JBibliorum Codex Sinaiticus. 



239 



of its text and contents would prove that it is a manuscript 

 anterior to the middle of 'the fourth century, and how much 

 older it may be, there are no means of determining. 



In the year 1836 much interest was excited by an an- 

 nouncement by Dr. (since Cardinal) Wiseman, that Cardi- 

 nal Mai was engaged on a new critical edition of the 

 Greek Testament of the Codex Vaticanus with the view 

 of publishing it. For reasons unknown, this plan was not 

 carried out; but when Rome was in the hands of the 

 Republican Government in 1848-9, Cardinal Mai offered 

 (which had never been done whilst the Pope could exer- 

 cise his supreme authority), the impression of his fac-simile 

 of the Vaticanus, for sale to Mr. Asher, the publisher, 

 at Berlin. With the French occupation of Rome, however, 

 and the restoration of Papal authority, Cardinal Mai was 

 prevented from completing his plans of publication, per- 

 haps from the same reason that Cardinal Bellarmine, who 

 was ordered by Pope Paul V to superintend the printing 

 of an authentic and faithful edition of the New Testa- 

 ment in Greek ; but when " the work was finished, and 

 corrected with the strictest care, so as to be ready for the 

 press, the Pope who had ordered it, ' Cambiato pensi- 

 ero, piu non la voile,' changed his mind and no longer 

 wished it." 



Since then, though, a reprint of the Codex Vaticanus 

 has appeared, from which an edition has been published 

 in London and also in New York. 1 



Besides these manuscripts of the most ancient class, which 

 contain a large part at least of the Gospels, there are 

 several fragments which, because of their antiquity, must 

 be placed in the same rank. But of one only will we 

 speak, and with it terminate this long narration. 



It is the fragment of a manuscript known as the Co- 

 dex Purpureus, N being its letter. Four leaves of which 

 are in the Cotton library in the British Museum (conse- 



1 A copy of this and also of the Alexandrinus, from Dr. Townsend's 

 library, "were exhibited to the Institute. 



