1829.J 



Domestic and Foreign. 



335 



of the nanativp, has caused tlie greatest perplexity 

 to many pious minds, and as great triumph to 

 the adversaries of revealed religion. The object 

 of this work is striclly historical, not theological ; 

 yet a few observations may be ventured on this 

 point, considering its important bearing on the 

 manner in which Jewish history ought to he writ- 

 ten and read. Some will not read the most an- 

 cient and curious history in the world, because it 

 is in the Bible ; others read it in the Bible with a 

 kind of pious awe, which prevents them from com- 

 prehending its real spirit. The latter look on the 

 distinguished characters in the Mosaic annals as 

 a kind of sacred beings, scarcely allied to human 

 nature. Their intercourse with the Divinity in- 

 vests them with a mysterious sanctity, which is 

 expected to extend to all their actions. Hence, 

 when they find the same passions at work, the 

 ordinary feelings and vices of human nature pre- 

 valent both among the ancestors of tlie chosen 

 people, and the chosen people themselves, they 

 are confounded and distressed. Writers un- 

 friendly to revealed religion, starting with the 

 same notion, that the Mosaic narrative is uni- 

 formly exemplary, not historical, have enlarged 

 with malicious triumph on the delinquencies of 

 the patriarchs and their descendants. Perplexity 

 and triumph surely equally groundless! 



His estimate of David'.s character has the 

 same tendency to correct misconceptions 

 arising out of a partial view of the state of 

 society in those early times. 



Hi.s personal character has been often dis- 

 cussed ; but both by his enemies, and even by 

 some of his learned defenders, with an ignorance 

 of, or inattention to his age and country, in writers 

 of such acuteness as Bayle, as melancholy as sur- 

 prising. Both parties have been content to take 

 the expression of the man after God's oicn 

 heart, in a strict and literal sense. Both have 

 judged by modern, occidental and Christian no- 

 tions, the chieftain of an easterji and compara- 

 tively barbarous people. If David in his exile 

 became a freebooter, he assumed a profession, 

 like the pirate in ancient Greece, by no means 

 dishonourable. If he employed craft, or even 

 falsehood, in some of his enterprises, chivalrous, 

 or conscientious attachment to truth was probably 

 not one of the virtues of bis day. He had his 

 harem, like other eastern kings. He waged war, 

 and revenged himself on his foreign enemies with 

 merciless cruelty, like other warriors of his age 

 and country. His one great crime violated the 

 immutable and univeisal laws of morality, and 

 therefore admits of no excuse. On the other 

 band, his consummate personal bravery and mili- 

 tary talent — his generosity to his enemies — his 

 fidelity to his friends— hi.s knowledge of, and sted- 

 fast attention to the true interests of his country — 

 his exalted piety and gratitude towards his God, 

 justify the zealous and fervent attachment of the 

 Jewish people to the memory of their great 

 monarch. 



The contrast between tlie Jewish history 

 and that of other nations, as to their origin, 

 ijt well htatcd. 



The genealogies of most nations, particularly 

 the eastern, are lost among their gods ; it is im- 

 possible to define where fable cea'.es, and history 

 liegins ; an4 the earlier we aaccnd the inure in- 



distinct and marvellous the narrative. In the 

 Hebrew record it is precisely the converse. God 

 and man are separated by a wide and impassable 

 interval— Abraham is the Emir of a pastoral 

 tribe, migratijig from place to place, his stations 

 marked with geographical accuracy, and with a 

 picturesque simplicity of local description ; here 

 he pitches his tent by some old and celebrated 

 tree, there on the brink of a well-known fountain. 

 He is in no respect superior to his age or country, 

 excepting in the sublime purity of his religion. 

 He is neither demi-god nor mighty conqueror, nor 

 even sage, nor inventor of useful arts. His dis- 

 tinction is the worship of One Great God, and 

 the intercourse which he is permitted to Jiol J with 

 this mysterious being. This is the great patri- 

 monial glory which he bequeathed to his descend- 

 ants; their title to be considered the chosen peo- 

 ple of the Almighty, was their iualienable here- 

 ditary possession. This is the key to their whole 

 history, the basis of their political institutions, 

 the vital principle of their national character. 



We can quote no more — but we may point 

 out Mr. M.'s review of the Hebrew Laws, as 

 correct and instructive in no common degree. 

 The general luimanity of them, contrast 

 favourably witli what is known of the spirit 

 pervading tlie codes of neigliboiiring nations. 

 His remarks are well calculated to excite 

 more attention to the Jewish laws than, we 

 are sure, they commonly obtain — though 

 at least as deserving of regard as tlie insti- 

 tutes of Greeks and Romans — superior as 

 they often are in matters of domestic pohcy 

 and political government. This is like 

 talking of a new matter, and new it is to 

 numbers. This first volume brings the story 

 down to the Captivity. Materials for sue- 



ceeding periods are not so accessible, but 



the subject is in able hands, and nothing 

 will be wanting. 



Cuvier''s Animal Kingdom, edited by E. 



Griffith, Esq. and Others Part XX. 



1829. — This portion of the very superior 

 publication, to which we have more than once 

 directed the reader's notice, is occupied with 

 the fourth order of birds, termed GaUinas, 

 comprising most of our most valuable domes- 

 tic birds — mosf valuable, we mean, for eat- 

 ing, not for show. Extended as our disco- 

 veries have been over every quarter of the 

 globe, and multiplied as is our acquaintance 

 with animated nature, it is marvellous tliat 

 we do not extend the paltry list of our eat- 

 ables. Out of the whole range of quadru- 

 peds, we get nothing, from century to cen- 

 tury, but oxen, sheep, and pigs — now and 

 then, those who can catch them, a fat buck, 

 or a lean doe — out of the hundreds or thou- 

 sands of birds, nothing but cocks and hens, 

 turkics, ducks, and geese ; wild fowl are not 

 always eatable, and game, exclusively called 

 so, exclusively belong to the magnificocs of the 

 land — iind out of oceans of fish, half a score 

 at the utmost ever visit the table. Vet of 

 this (JallincP order alone, numbers of new 

 ones miglit be olitained. Nortli America 

 g.ive us the turkey, and Soutli America 

 would supply tlic whole genus alccCure, and 



