Page:Gospel of Saint John in West-Saxon.djvu/32

xxviii of textual traditions. That this result might be regarded as favoring the theory of divided authorship has been shown in die preceding section. Further investigation will surely give a clearer view of the characteristic features of the MS. (or MSS.) in question.

One should therefore expect to find that the Version is based not upon a pure Hieronymian text, but upon one that exhibits a set of Old Latin readings, some readings derived from independent recensions, and some that represent the Irish type. The investigation by Professor Harris, referred to above, confirms this conjecture. Noticing the "peculiar readings" of the Version in connection with the readings of MSS. brought together in Wordsworth and White's critical edition of the Vulgate, Professor Harris arrived at the conclusion that the Matthew of the translator's original must have contained a large number of readings that bring it into relation with the MSS. (six in number) "that exhibit the Irish type of text. This type," it is added," is very marked in its peculiarities (far more so than any other of Wordsworth and White's manuscripts), containing many Old Latin readings and independent revisions from the Greek." It may also be noticed that Professor Max Förster has called the investigator's special attention to the importance, in this connection, of the seventh century MS. Bodl. 857 (Auct. D. 2. 14)," formerly belonging to St. Augustine's Library at Canterbury, and generally known as St. Augustine's Gospels'" (denoted by O in the Vulgate of Wordsworth and White).


 * That this MS. (or MSS.) may yet be found is, of coane, not impoadble.


 * L. M. Harris, 9f, cit. p. 31.

s Englischt Studitn xxviii, 430 : ** Ich glanbe. mit einiger ticherheit k6nnen wir anssagen, dass die voriage der westsachsischen Erangeiien in tint gruppe mit der Oxforder handsclirift gehdrte, jedocli dnrcli eine •tarkern beimitchung irischer elemente aich weaentlicli ron ilir nnteF- •chied." See aiso LittraturblaU fur gtrmaniseht und vmaniteht PhiU- Itgit XXIV, 285.


 * Scrirener and Miller, of. cit. 11, 79.