scandalous things: to his reputed cruelties to criminals, to his conquest of Britain, which, though he was long in resolving to attempt, he accomplished with perseverance and courage. All these imaginary circumstances are typical of his lion-like character, and identify him with the sign Leo. He is said to have been slow in accepting the empire; that is, the Sun appears when in Leo to begin to move slowly; the character given of Claudius by Suetonius, " Mira anima varietate fuit: modo circumspectus, et sagax: modo inconsultus, et præceps; nonnunquam frivolus, amentique similis," is exactly applicable to a Lion alternately hungry, and satisfied; and if I had but time I would proceed through all the allegorical actions of his supposed life, and tear away the matter-of-fact disguise, under which they have been so long imprisoned.

I shall make no observations on the remainder of Sir William Drummond's interpretation of Jacob's blessing on his supposed son the Patriarch Judah. I must candidly confess I have some old prejudices left on the subject of the predicted Shiloh; and I dare not venture to treat this part of my creed with even the appearance of levity. The evidence adduced by my teacher does not satisfy me, and I know he will forgive my scruples. To me indeed, this part of his hypothesis seems to be completely identified with the system of Volney; though I must in this, believe that I am mistaken, since those admirers of courteous language, and scholar-like liberality, who have undertaken to defend Sir William Drummond from the censures of Mr. D'Oyley and others, have asserted that the theories of these great masters

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of reasoning are not the same; and Vindex, Biblicus, and Candidus, are honorable men, and deserving of credit. They are worthy of our admiration too: they have set an example to the world of the practice of one of the most difficult virtues, that of self-denial: for if they really love candor, mildness, propriety of language, and the noble feelings of gentlemanly controversialists, so rigidly have they practised this virtue, that not a trace of these excellencies is discoverable from the beginning to the end of their pages.

VI. Nero-Naphthali-Virgo.

SIR WILLIAM proves Naphthali to be the sign Virgo by a curious syllogism. A tree was represented by the Egyptians beside the sign Virgo. The words "Naphthali is a hind let loose, he giveth goodly words," our author conceives to be wrongly translated; and agrees with Bochart in rendering the passage, Naphthali is a tree shooting forth, producing goodly branches: from whence

I purposely omit all other translations, explanations, commentaries, &c. &c. of all writers from Lightfoot to Bellamy. I may observe, that Lightfoot's brief summary of the manner in which the apparent predictions of Joseph were fulfilled, has been much admired.

Vol. I. Lightfoot's works.

he argues that Virgo is a tree, and Naphthali is a tree, therefore valet consequentia.

It is a peculiar excellence of Sir William Drummond's system, that it not only discovers new interpretations, but it makes those interpretations of general and useful application. In the passage before us however, my hypothesis is equally confirmed by the old and new translation. We are informed, that Nero, in the beginning of his reign gave many fair promises of future excellence. Like a tree which produces goodly branches, he gave expectations of fruit in its season: like a fair and beautiful hind, he excited admiration by the youth and beauty of his person; he gave goodly words to the soldiers and to the people, he wished to deserve, rather than to receive the praises of the Senate, and regretted his