ymbol: Aleph]
by a very easy mistake let his eye pass from one [Greek: alethos] to
another, and characteristically enough the various correctors allowed
the error to remain till it was removed in the seventh century, though
the error issued in nothing less than 'My Flesh is drink indeed.' Could
that MS. have undergone the test of frequent use?]

But it requires very little familiarity with the subject to be aware
that occasions must inevitably be even of frequent occurrence when the
result is calamitous, and even perplexing, in the extreme. The writings
of Apostles and Evangelists, the Discourses of our Divine Lord Himself,
abound in short formulae; and the intervening matter on such occasions
is constantly an integral sentence, which occasionally may be discovered
from its context without evident injury to the general meaning of the
place. Thus [ver. 14 in St. Matt, xxiii. was omitted in an early age,
owing to the recurrence of [Greek: ouai hymin] at the beginning, by some
copyists, and the error was repeated in the Old Latin versions. It
passed to Egypt, as some of the Bohairic copies, the Sahidic, and Origen
testify. The Vulgate is not quite consistent: and of course [Symbol:
Aleph]BDLZ, a concord of bad witnesses especially in St. Matthew, follow
suit, in company with the Armenian, the Lewis, and five or more
cursives, enough to make the more emphatic the condemnation by the main
body of them. Besides the verdict of the cursives, thirteen uncials (as
against five) including [Symbol: Phi] and [Symbol: Sigma], the Peshitto,
Harkleian, Ethiopic, Arabian, some MSS. of the Vulgate, with Origen
(iii. 838 (only in Lat.)); Chrysostom (vii. 707 (_bis_); ix. 755); Opus
Imperf. 185 (_bis_); 186 (_bis_); John Damascene (ii. 517); Theophylact
(i. 124); Hilary (89; 725); Jerome (iv. 276; v. 52; vi. 138: vii. 185)].

Worst of all, it will sometimes of necessity happen that such an
omission took place at an exceedingly remote period; (for there have
been careless scribes in every age:) and in consequence the error is
pretty sure to have propagated itself widely. It is observed to exist
(suppose) in several of the known copies; and if,--as very often is the
case,--it is discoverable in two or more of the 'old uncials,' all hope
of its easy extirpation is at an end. Instead of being loyally
recognized as a blunder,--which it clearly is,--it is forthwith charged
upon the Apostle or Evangelist as the case may be. In other words, it is