 



* Instead of the vocalization used in the unpointed text, the Masoretic one, which is grounded 

 on it, is here mentioned, as restricting the original to the same sense in a more complete manner. 

 The two systems, however, agree, as far as the ruder one extends, not entirely, but only for the 

 most part. 



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