15.
The following passage of seven verses from Paul (Rom. iii, 12–18) is borrowed from six different chapters of the Old Testament. Is it a medley of misquotations, or a mosaic of plagiarisms?
“They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
“Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips.
“Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.
“Their feet are swift to shed blood.
“Destruction and misery are in their ways.
“And the way of peace have they not known.
“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
“They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one” (Ps. xiv, 3).
“Their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with the tongue (Ps. v, 9). Adders’ poison is under their lips” (cxl, 3).
“His mouth is full of cursing and deceit” (Ps. x, 7).
“Their feet run to evil and they make haste to shed innocent blood” (Is. lix, 7).
“Wasting and destruction are in their paths” (Ibid).
“The way of peace they know not” (8).
“There is no fear of God before his eyes” (Ps. xxxvi, 1).