368 LECTURES AND ESSAYS [1874- 



theology, does not aim at absolute completeness ; and 

 even those who possess it may be glad to have along with 

 it the very cheap and useful dictionary of biblical anti 

 quities (Handw drterbuch des biblischen Alterthums), now 

 appearing under the editorship of Professor Riehm, of 

 Halle. This work, which is to be completed in one 

 volume of 1000 pages, at the price of about i6s., is 

 designed for educated readers in general, and makes no 

 parade of scholarly apparatus. But every article is the 

 work of a thoroughly competent author, who has made 

 a special study of his department, and the lucid accuracy 

 which is so characteristic of the editor penetrates the 

 whole work, which promises to be the best Bible dictionary 

 for general use, and one which scholars must not ignore. 



Last year s contributions to pure philology must be 

 rapidly passed over, as this is not the place for technical 

 criticism. In lexicography we have to notice Ryssel s 

 new edition of Fuerst s Lexicon, which contains only such 

 improvements as were consistent with the continued use 

 of the old stereotype plates. In Hebrew grammar there 

 is a general feeling that what is most necessary at present 

 is careful investigation of detached questions. Working 

 in this direction, Dr. Giesebrecht has given us an elaborate 

 monograph on the preposition Lamed (Halle, Lip- 

 pert sche Buchh., 112 pp.), which will be found useful in 

 spite of the unfortunate want of an index, which in such 

 a work is a serious inconvenience. 



There have been some useful translations into English 

 of grammatical works. The explanation of Hebrew forms 

 by reference to a more primitive condition of the language, 

 which throws so much light on the apparent darkness of 

 the paradigms by which students are puzzled, was not 

 systematically carried through any grammar accessible 

 to the English reader till the appearance of Mr. Poole s 

 translation of Land s Principles of Hebrew Grammar 

 (Triibner, 1876). Unfortunately this work has serious 

 defects as a manual for learners, and the student who 



