JOHN CHRISTIAN FREDERIC BURK, A. M., D. PH. Translated from the German, BY ROBERT FRANCIS WALKER, M.A. CURATE OF PURLEIGH, ESSEX, AND FORMERLY CHAPLAIN OF NEW COLLEGE, OXFORD. LONDON: R. GLADDING, 97, AND 98, WHITECHAPEL-ROAD ; HAMILTON, ADAMS, AND CO., 33, PATERNOSTER-ROW; 1842. TO THE REV. C. F. A. STEINKOPFF, D.D. MINISTER OF THE GERMAN LUTHERAN CHURCH, SAVOY, LONDON, &c. MY DEAR FRIEND, Ir is now some years since you offered and rendered me very timely assistances towards securing the correctness of the present translation; it was a kindness not to be forgotten, and I take this opportunity of publicly and gratefully acknowledging it. To "paint a diamond" I shall not attempt; either by here saying more of yourself, or by praising the real jewelry of this book. Neither the one nor the other has any need of the kind. My thoughts will be better directed to whatever failures are attributable to my work or to myself, who have such bright examples before me. b Yet as I have often said how much reason I have to be thankful that I ever became acquainted with Bengel, so allow me to add, that the benefit I have thus alluded to will, I am confident, ever be increased by my remaining, what I now subscribe myself, Most gratefully and affectionately Yours, PURLEIGH PARSONAGE, 26th June, 1837. R. F. WALKER. PREFACE TO THE FIRST GERMAN EDITION. IN undertaking the present work, the author was fully sensible that Bengel deserved a far better biographer; but the solicitation of friends with whose wishes he has always felt it his delightful duty to comply, made him the readier to set about it; especially as among Bengel's numerous descendants he possessed the largest portion of requisite materials, with greater facilities than most of his respected relatives for collecting what remained in other hands. And through the kindness of such relatives and friends, he has been successful in doing it beyond what might have been expected for the memoir of one who died nearly eighty years ago, and who flourished not in the great theatre of the world, but in the more retired walks of literature and social excellence. Besides the published works of Bengel, and those earlier printed notices of his life, which are specified in the margin below,* the author has availed himself of the following unprinted documents: I. Valuable Memoranda, contained in about 150 quarto leaves, (somewhat injured by a fire, which happened at Tübingen in 1789,) entitled "Bengeliana," or "Remains of Bengel," committed to writing immediately from his conversations; and partly transcribed from his papers during the years 1738-1752, by Ph. D. Burk, a familiar friend, curate, and son-in-law of the deceased. 1. J. J. Moser's "Account of Würtemberg," vol. i. p. 211. Tübing. 1729. 2. Ernst Ludwig Rathlef's" Memoirs of Learned Persons now living," vol. v. p. 426. Printed in 1742. 3. J. J. Moser's " Contributions for a Biographical Dictionary of living Divines," pp. 56, 789, 992. 4. Jacob Brucker's "Picture Gallery of Learned Men now living." Seventh Decade. No. 3. 1748. 5. John Philip Fresenius's " Authentic Memoir of the Life, Death, and Writings of John Albert Bengel." 6. Dr. William Gottlieb Tafinger's "Funeral Discouse at the Interment of J. A. Bengel, with Notices of his Life." 1752. 7. A variety of later memoirs of Bengel. |