WE omit here the old French Versions, which are no longer in use since this Language has been so much perfected, and is every Day bringing to still more Perfection. For it is not with this as with the Latin Tongue, you must go backward to its first Original if you would find it in all its Purity, which it loses in proportion to its Distance from thence: The French, on the contrary, barbarous as it is in its Original, has been form’d by Time; and if it has had its Infancy, it may be said to be now in its Age of Maturity, and perhaps will have its old Age and declining Season. For this Reason we begin with those who have published Translations of the New Testament in good French.
The New Testament done into French by M. de Marolles, in 8vo. Paris. Cramoisy, 1649, and 1653. This Translation is not made from the Vulgate, but from the Latin Version of Erasmus: For the Author did not understand Greek sufficiently to venture upon making one himself from the Original. His Epistle is addressed to the Clergy of France, and his Preface is a very learned one.
The New Testament, by F. Amelotte of the Oratory, three Vols. in 8vo. The Gospels and Acts of the Apostles were printed in 1666. St. Paul’s Epistles in 1667, the Canonical Epistles and Revelations in 1670. This Edition has the Advantage of Notes, and some Various Readings. It has been reprinted several times, with and without Notes. The Translation is literal enough, but not very elegant. We have already spoken of it in the Dictionary, under the Article of Bibles.
M. Simon, in his Critical History of the New Testament, ch. 34. speaking of F. Amelotte’s Version, says, that it was the first which was any thing accurate, and written in a good Style. The principal and most commodious Edition of it was in 1688, in 4to. two Vols. and the last in 1712. To this there is added an Alphabetical Table of the Scripture Geography, and a Plan of the City of Jerusalem, and of Solomon’s Temple. See the Remarks of Claude Brusson on this Version, printed at Delf in Holland, 1697, in 12mo. and the Journal des Sçavans, tom. I. p. 416. There is mention likewise made of it in the Dictionary, under the Article Bible. Amelotte was of Saintes, a Priest of the Oratory. In F. Simon’s Opinion he understood the French Tongue perfectly. He was not ignorant of the Greek, but applied himself too late to Criticism, and the Knowledge of the Oriental Languages. He had Wit and Piety, but his Judgment was not answerable to either. He died in 1678.
The New Testament, printed at Mons for Gaspard Migeot. I have spoken of in the Dictionary, under the Article Bible. The Uneasinesses occasioned by this Translation are very generally known, and the Writings which have been publish’d in defence of it, and against it. It was condemn’d by Pope Clement IX. in 1668, and by Pope Innocent XI. in 1679. and since that time by many French Bishops. It has been printed very often, and in different Forms, and has been made use of as a rough Draught of most of the Translations which have been published since that appeared. This Version was attack’d by Mallet and Maimbourg, but was vigorously defended by others. See hereupon the Acta Lipsiensia of 1686, p. 201. Fabricius, in his Bibliotheca Græca, l. 4. c. 5. p. 194. and M. Arnaud’s Replies to the Difficulties proposed by Stegaert, 5 Vols. in 8vo.
The three principal Authors of this Translation of Mons, are, Anthony Arnaud, Peter Nicole, and Claude de Sainte Marthe. M. Arnaud, born at Paris, was the twentieth and last of M. Anthony Arnaud’s Children, a Gentleman eminent for his Pleadings. He lost his Father at seven Years of Age. At first he studied the Law; but following the prudent Advice given him by his Mother, he applied himself to Divinity, and was received Doctor of the Sorbonne in 1641. He retir’d to Port- Royal in 1644, left France in 1679, and died in 1694, at 82 Years of Age.
M. Nicole came into the World at Chartres in 1625. He took his Degree of Bachelor of Divinity at Paris. His great love of Retirement induced him to shun Company, and he retreated to the Solitude of Port-Royal in the Fields, where he spent many Years. He died in 1695, in the 70th Year of his Age.
M. de Sainte Marthe was born at Paris, in the Year 1620. He dedicated himself betimes to God, in the Ecclesiastical State, and retired likewise to Port- Royal in the Fields; and being obliged to go from thence, he chose Corbeville for the Place of his Abode, in 1690, being then 70 Years of Age.
The New Testament of M. Godeau, Bishop of Vence, two Vols. in 8vo. Paris. 1668. He has here and there inserted some Words in the Text, in order to explain it. We have likewise Paraphrases on St. Paul’s Epistles by the same Prelate, which are very much esteemed. He employ’d several Years in perfecting his Translation, whereof there was a second Edition in 1672, in 12mo. M. Godeau, a Native of Dreux, was nominated to the Bishoprick of Grasse by Lewis XIII. in 1636. He resigned it, tho’ he might have kept it, to take the Bishoprick of Vence. This Prelate had the Art of joining great Piety with a noble Ardor for Study. He had a Degree of Zeal worthy of a Bishop: He attacked Vice resolutely, and recommended Virtue agreeably. He adhered to the Doctrine of St. Austin, and preached it upon the House- Tops. The Clergy of France called him a Pattern for Bishops; his People loved him as their Father; the Court of Rome shewed great Esteem for him; Divines looked upon him as their Oracle; even Protestants could not deny him the Commendations he deserved. He died in 1672, in his 67th Year.
