432 MEMOIRS OF MR BOSTON. the fenfe of texts accordingly, keeping thefe two things in his view. 3. If it (hall pleafe the fovereign difpöfer of all things to make way for the printing of the Eílay, it mutt be done fiomAthe Latin copy with me. But the printer mutt view the Englifh copy, and take particular notice of the fchemes and tables, which I conceive mutt be done in copperplate ; as alfo of the feveral flops, and marks of continuation, ufed in the Effay, that proper types may be got for them. Thefe charadters are to be found gathered together, and explained, in the Englifh copy, after the title -page.' There is among Mr Bolton's manufcripts an Englifh copy of the Effáÿ on the accentuation, written with his own hand in fo- lio ; but it is fo very different from the printed Latin copy, that it is fuppofed to be his firft draught ; and that he afterwards wrote a more full and perfeót copy, the one mentioned in the above memorial, which probably was never returned from Lon- don, or perhaps was fent to Amtterdam, where the Latin copy was printed in 1738, and never got back. No. 8. Letter fromDr. Waterland to Mr G. p, 470. l. 32. at Waterland. Dear Sir, I return you my hearty thanks for favouring me with thefe papers. I have read them over, and find them too deep for me to give a judgment of: for I have never yet entered into the heart of that túbjedt. But I thall be mighty glad to read and confider a fet treatife upon it, that I may learn from it. It will be curious, ufeful, inftruótive ; and may ftrike new light into feveral obfcure texts, though it fhould not entirely anfwer in all points. I mutt own, I am at prefent a little prejudiced againft the fuppofed antiquity of the Hebrew accents ; but I thall be always glad to fee the utmoft that can be pleaded for it. Their ufe in clearing'up texts mutt, I believe, at laft be their belt com- mendation, and ftrongeft proof of their antiquity. I know, that force tolerable anfwers may be given to the arguments brought for their novelty ; and I know again, that tolerable anfwers may be made to the arguments urged for their antiquity. Both fides are better at weakening each other's proofs, than at main- taining their own. But whatever becomes of the difpute about their antiquity or authority, if the ufe of them for underftanding - fcriptu.re can be clearly and uniformly made out, that will be fufficient, and will be alfo a ftrong prefumption for their being ancient. I have feen what Buxtorf, Pfeiffer, Michael, and force others, have pleaded in their favour. But of all the writers 1 have met with, none has expreffed himfelf with greater affurancé of their
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=