1819: (1879) 1819 Joseph Olden Clarke presented to him by his Cousing Mary and Amey R. Olden 9th: Mouth 10th: 1827_ O F THE 1919. IMITATION Princetoniversity ОБ Library CHRIST: IN THREE BOOKS. TRANSLATED FROM THE LATIN OF THOMAS A KEMPIS. By JOHN PAYNE. STANFORD (DUTCHES COUNTY, N. Y.) M.DCCC.III. -5827 PREFA CE. A S"The Chriftian's Pattern," by Dean Stanhope, has claimed a place among the tranflations of this excellent book, and by an implicit admiffion has obtained general approbation; it will undoubtedly be afked, what occafion there was for attempting a new one. And to this queflion, no other anfwer, as an apology for the tranflation that is now offered to the publick, can be given, than that it was attempted in the hope of doing fome juftice to the fenfe of the original; which is almost loft in the loose paraphrafe of Dean Stanhope, and almost deprived of its spirit, by the literal and inelegant exactness of others. With what degree of fuccefs this attempt has been profecuted, must be left wholly to the judgment of the reader. It is hoped, however, that, where the original allowed of fome latitude in the tranflation, no fenfe is introduced, that will not be found coincident with the author's great principle, "The necef"fity of exchanging an earthly for a heavenly nature ;" and that an apology will not be required, for giving the preference, in feveral inftances of competition, to fome appofite paffage in the Divine Oracles, as the beft illuftration of the thought, and the most forcible manner of expreffing it. As this preference has been given, where ever an occafion was fuppofed to offer, the quotations from the Sacred Scriptures are more numerous than they are in the original: and though all the quotations in the original are taken from the ན |