New-York tribune., 1870-04-23

The subject of Biblical criticism and nterpre-
tation has called forth greater amount OF labor
and thought than any other one in the whole DOMAIN
of human knowledge and investigation. Fully 400
complete commentaries upon the whole Bible are
now extant and accessible. Most of these are very
yolumnous-Ca Commentaries for example, ex-
tending TO SO octave volumes Beside these there is
no single book which has not employed the labor of
numerous commentators We find enumerated
fully 800 upon the Cantices; 200 upon Genesis; $50
upon Ezekiel and upon, an average, fully 100 upon
each of the principal books of the Old and New les
taments. Many of these separate commentaries are
very extensive. Nenemas upon the Psalms occupies
six quarto, and Caryls Job two huge folio
volumes. Probably diligent collector could now
get together 20 600 separate volumes of commenta-
ries upon the Bible in various languages. to these
be added treatses and essays upon isolated passages
there are few libraries in the country which contain
many volumes could be collected upon this one
subect Of Biblical criticism and exegesis.
But notwithstanding this vast multiplication OF
works il may be safely said that it is only within
the last quarter of century that Biblical literature
and criticism have taken the form of o science.
Twenty-Five years ago the student had no better Die
tionary Of the Bible than that Of Camet. kitto In
his CyclopRdia, made an immense advance upon
Calmet, and Smith has made an advance quite as
decided upon KittO. We may now assume that this
science has become more nearly complete than any
other, if we except the pure mathematics. The
materials appear to us to be well-nigh exhausted
There is no likelihood that shall ever have text
of the original Scriptures in any essential respect
more accurate than we have. Nearly every
allusion to manners and customs is clearly eluci-
dated and Of the few that are yet obscure, it is
probable that they viii always remain There is
hardly possible exposition, whether eXegetical,
dogmatca or philosophical, which has not been set
forth and debated upon every side. work, there
fore which shall set forth fairly and with sufficient
funes the present state of Biblical science and the
theological views that are have been advocated,
will not probably be superseded for generations
This is the work to which the editors of this Cyclic
pada have for nearly 20 years devoted themselves,
and the results of which are now before us. We
speak Of the work as completed. For, although not
quite half of it has as yet been printed, We
are assured that most of the articles are al
ready prepared and especially that DR.. McClintock
left his part of the work so nearly completed that
his death viii occasion alteration of plan or delay
of ISSUE that the succeeding volumes will appear
as rapidly as they can be carried through the press
The first thing that strikes us in this CyclopRda.
is the amplitude of the scale upon which it has been
projected. 1t viii comprise seven large volumes,
closely printed of about 1000 pages each containing
matter equal to fully sixty ordinary duodecimo
already issued embrace about 1900 separate ar
ticles, with nearly 1000 engravings. These ar
ticles are Of every length, from few lines to a
score of pages. Where the subject requires it, they
assume the form Of tTeatises sufficiently exhaustive
meet the wants Of nearly every beside copious
references to the literature Of the question, which
will enable the student to follow up his investigations
to any extent The pictorial illustrations not in
troduced for the sake Of ornament, but give nforma
tion in cases where the pencil do it better than
the pen.
The range of topics introduced is far wider than
in any similar work in our language. This Cyclic
papdia processes TO give account of every person
whose name is found in the Scriptures as it appears
in the common English version and in the original
languages. Every place in any manner mentioned
is described and, wherever possible, is identified
with its modern representative Every animal,
plant mineral, implement, utensl is referred to-
and as far as possible described and identified. So,
too i'm regard TO all customs usages arts Occupa
tions mentioned, incidentally referred to, in
the Scriptures. condensed but carefully prepared
Introductory essay is given upon each book of the
Bible setting forth its authorship, scope, and general
characteristics with full lists of commentaries and
other exegetical helps. All important versions
ancient and modern, and the principal manuscripts
are described.
The foregoing is but partial summary Of the |
topics treated in that portion Of the work prepared
by Air. Strong That portion prepared by DIR. Nc
Cliutock, or under his supervision, is equally ex
haustve. 1t covers the whole ground which may
properly be denominated Theological and Ecclesi-
astical as distinguished from the strictly Biblical.
Ii embraces the doctrines, creeds tenets usages and
discipline of every body claiming to belong to the
Christian world, including the various heresies and
controversies which have sprung up at various
;,1c t1to of Chris
particular including that of councils and monastic
orders with ample statistics; and full Geographic
Of the persons who have exercised wide influence
upon religious thought and opinion, whether Chris
tian Mohammedan or Pagan.
But the extent of a work is no criterion of its
value Indeed, If a book is bad in design or faulty
in execution the bigger it is the worse is it. For
considerable part Of the articles in this CyclOp9da,
industry. accuracy, and sound Judgment the
main but indispensable requisites There is no pos
sibilitv for instance, in investigating the question
whether the " BemO;h Of Job is the elephant OF
the hippopotamus. for any personal bias; and so,
with few exceptions, of all the topics pertaining to
natural history geography, manners, and biography.
But there are many subjects which have been and
are matters Of earnest, and not seldom bitter, con-
trOveIsy. In regard to these do not hesitate to
say that this Cyclop9da is characterized by candor
and fairness as well as 10y research and scholarship
In particular the articles relating to the doctrines
and usages Of different religious denominations have
been prepared or revised by members of these de-
nominations respectively. They represent the tenets
and pecuhartes of the various denominations as set
forth by themselves not as understood or repre-
sented by others. The only notable exception TO the
uncontroversal character Of the Cyclopadia found
in cases directly relating TO points in dispute
between Roman Catholics and Protestants. Here
il is but lust TO say the of the work is decided