etry, but

but possesses many also which are proper and peculiar to itself.

In the remaining part, which though first in order and dignity, will be the last to be treated of, we must with diligence, (as considering the difficulty of the subject) and at the same time with caution engage; lest while we wander too much at large in the ample field of poetry, we should imprudently break in upon the sacred boundaries of theology. It will be our business on this occasion to distribute the Hebrew poems, according to their different species, into different classes; to consider in each what is most worthy of attention; and perhaps to compare them with those of Greece and Rome, if there be any extant of the same kind.

THE FIRST PART.

OF THE HEBREW METRE.

LECTURE III.

THE HEBREW POETRY IS METRICAL.

The necessity of inquiring into the nature of the Hebrew verse-The Hebrew poetry proved to be metrical from the alphabetical poems, and from the equality and correspondence of the sentiments; also from the poetical diction-Some of the most obvious properties of the verse-The rhythm and mode of scanning totally lost: proved from facts-The poetical conformation of the sentences-The Greek and Latin poetry materially different from the Hebrew, from the very nature of the languages— Hence a peculiar property in the prose versions of the Hebrew poetry and the attempts to exhibit this poetry in the verse of other languages.

N

On the very first attempt to elucidate the nature of the sacred poetry, a question presents itself uncommonly difficult and obscure, concerning the nature of the Hebrew verse. This question I would indeed gladly have avoided, could I have abandoned it consistently with my design. But since it appears essential to every species of poetry, that it be confined to numbers, and consist of some kind of verse, (for indeed wanting this, it would not only want its most agreeable attributes, but would scarcely deserve the name of poetry) in treating of the poetry of the Hebrews, it appears absolutely necessary to demonstrate, that those parts at least of the Hebrew writings which we term poetic, are in a metrical form, and to inquire whether any thing be certainly known concerning the nature and principles of this versification or not. This part of my subject therefore I undertake, not as hoping to illustrate it by any new observations,

but merely with a view of inquiring whether it will admit of any illustration at all. Even this I shall attempt with brevity and caution, as embarked upon an ocean dishonoured by the shipwreck of many eminent persons, and therefore presuming only to coast along the shore.

In the first place (notwithstanding that a contrary opinion has been supported by some of the learned) I think it will be sufficiently apparent, if we but advert to them a little more attentively, that certain of the Hebrew writings are not only animated with the true poetic spir- it, but in some degree confined to numbers. For there appear in almost every part of them such marks and vestiges of verse, as could scarcely be expected to remain in any language, after the sound and pronunciation (as is the case with the Hebrew at present) were, through extreme antiquity, become almost totally obsolete.

There existed a certain kind of poetry among the Hebrews, principally intended, it should seem, for the assistance of the memory in which, when there was little connection between the sentiments, a sort of order or method was preserved, by the initial letters of each line or stanza following the order of the alphabet. Of this there are several examples extant among the sacred poems;1 and in these examples the verses are so exactly marked and defined, that it is impossible to mistake them for prose; and particularly if we attentively consider the verses, and compare them with one another, since they are in general so regularly accommodated, that word answers to word, and almost syllable to syllable. This being the case; though an appeal can scarcely be made to the ear on this occasion, the eye

1 Psalm xxv, xxxiv, xxxvii, cxi, cxii, cxix, calv. Prov. xxxi. from the 10th verse to the end. The whole of the Lamentations of Jeremiah except the last chapter. Author's Note.

itself will distinguish the poetic division and arrange. ment, and also that some labour and accuracy has been employed in adapting the words to the measure.

