28 September 1813 Letter to the Editor - Cumberland and Westmorland Newspaper Transcriptions

28 September 1813 Letter to the Editor

TO THE EDITOR
OF THE CUMBERLAND PAQUET.

       Whilst the Translation of the Bible into all languages, and its
diffusion in all quarters of the globe, is promoting by means of the Bible Society,
it will be gratification to many of your readers to see the following copy of
a letter of the celebrated Dr. JOHNSON, on the translation of the Scriptures
into Ersc.

             I am, Sir,
                  Your's respectfully,
                                     J____

London, 18 Sept. 1813.

"To Mr. William DRUMMOND.

       "Sir - I did not expect to hear that it could be, in an assembly
convened for the Propagation of Christian Knowledge, a question whether any nation,
uninstructed in religion, should receive instruction; or whether that
instruction should be imparted to them by a translation of the Holy Books into their
own language, If obedience to the Will of God be necessary to happiness, and
knowledge necessary to obedience, I know not how he that withholds his
knowledge, or delays it, , can be said to love his neighbour as himself, He that
voluntarily continues in ignorance is guilty of all the crimes which ignorance
produces; as to him that should extinguish the tapers of a Light House, might
justly be imputed the calamities of shipwrecks.

       "Christianity is the highest perfection of humanity; but as no man is
as good as he wishes the good of others, no man can be good in the highest
degree, who wishes not to others the largest measures of the greatest good. To
omit for a year, or for a day, the most efficacious method of advancing
Christianity, in compliance with any purposes that terminate on this side of the
grave, is a crime of which I know not that the world has yet had an example, except
in the practice of the planters of America, a race of mortals, whom, I
suppose, no other man wishes to resemble.

       "The Papists have, indeed, denied the lai- ???? use of the Bible; but
this prohibition in few places now very rigorously enforced, is defended by
arguments which have for their foundation the Care of Souls. To obscure, upon
motives purely political, The Light of Revelation, is a practice reserved for
the Reformed; and surely the blackest midnight of Popery is meridian sunshine
to such a Reformation.

       I am not very willing that any language should be totally
extinguished. The similitude and derivation of languages afford the most indubitable proof
of the traduction of nations, and the genealogy of mankind. They add often
physical certainty to historical evidence of ancient migrations, and of the
revolutions of ages which left no written monuments behind them.

       "Every man's opinions, at least his desires, area little influenced
by his favourite studies. My zeal for languages may seem, perhaps, rather over
heated, even to those by whom I desire to be well esteemed. To those who have
nothing in their thoughts but trade or policy, present power, or present
money, I should not think it necessary to defend my opinions, but with men of
letters, I would not unwillingly compound, by wishing the continuance however
narrow in its extent, or however incommodious for common purposes, till it is
reposited in some version of a known book, that it may be always hereafter
examined, and compared with other languages; and then permitting its disuse.

       "For this purpose, the translation of the Bible is most to be desired.
It is not certain that the same method will not preserve the Highland
languages for the purposes of learning, and abolish it from daily use. When the
Highlanders read the Bible, they will naturally wish to have its obscurities
cleared, and to know the history, collateral or appendant. Knowledge always desires
increase; it is like fire, which afterwards propagates itself. When they once
desire to learn, they will naturally have recourse to the nearest language by
which that desire can be gratified; and one would tell another that if he
would attain knowledge, he must learn English.

       "This speculation may, perhaps, be thought more subtile than the
grossness of real life will admit. Let it, however, be remembered that the efficacy
of ignorance has been long tried, and has not produced the consequence
expected. Let knowledge, therefore, take its turn; and let the patrons of privation
stand awhile aside, and admit the operations of positive principles.

       "You will be pleased, Sir, to ensure the man who is employed in the
new translation, that he has my wishes for his success; and if here, or at
Oxford, I can be of any use, that I shall think it more than honour to promote his
undertaking.

       "I am sorry that I delayed so long to write.

                    I am, Sir, &c.

                                     Sam. JOHNSON:

:JOHNSON's Court, Fleet Street,
August 16, 1766