n. [Greek: Ten psychen] was at hand,
but [Greek: oude echo] stood in the way. [Greek: Oude echo] must
therefore go[32]; and go it did,--as B, C, and [Symbol: Aleph] remain to
attest. [Greek: Timian] should have gone also, if the sentence was to be
made translatable; but [Greek: timian] was left behind[33]. The authors
of ancient embroilments of the text were sad bunglers. In the meantime,
Cod. [Symbol: Aleph] inadvertently retained St. Luke's word, [Greek:
LOGON]; and because [Symbol: Aleph] here follows B in every other
respect, it exhibits a text which is simply unintelligible[34].

Now the second clause of the sentence, viz. the words [Greek: oude echo
ten psychen mou timian emauto], may on no account be surrendered. It is
indeed beyond the reach of suspicion, being found in Codd. A, D, E, H,
L, P, 13, 31,--in fact in every known copy of the Acts, except the
discordant [Symbol: Aleph]BC. The clause in question is further
witnessed to by the Vulgate[35],--by the Harkleian[36],--by
Basil[37],--by Chrysostom[38],--by Cyril[39],--by Euthalius[40],--and by
the interpolator of Ignatius[41]. What are we to think of our guides
(Tischendorf, Tregelles, Westcott and Hort, and the Revisers) who have
nevertheless surrendered the Traditional Text and presented us instead
with what Dr. Field,--who is indeed a Master in Israel,--describes as
the impossible [Greek: all' oudenos logou poioumai ten psychen timian
emauto][42]?

The words of the last-named eminent scholar on the reading just cited
are so valuable in themselves, and are observed to be so often in point,
that they shall find place here:--'Modern Critics,' he says, 'in
deference to the authority of the older MSS., and to certain critical
canons which prescribe that preference should be given to the shorter
and more difficult reading over the longer and easier one, have decided
that the T.R. in this passage is to be replaced by that which is
contained in those older MSS.

'In regard to the difficulty of this reading, that term seems hardly
applicable to the present case. A difficult reading is one which
presents something apparently incongruous in the sense, or anomalous in
the construction, which an ignorant or half-learned copyist would
endeavour, by the use of such critical faculty as he possessed, to
remove; but which a true critic is able, by probable explanation, and a
comparison of similar cases, to defend against all such fancied
improvements. In the reading befo