"But not forever will he continue thus to thresh it; "Nor to vex it with the wheel of his wain; "Nor to bruise it with the hoofs of his cattle. "This also proceedeth from JEHOVAH God of hosts s; Vain are the favours done to vicious men, The deep no pleasant harvest shall afford, Nor will the wicked ever make return. THEOG. Fv. v. 105. To befriend the wicked is like sowing in the sea. Рность. v. 141. These, indeed, invert the precept of Solomon; nor is it extraordinary that they should: 66 The one, frail human power alone produc'd; The other, God. Author's Note. to "Four methods of threshing are here mentioned, by different instru"ments; the flail, the drag, the wain, and the treading of the cattle. The "staff or fiail was used for the grain that was too tender to be treated in "the other methods. The drag consisted of a sort of frame of strong "planks, made rough at the bottom with hard stone or iron: it was drawn by horses or oxen over the corn-sheaves spread on the floor, the drivers sitting upon it. The wain was much like the former, but had wheels "with iron teeth, or edges, like a saw; and it should seem that the axle "was armed with iron teeth or serrated wheels throughout. The drag not only forced out the grain, but cut the straw in pieces for fodder for the "cattle; for in the Eastern countries they have no hay. The last method "is well known from the law of Moses, which forbids the ox to be muz "zled, when he treadeth out the corn."" Bishop LowTa's Isaiuh, Notes, 66 ch. xxviii. v. 27, 28. of a continued narration of a fictitious event, applied by way of simile to the illustration of some important truth. The Greeks call these allegories awo (or apologues,) the Latins fabula (or fables :) and the writings of the Phrygian sage, or those composed in imitation of him, have acquired the greatest celebrity. Nor has our Saviour himself disdained to adopt the same method of instruction, of whose parables it is doubtful, whether they ex. cel most in wisdom and utility, or in sweetness, elegance, and perspicuity. I must observe, that the appellation of parable having been applied to his discourses of this kind, the term is now restricted from its former extensive signification to a more confined sense. This species of composition occurs very frequently in the prophetic poetry, and particularly in that of Ezekiel. But to enable us to judge with more certainty upon the subject, it will be necessary to explain in a few words some of the primary qualities of the poetic parables, that, by considering the general nature of them, we may decide more accurately on the merits of particular examples. It is the first excellence of a parable to turn upon an image well known and applicable to the subject, the meaning of which is clear and definite; for this circumstance will give it perspicuity, which is essential to every species of allegory. If, therefore, by this rule we examine the parables of the sacred prophets, we shall, T am persuaded, find them not in the least deficient. They are in general founded upon such imagery as is frequently used, and similarly applied by way of metaphor and comparison in the Hebrew poetry. Most accurate examples of this are to be found in the parable of the deceitful vineyard," of the useless vine, which is given to the fire; for under this imagery the ungrateful people 21 Isai, v. 1-7. 12 EZEK. XV. and xix. 10-14. of God are more than once described. I may instance also that of the lion's whelps falling into the pit,13 in which is appositely displayed the captivity of the Jewish princes; or that of the fair, lofty, and flourishing cedar of Lebanon," which raised its head to the clouds, cut down at length and neglected; exhibiting, as in a pic, ture, the prosperity and the fall of the king of Assyria, I will add one more example (there is, indeed, scarcely any which might not with propriety be introduced here) I mean that, in which the love of God towards his people, and their piety and fidelity to him, are expressed by an allusion to the solemn covenant of marriage. Eze. kiel has pursued this image with uncommon freedom in two parables; in truth almost all the sacred poets have touched upon it. There was, therefore, no part of the imagery of the Hebrew poetry more established than this; nor ought it to appear extraordinary, that Solomon, in that most elegant poem, the Canticles, should distinguish and depict the most sacred of all subjects with similar outlines, and in similar colours. It is not, however, sufficient, that the image be apt and familiar; it must also be elegant and beautiful in itself: since it is the purpose of a poetic parable, not only to explain more perfectly some proposition, but frequently to give it more animation and splendour. The imagery from natural objects is superior to all oth 13 EZEK. xix. 1-9. : 14 EZEK. xxxi. I take this passage according to the common explanation, disregarding that of Meibomius, which I find is blamed by many of the learned and indeed it has some difficulties, which are not easy to clear away. Nor can I indeed relish that Assyrian, who has intruded himself I know not how. In the 10th for I think it were better to read with the SYRIAC and VULGATE, which reading is adopted by the learned HOUBIGANT. Observe also, that the LXX have very rightly rendered Ben Grabathim by εις μέσον των νεφελών, « through the midst of the clouds.” 