The Sun.
London, England, 1859-08-22 00:00:00

THE BIBLE PRINTING PATENT.

The evidence given before the select committee
on the Queen's Printer's patent for printing the
Bible has beenn.• „The committee has not
concluded the ,74hd therefore makes no
report; it simply publishes the evidence. The wit-
ness-es examined were Mr. W. Spottiswoode, Mr.
R. Besley, Mr. C. Childs, Mr. B. Pardon, Mr. F.
Warne, Rev. Dr. Caswall, Rev. C. Clayton, M.A.,
and Mr. T. Combe. Mr. Spottiswoode, the
Queen's printer, engaged by patent to print
" accurate editions of the Holy Scriptures,"
tells the committee that the letters patent will
expire in January (next), 1860. The rights
of the Queen's Printer are co-ordinate with
those of the Universities quoad the publication of
the Bible. Mr. Spottiswoode says that the Bible is
sold at a price unquestionably cheaper than any
book in the trade approaching it in bulk, even in
these days of cheap literature. The comparison
" is favourable to the Bible in every degree," and
in the United States, where there is no restriction
whatever, Mr. Spottiswoode affirms that the Bibles
issued are decidedly inferior to the English, both as
regards accuracy and cheapness. There are no books
at present produced in the States corresponding to
our cheapest edition. The " authorised edition" is
in great request everywhere, and like all really good
articles, generally commands the market wherever
English is spoken. The competition, according to
the Queen's Printer, is very severe under the pre-
sent system, and there is nothing like a monopoly.
The withdrawal of the patent would induce the
Queen's printers to consider very seriously what
course they would take. Mr. Spottiswoode has
never seriously contemplated the step oflinterfering
with the Bibles of Bagster and Arnold, Knight,
Matthew Henry, T. Scott, A. Clarke, Cobbin, and
others. He thinks Bagster's edition by no means
equal to his own or those of Oxford and Cambridge,
" in point of beauty and price." As regards accu-
racy he offers no opinion. He admits that itis very
possible that there have been "minor inaccuracies"
in the Queen's Printer's Bibles printed in former
years with the existence even of the present patent.
The marginal " references" are regarded as part of
the " authorised" Bible; they received their " final"
revision about a century ago, at the hands of Dr.
Blaynex-. The law about the printing of other
versions appears to be rather uncertain, but Mr.
Spottiswoode says he would not interfere with any
copy of the Scriptures distinctly purporting to be
different from the authorised version. Nor does he
object to Knight's Pictorial Bible, which does profess
to be the authorised version. Other printers are de •
cidedly in favour of throwing the trade in Bibles open
and can see no objection in such a step. Mr. Pardon
says that in the world's opinion, as denoted by
the demand, the " references" in Bagster's Bible are
better than those in the University edition, and that
although higher in prices they: have an immense
sale in consequence of the superiority of the refer-
ences. One of the many discrepancies that occur in
the editions of the Bible in common circulation is
the oinission of the word "and" in the famous pas-
sage in St. John's Gospel, "I am the way, and the
truth, and the life." If twenty Bibles were
opened flaw, says Mr. Pardon, you would probably
find that one-half would omit the first "and."
Dr. Cass wall, an American (episcopal) divine,
says that a Bible monopoly would never an-
swer under American institutions, and would be
no advantage in that country. The Rev. C. G.
Clayton, tutor of Cams College, Cambridge, thinks
that the withdrawal of the patent for the printing
of Bibles would raise their price, and cause them
to be far less accurate ; they are now sold by the
British and Foreign Bible Society at 10d. and 9d.,
while New Testaments may be had for 4d. Doc-
trinal errors, too, might creep in if the trade was
I thrown open. Mr. Clayton thinks free competi-
tion, as a general rule, an advantage ; but he will
not allow it. as regards the printing of Bibles; he
goes so far as to say that, supposing a "real im-
provement" were suggested by some scholar in the
translation, of any word in Oxford and Cambridge
Bibles, it would not be introduced.

THEATRICAL ARRANGEMENTS.—Mr. Smith and
the proprietors of Drury-lane Theatre are said to have re-
conciled their differences. There has been a talk of Madame
Celeste becoming the lessee of the Lyceum Theatre; and,
since that rumour passed, of Mr. Mitchell entering on the
management of a permanent French theatre there, We
perceive that the St. James's Theatre is again to open on
the ht of October—" this one more time" on a secure basis
—the performances to be devoted to "domestic drama,
farce, burlesque, and pantomime." Madlle. Parepa and
Mr. Haigh will join the Covent-garden English' opera
company ; possibly, too, n daughter of Airs. Wood, who
will perform under the 4E040 of Miss Pilling.—Atheneuto.