The Hebrew poetry has likewise another property altogether peculiar to metrical composition. Writers who are confined within the trammels of verse, are generally indulged with the license of using words in a sense and manner remote from their common acceptation, and in some degree contrary to the analogy of the language; so that sometimes they shorten them by taking from the number of the syllables, and sometimes venture to add a syllable for the sake of adapting them to their immediate purpose. This practice is not only effectual to the facilitating of the versification, but also to the prevention of satiety by varying the sounds, and by imparting to the style a certain peculiar colouring, which elevates it above the language of the vulgar. Poetry therefore always makes use of some such artifice, as accords best with the genius of each language. This is exemplified particularly in two respects: First, in the use of glosses or foreign language; and secondly, in that of certain irregular or less received forms of common words.2 The extreme liberty which the Greeks allowed themselves in these respects is remarkable; and their language, beyond every other, because of the variety and copiousness of the different dialects, which prevailed in the several states of Greece, was peculiarly favourable to it. Next to them none perhaps have admitted these liberties more freely than the Hebrews, who not only by the use of glosses, but by that of anomalous language, and chiefly of certain particles3

2 See ARISTOT. Poet. c. 22.

3 The poetical particles, which the grammarians in general call paragogic, (or redundant) are as follow. added to nouns: NUMB. xxiv. 3.

peculiar to metrical composition, and added frequently at the end of words, have so varied their style, as to form

PSAM. 1. 10. lxxix. 2. cxiv. 8. civ. 11, 20. ISAI. lvi. 9. (it occurs here twice.) ZEPH. ii. 14.

" NUMB. xxiv. 3. as also o, Psal. 1. 10, &c. seems to be a pleonas. mus peculiar to the Syriae. For thus it is common for that people to " express The son of his David, MATTH. i. 1.

ברה דדויד themselves

7 1. The countenance of his Lord, ISAI. i. 20. wynb. PSAL. CXIV. 8. "It was formerly read yn, as appears from the SEPTUAGINT, Muvas "idalar."

H.

• Added to nouns, adverbs, prepositions, is common in the poets: also to the participles, Benoni, sing. masc. & fem. GEN. xlix. 11. PSAL. ci. 5. PROV. xxviii. 16. JER. Xxii. 23, xlix. 16. li. 13. EZEK. xxvii. 3. This, however, the Masorites have sometimes rashly expunged.

Concerning the, when added to verbs in the second pers. fem. sing. pret. I have sometimes my doubts whether it be an error or not. Certainly the Masorites are of opinion that it should always be expunged. See JER. xiii. 21. xxii. 23. xxxi. 21, and Ezek. xvi. where it occurs eleven times. Now it is not in the least probable that in one chapter the same error should so frequently take place. "But in these eleven places many MSS. confirm "the Masoretic Keri, for the is wanting." K. It may also be a Syriac gloss, which is the opinion of CAPPEL; Crit. Sac. Lib. iii. c. xiii. 8. Though there is a passage, where it occurs in the same person masc. * *, “be"cause thou hast said," PSAL. lxxxix. 3. So indeed almost all the old interpreters, except the Chaldean paraphrast, have taken it; and rightly, indeed, if regard is to be paid to the context or the parallelism of the sen tences. But this I rather esteem an error, though the Masorites have not noted it as such.

"Verbs in which the⚫ is added to the second pers. fem. sing. pret. fol"low the Syriac and Arabic form.” H.

10 for D, or DM, occurs frequently in the Hebrew poetry. See PSAL. ii. 3, 4, 5. where it appears five times: sometimes in the singular for 1; see ISAT. xliv. 15. liii. 8. JOB xx. 23. xxii. 2. xxvii. 23. PSALM xi. 7. It is very often merely paragogic, or redundant. simply seems to be altogether poetical; it occurs in NEHEM. ix. 11 and is taken from the song of Moses, EXOD. XV. 5.-It is, however, not the same with præfixes or suffixes.

“ISAI. liii. 8. . The SEPTUAGINT in this place is nxon us Javalov (he "was led unto death :) in this it follows the Arabic version, which reads

”.למות »

H.

Of these particles, which I call poetical, there occur very few examples in the prose parts of Scripture, indeed I do not know that there are any more than the following: 1, GEN. i. 24. but instead of xx 17, the SAMARITAN Copy has п, as it is also expressed in the Hebrew in the following verse. •, GEN. xxxi. 39. twice: but it is also wanting in the Sa

• A Masoretic term for a various reading.