or even
betray an animus; and in either case they pass at once into quite a
different category. From cases of excusable oscitancy they degenerate,
either into instances of inexcusable licentiousness, or else into cases
of downright fraud.

6. Thus, if it be observed in the case of a Codex (_a_) that entire
sentences or significant clauses are habitually omitted:--(_b_) that
again and again in the course of the same page the phraseology of the
Evangelist has upon clear evidence been seriously tampered with: and
(_c_) that interpolations here and there occur which will not admit of
loyal interpretation:--we cannot but learn to regard with habitual
distrust the Codex in which all these notes are found combined. It is as
when a witness, whom we suspected of nothing worse than a bad memory or
a random tongue or a lively imagination, has been at last convicted of
deliberate suppression of parts of his evidence, misrepresentation of
facts,--in fact, deliberate falsehood.

7. But now suppose the case of a MS. in which words or clauses are
clearly omitted with design; where expressions are withheld which are
confessedly harsh or critically difficult,--whole sentences or parts of
them which have a known controversial bearing;--Suppose further that the
same MS. abounds in worthless paraphrase, and contains apocryphal
additions throughout:--What are we to think of our guide then? There can
be but one opinion on the subject. From habitually trusting, we shall
entertain inveterate distrust. We have ascertained his character. We
thought he was a faithful witness, but we now find from experience of
his transgressions that we have fallen into bad company. His witness may
be false no less than true: confidence is at an end.

Sec. 4.

It may be regarded as certain that most of the aberrations discoverable
in Codexes of the Sacred Text have arisen in the first instance from the
merest inadvertency of the scribes. That such was the case in a vast
number of cases is in fact demonstrable. [Inaccuracy in the apprehension
of the Divine Word, which in the earliest ages was imperfectly
understood, and ignorance of Greek in primitive Latin translators, were
prolific sources of error. The influence of Lectionaries, in which Holy
Scripture was cut up into separate Lections either with or without an
introduction, remained with habitual hearers, and led them off in
copying to paths which had become familiar. Acquaintance with
'Harmonies' or Di