Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-03-18
Notices Of New Books.

THE ANGLO-SAXON VERSION OF
THE BOOK OF PSALMS. COMMONLY
KNOWN AS THE PARIS PSALTER.
BY j. Douglas Bruce, Associate In Anglo
Saxon and Middle English at Bryn
Mawr College. Reprinted from the
Publications of the Modern Language
Association of America. Vol. lX.,
No. -
In this monograph of 126 pages DR..
Bruce has not only earned his degree Of
doctor of philosophy at Johns Hopkins
University, but made a valuable contribu-
ton to biblical criticism. That student
OF language should be willing to add to
the taxing labors Of his chosen study
the harder task of biblical investigation
and exegesis shows scholarly mettle and
endurance in no ordinary measure. Few
specialists would allow themselves such
an excursion as DR.. Bruce has made into
the perplexing realm OF scriptural her
meneutics. That he has had the courage
and ability to make this foray into an UNI
familiar region, returning with spells so
acter and his scholarship.
The original design of his investigation,
as he says in his preface. was simply to
carry out an exact comparisons of the
Anglo Saxon with it's Latin original. with
view to determining from the material
thus accumulated the precise nature Of
the translation, and so contribute to the
solution of the questions concerning au-
thorship and date of composition, which
pertain to this version" But having
traced the Introductory arguments Of this
version OF the Psalms to the commentary
In Psalmorum Librum Exegesis." DR..
Bruce was surprised to find that these
original arguments differed radically from
any im the medieval commentaries with
which he had been familiar. On search
ing farther for the source Of these Pc
culiarities, he found that they were sub
stantially those OF Syriac manuscript
in the Berlin Library. These interpreta-
tiors are attributed TO Theodore, Bishop
of Mopsuestia, in Cilicia. the most emf
nent representative Of the school OF Anti
och, which was founded In the middle Of
the third century. Theodore began his
work there A. ID. 3S3. and was great
exegeucal scholar. lie wrote commen-
tary on almost every book OF the Bible.
In view Of the great interest which at
taches to this ancient scholar. for reasons
which will be stated further on. the writer
OF this dissertation was Induced to under
take the task OF working out the relations
OF the Latin arguments to the other
sources OF information regarding Theo-
dore's Interpretation Of the Psalms. And
tho result of this investigation IL added
to the work which relates more exclu-
slyely to the Anglo-saxon version"
What is thus offered as an addition to
d.. Bruce's original purpose proves to be
the most interesting portion Of his essay.
For. as he points out, 1.-The reflected in-
terest which the Anglo-Saxon Psalter
gains By being bought into connection
even Indirectly, with man Of such truly
extraordinary genius as was Theodore OF
Mcpsuestia. is very great. fhs early
commentator really anticipated some OF
the most interesting results Of the higher
criticism Of the Bible. Of which so much
Il said to-day. He did not deny the Dar
vidlc authorship Of the Psalms, but he
discerned thAr application TO the later
history OF the Jews. and pointed out then
connection with events long past the
time Of David. He stood for the historical
Interpretation of Scripture. and sought
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