THE TRANSLATOR’S PREFACE.

IT MAY NOT BE IMPROPER to apprize the Public, that although the following Lectures be entitled Lectures on the Hebrew Poetry, their utility is by no means confined to that single object: They embrace all the great principles of general criticism, as delivered by the ancients, improved by the keen judgment and polished taste of their Author. In other words, this work will be found an excellent compendium of all the best rules of taste, and of all the principles of composition, illustrated by the boldest and most exalted specimens of genius (if no higher title be allowed them) which antiquity has transmitted to us; and which have hitherto seldom fallen under the inspection of rational criticism.

Lest, from the title of the work, or from the circumstance of being originally published in a learned language, a prejudice should arise in the breast of any individual that these Lectures are addressed only to the learned, I think it a duty to anticipate a misapprehension which might interfere both with his entertainment and instruction. The greatest as well as the most useful works of taste and literature, are those which, with respect at least to their general scope and design, lie most level to the common sense of mankind. Though the learning and genius displayed in the following Lectures must ever excite our warmest admiration; though they abound in curious researches, and in refined and exquisite observations; though the splendour of the sentiments and the elegance of the style will necessarily captivate the eye and the ear of the classical reader; the truth is, that they are more calculated for persons of taste and general reading, than for what is commonly termed the learned world. Here are few nice philological disquisitions, no abstruse metaphysical speculations; our Author has built solely upon the basis of common sense, and I know no part of his work which will not be intelligible and useful to almost every understanding.

A still greater mistake it would be, to suppose any knowledge of the Hebrew necessary to enable us to read these Lectures with profit and pleasure. So happily does the simple genius of the Hebrew language accord with our own; and so excellent a transcript of the original (notwithstanding a few errors) is our common translation of the Scriptures; so completely, so minutely, I might say, does it represent the style and character of the Hebrew writings, that no person who is conversant with it can be at all at a loss in applying all the criticisms of our Author. On this account I will venture to assert, that if the genius of the Translator approached in any degree the clearness, the elegance, the elevation of the Author, these Lectures in our own language would exhibit the subject in a much fairer and more advantageous light than in the original form. The English idiom, indeed, has so much greater analogy to the Hebrew, that the advantages which it possesses over the Latin must be obvious to any reader who compares the literal translations in each of these languages.

But the utility of these Lectures as a system of criticism, is perhaps their smallest merit. They teach us not only taste, but virtue; not only to admire and revere the Scriptures, but to profit by their precepts. The Author of the present work is not to be considered merely as a master of the general principles of criticism—he has penetrated the very sanctuaries of Hebrew literature; he has investigated, with a degree of precision which few critics have attained, the very nature and character of their composition: by accurately examining, and cautiously comparing every part of the sacred writings; by a force of genius which could enter into the very design of the authors; and by a comprehensiveness of mind which could embrace at a single view a vast series of corresponding passages—he has discovered the manner, the spirit, the idiom of the original, and has laid down such axioms as cannot fail greatly to facilitate our knowledge and understanding of the Scriptures. The work would amply repay the trouble of perusing it, by the excellent elucidations of particular passages of holy writ which it affords; but when we reflect, that these are connected with such rules and principles as may be applied with the greatest advantage to other difficult passages—with such rules, indeed, as will enable us better to comprehend the whole, surely it must appear inestimable in the eye of any man who has at all at heart his own improvement in religious knowledge. Perhaps the sceptic may learn from the perusal of these Lectures, that the difficulties of which he complains in the Scriptures, are difficulties which might in some measure be removed by a little more knowledge, and a little more diligence in the application of it. Perhaps, too, those profound and learned critics, who quote and censure authors whom they have never read, and talk fluently about languages the rudiments of which they have yet to learn, may find, to their great astonishment, that a degree of penetration superior to their own is able to discover at least a few rays of sublimity in the writings of the Hebrews.

Whatever be the merits or the defects of this Translation, on one account at least I will venture to promise myself the warmest commendations of my readers, namely, for having made them acquainted with the admirable criticisms of the learned Michaelis. I have much reason to regret that the nature of this publication would not permit the insertion of all his observations, and at full length. But the truth is, however suitable they may have been to the work in its original form, some of his remarks are too refined to be generally useful, and some of them too learned to be intelligible to any but those who are familiar with the whole circle of oriental literature. I have therefore selected such of them as I thought applicable to my present purpose: and as it was my wish to confine this work within as narrow limits as my duty to the public would permit, and to suffer in it nothing but what I esteemed immediately useful, I have taken the liberty of abridging some which I thought, in a literal translation, might appear tedious to the English reader.

Some observations of my own I have also presumed to introduce among the Notes. They were such as to me seemed calculated to render the work a more complete compendium of critical science. As I do not, however, think myself above censure, so I trust I shall not be found too obstinate for correction. Should my indiscretion, therefore, have obtruded anything which a fair and liberal critic shall deem impertinent or improper, I shall with much cheerfulness, in a future edition, submit to its erasement.

It was not till I had consulted some of the first literary characters concerning the propriety of substituting in the place of our Author’s inimitable Latin poems any English versions, that I ventured to appear as a poetical translator. Even then I did not fail to inspect every modern author, who I imagined might furnish me with compositions worthy of appearing among the criticisms of Lowth. I have preferred Mr Merrick’s Psalms to any version which I should have been able to produce, (except indeed in a single instance, where it was necessary that, the measure should be elegiac), not only on account of their intrinsic merit, but in consequence of the commendation which our Author has bestowed upon them. By the kindness of Mr Mason also, this publication is enriched with one of the most beautiful lyric productions in our language, I mean his Paraphrase of the 14th of Isaiah. When I could find no translation to answer my purpose, I was obliged to attempt the versification of the passages myself. The public will therefore recollect, that I was a poet through necessity, not choice; and will, I flatter myself, receive this as a sufficient apology for the indifferent performance of that part of my undertaking.

Presuming that it would be more agreeable to give the literal translations of the Hebrew from works of established reputation, I have taken many of them from our Author’s excellent version of Isaiah, from Mr Blaney’s Jeremiah, from Bishop Newcombe’s Minor Prophets, Mr Heath’s Job, and from Dr Hodgson’s translation of the Canticles: and this I trust will be accepted by those Gentlemen as a general acknowledgment. Where these did not furnish me with a translation, I have endeavoured myself to produce one as faithful to the original as my knowledge of the language would admit.

Convinced, on the whole, of the utility of this publication, and yet aware of my own inability to do it justice, I dismiss it with that mixed emotion of confidence’ and humility which such a situation naturally inspires. Imperfect as it appears before the world, if it be the means of imparting to but a few some of that information which all who read the original must regret was not more generally diffused, I am sure I shall have deserved well of the community: at the same time, the reader will do me great injustice if he supposes that I have satisfied myself in the execution of my task. Whatever be its reception, it will disappoint no expectations formed by me of profit or of fame; and if neither ensue from it, I shall have no just cause of complaint. It was impossible to read these Lectures with the attention which even this translation required, and not derive advantages from them far superior to the labour they have cost me; and, whatever may be their effect with others, I am confident they have left me something wiser, and I trust something better, than they found me.

In the prosecution of this work I have incurred a debt...