Sect. I.] Hebrew JJtcraturc. S47 



ciful and unfounded speculation. The bishop's 

 doctrine was^ however, adopted by the reverend 

 Dr. Thomas Edwards, of Great Britain, a contem- 

 porary Hebrew scholar of considerable reputation. 

 It was also adopted and carried to a still greater 

 length by Mr. William Green, also an English cler- 

 gyman, in his metrical version of the Psalms *. 

 But at the close of the century, it is^bc^eved, this 

 -cloctrine had few if any advocates, and had en- 

 tirely 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 ])r. 

 Lowth, bishop of London f. This profound and 

 elegant scholar, in the year 1153, published a 

 learned and highly interesting Avork on Hebrew 

 Poetry, in which he displayed its structure, genius, 

 beauties, and various kinds, more successfully than 

 any preceding writer J. This great work, which 

 is regarded by every orientalist as a very impor- 

 tant acquisition to the Hebrew critical art, formed 

 a memorable ccra in the investigation of the sub- 

 ject of which it treats. The bishop has been fol- 



* A Nc-x Translation of the Psalms from the Original HcbrnL>. 

 By Wiliiam Green, M.A. Rector of JJurdingham, yoifu/L bvo, 

 1762. 



t Dr. Robert Lowth was born at Winchester, in ITIO. In 

 1740 he was elected professor of Hebrew poetry in the university 

 of Oxford; in 1766' was made bishop of St. David's j in 1777 

 was translated to the see of London ; in 1778 pubHshed his trans- 

 lation of Isaiah, and died in 17^7- 



+ De Sacra Pot si Hthwurum Pra-hrtioncs habit ^r a Roborf- 

 Lowth, &c, 4to, 1753. This work has been translated by the 

 reverend G. Orr^ory, F. A. S,. and published i" ^^'^7, in 2 voh 

 Svo. 



