de eodem ingeniofi nuper tentavit Richardus Mead medicorum hujus fæculi princeps, in Opera cui Titulus Medica Sacra.'

I must further take occasion to advert to another able commentator on this subject, viz. A. V. Defvoeux, author of a Philofophical and Critical Effay on Ecclefiaftes, printed in 1760. In this work we meet with much pertinent and useful criticism on this difficult chapter. And in the third volume of Harmer's Obfervations on divers Paffages of Scripture from books of Voyages and Travels, confiderable light is thrown on this fubject, and many new illuftrations of the several parts of it are propofed. A new fource of criticism on the fcriptures indeed is opened by Mr. Harmer from books of this kind, (as Mr. Granger has well remarked;) though perhaps in fome inftances his criticifms may be deemed more fanciful and ingenious, than substantial and juft.

But to return to the fubject: There can be no doubt, but that the penman of this facred allegory, thoroughly underftood his fubject, and fully declared it in thefe enigmatical phrases: but as the defcription is much involved in figure and obfcurity, it must be expected that interpreters fhould vary in unfolding the fame, and fhould come fhort of underftanding the whole truth, and in many places mifs of it. The judgment of the best and most intelligent among men. is by no means infallible; but in many things we do all of us err and offend. Where fo much fcope is given to dif ference of opinion, and to the exercise of ingenuity and invention, it is almost impoffible that unity fhould prevail.

In verfe the 5th, I obferve that your correfpondent N. adopts the common conftruction of the flourishing of the almond tree, and of the grey hairs of old men refembling the white bloffoms of that tree. Dr. Smith is likewife of this opinion, and tells us that the bloffoms of the almond tree are perfectly white, and fo are the hairs of old men, and they are not only naturally of the fame colour, but both of them fo by way of eminency, not only white, but the whiteft of all, none fo white as they: Flores Amagdali primi exiftunt, et maximè funt albi præ cæteris arboribus. But other interpreters have given very different explanations of this; and I must confefs that notwithstanding what may be faid in fupport of this interpretation, I could never comprehend how the flowering of the almond tree, which is the forerunner of Spring, can be a proper emblem of grey hairs and old age, which may furely be deemed the Winter of human life. I am therefore

inclined

inclined to adopt M. Defvoeux's explanation of this paffage, and think he has clearly fhewn that the rendering of the word in our common tranflation, the almond tree shall flourish, is evidently wrong, and not agreeable to the Hebrew text.

For it fhould be obferved, that the literal tranflation of the words fhould be, the almond tree fhall be defpifed, the verb being , which fignifies to defpife. But this giving no proper fenfe, as the defpifing of the almond tree can have nothing to do with the fubject of the facred writers, our tranflators, in conformity to the Septuagint, and other extant verfions, have changed the middle letter Aleph into a Vau, and thus is produced an almond tree covered with bloffoms. But furely the flourishing of an almond tree is not more to the purpose in this paffage, than the contempt of it; and the forced metaphorical conftructions put on this pretended image, betray the diftrefs of the interpreters, rather than explain the fenfe of the author. To this purpose, Dr. Mead well obferves in his Medica Sacra, that the flowers of the almond tree are not white. They are of a purplish colour, no way refembling that of grey hairs; and further, that a grey head is not fo peculiar to old people, but that the hair of young perfons often grows of that colour. He might have added, that Solomon does not give a complete description of Old Age, but only of the infirmities which attend it, amongft which, it would be ridiculous to add fuch a thing as the colour of the hair. But this would not have agreed fo well with the doctor's own scheme, who by the flourishing of the almond tree, understands the Winter of Old Age, and the decay of the fenfation of fmelling, a prodigiously far-fetched interpretation; to which nothing fure could drive the learned phyfician, but this unintelligiblenefs of the text, as it ftands in the tranflation.

The learned commentator proceeds to obferve, that the literal, or rather less figurative, interpretation of Junius and De Dieu, more deferves our attention. They confider this, and the following claufe, as an indication of the Spring of the year, and upon that fuppofition, they connect it tolerably well with the reft of the defcription, though the almond tree flourish and the locuft be loaded with fat; it does not invigorate his blood, nor make it rife, to ftir up his defire. But there are many objections to this interpretation, as it admits the ufual conftruction of the word flourish inftead of defpife; and as the flowering of the almond tree, and the fattening of

the

the grafshopper do not happen at the fame time of the year, the one being in Autumn, and the other in Spring.

שקר The word

The author then proposes his own conjecture, which feems to be the proper fenfe of the original, and very fuitable to the fcope and defign of the facred writer in this description. The word which is rendered in our translation almond tree, he would read with a fin instead of a shin, viz. v pro, which is done by only removing the point from the right, to the left of the letter. And as the Maforetic points are now almost entirely exploded, this alteration furely may easily be admitted, and is much lefs violent than that of changing an Aleph into a Vau, to establish the common reading. Saked being thus eftablished, but rarely occurs, and in its paffive fenfe, fignifies to be embraced or clofe preffed. In its derivative fenfe therefore, it may well denote a close union; and this union can be determined only by circumftances. Now Solomon here defcribes the infirmities, which attend the laft ftage of life; and efpecially in this part of the picture, thofe alterations in men's habits and inclinations, which are the natural confequences of Old Age. In this period of life then, it may well be faid that the feafon of embraces is over: they are no longer of any value. Accordingly, in the new verfion of this author, the paffage is rendered, "the commerce of women shall be despised." This feems to be an eafy interpretation of the words, and very agreeable to the original Hebrew. And it is obfervable, that in the interlinear verfion of S. Pagninus, in the margin the paffage is rendered, reprobabitur coitus. And this correfponds with one of the fymptoms of Old Age mentioned by Juvenal, Coitus jam longa oblivio.

