[To the Editor of the SPEcTAToa.1
Sin,—The Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew, a Latin compilation possibly M old as the eighth Of ninth century, says (ch. 17) that the angel told Joseph to go into Egypt by way of the desert, and Joseph went according to the saying of the angel.
In ch. 18 one of the MSS. says that Joseph took the road through the hill country and the desert, that he might get safe to Egypt ; for they did not want to go by the shore, for fear of being waylaid." But, according to ch. 22, on account of the great heat Joseph said to Jesus':— " If it please Thee, let us go by the sea shore, that we may be able to rest in the cities on the ebast. Jesus said to him : Fear not, Joseph ; I will shorten the way for you; so that what you would have taken thirty days to go over, you shall accomplish in this one day. And while they were thus speaking, behold, they looked forward, and began to see the mountains and cities of Egypt. And rejoicing and exulting, they came into the regions of Hermopolis. and entered into a certain city of Egypt which is called Sotimen (or Sotrina)."
These quotations from Alexander Walker's translation (" Apocryphal Gospels, .Acts and Revelations," vol. xvi. of T. and T. Clark's Ante-Nicene Christian Library, pp.35, 38) illus- trate the view taken by mediaeval tradition."—I am, Sir, &c.,
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