Oriental Literature. 5 



bad few if any advocates, and had entirely ceased 

 to command public attention. 



A much more valuable improvement in Hebrew 

 literature, in the period under consideration, was 

 that effected by the labour and talents of Dr. 

 Lowth, Bishop of London. This profound and ele- 

 gant scholar, in the year 1753, published a learned 

 and highly interesting work on Hebrew Poetry, in 

 which he displayed its structure, genius, beauties, 

 and various kinds, more successfully than any pre- 

 ceding writer/ This great work, which is re- 

 garded by every orientalist as a most important ac- 

 quisition to the Hebrew critical art, formed a 

 memorable era in the investigation of the subject 

 of which it treats. The Bishop has been followed 

 in this laudable and instructive inquiry, by Her- 

 der, a learned, ingenious, and eloquent writer of 

 Germany, who is said to have pursued the subject 

 still further, and to have thrown additional light on 

 the spirit of Hebrew poetry. 



The publication of the works of the celebrated 

 John Hutchinson, in Great-Britain, at an early 

 period of the century, doubtless contributed some- 

 thing to promote the study of Hebrew in that coun- 

 try. It was before remarked that this philosopher 

 and his followers laid great stress on the integrity 

 of the common Hebrew text, and drew from a fan- 

 ciful interpretation of Hebrew words many theolo- 

 gical and philosophical principles, in their view of 

 the utmost importance. This circumstance, of 

 course, prompted all who applied themselves to 

 the study of Hutchinson's writings, and especially 

 those who studied them carefully and deeply, to 

 acquire as much Hebrew learning as they were 



e Be Sacra Poesi Hebrxorum Pralectiones habit* a Roberto Lowth, &c. 

 &c. 4to. 1753- This work has been translated by the Rev. G. Gregory, 

 F. A. S. and published in 1787, in 3 vols, 8vo. 



