bræans. Indeed, if the ideas given in the former essay, on the nature of Hebrew poetry, be right, the fact is incontrovertible; and if they be not right, we have yet to seek the nature of the Hebrew poetry. : It has been somewhat disputed among the critics, whether this poem is to be reckoned a PASTORAL or not: but this is little more than a dispute about terms. If Theocritus and Virgil are to be made the standard of this species of composition, it certainly will not endure the test of criticism but the most excellent writers in any style can hardly be supposed to have been the first and the laws of Hebrew pastoral are only to be drawn from writers in that language; I mean from the sacred writers, who frequently mixed with images strictly pastoral, others derived from different sources; as we see in the twenty-third psalm, the finest pastoral in that language. And the introduction of images borrowed from royalty, intermixed with the affairs of shepherds', are so far from improper or inconsistent, that I think there is a peculiar beauty in their being mingled or united. The most splendid objects were simple in their origin, and from the pastoral life were probably borrowed all the ancient insignia of royalty. For instance, a shepherd was a king or ruler of his sheep; and a good king the shepherd of his people. The office of govern ment is compared to that of feeding flocks, be. 1 Harmer p. 2. cause it should be exercised for the public good. The sceptre of the monarch is borrowed from the shepherd's staff, and his crown, perhaps, was but an improvement of the shepherd's garland. These analogies very sufficiently justify the intermixture of images which have been unjustly deemed incongruous'. And, I am inclined to think, the neglect of this circumstance has led commentators into improper methods of interpretation: and that by the bridegroom's feeding among the lilies, &c. is literally intended the exercise of his regal government with equity and moderation; as the going forth by the footsteps of the flock is a figurative term for obedience, and the following good examples. If the term EPITHALAMIUM is to be taken for a poem sung to the new-married couple in the nuptial bed, it cannot be applied to this song2; but if taken in a larger sense for a nuptial poem only, I see no great impropriety in such an appli, cation. The question whether this piece, is of a similar nature. be a DRAMATIC Taking the term 1 Mr. Harmer hints that only two verses at most are pastoral; but this surely is a mistake; for wherever the speakers talk of woods and mountains, fields and gardens, roes and gazels-wherever they speak of feeding among lilies, &c. are not all these images borrowed from the pastoral, or first simple state of rural life? So Dr. Blair observes, The Song of Songs affords us a high exemplification of pastoral poetry. It is a dramatic pastoral, or a perpetual dialogue between personages in the character of shepherds; and, suitably to that form, it is full of rural and pastoral images from beginning to end.' Blair's Lect. vol. III. Lect. XLI, 2 Harmer, p. 3, dramatic in a theatrical sense, it will certainly not apply but taking it in a laxer sense for a poem by way of dialogue, it is very proper; and though there be strictly no dramatic plot, yet there are successive scenes and poetical machinery. The persons of this drama are for the most part easily distinguishable in the original language, which has a difference of gender in the verbs, as well as nouns and pronouns. Origen, who has been followed by all succeeding commentators, distinguishes the bride and bridegroom-the virgins attendant on the bride, and the companions of the bridegroom. Mr. HARMER, however, thinks he has discovered two brides, the daughter of Pharaoh; and a Jewish lady, who had been married to Solomon prior to the other, and was provoked to jealousy by these nuptials; and this opinion certainly deserves examination in respect to its ingenious author, though I know not that he made a single convert to his opinion. Mr. Harmer's first and grand reason is-that this bride, in chap, iii. appears to have been accustomed to the bed of Solomon, because she sought him there: By night on my bed I sought "him;' which seems inconsistent with the modesty of a new married lady, and with his hypothesis, that the marriage is not consummated till the fourth chapter. When we come to that passage, I shall attempt to show the latter notion to be unfounded in the mean time, if the language of the spouse be only a dream, as I shall endeavour to prove, it will afford but a very weak support for his conclusion. That Solomon was married before his alliance with Pharaoh's daughter, and even before his accession to the crown, should appear by the age of Rehoboam, his son and successor; but that his first wife was ever crowned, or that she was alive at this period, or even at his accession, are mere uncertain suppositions, and therefore ought not to be employed in argument. As to the jealous language which Mr. Harmer thought he could perceive in the sequel of the poem, I can attribute it to nothing but the influence of hypothesis, which is very apt to give a colour to all our views of a subject; and if the reader turns to the passages he points out, as I have done, I think he will see as little of it. That the lady celebrated in chapter vii. is called a prince's daughter, and not the king's (as in Ps. xlv.) has been shewn to be an objection of little consequence. The result then of our last enquiry in connexion with the preceding is, that the lady here celebrated was probably a daughter of Pharaoh, lately married to Solomon; and that there is no reason to suppose two wives of Solomon, introduced, or particularly referred to, in this poem. Having so far settled the dramatis persona, or persons of the dialogue, our next enquiry respects. 1 See 1 Kings xiv. 21. compared with chap. xi. 42. 2 Chap. ii. 1, 5. iii. 1. the time, i. e. the dramatic time of the piece, and the change of scenery. The Jewish weddings commonly lasted seven days, as appears in the instances of Jacob and Samson'. From this circumstance the ingenious bishop BoSSUET suggested that the poem should be divided into seven parts, analogous to these days, and he has been followed by many later writers; particularly by the anonymous author of a very ingenious paraphrase on this song2. He, however, varies several of the divisons, as I conceive with great judgment, and with good reason, and I was pleased to find, upon making more than one attempt to divide it myself, merely by internal marks, that I fell almost exactly into his divisions; which strongly inclines me to this hypothesis. We know that the marriages of the ancient Hebrews were attended with music and dancing, as are the eastern marriages to this day; and there can be no doubt but these accompanied the nuptials of Pharaoh's daughter; but whether this poem, or any parts of it, as Mr. Harmer sug gests, were thus sung, it seems impossible tỏ ascertain with certainty, however probable it may appear from some circumstances. Gen. xxix. 27. Judges xiv. 10, 17. 3 Ch. i. 1. &c. iv. 1-11. K |