Originally published in German in the late 18th century, this work is a foundational text in the field of hermeneutics, or the theory of interpretation. The author, Johann August Ernesti, outlines the basic principles of textual analysis, including the importance of historical context and linguistic analysis. This English translation includes additional notes and commentary by the American biblical scholar Moses Stuart, making it an essential resource for students of theology and literary criticism. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.