Sect. I. ] Ihhrccv Literature, 2.57 



Great Britain, and on the continent of Eu- 

 rope *. 



The study of the Hebrew language in America 

 has long been at a low ebb. At the close of the 

 seventeenth century much knowledge of tliis lan- 

 guage appears to have existed among those vene- 

 rable divines who planted and ministered to the 

 churches in New England. Indeed, at that period 

 this kind of knowledge was possessed by very few 

 in any other part of our country. Accordingly 

 the colleges of Harvard, in Massachusetts, and'^of 

 Yale, in Connecticut, it is believed, are the only 

 seminaries of learning in the United States in 

 which the Hebrew language has been, for any con- 

 siderable portion of time, regularly taught ; and 

 at the present period they are the only American 

 seminaries in which there are regular oriental in- 

 structors f . A few of those destined for the cleri- 

 cal profession in our country make themselves ac- 

 quainted, to a small extent, with this language, so 

 inestimably important to every biblical critic ; but 



* For a more particular notice of several publications since 

 those of Dr. Lowth, more particularly by Drs. Nevvcome, Blaney, 

 Wintle, Hodgson, and a long catalogue .of Hebrew translators 

 and critics, the reader is referred to the fourth part of this work., 

 under the head of Biblical Literature, 



t If the author do not mistake, the Hebrew language has 

 been taught in Han/ard college for nearly a century, and during 

 the greater part of that time by a professor regularly appointed for 

 the purpose. In Yale college there has been for many years more 

 or less attention devoted to Hebrew literature} but it was not 

 until the autumn of 1802 that a professor for this branch of in- 

 struction was appointed. The gentleman selected to fill this 

 office is the reverend Ebenezer G. Marsh., who has the character 

 of an excellent Hebrew scholar. 



Vol. II. S 