I will now beg leave to lay before your readers a few extracts from fome of the ableit expofitors of this important part of holy fcripture. And in this respect the Analytical Paraphrafe of M. Defvoeux seems very deferving of notice.

As the ftyle of this defcription (fays he) is mostly figurative, it is not perhaps very easy to point out with certainty, the particular infirmities attending a decrepid ftate, which is therein made ufe qf. Yet the general meaning is very plain, which is fufficient to answer the main purpose: however, the defcription feems to confift of three parts. The firft allegorically points out, under the image of an ill attended houfe, the most obvious infirmities of Old Age, that is to fay, thofe, that can scarcely efcape the notice of any one that be

holds

holds an old man. The fecond fets forth, moftly in plain literal terms, thofe alterations for the worfe, which age produces in a man's habits and inclinations. The laft under the emblem of a well that becomes useless through the decay of the engines, and other things neceffary to draw water out of it, and to conyey it to the proper places, reprefents the inward decay of our conftitution, whereby we are at last brought to a flate, wherein there is no work nor device to be done, nor any ufe for knowledge and wisdom. But left any one fhould fufpect that Solomon involved the whole man in the ruin and deftruction of the bodily machine, he does fhortly affert a diftinction of principles, and a difference of fate between body and foul. The one was made of earth, and returns into it. The other came from God, and returns to him."

To the fame purpose speaks Dr. Mead, in the conclusion of his chapter on this fubject.

"Notatu autem dignum eft effutum illud, quo Rex fapientiffimus concionem fuam concludit: redit, inquit, pulvis in terram qualis fuerat, et Spiritus ad Deum redit qui illum dedit. Quibus verbis, ut videtur, ignorantiæ illorum, qui ani mum fimul cum corpore exere putârunt, occurrere et immortalitatem ejeus afferere voluit."

I would alfo recommend to your readers the pious fentiments of Dr. Smith, at the conclufion of his work; in which he vindicates himself and his profeffion, from the imputation of Atheism and Infidelity, and addreffes his brethren of the faculty on this fubject. "We are so far (fays he) from flighting or contemning the Scripture, that we are great admirers of it, do endeavour to advance it above all other writings whatsoever, and that even in natural things, though never fo accidentally or curforily tranflated; and we had rather that all our other books, though very curious and greatly valuable, should be burnt, than that one line, nay one letter, or jot, or tittle of it, fhould in any wife pass away. And on the other hand, I hope I have perfuaded and prevailed with all my own brethren, to be more wife for themselves, and more wary in respect of others, than fome fevere and jealous headed cenfurers have judged them to be: that we may none of us give the leaft occafion for any one to speak evil of the things they understand not; but by taking heed to a fure rule, we may bring perpetual honour to our own faculty, and hame to the loofe professors of a better. A flight and fuper

ficial

ficial knowledge of natural things may indeed consist with Atheism, but a deep and profound fearch of them doth bring men back again to God, and neceffarily bind them over to religion. Solomon's wifdom ftayed not in the creatures, though he perfectly knew fo great a variety; but did from them only (as it were) take its rife and mount higher than the cedars, even unto Heaven itself, and there only could find its reft, from whence it had its firft beginning, like the fpirit of man, returning to God that gave it. Let no man think he hath fufficient knowledge in natural things, who hath not by them been directed to divine, or that he hath viewed the creatures enough, who hath not been led through them to the Creator. Knowledge natural and spiritual, are not fo contrary one to another, but that they may very well agree together, and cohabit in the fame manfion. And there is none fo complete a phyfician, as he who is frequently converfant in the word of God and able to evangelize; for that is the fountain which fends forth plentifully of both these waters, and is alone able to make a man perfect, thoroughly furnished to every good work."

Permit me further to add the concluding words of Mr. Harmer, on this portion of Holy Scripture.

66

Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the Winter of Old Age is come on; before its numerous complaints have taken place; before thou shalt be carried to thy long home, and thy body be turned to duft: for nothing but hope in God can fupport the foul when ftruggling with difeafe; can difarm the king of terrors in his approach, can enable thee to reflect on the folitude, the corruption, the dereliction of the grave, and its being demolished, and its place no more known. For even then, the Giver of Life, thy Creator, can bring thee back into view, and raising thee from the dead, make thee a partaker of immortality."

These reflections on the infirmities of age, and of this admirable portraiture of the fame, as here difplayed by the royal preacher, and illuftrated by these able commentators, must be very fuitable to us all, when we are now about to close another year of the period of our lives. As they remind us of the tranfient and perishable nature of this our earthly tabernacle, fo fhould they excite us to "work the work of him that fent us, while it is called to-day; because

Vol. XIII. Churchm. Mag. for December 1807.

the