iven in verses 6 and 8 to the act of
writing,--allusions to which, are met with in every work of the last
Evangelist[584]. It does not of course escape us how utterly beyond the
reach of a Western interpolator would have been the insertion of the
article so faithfully retained to this hour before [Greek: lithon] in
ver. 7. On completing our survey, as to the assertions that the
_pericope de adultera_ 'has no right to a place in the text of the four
Gospels,'--is 'clearly a Western interpolation, though not Western of
the earliest type[585],' (whatever _that_ may mean), and so forth,--we
can but suspect that the authors very imperfectly realize the difficulty
of the problem with which they have to deal. Dr. Hort finally assures us
that 'no accompanying marks would prevent' this portion of Scripture
'from fatally interrupting the course of St. John's Gospel if retained
in the text': and when they relegate it accordingly to a blank page at
the end of the Gospels within 'double brackets,' in order 'to shew its
inferior authority';--we can but read and wonder at the want of
perception, not to speak of the coolness, which they display. _Quousque
tandem?_

But it is time to turn from such considerations as the foregoing, and to
inquire for the direct testimony, which is assumed by recent Editors and
Critics to be fatal to these twelve verses. Tischendorf pronounces it
'absolutely certain that this narrative was not written by St.
John[586].' One, vastly his superior in judgement (Dr. Scrivener)
declares that 'on all intelligent principles of mere Criticism, the
passage must needs be abandoned[587].' Tregelles is 'fully satisfied
that this narrative is not a genuine part of St. John's Gospel[588].'
Alford shuts it up in brackets, and like Tregelles puts it into his
footnotes. Westcott and Hort, harsher than any of their predecessors,
will not, as we have seen, allow it to appear even at the foot of the
page. To reproduce all that has been written in disparagement of this
precious portion of God's written Word would be a joyless and an
unprofitable task. According to Green, 'the genuineness of the passage
cannot be maintained[589].' Hammond is of opinion that 'it would be more
satisfactory to separate it from its present context, and place it by
itself as an appendix to the Gospel[590].' A yet more recent critic
'sums up,' that 'the external evidence must be held fatal to the
genuineness of the passage[591].' The opinions of Bis