W. HATCHARD; SEELEY; AND RIVINGTONS: TIMMS, DUBLIN: 2 1832. PREFACE. READER, You are here presented with a few fragments, gathered up from the conversations of that great and good man, Dr. Martin Luther, of Wittemberg, which, it is hoped, will afford you a comfortable and salutary repast. The original volume of the "Table Talk,” from which they are selected, is said to have been compiled by Dr. John Aurifaber, or Goldschmidt, from a vast collection of Luther's sayings, made by Dr. Antony Lauterbach. It was first published in the year 1571, by Mr. Henry Peter Rebenstock, minister of Eischenheim, and, having been translated into English by Captain Henry Bell, an English officer, who had served long in Germany, was printed in London, anno 1651, under the sanction of a committee * of Parliament. * The two members to whom the committee referred this subject, delivered in their report in these words: -" To the Committee of the Honourable House of Commons concerning Printing. According to an order directed unto us by this honourable committee, we have perused so much of Mr. Henry It is but justice to inform you, that the authority of the book (taken as a whole) is questioned by the learned, inasmuch as it was published contrary to a strict injunction of Luther himself *, Bell's translation of the book, entitled Martin Luther's Divine Discourses,' as will enable us to give this testimony and judgment of the whole. "We find many excellent divine things are contained in the book, worthy the light and public view: among which Luther professeth that he acknowledgeth his error, which he formerly held, touching the real presence, Corporaliter in Coena Domini.' But we find withal many impertinent things; some things which will require a grain or two of salt; and some things which will require a marginal note, or a preface. "Nov. 10. 1646. - "CHARLES HERLE. To the word " impertinent," the English editor attached the following note: "And no marvel that among so much serious discourse on matters of religion, sometimes at table, some impertinent things might intermix themselves, and some things, liberius dicta, to recreate and refresh the company." * Luther's language, addressed to his friends concerning some of his written papers which might fall into their hands, is this: "I entreat them in the name of Christ, not to be ready to publish such things, either while I live, or after my death. From the times in which I live, and the part which I am obliged to act, it cannot be but that some strange thoughts should bubble up in my mind by night and by day, which the impossibility of otherwise retaining them obliges me to note down upon paper, like a confused chaos, in the fewest words possible, for future use. But to publish such things, however obtained, would be both ungrateful and inhuman. Not that they are wicked and bad, but because 4 and without the sanction of any respectable name but that of John Aurifaber. It contains, besides, many things which it is hardly reasonable to suppose that Luther would have spoken, even at those times of relaxation, when, to judge from the title of the book, the greater part of its contents were uttered. Its authority, therefore, as an historical document, is very properly disallowed. , But, whatever may be the opinion of the learned on the respectability of the original publisher of the Table Talk, and the authenticity and correctness of the whole of its contents, this is certain, that somebody, intimately acquainted with Luther, was at great pains to collect and commit to writing, partly from his own knowledge, and partly from the communications of others, every sentiment and sentence of Luther's which appeared to him at all worth recording. Luther seems, in short, to have had his Boswell, humble admirer, who, like the entertaining biographer of Johnson, thought every thing of value 1 some many of them, when I am able to reflect coolly upon them, appear to myself foolish and objectionable. Wherefore I again entreat that no one of my friends will publish any thing of mine without my concurrence. If he does, he must take the whole responsibility upon himself. Charity and justice require it.” |