be recollected, that in his person, as well as in his property, he was specially gifted by the Almighty: that, from various passages, he seems to have been younger than all the interJocutors, except Elihu, and much younger than one or two of them: that his longevity is particularly remarked, as though of more than usual extent; and that, even in the present age of the world, we have well-authenticated instances of persons having lived, in different parts of the globe, to the age of a hundred and fifty, a hundred and sixty, and even a hundred and seventy years. pp. xv-xvii.

He shortly after adds:

The general scope and moral of the ensuing poem, namely, that the troubles and afflictions of the good man are, for the most part, designed as tests of his virtue and integrity, out of which he will at length emerge with additional splendor and happiness, are common to Eastern poets, and not uncommon to those of Greece. The Odyssey is expressly constructed upon such a basis; and, like the poem before us, has every appearance of being founded upon real history, and calls in to its aid the machinery of a sublime and supernatural agency.

But, in various respects, the poem of Job stands alone and unrivalled. In addition to every corporeal suffering and privation, which it is possible for man to endure, it carries forward the trial, in a manner, and to an extent, which has never been attempted elsewhere, into the keenest faculties and sensations of the mind; and mixes the bitterest taunts and accusations of friendship with the agonies of family bereavement and despair. The body of other poems consists chiefly of incidents; that of the present poem of colloquy or argument, in which the general train of reasoning is so well sustained, its matter so important, its language so ornamented, the doctrines it developes so sublime, its transitions from passion to passion so varied and abrupt, that the want of incidents is not felt, and the attention is still rivetted, as by enchantment. In other poems, the supernatural agency is fic

titious, and often incongruous: here the whole is solid reality, supported, in its grand outline, by the concurrent testimony of every other part of the Scriptures; an agency not obtrusively introduced, but demanded by the magnitude of the occasion; and as much more exalted and magnificent than every other kind of similar interference, as it is more veritable and solemn. The suffering hero is sublimely called forth to the performance of his part, in the presence of men and of angels: each becomes interested, and equally interested, in his conduct: the Almighty assents to the trial, and for a period withdraws his divine aid; the malice of Satan is in its full career of activity: hell hopes, earth trembles, and every good spirit is suspended with awful anxiety The wreck of his substance is in vain; the wreck of his family is in vain; the scalding sores of a corroding leprosy are in vain; the artillery of insults, reproaches, and railing, poured forth from the mouth of bosom friends, is in vain. Though at times put in some degree off his guard, the holy sufferer is never completely overpowered. He sustains the shock without yielding: he still holds fast his integrity. Thus terminates the trial of faith :-Satan is confounded; fidelity triumphs; and the Almighty, with a magnificence well worthy of the occasion, unveils his resplendent tribunal, and crowns the afflicted champion with his applause.

This poem has been generally supposed to possess a dramatic character, either of a more or a less perfect degree; but, in order to give it such a pretension, it has uniformly been found necessary to strip it of its magnificent exordiun and close, which are unquestionably narrative; and even then the dramatic cast is so singularly interrupted by the appearance of the historian himself, at the commencement of every speech, to inform us of the name of the person who is about to take up the argument, that many critics, and among the rest Bishop Lowth, are doubtful of the propriety of referring it to this department of poetry, though they do not know where else to give it a place.

In the present writer's view of the subject, it is a regular Hebrew epic; and, were it necessary to enter so minutely into the question, it might easily be proved to possess all the more prominent features of an epic, as collected and laid down by Aristotle himself; such as unity, completion, and grandeur in its action; loftiness in its sentiments and language; multitude and variety in the passions which it developes. Even the characters, though not numerous, are discriminated, and well supported; the milder and more modest temper of Eliphaz is well contrasted with the forward and unrestrained violence of Bildad; the terseness and brevity of Zophar with the pent-up and overflowing fulness of Elihu; while in Job himself we perceive a dignity of mind that nothing can humiliate, a firmness that nothing can subdue, still babitually disclosing themselves, amidst the mingled tumult of hope, fear, rage, tenderness, triumph, and despair, with which he is alternately distracted. I throw out this hint, however, not with a view of ascribing any additional merit to the poem itself, but merely to observe, so far as a single fact is possessed of authority, that mental taste, or the internal discernment of real beauty, is the same in all ages and nations; and that the rules of the Greek critic are deduced from a principle of universal impulse and operation.

