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Whether the Greeks originally derived their poetry from the fountains of nature, or received it through a different channel from a remoter source, appears a question of little importance, and not easy to be determined. Thus far, however, is evident, that an opinion was prevalent in Greece. concerning the nature and origin of poetry, which appears most groundless and absurd if we contemplate only the poetry of Greece, though truly and justly applicable to that of the Hebrews. They considered poetry as something sacred and celestial, not produced by human art or genius, but altogether a divine gift. Among them, therefore, poets were accounted sacred, the ambassadors of Heaven, men favoured with an immediate intercourse and familiarity with the gods. The mysteries and ceremonies of their religion, and the worship of their deities, were all performed in verse; and the most ancient of their compositions, their oracles, always consisted of numbers. This circumstance, I must add, rendered them not only more sublime, but more deserving of credit in the eyes of the common people; for they conceived it equally the effect of divine inspiration to foresee events, and to express them in extemporaneous verse. Thus, they seem to have retained some traces of an opinion impressed upon the minds of men in the very earliest ages concerning the true and ancient poetry, even after they had lost the reality itself, and when religion and poetry had by the licentiousness of fiction reciprocally corrupted each

other.

Since, therefore, in the sacred writings the only specimens. of the primeval and genuine poetry are to be found, and since these are not less venerable for their antiquity than for their divine original, I conceived it my duty in the first place to investigate the nature of these writings, as far as might be consistent with the design of this institution: In other words, it is not my intention to expound to the student of theology the oracles of divine truth, but to recommend to the notice of the youth who is addicted to the politer sciences, and studious of the elegancies of composition, some of the first and choicest specimens of poetic taste. The difficulty of the undertaking ought probably to have discouraged me from the attempt; yet with you, Gentlemen, I trust my temerity will find this excuse, namely, that I have undertaken a subject the most noble in itself, and the best adapted to the circumstances of my office. I trust that you

will allow me at least the merit of distinguishing what was most worthy of this place and this assembly; though perhaps I have too rashly engaged, without a due consideration of my own abilities.

In this disquisition it is my intention to pursue that track which the nature of the subject seems to require. Three points are to be considered in every poem: First, the argument or matter, and the manner of treating it; what disposition, what order, and what general form is adapted to each species of composition: Secondly, the elocution and style, in which are comprehended lively and elevated sentiments, splendour and perspicuity of arrangement, beauty and variety of imagery, and strength and elegance of diction: Lastly, the harmony of the verse or numbers is to be considered, not only as intended to captivate the ear, but as adapted to the subject, and expressive of it, and as calculated to excite corresponding emotions in the soul. We shall now consider what is to be performed in each of these departments, and how far we may with safety, and with any prospect of advantage, engage in a critical examination of the Hebrew poetry.

With respect to the nature of the versification, (if I may be allowed to reverse my own arrangement, and to speak of that first which constituted the last division of my subject), I fear that little can be produced to your satisfaction or my own; since it is manifest, not only from the unsuccessful endeavours of the most learned men, but from the nature of the thing itself, that scarcely any real knowledge of the Hebrew versification is now to be attained; and the only merit to which any modern writer can lay claim, is that of distinguishing certain facts (if any there be) from uncertain conjecture, and demonstrating how imperfect our information must of necessity be upon this topic. Were the inquiry, however, concerning the Hebrew metre to be wholly overlooked, yet, since some vestiges of verse are discernible, a few observations of a general nature will probably occur, which we shall in the first place slightly advert to, and afterwards, as occasion serves, particularize and explain.

That part of these Lectures, on the other hand, which treats of the style of the Hebrew poetry, will afford very ample scope for disquisition, since it possesses not only all the principal excellencies which are common to poetry, 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.

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 spirit, 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 connexion 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 ;* 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 itself will distinguish the poetic division and arrangement, 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 Psal. xxv. xxxiv. xxxvii. cxi. cxii. cxix. cxlv. Prov. xxxi. from the 10th verse to the end. The whole of the Lamentations of Jeremiah except the last chapter.-Author's Note.

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