F. THE SONG OF SOLOMON.

THE exquisite beauty and freshness which distinguish this composition, fully justify its Hebrew title of 'Song of Songs '(w). It is the only pórtion of the Bible which is of a purely secular character, and it is the only remaining specimen of a Hebrew drama: for though thoroughly moral in tone, it has no religious tendency; and though lyrical in its descriptions, it is dramatic in form and arrangement.

The subject of the poem may be briefly told. A young shepherdess from the little town of Shulem near Nazareth -and hence simply called the Shulamite-was betrothed to a shepherd, who fondly loved her. Her beauty excited admiration, and she was taken to the luxurious court of king Solomon; but she resisted all temptations and allurements; in her thoughts and in her dreams she longed for her distant bridegroom; and at last the king was compelled to send her back to her home, where the young pair were happily united in marriage.

The poet evidently desires to contrast the purity and simplicity of the rustic couple with the enervating pomp of the royal palace; he intended to hold up the mirror to the king and his courtiers, and in this sense his production has a moral object; but this tendency is veiled by lyrical language of singular exuberance and enthusiasm. We breathe throughout the atmosphere of true poetry and of idyllic peace; and we see before us nature in her brightest and most festive garb, as in this description of returning spring: "Lo the winter is past, the

rain is over and gone, the flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; the fig-tree makes fragrant its green figs, and the vines in their blossoms smell sweetly.' The imagination of the poet is fervid and soaring, yet always pure and measured; and he couples depth of feeling with a gay and often playful humour. But he employs all his pathos in expatiating on his principal theme, the power of love, of which he speaks in strains like these: 'Love is strong as death; affection is firm as the grave: its flames are flames of fire, a godly glow. Many waters cannot quench love, nor can floods wash it away: : if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, he would be utterly rejected.'

The young pair vie with each other in professions of admiration and in pledges of affection. The shepherd thus describes his bride: Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves' eyes behind thy veil; thy hair is as a flock of goats, which lie down on Mount Gilead. Thy teeth are like a flock of shorn sheep that come out of the water; whereof all bear twins, and none is barren among them. Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet, and thy mouth is comely: thy cheek is like the half of a pomegranate behind thy veil. Thy neck is like the tower of David built for an armoury, whereon hang a thousand bucklers, all shields of heroes.... Thou art all fair, my love; there is no fault in thee. . . . Thou hast taken away my heart, my sister, my bride; thou hast taken away my heart by one glance of thy eyes, by one chain of thy neck.' And the maiden speaks of her bridegroom with no less fervour: My beloved is white and ruddy, distinguished among myriads; his head is like the finest gold; his locks are waving palm-branches, and black as a raven; his eyes are as doves by the rivers of water, bathed in milk, and fitly set; his cheeks are

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...

like a bed of spices, like sweet flowers; his lips like lilies dropping sweet-smelling myrrh; his hands are as golden rings set with chrysolith. . . . His form is like the Lebanon, distinguished as the cedars; his mouth is most sweet: yea he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem!'

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It is indeed remarkable that a work of such a nature should have been embodied in the Biblical Canon; but the matter may be thus explained. The Song of Songs' was probably written not long after the death of Solomon by a poet living in the northern kingdom, and it was treasured by the people as one of the finest dramatic and lyrical compositions. In the course of time, the authorship of the piece was attributed to the wise king himself, and then it was naturally believed to have a religious tendency; it was supposed to treat of the love of God towards His chosen people; in this sense the entire poem was interpreted, and was, therefore, finally incorporated in the Canon, and invested with the utmost sacredness. But it need not be remarked, that all allegorical and typical interpretations are against the tenor and spirit of the work, which is interesting because it is one of the oldest Hebrew poems preserved to us, and because it shows the power and versatility of Hebrew genius in a new and unexpected light.

G. THE WISDOM OF JESUS THE SON OF SIRACH,

OR

ECCLESIASTICUS.

THE literary labours of the Hebrews, so far from ceasing with the independence of their commonwealth, multiplied considerably in the Babylonian and Persian periods; and the Preacher' declared, 'Of making many books there is no end.' A large number of these works, composed after the completion of the Canon, have been embodied in the Apocrypha; and among the writings thus fortunately preserved to us are two belonging to that class of didactic poetry in which the Hebrews particularly excelled— namely, the Wisdom of Jesus the son of Sirach,' and 'the Wisdom of Solomon.'

About 180 years before the Christian era, there lived in Jerusalem a learned man of the name of Jesus Sirach. He was probably a priest, and stood in high esteem among the eminent men of his time. Thoroughly imbued with the literature of his people, he wrote down his reflections and experiences in the popular form of proverbs and maxims. His work soon rose into high favour among his countrymen; and when, about fifty years after its publication, his grandson emigrated into Egypt during the reign of Ptolemy VII. of Physcon, he translated it into Greek for the benefit of the African Jews, to whom Hebrew had then already become a strange language. The original, though for centuries diffused in

numerous copies, was ultimately lost; and we have, therefore, all the more reason to be grateful to the translator, who accomplished his task with the utmost care and conscientiousness.

The Book consists of a large collection of sayings, many of which, both from their purpose and their wording, remind the reader of the Proverbs of Solomon, which were evidently the author's great model. Like them, they embrace nearly everything that concerns both practical and religious life, common expediency and lofty morality. And yet the Book has a peculiar character of its own. It includes indeed many detached sentences; but for the greater part it is written in a connected form; and as kindred subjects are grouped together, a certain continuity is produced. Again, in the Wisdom of Sirach' the moralist is more prominent than the shrewd observer of life; and in its instructions, the spiritual prevails over the worldly element. Though the later work is inferior to its prototype in pithiness and freshness, it does not yield to it in purity of sentiment and fervour of patriotism; and, though separated from it by the interval of many centuries, it propounds exactly the same moral and religious doctrines. For Jesus Sirach also proves wisdom to be identical with religion, or with that fear of God which shows itself in faithful adherence to His laws; and he also teaches the old doctrine of retribution, which limits all rewards and punishments to this life.

Reflections like the following seem almost an echo of the Proverbs of Solomon:'

'All wisdom comes from the Lord, and is with Him for ever.... Wisdom has been created before all things, and the understanding of prudence from everlasting. The word of God Most High is the fountain of wisdom; and her ways are everlasting commandments. . . . He