Nothing can have been more unfortunate for this most excellent composition, than its division into chapters, and especially such a division as that in common use; in which not only the unity of the general subject, but, in many instances, that of a single paragraph, or even of a single clause, is completely broken in upon and destroyed. The natural division, and that which was unquestionably intended by its author, is into six parts or books; for in this order it still continues to run, notwithstanding all the confusion it has encountered by subarrangements. These six parts are, An opening or exordium, containing the introductory history and decree concerning Job-three distinct series

of arguments, in each of which the speakers are regularly allotted their respective turns;-the summing up of the controversy;-and the close or catastrophe, consisting of the suffering hero's grand and glorious acquittal, and restoration to prosperity and happiness. pp. xviii-xxi.

Mr. Good next presents us with a brief analysis of the whole poem; this too we could wish to have inserted.

Our author, after recapitulating the arguments of many erudite crities on the much agitated question, Who is the author of the poem,' gives it decidedly as his opinion that it must be ascribed to Moses, and proceeds to point out many similarities between his acknowledged writings, and the book of Job; but we must refer our readers to the work itself, if they wish to become acquainted with the learning, which is displayed in support of a favorite hypothesis.

The important question of the creed, doctrines, and ritual of this poem, is lastly discussed; and he thinks the following tenets of the patriarchal religion are easily deducible from different parts of it:

I. The creation of the world by one supreme and eternal Intelligence. II. Its regulation, by his perpetual and superintending providence.

III. The intentions of his providence carried into effect by the ministration of a heavenly hierarchy.

IV. The heavenly hierarchy, composed of various ranks and orders, possessing different names, dignities, and offices.

V. An apostacy, or defection, in some rank or order of these powers: of which Satan seems to have been one, and perhaps chief.

VI. The good and evil powers or principles, equally formed by the Creator, and hence equally denominated "Sons of God;" both of them employed by him, in the administration

of his providence; and both amenable to him at stated courts, held for the purpose of receiving an account of their respective missions.

VII. A day of future resurrection, judgment, and retribution, to all mankind.

VIII. The propitiation of the Creator, in the case of human transgressions, by sacrifices, and the mediation and intercession of a righteous person. pp. lxiv, lxv.

We cannot follow the Author through the different reasons he gives for deriving these doctrines from the book, but must hasten to the translation and notes, which are very numerous, critical, and illustrative.

As we have already given so much it will not be necessary to extract the argument prefixed to each part; we shall therefore select two or three specimens from Mr. G.'s translation, then make a few observations on the notes, and lastly compare our Author's version with the Bible translation, that our readers may see at one view the great dissimilarity of the texts. We trust we shall be excused for presenting the following sublime description of the power of the Deity; it has never been surpassed, nor even equalled in any language: Chap. XXVI.

5. "Yea, the MIGHTY DEAD are laid open from below;

"The floods and their inhabitants: 6. "HELL is naked before him;

"And DESTRUCTION hath no covering." [pole towards space; 7. "He spreadeth forth the North"He hangeth the earth upon nothing." [into his thick clouds; 8. "He driveth together the waters "And the cloud is not rent under them. [throne, 9. "He withdraweth the face of his "He overspreadeth it with his driven cloud: [the waters, 10. "He setteth a bow on the face of "Till the consummation of light and of darkness.".

11. "The pillars of heaven tremble, "And are confounded at his reproof.

12. "By his might he maketh the waters flash, [the tempest. "And by his skill he cleaveth 13. "By his spirit hath he garnished the heavens; [serpent." "His hand incurvated the flying 14. Lo! these are the outlines of his ways, [hear of him; And the mere whisper we can But the thunder of his power, O! who can understand?