The New Testament of Richard Simon’s Translation, with Literal and Critical Annotations upon difficult Passages, 4 Vols. in 8vo. at Trevoux, 1702, and at Roan, 1703. Cardinal Noailles in 1702, and Benigne Bossuet Bishop of Meaux in 1702, and 1703, opposed this Translation, and forbad the use of it in their Dioceses. Their Censures relate not only to F. Simon’s Notes, but to some Places likewise of the Text, which he has not well translated. The Lipsick Acts for 1704, p. 81. speak of this Version, as M. Simon himself does in his Lettres Choisies, l. 3. p. 260. and the Memoirs of Trevoux for the Year 1702, p. 383. This Author was of Dieppe in Normandy: Being enter’d in the Congregation of the Oratory, he applied himself to the Study of Divinity, the Oriental Languages, and a Critical Examination of the Scriptures; and leaving this Society, he still continued his Studies in this way, and composed many Critical Pieces on the Holy Scripture, whereof we shall make mention in their Place. He understood Greek and Hebrew, had good Sense, and an exquisite Judgment; with a more than common Share of Learning: But in the critical way he takes too much Liberty. Vossius admires his great Application in reading the Rabbins, but thinks he has dwelt too long upon them. M. Simon died in 1712, at 76 Years of Age.
F. Bouhours’s New Testament in 12mo. The four Gospels appeared in 1697, and 1698. The Acts of the Apostles, the Epistles of St. Paul, and the Revelations, in 1703. See hereafter in the Dictionary the Article of Bibles. F. Lallemant, a Jesuit, has adopted this Version in his Reflections on the New Testament, printed at Paris, in 1709. Father Bouhours, who was born at Paris in 1628, was admitted of the Jesuits Society in 1644, taught Humanity in the College of Clermont, where he had learned it; distinguished himself in his Course of Divinity: But being afflicted with a continual Head-ach, he applied himself to the composing Books, and died at Paris in 1702, in his 75th Year. F. Bouhours was endued with a happy Genius, and took pains to understand all the Beauties and Delicacies of the French Tongue, in which he succeeded perfectly well.
Huré’s New Testament, with Notes, and short literal Explanations, at Paris, four Vols. in 12mo. 1703, and 1706. two Vols. in 12mo. The Translation is the same with that of Mons, revised and corrected in many Places, in those particularly wherein that of Mons varies from the Vulgate, and follows the Greek. In some Places M. Huré has followed likewise F. Bouhours’s Translation.
The New Testament by F. Martianay, a Benedictine, three Vols. in 12mo. at Paris, 1712. with Notes, and literal Explanations, in many whereof there seems to be no Solidity at all. This Version agrees often with those which were before it, and as often varies from them.
F. Lallemant, in his Literal Notes, falls pretty frequently upon F. Martianay’s Remarks. D. John Martianay was born in 1648, at Sever-cap in the Diocese of Aire in scribes himself in very natural Colours in his Prolegomena to this Edition. He had read a great deal, and understood the Oriental Languages. We shall have occasion sometimes to speak of his Works. He died in 1717, at 69 Years of Age.
The New Testament, translated by Abbot Fleury, the King’s Confessor, has not yet been published. It is translated from the Vulgate, and the Greek Edition of Henry Stephens in 1550. The Style of it is easy and plain. M. Fleury, born at Paris in 1640. left the Bar in order to his entring into the Ecclesiastical State. In 1684 he was made Abbot of Loc-Dieu, which he quitted when he was nominated to the Priory of Argenteuil. He was Sub-Preceptor to the Children of France, was chosen in 1720 to be Confessor to Lewis XV. and died in 1723, at fourscore and three Years of Age. Being a Man of very good Judgment, he set himself this Rule in his Studies; To distinguish Truth from Falshood, useful Sciences from those which were not so; wherein he succeeded perfectly well, as we may judge by the excellent Works which he has published. He was a Hermit in the midst of the greatest King’s Court in the World; considering only how to acquit himself of the Employment with which he was entrusted, and busying himself with nothing but God and his Books.
Father Quesnel’s Version, which has been printed several times, is not different from that of Mons. There are only Moral Reflections added to it. It was first of all printed by the Order of M. Vialart Bishop of Chalons, in 1672, and several times afterwards to 1705, 1713, 4 Vols. in 8vo. very much augmented. His Reflections have been translated into Latin, and were printed at Louvain in 1694, 8 Vols. in 16mo. This New Testament has been attacked as much as that of Mons. F. Quesnel, born at Paris in 1634, was admitted into the Congregation of the Oratory at 18 Years of Age. He left it afterwards on the score of some Regulations which were made, to which he thought he could not in Conscience submit, and retired to the Spanish Netherlands. He died in 1719, at 86 Years of Age.