Page:The Library, volume 5, series 3.djvu/213

 MIRACLE CYCLES. 201 but in which, owing to P being divergent, it is impossible to say whether or not H is original. B has 87 certainly unoriginal readings, in 47 of which it is opposed by a concensus, and six possibly unoriginal ones. D has 64 certain errors, 27 opposed by a concensus, and six possible. W has 151 certain, 53 opposed by a concensus, and five possible errors. K has 145 certain, 39 opposed by a concensus, and five possible errors. Exaftly the same method can be applied to the hypothetical manuscripts. Thus F has 92 certain errors and nine possible, 8 3 1 and six, /3 20 and six. Summarising we have : H 47 certain + 6 possible = total 53 B 87 + 6 = 93 D 64 + 6 = 70 W 151 + 5 = 156 K 145 +5 = M 15 F 9 2 + 9 = ioi 8 3 1 + 6 = 37 /3 20 + 6 = 26 The total number of readings in which P and / dis- agree is, certain 108, possible 6. It will be noticed that the order of merit is the same whether the possible errors are included or not. In either case B, a careless copy of a good original, is on the whole less correft than D, a better copy of a somewhat worse original ; and W, the manuscript selected by Wright for his edition, proves itself, in spite of having fewer omissions than K, to be the most corrupt of the lot. In the analysis I have just given no account has