"Because he hath loved me, therefore will I deliver him: I will exalt him, for he hath known my name."

If any reader will carefully weigh and consider the nature and dignity of this imagery, having due respect at the same time to the principles of the mystical allegory, I am persuad

There are many interpretations of this period, which are differently approved by different persons. One of these is, that the first member consists of an address from the believer to God, and the second of a reply from the Prophet to the believer; which is extremely harsh and improbable, although the plain and obvious construction of the passage favours this opinion. Others, among which are the old translators, suppose, that in the second line there is no change of persons at all, but that JEHOVAH is still spoken of,

"Who hast placed thy dwelling on high;"

which is altogether nothing. Others, in fine, to avoid these absurdities, have fallen into still greater; for they give quite a new turn to the sentence, altering the construction in this manner:

"For thou, JEHOVAH, who art my hope,

Hast placed thy refuge very high."

But this I think will scarcely be endured by a good ear, which is ever so little accustomed to the Hebrew idiom. Theodoret formerly made a different attempt upon the passage:-" There is wanting to the construction of the sentence, THOU HAST SAID, Thou Lord art my hope. This is the usual idiom of the prophetic writings, and especially of the Psalms."

I have very little doubt that this is the true sense of the passage. If, however, this ellipsis be unpleasing to the reader, (and I confess it is very harsh), we must, I believe, at last have recourse to the correction of Bishop Hare, one of the ablest of critics; who thinks, that for we should read 8. It is indeed rather a bold conjecture, yet not improbable, if we consider the parallel places, Psalm xvi. 2. (where seems to have been the reading followed by all the old translators, except the Chald. “ and also occurs in three MSS." K.), Psalm xxxi. 15. cxl. 7. cxlii. 6.

מחסן But what if we read

with only the change of a single letter?" For thee (that is, as to thee), JEHOVAH is thy hope." This correction was suggested to me by the ingenious Mr Merrick, who has lately published a Translation of the Psalms into English Verse; a work of great erudition, of infinite taste and elegance, and replete with all the choicest beauties of poetry.-Author's Note.

"For thou, JEHOVAH, art my hope;

Very high hast thou placed thy habitation."

I believe there is no occasion in this instance to practise on the original. The imagery here remotely alluded to, is placed in a fuller point of view by Habakkuk, chap. ii. ver. 9.

"Woe unto him who coveteth an evil covetousness for his house;

That he may set his nest on high;

That he may be delivered from the power of evil."

And Obadiah, ver. 3.

"He that dwelleth in the clefts of the rock, the height of his habitation, Hath said in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground?—

Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle,

And though thou set thy nest among the stars,

Thence will I bring thee down, saith JEHOVAH."—S. H.

ed he will agree with me, that something of a mystical design is concealed under the literal meaning of this Psalm. Without a question, the pious person,* the king, or highpriest perhaps, who in the literal sense is the principal character of the poem, is meant in reality to represent some greater and sublimer personage. But leaving this part of the subject to the investigation of the Divine, I submit it to any critic of true taste and discernment, whether the third ode of the fourth book of Horace (the beauty of which has been justly celebrated, and which bears a great resemblance to that under our consideration) is not greatly excelled by the sacred poet, as well in grace and elegance, as in force and dignity.†

* The LXX, Chald. Vulg. Syr. Arab. Æthiop. prefix the name of David to this Psalm. The Jews suppose it to relate to the Messiah. See also Matt. iv. 6. Luke iv. 10, 11.-Author's Note.

† At a very early period of life I amused myself with translating some of the Odes of Horace into English verse. The ode alluded to in the text was

one of those which I attempted. I subjoin my translation on this occasion, merely because I think it gives the sense of the original more completely than Francis's version, and the English reader will probably wish to see the ode which is brought into comparison with that of the Psalmist.

TO MELPOMENE.

He, on whose early natal hour

Thou, queen of verse! hast sweetly smil'd,

Breath'd all thy fascinating power,

And mark'd him for thy favourite child :

He emulates no victor's place,

Nor mixes in the Isthmian games;

Nor, in the arduous chariot-race,

Th' Achaian trophies anxious claims.

He ne'er, adorn'd with conquering bays,
And the proud pomp of baneful war,
Shall catch the vagrant voice of praise,
While captive kings surround his car:

But, where the fertile Tiber glides,

To secret shades shall oft retire;
And there shall charm the listening tides,
And tune the soft Æolian lyre.

Thy noblest sons, Imperial Rome!
Assign to me the laureate crown:
And Envy, now abash'd and dumb,

Nor dares to speak, nor dares to frown.

O goddess of the vocal shell!

Whose power can sway both earth and sea,
Can the mute fishes teach t'excel

The dying cygnet's melody:

The eighty-first Psalm will serve as another example upon this occasion, being pervaded by an exquisite union of sublimity and sweetness. It is an ode composed for the Feast of Trumpets in the first new moon of the civil year.* The exordium contains an exhortation to celebrate the praises of the Almighty with music and song, and (as is frequent in these productions of the Hebrews) is replete with animation and joy, even to exultation:

66

Sing unto God our strength;

A song of triumph to the God of Jacob."

The different instruments of music are named, as is common in the lyric compositions of all other nations:

"Take the psaltery, bring hither the timbrel,
The pleasant harp, with the lute."

