38 



Hebrew imagery may have thus originated in the mind of a primitive 

 and devout observer of nature ; as, for example, in the 104th Psalm : — 

 " He covereth Himself -s^atli light as with a garment ; 



He spreadetli out the heavens like a curtain ; 



He layetli the heams of His chambers in the waters ; 



He maketh the clouds His chariot; 



He rideth on the wings of the wind ; 



He maketh the winds His messengers ; 



The flaming lightnings His ministers." 

 " He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth ; 



He toucheth the hills, and they smoke. " 

 Of the Greek mythology Coleridge has beautifully said, iu his trans- 

 lation of Schiller's " Piccolomini :" — 



" Fable is Love's world, his home, his birth-place ; 



Delightedly dwells he 'mong fays, and talismans, 



And spirits ; and dehghtedly believes 



Divinities, being himself divine. 



The intelhgible forms of ancient poets, 



The fair humanities of old religion, 



The power, the beauty, and the majesty, 



That had her haunts in deU, or piny mountaui, 



Or forest by slow stream, or pebbly springs. 



Or chasms and wat'ry depths ; all these have vanisliVl : 



They live no longer in the faith of reason ; 



But stm the heart doth need a language ; still 



Doth the old instinct bring back the old names, 



And to yon starry world they now are gone. 



Spirits or gods, that used to share this earth 



AVith man as with their friend ; and to the lover 



Yonder they move; from yonder visible sky 



Shoot influence down ; and even at this day 



'Tis Jupiter who brings whate'er is great, 



And Venus who brings everything that's fair." 



Shakspeare also illustrates the essential truth enshrined in the poetry 

 of ancient Greece, as iu the familar passage on the power of music, in 

 the " Merchant of Venice :" — 



" For do but note a wild and wanton herd, 

 A race of youthful and unhanded colts, 

 Fetching mad bounds, — bellowing and neighing loud, 

 Which is the hot condition of then- blood ; 

 If they but hear, perchance, a trumpet sound. 

 Or any air of music touch their ears, 

 You shall perceive them make a mutual stand — 

 Their savage eyes turned to a modest gaze 

 By the sweet power of music. Therefore the poet 

 Did feign that Orpheus drew trees, stones and floods. 

 Since nought so stockish, hard, and full of rage, 

 But music for the time doth change his natui'e." 



