I sus

author who first introduced it, PSAL. xlvi. 2-6. pect something of the kind indeed to have happened about the time of his composing that Psalm, for it is usual in earthquakes for some streams to be entirely drained, while others overflow. But his imitators, in their ardour for novelty, have gone far beyond him. Thus Joel intermingles with this figure the picture of the golden age, c. iii. 18.

"The mountains shall drop down new wine,

"And the hills shall flow with milk,

"And all the rivers of Judah shall flow with water, "And a fountain shall flow from the house of Jehovah, "And shall water the valley of Shittim."

M.

LECTURE VII.

OF POETIC IMAGERY FROM COMMON Life.

Examples of poetical imagery from common life-The habits of life extremely simple among the Hebrews, whose principal employments were agriculture and pasturage-The dignity of these employments; and the splendour of the imagery which is borrowed from them: Threshing, and the threshing instruments-The sublimity of the imagery which is taken from familiar objects results from its propriety. The poetic hell of the Hebrews explained; the imagery of which is borrowed from their subterraneous sepulchres and funeral rites.

IN

my last Lecture I explained three causes, which have enabled the Hebrew poets to preserve in their figurative style the most perfect union between perspicuity and sublimity. I remarked in the first place, that they chiefly employed images taken from familiar objects, such I mean as were generally known and understood; secondly, that in the use or application of them, they observed a regular track, method, or analogy; and lastly, that they used most freely that kind of imagery which was most familiar, and the application of which was most generally un

derstood.

derstood. The truth of these observations will, I think, find further and more decisive confirmation, if those metaphors be considered, which are taken from arts, manners, and common life. These, you will easily recollect, I before pointed out as another source of poetical imagery: and for this part of the subject a few general observations will suffice, with an example or two out of the great number which present themselves in the sacred writings. The whole course and method of common or domestic life among the Hebrews of the more ancient times, was simple and uniform in the greatest degree. There existed not that variety of studies and pursuits, of arts, conditions, and employments, which may be observed among other nations, who boast of superior civilization; and rightly indeed, if luxury, levity, and pride, be the criterions of it. All enjoyed the same equal liberty; all of them, as being the offspring of the same ancient stock, boasted an equality of lineage and rank; there were no empty titles, no ensigns of false glory; scarcely any distinction or precedence but that which resulted from superior virtue or conduct, from the dignity of age and experience, or from services rendered

VOL. I.

dered to their country. Separated from the rest of mankind by their religion and laws, and not at all addicted to commerce, they were contented with those arts which were necessary to a simple and uncultivated (or rather uncorrupted) state of life. Thus their principal employments were agriculture and the care of cattle; they were a nation of husbandmen and shepherds. The lands had been originally parcelled out to the different families; the portions of which (by the laws of the country) could not be alienated by sale', and therefore descended to their posterity without diminution. The fruits of the earth, the produce of his land and labour, constituted the wealth of each individual. Not even the greatest among them esteemed it mean and disgraceful to be employed in the lowest offices of rural labour. In the Scripture history, therefore, we read of eminent persons called to the highest and most sacred offices, heroes, kings, and prophets, from the plough and from the stalls2.

LEV. xxv. 13-16. and 23, 24. Compare 1 KINGS, xxi. 3.

2 See JUD. iii. 31. vi. 11. 1 SAM. ix. 3. xi. 5. 2 SAM. vii. 8. PSAL. lxxviii. 72, 73. 1 KINGS, xix. 19, 20. Aмos, i. 1. vii. 14, 15.

Such

Such being the state of things, we cannot reasonably be surprised to find the Hebrew writers deducing most of their metaphors from those arts particularly, in which they were educated from their earliest years. We are not to wonder that those objects which were most familiar to their senses afforded the principal ornaments of their poetry; especially since they furnished so various and so elegant an assortment of materials, that not only the beautiful, but the grand and magnificent, might be collected from them. If any person of more nicety than judgment should esteem some of these rustic images grovelling or vulgar, it may be of some use to him to be informed, that such an effect can only result from the ignorance of the critic, who, through the medium of his scanty information and peculiar prejudices, presumes to estimate matters of the most remote antiquity; it cannot reasonably be attri

3 One would almost think that this keen remark was prophetically levelled at a late critic of a very extraordinary cast. It was a little unfortunate for that learned gentleman, that these Lectures were not translated previous to the publication of his book: if they had, he certainly would never have laid himself open to the application of so pointed a sarcasm. T.