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scure indications, since she ever embraces a divine and sacred subject with a kind of filial tenderness and affection. To the sacred haunts of religion she delights to resort as to her native soil; there she most willingly inhabits, and there she flourishes in all her pristine beauty and vigour. But to have slightly glanced at the subject, appears sufficient for the present; we shall soon perhaps find an opportunity of entering upon a more ample discussion.

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I trust, indeed, that you will pardon me, gentlemen, if I do not as yet venture to explain my future plan of instruction, and the form and method which I think of pursuing. That man must have too little respect for your judgement, and by far too high an opinion of his own, who would presume to produce before you matter not sufficiently digested, not sufficiently polished and perfected by study and by the maturest consideration. I have therefore determined within myself, that nothing shall hastily or prematurely proceed from me in this assembly, nothing which is not laboured to the

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"that which was addressed to the Deity, under the appellation of hymns.” De Leg. Lib. III. SUETONIUS has illustrated this subject in a very elegant manner, though he is a little unfortunate in his etymology, a circumstance not uncommon with the old grammraians. "When first," says he, man"kind emerged from a state of barbarism into the habits of civilized life, "and began to be acquainted in some measure with their own nature and "that of the gods, they contented themselves with a moderate style of "living, and a language just proportioned to their wants; whatever was grand or magnificent in either, they dedicated to their deities. As, "therefore, they built temples more elegant by far than their own habita"tions, and made the shrines and images of their divinities much larger "than the human form; so they thought it necessary to celebrate them "in a style of greater majesty than common; in language more splendid, "harmonious, and agreeable. This species of composition, because it as"sumed a certain distinct form, was called a poem, from the word wools, "and those who cultivated it were called poets." From a fragment of a work not extant, concerning poetry, quoted by Is10DORUS. Orig. Lib. VIII. c. 7. Author's Note.

extent of my abilities; and that for what is wanting in genius, in erudition, in fluency, and in every respect in which I feel myself deficient, I shall endeavour to compensate, as much as possible, by care and assiduity. If in these points I shall be enabled to perform my duty, I trust, gentlemen, that other deficiences you will be kind enough to excuse; and that the person whom you have honoured with your favour and attention; with your candour and indulgence, you will continue to support.

LECTURE II.

THE DESIGN AND ARRANGEMENT OF THESE LECTURES.

The dignity of the subject, and its suitableness to the design of the insti tution-That poetry which proceeds from divine inspiration is not beyond the province of criticism-Criticism will enable us to account for the origin of the art, as well as to form a just estimation of its dignity, that the opinion of the divine origin of poetry was common in GreeceThis work purely critical and consequently theological disquisitions will be avoided-The general distribution of the subject into three parts, the nature of the verse, the style, and the arrangement.

SOCRATES, as we read in Plato,' having been fre

quently admonished in a dream to apply to music; and esteeming himself bound to fulfil a duty, which appeared to have been imposed upon him by divine authority, began with composing a hymn to Apollo, and afterwards undertook to translate some of the fables of Æsop into verse. This he did, I apprehend, under the persuasion, that the first fruits of his poetry (which he esteemed the principal branch of the science of music2) ought to be consecrated to the immortal gods; and that it was not lawful for him, who was but little versed in those studies, to descend to lighter subjects, which perhaps might in the main be more agreeable to his genius, before he had discharged the obligations of re

1 In Phad. sub init.

"What then is education?-As far as respects the body it consists in the gymnastic exercises; as far as respects the mind, it consists in harmony." PLATO de Rep. Lib. II. Author's Note.

ligion. It is my intention, gentlemen, to follow the example of this great philosopher; and since the university has honoured me with this office of explaining to you the nature and principles of poetry, I mean to enter upon it from that quarter, whence he thought himself obliged to commence the study and practice of the art. I have determined, therefore, in the first place, to treat of sacred poetry, that species, I mean, which was cultivated by the ancient Hebrews, and which is peculiarly appropriated to subjects the most solemn and sublime; that should my endeavours prove unequal to so great a subject, I may, as it were, with favourable auspices, descend to matters of inferior importance. I undertake this office, however, with the most perfect conviction, that not only from a regard to duty it ought to be executed with diligence; but from the respectability of that body, at whose command it is undertaken, it ought to be executed with honour and reputation; nor is it merely to be considered what the intent of the institution and the improvement of the students may require, but what will be consistent with the dignity of this university. For since the university, when it gave its sanction to this species of discipline by a special degree, recommended the study of poetry, particularly because it might conduce to the improvement of the more important sciences, as well sacred as profane, nothing could certainly appear more useful in itself, or more agreeable to the purpose of this institution, and the design of its learned patrons, than to treat of that species of poetry, which constitutes so consider, able a part of sacred literature, and excels all other poetry, not less in the sublimity of the style, than in thẹ dignity of the subject.

See the statute relating to the poetic lecture,

It would not be easy, indeed, to assign a reason, why the writings of Homer, of Pindar, and of Horace, should engross our attention and monopolize our praise, while those of Moses, of David and Isaiah pass totally unregarded. Shall we suppose that the subject is not adapted to a seminary, in which sacred literature has ever maintained a precedence? Shall we say, that it is foreign to this assembly of promising youth, of whom the greater part have consecrated the best portion of their time and labour to the same department of learning? Or must we conclude, that the writings of those men, who have accomplished only as much as human genius and ability could accomplish, should be reduced to method and theory; but that those which boast a much higher origin, and are justly attributed to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, may be considered as indeed illustrious by their native force and beauty, but not as conformable to the principles of science, nor to be circumscribed by any rules of art? It is indeed most true, that sacred poetry, if we contemplate its origin alone, is far superior to both nature and art; but if we would rightly estimate its excellencies, that is, if we wish to understand its power in exciting the human affections, we must have recourse to both: for we must consider what those affections are, and by what means they are to be excited. Moreover, as in all other branches of science, so in poetry, art or theory consists in a certain knowledge derived from the careful observation of nature, and confirmed by practice and experience; for men of learning having remarked int things what was graceful, what was fit, what was conducive to the attainment of certain ends, they digested such discoveries as had been casually made, and reduced them to an established order or method: whence

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