LECTURE XXI. THE PECULIAR CHARACTER OF EACH OF THE PROPHETS. The particular style and character of the different prophets : what parts of cach of them are poetical, and what otherwise-Nothing deserving of notice of this kind in the poetry of Greece-In the Latin poetry the fourth Eclogue of Virgil is remarkable; that poem much more obscure than it is generally accounted, and has not hitherto been properly explained. "THE prophets have each their peculiar character," says Jerome, speaking of the twelve minor prophets.' The same however might more properly be affirmed with respect to the three greater: for Isaiah is extremely different from Jeremiah; nor is it easy to conceive any composition of the same denomination more dissimilar to both of them than the book of Ezekiel. Isaiah, the first of the prophets, both in order and dignity, abounds in such transcendant excellencies, that he may be properly said to afford the most perfect model of the prophetic poetry. He is at once elegant and sublime, forcible and ornamented; he unites energy with copiousness, and dignity with variety. In his sentiments there is uncommon elevation and majesty; in his imagery the utmost propriety, elegance, dignity, and diversity; in his language uncommon beauty and energy; and, notwithstanding the obscurity of his subjects, a surprising degree of clearness and simplicity. To these we may add, there is such sweetness in the poetical composition of his sentences, whether it pro 1 Pref. in XII. proph. ceed from art or genius, that if the Hebrew poetry at present is possessed of any remains of its native grace and harmony, we shall chiefly find them in the writings of Isaiah: so that the saying of Ezekiel may most justly be applied to this prophet: "Thou art the confirmed exemplar of measures, "Full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty." Isaiah greatly excels too in all the graces of method, order, connexion, and arrangement: though in asserting this we must not forget the nature of the prophetic impulse, which bears away the mind with irresistible violence, and frequently in rapid transitions from near to remote objects, from human to divine: we must also be careful in remarking the limits of particular predictions, since, as they are now extant, they are often improperly connected, without any marks of discrimination, which injudicious arrangement, on some occasions, creates almost insuperable difficulties. I lately produced a specimen from this prophet of a complete poem disposed in the most perspicuous order; and in the former part of his volume many instances may be found, where the particular predictions are distinctly marked. The latter part, which I suppose to commence at the fortieth chapter, is perhaps the most elegant specimen remaining of inspired composition, and yet in this respect is attended with considerable difficulty. It is, in fact, a body or collection of different prophecies, nearly allied to each other as to the subject, which, for that reason, having a sort of connexion, are not to be separated but with the utmost difficulty. The general subject is the restoration of the church. Its deliverance from captivity; the destruction of idolatry; the vindication of the divine power and truth; the consolation of the 2 EZEK. xxviii. 12. Israelites, the divine invitation which is extended to them, their incredulity, impiety, and rejection; the calling in of the Gentiles; the restoration of the chosen people; the glory and felicity of the church in its perfect state; and the ultimate destruction of the wicked, are all set forth with a sufficient respect to order and method. If we read these passages with attention, and duly regard the nature and genius of the mystical alle. gory, as explained in the eleventh Lecture; at the same time remembering, that all these points have been frequently touched upon in other prophecies promulged at different times, we shall neither find any irregularity in the arrangement of the whole, nor any want of order and connexion as to matter or sentiment in the different parts. I must add, that I esteem the whole book of Isaiah to be poetical, a few passages excepted, which, if brought together, would not at most exceed the bulk of five or six chapters. Jeremiah, though deficient neither in elegance nor sublimity, must give place in both to Isaiah. Jeromes seems to object against him a sort of rusticity of language, no vestige of which, I must however confess, I have been able to discover. His sentiments, it is true, are not always the most elevated, nor are his periods al 3 Præf. in Jer. He probably adopted this opinion from his masters, the Jews. Of the more modern Rabbies, ABARBANEL (præf. in Jer.) complains grievously of the grammatical ignorance of the prophet, and his frequent solecisms; which he says Ezra corrected by the Keri or marginal notes, for he remarks that they occur more frequently in him than elsewhere. Absurd and ridiculous! to attribute the errors of transcribers, which occur in almost every part of the Hebrew text, to the sacred writers themselves; the greater part of these errors he would indeed have found scarcely to