The trumpet is particularly alluded to, because the solemn use of it on their great festivals was prescribed by the Mosaic law. The commemoration of the giving of the law, associated with the sound of the trumpet, (which was the signal of liberty),† introduces, in a manner spontaneously, the miseries of the Egyptian bondage, the recovery of their freedom, and the communication with God upon Mount Sinai, (the awfulness of which is expressed in a very few words, "the secret place of thunder"), and finally the contention with their Creator at the waters of Meribah. The mention of Meribah introduces another idea, namely, the ingratitude and contumacy of the Israelites, who appear to have been ever unmindful of the favours and indulgence of their heavenly Benefactor. The remainder of the ode, therefore, contains an affectionate expostulation of God with his people, a confirmation of his former promises, and a tender complaint, that his favourable intentions towards them have been so long prevented by their disobedience. Thus, the object and end of this poem appears to be an exhortation to obedience, from the consideration of the paternal love, the beneficence, and the promises of the Deity; and we have seen with how much art, elegance, variety, and ingenuity, this is accomplished. In order to complete the beauty of this composition, the con

To thee, sweet Musc! I owe this fame;
That e'er I pleas'd, the gift is thine;
That, as I pass, fond crowds exclaim-
"The Roman bard! the man divine!"-T.

* See Reland, Antiq. Heb. iv. 7.

See Lev. xxiii. 24. Numb. xxix. 1. and Lev. xxv. 9, 10.

clusion is replete with all the graces of sentiment, imagery, and diction. The sudden and frequent change of persons is remarkable; but it is by no means harsh or obscure. Some allowance is however to be made for the Hebrew idiom, as well as for the state of the author's mind: he is not under the influence of art, but of nature; through the impetuosity of passion, therefore, his transitions are frequent from figure and allusion to plain language, and back again with a kind of desultory inconstancy.

In the last Lecture I treated in general of the disposition and arrangement of lyric composition, and endeavoured, in some degree, to define its usual symmetry and outline. But, on abstruse and difficult subjects, example is of more avail than the utmost accuracy of description. To him, therefore, who wishes to form a correct idea of this kind of poem, I will venture to recommend the Psalm which we have just examined; not doubting, that if he can make himself master of its general character, genius, and arrangement, he will feel perfectly satisfied concerning the nature and form of a perfect ode.

In both these specimens, the style and cadence of the whole poem flows in one equal and uniform tenor; but there are others, which are more changeable and diversified, more unequal both in style and sentiment. These, although they occasionally incline to the character of sweetness, and occasionally to that of sublimity, may nevertheless (though upon a different principle) be properly classed among the odes of this intermediate style. Such are those which, from a mild and gentle exordium, rise gradually to sublimity, both in the subject and sentiments; such also are those which commence in a mournful strain, and conclude with exultation and triumph; such, in fine, are all those in which the style or matter is in any respect diversified and unequal. This inequality of style is perfectly consistent with the nature of lyric composition; for variety is one of the greatest ornaments, if not essentials, of the ode. Since, therefore, for the sake of variety, lyric writers in particular are indulged in the liberty of frequent digressions; that boldness in thus diverging from the subject is not only excusable, but on many occasions is really worthy of commendation. Possibly a brief inquiry into the nature of those liberties which the Hebrew poets have allowed themselves in this respect, or rather into the general method and prin

ciples of their lyric compositions, will not be thought altogether unseasonable in this place.

By far the greater part of the lyric poetry of the Hebrews is occupied wholly in the celebration of the power and goodness of Almighty God, in extolling his kindness and beneficence to his chosen people, and in imploring his assistance and favour in time of adversity: in other words, the usual subjects of these odes are so connected with every part of the sacred history, as to afford ample scope for those digres sions which are most pleasing, and most congenial to this species of composition. Thus, whether the theme be gay or mournful; whether the events which they celebrate be prosperous or adverse; whether they return thanks to God their deliverer for assistance in trouble, or with the humility of suppliants acknowledge the justice of the divine correction; the memory of former times spontaneously occurs, and a variety of incidents and circumstances, of times, of seasons, of countries, of nations, all the miracles in Egypt, in the wilderness, in Judea, are presented to their recollection: and all these so naturally connect with the subject, that whatever of ornament is deduced from them, so far from appearing foreign to it, seems rather an essential part of the principal matter. It may, therefore, be with modesty asserted of the Hebrew ode, that, from the nature of the subjects which it usually embraces, it is possessed of so easy an access to some of the most elegant sources of poetical imagery, and has consequently so many opportunities for agreeable digression, that with unbounded freedom and uncommon variety are united the most perfect order and the most pleasing uniformity.

The happy boldness of Pindar in his digressions is deservedly celebrated; but as he was very differently situated from those poets who are at present under our consideration, so the nature of his subject, and the principles of his composition, are altogether different from theirs; and a different reason is to be assigned for the liberties which he assumed in his lyric productions. We are in no want of materials to enable us to form a perfect judgment of the genius of Pindar; there are about forty of his odes remaining, and the subject of them all is exactly similar. They are all composed in celebration of some victorious chief, whose praise is heightened and illustrated by the circumstances of his birth, ancestry, manners, or country. Since,