Bernard, Richard

, an English divine of the seventeenth century, and rector of Batecombe in Somersetshire, was author of “Thesaurus Biblicus,” a laborious work formerly much used by way of concordance. He was also author of an “Abstract and Epitome of the Bible.” In 1627 he published “A guide to grand jurymen with respect to Witches,” the country where he lived being, if we may believe Glanville, formerly much infested with them. He died in 1641, and was succeeded by the famous | nonconformist Richard Allein, of whom there is an account in vol. I. p. 479, of this work. Mr. Bernard, of whom we have no farther biographical memoirs, was also the author of an allegorical work, entitled “The Isle of Man, or legal proceeding in Man-shire against sin” the tenth edition of which was published in 1635. This work has been lately reprinted, from a conjecture that Bunyan might have taken from it the plan of his “Pilgrim’s Progress.” The two authors agree, however, in our opinion, only in the personification of graces and sins, or virtues and vices, which is of higher origin than either; and, if the comparative merits of the two works be examined, no reader can hesitate a moment in giving the preference to Bunyan. ¹