Again:

Chap. XXXVI. 22. Behold! God can raise up by his power;

And who like him can east down? 23. Who inspecteth his way over him? Or who can say, "Thou hast done amiss?" [his dealings, 24. O reflect!--that thou mayst honor Whoin mankind jointly celebrate. 25. Every mortal looketh towards him; Man gazeth afar off. [knowledge 26. Behold! God is great-surpassing The number of his years! surpassing research. [waters; 27. Lo! he exhaleth the drops of the They throw off the rain for his tempest.

28. Then down flow the heavens;

They pour upon man impetuously. 29. But if he heap up the spreadings of the cloudy-woof,

The tapestry of his pavilion, 30. Behold! he throweth forth from it his flash, [very ocean.

And investeth the roots of the 31. Lo! thus judgeth he the nations; He passeth sentence amain.

32. He brandisheth the blaze athwart the concave, [bolt: And launcheth his penetrating 33. Along with it rusheth his roar, The fierceness of wrath, because of wickedness:

Chap. XXXVII.

1. Wrath-at which my heart trembleth,

And staggereth in its post. 2. Hear! O! hear ye, the clangor of his voice, [his mouth.

And the peal that issueth from 3. Under the whole heavens is his flash,

And his lightning unto the ends of the earth.

4. After it pealeth the voice;

He thundereth with the voice of his majesty;

And there is no limit to them when his voice soundeth. [his voice. 5. God thundereth marvellously with Great things doeth he, surpassing knowledge.

6. Behold! he saith to the snow-BE!

On earth then falleth it;

To the rain--and it falleth-
The rains of his might.

7. Upon the labor of every man he
putteth a seal,
[his work:

To the feeling of every mortal is 8. Even the brute kind go into covert, And abide in their dwellings.

9.

From the utmost zone issueth the whirlwind;

And from the arctic chambers, cold. [gealeth, 10. By the blast of God the frost conAnd the expanse of the waters, into a mirror.

11. He also loadeth the cloudywoof with redundance; [gloom.

His effulgence disperseth the 12. Thus revolveth he the seasons in his wisdom,

That they may accomplish whatsoever he commandeth them,

Over the face of the world of earth. 13. Constantly in succession, whether for his judgment [take place. Or for mercy, he causeth it to 14. Hearken to this, O Job! be still, [works of God.

And contemplate the wondrous 15. Dost thou know how God order

eth these things? [to his vapor? How the light giveth refulgence 16. Dost thou know of the balancings of the clouds?

Wonders, perfections of wisdom! 17. How thy garments grow warm, When the earth is attempered from the south? [the heavens, 18. Hast thou with him spread out Polished as a molten mirror? 19. Teach us how we may address him, [ness: When arrayed in robes of dark20. Or, if brightness be about him, how I may commune ?

For, should a man then speak, he
VOL. I.

13. That they should lay gold on the skirts of the earth, [from it? And evil-doers be terrified away 11. Canst thou cause them to bend round, as clay to the mould, So that they are made to set like a garment, [from evil-doers, 15. While their lustre is withholden And the roving of wickedness is broken off? [springs of the sea; 16. Hast thou penetrated the wellOr walked through the depth of the abyss? [closed to thee? 17. Have the gates of death been disYea, the gates of the death-shade hast thou beheld?

18. Hast thou explored throughout the breadths of the earth?

Who is the father of the rain? And who hath begotten the globules of the dew?

29. Out of whose womb came the ice? And the hoar-frost of heaven, who hath gendered it? [stone, 30. When the waters grow opake as a And the face of the deep becomes fixt,

19.

Chap. XXXIX.

Hast thou bestowed on the horse mettle? [the thunder-flash? Hast thou clothed his neck with 20. Hast thou given him to launch forth as an arrow? [trils: Terrible is the pomp of his nos21. He paweth in the valley, and exulteth: [clashing host: Boldly he advanceth against the 22. He mocketh at fear, and trembleth not; [sword.

Nor turneth he back from the 23. Against him rattleth the quiver, The glittering spear, and the shield: [the ground, 24. With rage and fury he devoureth And is impatient when the trumpet soundeth. [pets, “Aha!” 25. He exclaimeth among the trum