15 EZEK xvi. and xxiii. Author's Note. er in this respect; for almost every picture from nature, if accurately drawn, has its peculiar beauty. As the parables of the sacred poets, therefore, consist chiefly of this kind of imagery, the elegance of the materials generally serves to recommend them. If there be any of a different kind, such as may be accounted less delicate and refined, it ought to be considered, whether they are not to be accounted among those, the dignity and grace of which are lost to us, though they were perhaps wanting in neither to people of the same age and country. If any reader, for instance, should be offended with the boiling pot of Ezekiel," and the scum flowing over into the fire; let him remember, that the prophet, who was also a priest, took the allusion from his own sacred rites: nor is there a possibility, that an image could be accounted mean or disgusting, which was connected with the holy ministration of the temple. It is also essential to the elegance of a parable, that the imagery should not only be apt and beautiful, but that all its parts and appendages should be perspicuous and pertinent. It is, however, by no means necessary, that in every parable the allusion should be complete in every part; such a degree of resemblance would frequently appear too minute and exact; but when the nature of the subject will bear, much more when it will even require a fuller explanation; and when the similitude runs directly, naturally, and regularly, through every circumstance, then it cannot be doubted that it is productive of the greatest beauty. Of all these excel lencies, there cannot be more perfect examples than the parables which have been just specified. I will also venture to recommend the well-known parable of Nathan," although written in prose, as well as that of Jotham," 16 EZEK. XXIV. 3, &c. 17 2 SAM. xii. 1-4. 18 JUD. ix. 7-15. which appears to be the most ancient extant, and approaches somewhat nearer the poetical form."9 To these remarks I will add another, which may be considered as the criterion of a parable, namely, that it be consistent throughout, and that the literal be never confounded with the figurative sense. In this respect it materially differs from the former species of allegory, which, deviating but gradually from the simple metaphor, does not always immediately exclude literal expressions, or words without a figure.20 But both the 19 Poetry seems to me to be often strangely confounded with oratory, from which it is, however, very different. These instances appear to me only the rudiments of popular oratory, the ancient and unrefined mode of speaking, as LIVY calls it: and if the reader will be at the pains to exam. ine Liv. L. ii. c. 32, I dare believe he will be of the same opinion. Poetry, as our author himself has stated, is one of the first arts, and was in a much more perfect state, than we should suppose from the passages in question long before the days of Jotham: oratory is of more recent origin, and was, we may well suppose, at that period in its infancy; as CICERO remarks that it was one of the latest of the arts of Greece. Brut. c. 7. M. See Essays Historical and Moral, p. 41. 20 I think there is great judgement and taste in this remark, of which the parable of the good Samaritan will afford a happy exemplification, in the mention of the man's journeying from Jerusalem to Jericho, a circumstance that gives substance and reality to the parable. It may be observed, moreover, that in allegorical writing the literal sense may be sometimes suffered to obtrude itself upon the figurative with very good effect, just as the gold that betrays itself in glimpses from the plumage of the peacock, the scales of the dolphin, or (to illustrate my idea from Spenser) the texture of the loom, augments thereby the splendour af their colours. "round about the walls y clothed were "With goodly arras of great maiesty, "Like a discolour'd snake, whose hidden snares "Through the green grass his long bright burnisht back declares." Fuery Queene, B. 3. c. xi. s. 28. A fine poetical allegory of this kind may be seen in the first strophe of Gray's Ode on Poesy, S. H. |