102 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



" I will fix mine abode only in the heritage of Je- 

 *' H0VAH....I have lifted up myfelf as a cedar upon 

 *^ Mount Lebanon, and as the cyprefs-tree on the 

 *' hills of Zion, My branches have been exalted 

 *' to the Heavens, like the palm-trees of Kadefh, 

 ** and as the bloffbms of the rofe which furroiind 

 " Jericho. I am beautiful as the olive on the 

 ** brow of the hill, and majeftic as the plane-tree, 



" in an open place, by the fountains of water 



*' I have extended my boughs as the terebinthus ; 

 *' my branches are branches of honour and grace. 

 ** I have put forth, as the vine, bloflbms of the 

 ** fweeteft perfume, and my buds have produced 

 " the fruits of glory and abundance. I am the 

 *' parent of holy love, of fear, of knowledge, and 

 ** of facred hope ; I alone point out the road that 

 " is fafe and eafy ; and unfold truths that give de- 

 *' light Î in me repofes all the expeftation of life 

 ** and virtue. Come to me, all ye who love me } 

 ** and my never-ceafing produdlions fliall fill you 

 ** with rapture ; for my fpirit is fweeter than ho- 

 " ney, and my diflribution of it far fuperior to the 

 '* cells of the honeycomb." 



This feeble tranflation. is after the Latin profe 

 verfion, itfelf a tranflation from the Greek, and it 

 again from the Hebrew. It is not to be doubted, 

 therefore, that in pafTmg through fo many flrain- 

 crs^ much of the grace of the original muft have 



evaporated. 



