Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 6.djvu/486

 402 NOTES AND QUERIES. t9* s. vi. NOV. 24,1900. men, who are ready upon occasion to vent the poison which for fear they keep concealed." The 'Bewya van den Waren Qodesdienst appeared in 1622. Qrotius escaped from prison in 1621, and was frequently asked by his great Parisian friend Hieronymus Bigno- nius what were the arguments of his Dutch book. This led Grotius to translate it into Latin prose, and it immediately became popular all over Europe.* In 1638 the author writes to Vossius that there are two German, an English, a French, a Greek, and a Persian version accomplished or in process. To have put a systematic argument for the truth of Christianity into verse will seem in these degenerate days somewhat of a tour de force ; but as_ early as 1631 there was a German translation in verse, and an English one in 1686, and another one in 1776. The thing, then, can be done if it is worth the doing. The scheme of the work is comprehensive. The first book is devoted to the existence of God ; the second argues that the truth of the Christian religion is evidenced by the death and resurrection of Jesus, the excellence of His precepts, and the extension of His doc- trines ; and the third deals with the authen- ticity and authority of the New Testament. The fourth book is directed against various forms of pagan religion, and the fifth argues that the Jews ought to bo convinced by the evidence for the miracles of Jesus, and should recognize Him as the looked-for Messiah. The sixth book is devoted to the case of the Mahometans. Grotius begins by a catalogue of the corruptions of Christianity which were punished bv the invasion of the barbarian hordes ; and this not effecting a reform, " Mahomet by the just permission of God planted a new religion, the opposite of the true Christian faith, but expressing in words what was in a great measure the conduct of life of the greater part of those who claimed to be disciples of Jesus." Grotius alleges that the Mahometan populace are prohibited from reading the Koran—a statement that is, of course, inaccurate. He emphasizes the fact that Mahomet acknow- ledges Christ, and compares the miracles attributed to each. The first Christians, he claims, were fearers of God; the first Mahometans were robbers. The spread of Christianity he ^ attributes to the miracles wrought by its Founder and the apostles ; the spread of Mahometanism to the sword. In face to the Latin text is dated Paris, 27 Aug., 1639; but there is in the British Museum a book, "Sensus Librorum Sex, quos pro Veritate Religionia Christianas Batavite, scripsit H. Grotius (Parisiis, 1627)," which, according to a note in the Catalogue, Is " not an extract, but the complete Latin text.' like manner he compares the precepts of the two religions, greatly to the disadvantage of the disciples of the prophet. " There are many absurd things," says Grotius, "in the Mahometan books." The book concludes with an exhortation to the Christians as to the duty of faithfulness and unity. Grotius makes no profession of quoting only Mahometan authors, although necessarily most of what he urges is directed against the teaching of the Koran. On the whole, then, it would appear that the Manchester Gram- mar School boy had hit upon a plan for an apologetic work which had the merit of originality, and would seem to be well adapted to the ena in view. It would lead us too far afield to compare the arguments of Grotius with those adopted by Al-Kindi in a defence of Christianity. WILLIAM E. A. AXON. Moss Side, Manchester. WHITGIFT'S HOSPITAL, CROYDON. (Continued from p. 384.) THERE is also in the audience chamber what is known as a "coffin-stool," one out of eighteen which are mentioned in an early inventory of the Hospital property. Immediately to the left, past the fireplace, the visitor enters the sanctum of the arch bishop. This room can be best described as severely plain ; it is panelled throughout. Opposite the door there is a specimen of an old corner cupboard, which forms part of the woodwork of the room, and is therefore a fixture. It would, perhaps, not be difficult to pic- ture in the mind of the visitor the aged arch- bishop sitting in this small, rather cheer- less, ill - lighted room, and in the quiet, monastic - like seclusion of his environment pondering over his past life. There would spring up before him his early childhood spent in Grimsby, and the rapid action of his mind would carry his thoughts to his master- ship of Pembroke Hall, then to his charge of Wales—possibly back to the time when he was at Trinity College—then again to the 3ee of Worcester, and, finally, to his advance- nent to the See of Canterbury. In such a ife as Whitgift's there was ample scope for reflection, self - recrimination, and possibly self-congratulation. It was in 1563 that Thomas Cartwright, parliament with a book written by him called An Admonition.' Archbishop Whitgift kept naturally to his own ideas of Church govern- ment. The bandying which took place
 * The letter to Bignonius which serves as a pre-
 * hief of the Nonconforming party, presented