Dr. Incram—On the “ De Imitatione Christi.’ 145 
XXVIII.—On tHe Eartresr Enotish TRanstation oF tHe ‘ Deg 
Imrrationr Curisti.” By Joun K. Ineram, LL.D., F.T.C.D. 
[Read 22nd May, 1882. ] 
Tue treatise De LImitatione Christe has, beyond any other book that 
can be named, taken possession of the heart of Christendom. It has 
ranked, says De Quincey, ‘‘next to the Bible in European publicity 
and currency.”’ ‘No book,” says Milman, ‘‘has been so often re- 
printed; no book has been so often translated, or into so many 
languages.” ‘‘The number of editions and different translations 
which have come to my knowledge,” said Backer in 1864, ‘‘is about 
2900, and certainly this number is much below the reality.” And not 
merely has the book met with this extraordinary popular acceptance, 
but many men of high eminence have warmly expressed their appre- 
ciation of it—men, too, representing various schools of thought, some 
of them not accepting the dogmatic opinions of the author—Leibnitz, 
Dr. Johnson, Fontenelle, Wesley, Comte. 
For those who know and love this golden book, everything which 
throws light on the history of its diffusion through Europe will have 
a certain value. Attention, too, has been of late specially recalled to 
the whole subject by the remarkable researches of Hirsche, by the 
fac-simile of the autograph of 1441 edited by Ruelens, and by the 
writings of Mr. Kettlewell on the authorship of the Jmitation and on 
the biography of Thomas a Kempis. I think I may, therefore, be- 
speak some degree of interest for the contribution I have now to make 
to our knowledge of the English versions of the work. 
The earliest printed English translation of the De Jmitatione is 
that by Atkynson. Its title is as follows :— 
A full devoute and gostely treatyse of ye Imitacyon and Fol- 
owynge ye blessed Lyfe of our most mercifull Saviour Cryst. Com- 
pyled in Laten by the right worshypfull doctor master Johnn 
Gerson: and translate into Englissh the yere of our lorde m.p.1. by 
Mayster Wyllyam Atkynson, Doctor of Divynyte; at ye speciall 
request and commandement of ye full excellent pryncesse Margarete, 
Moder to our Soverayne Lorde Kynge Henry the VII., and countesse 
of Rychemount and Derby. M.ccccc.1. 
Atkynson translated only the first three books of the De Jmitatione, 
The fourth was translated, by Margaret herself from the French, in 
1504, and her version of that book was printed, along with Atkynson’s 
of the three preceding ones, by Wynkyn de Worde. The volume is a 
very rare one; there are two copies of it in the British Museum. 
But this, though the earliest printed, is not the earliest English 
version of the work. An unpublished one exists among the MSS. in 
the Library of Trinity College, Dublin, which I regard as of very 
great interest; and it is of this that I am about to give an account. 
R. I, A. PROC., SER. Il. VOL. 11.—POL. LIT. AND ANTIQ. Q 