exist, if he had consulted the more correct copies, which remain even at This day: for among these very marginal readings, there are but few, which, in the more ancient MSS. are not found in the text. WALTON has long since given a remarkable example of this kind (Prolegom. iv. 12.) The collations of Dr. KENNICOTT will afford many more. Author's Note. ways neat and compact: but these are faults common to those writers, whose principal aim is to excite the gentler affections, and to call forth the tear of sympathy or sorrow. This observation is very strongly exemplified in the Lamentations, where these are the prevailing passions; it is however frequently instanced in the prophecies of this author, and most of all in the beginning of the book, which is chiefly poetical. The middle of it is almost entirely historical. The latter part, again, consisting of the six last chapters, is altogether poetical; it contains several different predictions, which are distinctly marked, and in these the prophet approaches very near the sublimity of Isaiah. On the whole, however, I can scarcely pronounce above half the book of Jeremiah poetical. Ezekiel is much inferior to Jeremiah in elegance; in sublimity he is not even excelled by Isaiah: but his sublimity is of a totally different kind. He is deep, vehement, tragical; the only sensation he affects to ex 4 See the whole of chap. ix. chap. xiv. 17, &c. xx. 14—18. 5 Chap. xlvi-li. to ver. 59. chap. lii. properly belongs to the Lamentations, to which it serves as an exordium. 6 I must confess that I feel not perfectly satisfied with myself, when in a matter entirely dependent upon taste, I can by no means bring myself to agree with our author. So far from esteeming Ezekiel equal to Isaiah in sublimity, I am inclined rather to think, that he displays more art and luxuriance in amplifying and decorating his subject than is consistent with the poetical fervour, or indeed with true sublimity. He is in general an imitator, and yet he has the art of giving an air of novelty and ingenuity, but not of grandeur and sublimity, to all his composition. The imagery which is familiar to the Hebrew poetry he constantly makes use of, and those figures which were invented by others, but were only glanced at, or partially displayed by those who first used them, he dwells upon, and depicts with such accuracy and copiousness, that he leaves nothing to add to them, nothing to be supplied by the reader's imagination. On this score his ingenuity is to be commended, and he is therefore of use to his readers, because he enables them better to understand the ancient poets; but he certainly does not strike with admiration, or display any trait of sublimity. cite is the terrible: his sentiments are elevated, fervid, full of fire, indignant; his imagery is crowded, magnifi Of this I will propose only one example: many of the same kind may be found in looking over the writings of this prophet. In describing a great slaughter, it is very common in the best poets to introduce a slight alluThus in the ILIAD : sion to birds of prey. Αυτος δ' έλωρια τευχε κύνεσσιν Οιωνοίσι τε πασι "Whose limbs, unburied on the naked shore, Devouring dogs and hungry vultures tore." POPE. Thus, it is the language of boasting in the historical part of Scripture→ "I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and unto the beasts of the "field.” 1 SAM. xvii. 44. Asaph also in PSALM lxxviii. 48. "He gave "their cattle to the hail, and their flocks to the birds." Moses is still more sublime, DEUT. xxxii. 23, 24. "I will spend mine arrows upon them. "They shall be eaten up with hunger, a prey unto birds, "And to bitter destruction! "I will also send the teeth of beasts upon them, "With the poison of the reptiles of the earth.” But HABAKKUK is more excellent than either of the former, chap. iii. 5, speaking of the victory of JEHOVAH over his enemies : "Before him went the pestilence, "And his footsteps were traced by the birds." Doubtless, the birds of prey. ISAIAH is somewhat more copious, chap. xxxiv. 6, 7. "For JEHOVAH celebrateth a sacrifice in Botzra, "And a great slaughter in the land of Edom. "And the wild goats shall fall down with them; "And the bullocks, together with the bulls: "And their own land shall be drunken with their blood, "And their dust shall be enriched with fat." These and other images Ezekiel has adopted, and has studiously amplified with singular ingenuity; and by exhausting all the imagery applicable to the subject, has in a manner made them his own. In the first prediction of the slaughter of Magog, the whole chapter consists of a most magnificent amplification of all the circumstances and apparatus of war, so that scarcely any part of the subject is left untouched; he adds afterwards in a bold and unusual style-" Thus, Son of man, saith JEHOVAH, speak unto "every feathered fowl, and to every beast of the field: assemble your"selves and come, gather yourselves on every side to the banquet, which I prepare for you, a great banquet on the mountains of Israel. Ye shall "eat flesh, and ye shall drink blood; ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty, |