RUTH. 
261 
mentioned. No ; with Ruth the attention is wholly fixed on the 
moral qualities, and the sacred historian has thus assigned her a 
place beside the Christian women of the New Testament, where 
personal appearance is in no instance even alluded to. May we not, 
then, please ourselves wath believing that Ruth was not beautiful ; 
that she had merely one of those faces which come and go with- 
out being followed, except by the eyes that know and love them ? 
Boaz no sooner learns who she is than he gives her a most kindly 
welcome : " Hearest thou not, my daughter ? Go not to glean 
in another field ; neither go from hence, but abide here fast by 
my maidens. Have I not charged the young men that they shall 
not touch thee ? And when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels 
and drink of that which the young men have drawn." We are 
not told that Boaz was an old man, but it is implied in several 
places. He calls Ruth " My daughter," and he is mentioned as 
a kinsman of Naomi's husband ; he commends her for not follow- 
ing " young men, whether rich or poor," and there is a certain 
calmness and dignity in his manner and conduct throughout the 
narrative, such as one would naturally connect with the idea of 
an elderly man. The generous kindness and the upright sim- 
plicity of his conduct toward Ruth are very beautiful. When the 
young widow, " falling on her face," asks humbly, "Why have 
I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldst take knowl- 
edge of me, seeing I am a stranger?" He answers, "It hath 
fully been showed me all that thou hast done unto thy mother- 
in-law, since the death of thy husband ;" — " a full reward be 
given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou 
art come to trust." Ruth was poor, and had doubtless met with 
neglect and harshness. She was generous and warm-hearted 
