53 SECTION IV. IT is the object of the present section to produce, and sometimes to observe upon, certain varieties in the poetical parallelism, unnoticed as such by Bishop Lowth, or by subsequent writers on the subject. There are stanzas so constructed, that, whatever be the number of lines, the first line shall be parallel with the last; the second with the penultimate; and so throughout, in an order that looks inward, or, to borrow a military phrase, from flanks to centre. This may be called the introverted parallelism: My son, if thine heart be wise; When thy lips speak right things.. Prov. xxiii. 15, 16. Unto thee do I lift up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens ; Behold, as the eyes of servants to the hands of their As the eyes masters; of a maiden to the hand of her mistress: Even so look our eyes to Jehovah our God, until he From the hand of hell I will redeem them; Hosea, xiii. 14. See BISHOP HORSLEY. And I saw as the colour of electrum; As the appearance of fire round about within it: And it had brightness round about. And it shall come to pass in that day; [ward: Ezekiel, i. 27. Jehovah shall make a gathering of his fruit: To the stream of Egypt: And ye shall be gleaned up, one by one; O ye sons of Israel. And it shall come to pass in that day; The great trumpet shall be sounded: And those shall come, who were perishing in the land of Assyria; And who were dispersed in the land of Egypt; And they shall bow themselves down before Jehovah ; In the holy mountain, in Jerusalem. Isaiah, xxvii. 12, 13. In these two stanzas of Isaiah, figuratively in the first, and literally in the second, is predicted the return of the Jews from their several dispersions. The first line of each stanza is parallel with the sixth; the second with the fifth; and the third with the fourth: also, on comparing the stanzas one with another, it is manifest, that they are constructed with the utmost precision of mutual correspondence; clause harmonising with clause, and line respectively with line: the first line of the first stanza with the first line of the second, and so throughout. It is extraordinary that the peculiarity of construction in this passage should have escaped the penetration of Bishop Lowth in the first stanza, his distribution of the clauses into lines is subversive of the order manifestly designed by the prophet; yet, so indestructible is that order, that it is here exhibited in the precise language of the Bishop's own version, without the translocation of a single word. The stanzas are merely separated; the lines properly distributed, and the parallelisms distinctly marked. (1) A difficult passage in the Psalms may, perhaps, derive some partial elucidation from a simple reduction to this form of stanza : Blessed is the man whose strength is in Thee: They go from strength to strength; Psalm lxxxiv. 5-7. The first and sixth lines are here considered, at once, as constructively parallel, and as affording a continuous sense (see the Obs. on Deut. xxxii. 42. in Sect. II. p. 29.): the intermediate four lines may be accounted parenthetical; the second, constructively parallel with the fifth; and the third with the fourth. The first line seems to contain the character of a confirmed proficient in religion, his strength is in God; the sixth line, to describe his final beatification, he shall appear before God in Zion. The intermediate quatrain may be regarded as descriptive of the intermediate course pursued by those who desire to be good and happy they are passengers; but they know their destination, and they long for it; at a distance from the temple, (the mystical" sapientum templa serena,") they are anxious to arrive there; the very highways to Jerusalem are in their heart. And what is the consequence? Affection smooths all difficulties: the parched and sandy desert becomes a rich well-watered valley; and they cheerfully advance from strength to strength; from one degree of virtuous proficiency to another. Whether the above distribution throws any light on the passage, it is for others to determine: commentators have been so perplexed by it, that even a total failure cannot be attended with disgrace; while partial success may be serviceable to those who shall come after. On one clause, the commentary of Euthymius is so beautiful, that I cannot help inserting it: εκ δυναμεως εις δυναμιν εξ αρετης εις αρετην. διον εκ ταπεινοφροσυνης εις πενθος· εκ δε πενθους εις κατανυξιν· και όντως εκ ταυτης εις εκείνην προκοπτοντες, αναβήσονται προς την ακρωρεισιν. δυναμιν δε την αρετην εκάλεσεν, · ὡς ισχυροποιούσαν τον μετιοντα αυτην. "From strength "to strength; from virtue to virtue: for, ex"ample, from lowliness of mind to mourning; 66 66 "from mourning to contrition; and thus, advancing from one attainment to another, they "shall ascend the summit of the mountain. The psalmist calls virtue strength, because it makes "him strong who attains it." Perhaps each gradation of goodness may be accounted, as it were, a fortress or strong-hold upon the way: a secure stage in the pilgrimage of virtue. One more example of the same kind : The idols of the heathen are silver and gold: They have mouths, but they speak not; They have ears, but they hear not; Psalm cxxxv. 15-18. The parallelisms here marked out, will, it is presumed, be found accurate : In the first line, we have the idolatrous heathen; In the eighth, those who put their trust in idols: In the second line, the fabrication ; In the seventh, the fabricators: In the third line, mouths without articulation ; In the fourth line, eyes without vision; And, in the fifth line, ears without the sense of hearing. The parallelism of the extreme members, may |