, 205, 209, and from the Ferrar group, or now and then
from some others, as well as from the Latin k, and the Egyptian or other
versions. This perhaps appears to be a larger number than our readers
may have supposed, but rarely are more than ten MSS. found together, and
generally speaking less, and often much less than that. To all general
intents and purposes, the Neutral Text is the text of B-[Symbol: Aleph].

2. Following facts and avoiding speculation, the Neutral Text appears
hardly in history except at the Semiarian period. It was almost disowned
ever after: and there is no certainty--nothing more than inference which
we hold, and claim to have proved, to be imaginary and delusive,--that,
except as represented in the corruption which it gathered out of the
chaos of the earliest times, it made any appearance.

3. Thus, as a matter of history acknowledged by Dr. Hort, it was mainly
superseded before the end of the century of its emergence by the
Traditional Text, which, except in the tenets of a school of critics in
the nineteenth century, has reigned supreme ever since.

4. That it was not the original text of the Gospels, as maintained by
Dr. Hort, I claim to have established from an examination of the
quotations from the Gospels made by the Fathers. It has been proved that
not only in number, but still more conclusively in quality, the
Traditional Text enjoyed a great superiority of attestation over all the
kinds of corruption advocated by some critics which I have just now
mentioned[622]. This conclusion is strengthened by the verdict of the
early versions.

5. The inferiority of the 'Neutral Text' is demonstrated by the
overwhelming weight of evidence which is marshalled against it on
passages under dispute. This glaring contrast is increased by the
disagreement among themselves of the supporters of that Text, or class
of readings. As to antiquity, number, variety, weight, and continuity,
that Text falls hopelessly behind: and by internal evidence also the
texts of B and [Symbol: Aleph], and still more the eccentric text of the
Western D, are proved to be manifestly inferior.

6. It has been shewn also by evidence, direct as well as inferential,
that B and [Symbol: Aleph] issued nearly together from the library or
school of Caesarea. The fact of their being the oldest MSS. of the New
Testament in existence, which has naturally misled people and caused
them to be credited with extraordinary value, has been r