, MSS. codices, and
printed books. As to the first class, Pius IX. has assisted Father
Vercellone by placing at his disposal the treasures stored up in the
Vatican archives. Hence, our author has been enabled to examine, 1^o,
the documents of the corrections proposed and adopted by the
congregation appointed to edit the Vulgate under Saint Pius V. in 1569,
which documents he has compared with the writings of Cardinal Serleto,
who had a great share in making those corrections; 2^o, the documents
concerning the corrections proposed or adopted in a similar
congregation, under Sixtus V. in 1588 and 1589; 3^o, the Sixtine edition
of 1590; 4, notes of the corrections discussed in the congregations
appointed under Gregory XIV. and Clement VIII. to free the Sixtine
edition, from its many mistakes of the press; 5^o, the readings proposed
by the learned Angelo Rocca; 6^o, the annotations of Cardinal Toleto,
preserved in the Vatican; and 7^o, the Clementine edition of 1592.

As to the MSS., our author has confined himself to a few, but these few
are of the highest authority. Of the twenty consulted by him, the
remarkable Florentine Codex of Monte Amiata is deservedly placed first.
Saint Pius V. had caused the Benedictines of Florence to collate 12
codices, and the archivist of Monte Cassino to examine 24 others. The
notes of both these undertakings are still in the Vatican, and have been
of great assistance to Father Vercellone.

Of printed editions prior to the Clementine of 1590, the author has
consulted more than 80, many of them the work of excellent critical
scholars. To these are to be added liturgical books, for example, the
works of the B. Cardinal Thomasi, the Mozarabic liturgy, edited by
Cardinal Lorenzana, and the Roman liturgy. To these again we must add,
the Latin Fathers, whose works give much valuable assistance in
determining the text of the Vulgate. Finally, F. Vercellone has
carefully studied the commentaries of Hesychius, Rodolphus, Bruno of
Asti, and the publications of Cardinals Mai and Pitra. This is the
labour of a life, and few indeed could be found with the qualities
required to undertake it and bring it to a happy termination.

We shall now set before our readers a few specimens of the practical
results of F. Vercellone's researches. The first volume treats of the
various readings that occur in the Pentateuch; the second volume of
those in the books of Josue, Judges, Ruth, and the four books of Kings.