Letter from John Mill to Isaac Newton

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Worthy Sir,

I have receiv'd the N. T. together with your Spicilegium of Lections, out of the 2 Copies of D^r Covel: and those other readings you have observ'd in the Comp. and the Oriental Versions, and some of the Fathers upon the Apocalyps: And was far from thinking the time long till I had my book, that as I knew very well you would send me with it a great many readings I had not observ'd in mine, (as indeed 'tis not possible to observe every thing, nor yet to avoid errors in transcribing Lections out of my first book into my papers for the press, so as not sometimes to put one Copy for another, not to mention typographical blunders, and mistakes in Correction) so now that I have receivd them, I must needs say I can never sufficiently thank you for your singular Care and pains in this Collection. Since I receiv'd your papers, I have been diverted from my Testament for some time; but am now set to it again, and do not think of desisting, till my work is entirely finish'd. I have transmitted the Lections of both papers into my Appendix.         As to those of D^r Covels Copies, Apoc. 3. v. 2 ^H στηρἰζων Cov. 2. I have put it down, because it makes sense tho I take it to be a mistake of the writer for στήρισον. Ibid. v. 18 ^{h} Steph.. ε. insted of altering it for Steph. ιε. I mark it Steph. ε. (f. ιε.) because Stephens ε was an entire Copy of the N. T. and so for ought we know it might be the reading of that Copy: which yet was so perfunctorily collated by Robert Stephens that he has observ'd onely 2 readings of it in this whole Book, this, and another Cap. 19. v. 14. where I have made in my Notes the same conjecture that you have that this Steph. ε. seems to be a mistake for Steph. ιε.

In your other paper of readings and observations, Apoc. 1. v. 11. where you have marked ^c Deest Steph. ιε. 'tis noted in that book already Omittunt Steph. α. ιε. (as is also Cyprians reading Cap. 2. v. 7.^d ἐν {τω}παραδεἰσῳ &c) Ibid. v. 13. ^q Αἰς Steph. α. ιε. this being according to Stephens Copy which I follow, tho it be a fault, yet I think instead of making a deleatur α, I must keep to the same rule I follow in other places where Stephens misrepresents his Copy α. thus: ^q Αἱς Steph α. (male: habet Comp. ἐν αἱς) ιε.      Cap. 3. v. 5. where Arethas has ἐξωμολωγήσω, this is in a later Edition. but I follow in my readings the first Edition of Verona, where 'tis ὁμολωγήσω and 'tis evident by the comment that he read so.      Cap. 5. v. 7. ^g Τὸ βιβλιόν post θρόνου Comp. Vulg Areth. where you make a Quære whether 'tis not so in the Alexandrian MS. & some others; I have look'd upon them, and they do not place βιβλιον after θρονου.      Cap. 7. v. 9 & where you observe Του θυγμῶν to be wanting in Cov. 2 &c. this is already taken notice of in my book.     Cap. 10 v. 4. ^k Αυτὰ Areth. Orig. instead of positively ascribeing this reading to Origen in that passage of Eusebius where it cannot well be collected how he read this text, I think it will be safe instead of Orig. &c. to write Nescioan et Orig. &c.      Cap. 13. v. 5 ^x Πόλεμον ποιῆσαι &c 'tis so in my printed Copy.      Cap. 14. v. 6. χαθκμενους is not in the Alexandrian Copy.      Cap. 18. v. 9. ^a pro ἀδῇ Comp. Steph. ιε. habent ἀδην. This is observ'd in the printed book.      Ibid. v. 11. where Stephens mistakes his Copy α. I have put it thus in my Appendix: Steph. α (malet habet Comp. χλάιυσι καὶ πενθῦσιν) ιε.       Cap. 10. v. 17. ^a Βεῦτε 7συνάχθ{ατα} Comp. 'tis in my Edition.      Cap. 20. v. 11. <1v> ^l Μέγαν λευχὸν. Cyprian, or the Author of the Tract under Cyprian's name, has a diverse reading frō all the rest, magnum, et candìdum Ledentem &c. which I note in my Appendix. Vers. 12. ^q Cyprian. ad Novatian. Erasm. in marginem. These marginal Readings of Erasmus I never saw, haveing never as yet cast an Eye upon Erasmus's 1^st Edition of the N. T. His 2^d Edition of 1619 I have by me; but neither the public nor private Libraries of this place, nor any scholars studies here can furnish me with this 1^st Edition. If I cannot meet with it at London in April next, my time of waiting at Whitehall, I must beg leaue by a Line or 2 from thence to desire you will use your Interest in procureing me the use of a Copy of it for a months time. It shall be return'd to you with all the care in the world. 't was the 1^st Edition, I think, that appear'd in the world; and I must be able to give some account of Erasmuss performance in it.          Cap. 21. v. 4. you guess ο῾ θεὸς to be wanting in the Alex. MS. I have confessed it, ο῾ θεὸς is there. but v. 6 'tis, {n.} I have it in my Edition, Γέγοναν. ἐγὼ {&c} in that Copy. vers. 9. r & s Cyprian is noted, as you would have it, tho not the place of the Lection. And so likewise v. 11. ^α ἐχουσαν&c. which you observe to be wanting in Alex. is wanting in the same Copy in my Edition.

And now it comes to my turn, (having done with what I thought necessary to communicate with you touching these readings) to give you once again my most hearty Thanks for this singular instance of your kindness to me and the work I have in hand. You see by your gleanings in Cov. 2 & Sin how hard tis, in collating so many manuscripts successively without ease or intermission, as I have done, not to leave several readings behind us. I have observ'd thousands in Robert Stephens α. which he has pass'd by. I have done all I could to be accurate; what I find of mistake I note it in my appendix. And if it please God I {live} to fall upon a second Edition, our faults shall be rectify'd. My appendix is very large.

I say, I must desire it again & again, accept my Thanks, and give the same likewise to my old faithfull Friend M^r Laughton. I am with all imaginable {re}ality.

Worthy Sir

Your affectionate and most faithfull Servant,

Oxon Febr. 21. 169³₄

Io. Mill

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To
the honor'd M^r Isaac Newton, at his
Lodgings in Trinity College.

Cambridge