being
whether the Evangelist actually says that the Angel 'troubled' the
water, or leaves it to be inferred from the circumstance that after the
Angel had descended, straightway the water 'was troubled.'

The question becomes less difficult of decision when (as in St. Luke
vii. 21) we have to decide between two expressions [Greek: echarisato
blepein] (which is the reading of [Symbol: Aleph]*ABDEG and 11 other
uncials) and [Greek: echarisato to blepein] which is only supported by
[Symbol: Aleph]^{b}ELVA. The bulk of the Cursives faithfully maintain
the former reading, and merge the article in the verb.

Akin to the foregoing are all those instances,--and they are literally
without number--, where the proximity of a like ending has been the
fruitful cause of error. Let me explain: for this is a matter which
cannot be too thoroughly apprehended.

Such a collection of words as the following two instances exhibit will
shew my meaning.

In the expression [Greek: estheta lampran anepempsen] (St. Luke xxiii.
11), we are not surprised to find the first syllable of the verb
([Greek: an]) absorbed by the last syllable of the immediately preceding
[Greek: lampran]. Accordingly, [Symbol: Aleph]LR supported by one copy
of the Old Latin and a single cursive MS. concur in displaying [Greek:
epempsen] in this place.

The letters [Greek: NAIKONAIKAI] in the expression (St. Luke xxiii. 27)
[Greek: gynaikon hai kai] were safe to produce confusion. The first of
these three words could of course take care of itself. (Though D, with
some of the Versions, make it into [Greek: gynaikes].) Not so however
what follows. ABCDLX and the Old Latin (except c) drop the [Greek: kai]:
[Symbol: Aleph] and C drop the [Greek: ai]. The truth rests with the
fourteen remaining uncials and with the cursives.

Thus also the reading [Greek: en ole te Galilaia] (B) in St. Matt. iv.
23, (adopted by Lachmann, Tischendorf, Tregelles, Alford, Westcott and
Hort and the Revisers,) is due simply to the reduplication on the part
of some inattentive scribe of the last two letters of the immediately
preceding word,--[Greek: periegen]. The received reading of the place is
the correct one,--[Greek: kai periegen holen ten Galilaian ho Iesous],
because the first five words are so exhibited in all the Copies except
B[Symbol: Aleph]C; and those three MSS. are observed to differ as usual
from one another,--which ought to be deemed fatal to their evidence.
Thus,

B reads