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SECTION II.

I Now proceed to illustrate more particularly the poetical parallelism; which I shall do in the words, and chiefly by the examples, of Bishop Lowth; derived from his Nineteenth Prælection, and from his Preliminary Dissertation to Isaiah.

In Hebrew poetry, there is a certain correspondence of the verses one with another; a certain relation, also, between the composition of the verses, and the composition of the sentences; the formation of the former, depending principally upon the distribution of the latter; so that, generally, periods coincide with stanzas, members with verses, and pauses of the one, with pauses of the other. This correspondence is called parallelism : when a proposition is delivered, and a second is drawn under it, equivalent to, or contrasted with it, in sense, or similar to it, in the form of grammatical construction, these are called parallel lines; and the words or phrases answering one to another in the corresponding lines, parallel terms.

The poetical parallelism has much variety, and many gradations: it is sometimes more accurate and manifest, sometimes more vague and obscure : it may, however, be generally distributed into three kinds; parallels synonymous; parallels antithetie; and parallels synthetic, or constructive.

Parallel lines synonymous are those which correspond one to another, by expressing the same sense in different, but equivalent terms; when a proposition is delivered, and immediately repeated, in the whole, or in part, the expression being varied, but the sense entirely, or nearly the same; for example:

Seek ye Jehovah, while he may be found;

Call

ye upon him, while he is near:

Let the wicked forsake his way;

And the unrighteous man his thoughts:

And let him return unto Jehovah, and he will compas-
sionate him;

And unto our God, for he aboundeth in forgiveness.
Isaiah, lv. 6, 7.

O Jehovah, in thy strength the king shall rejoice;
And in thy salvation, how greatly shall he exult!
The desire of his heart thou hast granted him;
And the request of his lips thou hast not denied.

Honour Jehovah with thy riches;

Psalm xxi. 1, 2.

And with the first-fruits of all thine increase.

Proverbs, iii 9.

Blessed is the man that feareth Jehovah ;

That greatly rejoiceth in his commandments.

Psalm cxii. 1.

Parallel lines antithetic are, when two lines correspond with one another, by an opposition of terms and sentiments; when the second is contrasted with the first, sometimes in expressions, sometimes in sense only. Accordingly, the degrees of antithesis are various; from an exact

contra-position of word to word, singulars to singulars, plurals to plurals, &c., through the whole sentence, down to a general disparity, with something of a contrariety, in the two propositions; for example:

Faithful are the wounds of a friend;

But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.

Proverbs, xxvii. 6.

A wise son rejoiceth a father;

But a foolish son is the grief of his mother.

Prov. x. 1. (1)

The memory of the just is a blessing;

But the name of the wicked shall rot.

Prov. x. 7.

Many seek the face of the prince;

But the determination concerning a man is from Jehovah.

Prov. xxix. 26.

These in chariots, and those in horses;

But we in the name of Jehovah our God, will be strong:

They are bowed down and fallen;

But we are risen, and maintain ourselves firm.

Psalm xx. 7, 8.

Parallel lines constructive are, when the parallelism consists only in the similar form of construction; in which, word does not answer to word, and sentence to sentence, as equivalent or opposite; but there is a correspondence and equality between different propositions, in respect of the shape and turn of the whole sentence, and of the constituent parts; such as, noun answering to noun, verb to verb, interrogative to interrogative. To this de

scription of parallelism may be referred all such as do not come within the two former classes. The variety of this form is accordingly very great. Sometimes the parallelism is more, sometimes less exact: sometimes hardly at all apparent. The following examples will suffice:

Praise ye Jehovah, ye of the earth;
Ye sea-monsters, and all deeps:
Fire and hail, snow and vapour;
Stormy wind, executing his command:
Mountains, and all hills;
Fruit-trees, and all cedars:
Wild beasts, and all cattle;
Reptiles, and birds of wing:

Kings of the earth, and all peoples;
Princes, and all judges of the earth:
Youths, and also virgins;

Old men, together with the children:
Let them praise the name of Jehovah ;
For his name alone is exalted;

His majesty, above earth and heaven.

Psalm cxlviii. 7-13.

The law of Jehovah is perfect, converting the soul;
The testimony of Jehovah is sure, making wise the simple;
The precepts of Jehovah are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of Jehovah is clear, enlightening the

eyes;

The fear of Jehovah is pure, enduring for ever;

The judgments of Jehovah are truth, they are altogether

righteous:

More desirable than gold, and than much fine gold; And sweeter than honey, and the dropping of honeyPsalm xix. 7-10.

combs.

Respecting the three species of parallelism, it

should be observed, that, separately, each kind admits many subordinate varieties; and that, in combinations of verses, the several kinds are perpetually intermingled; circumstances, which at once enliven and beautify the composition, and frequently give peculiar distinctness and precision to the train of thought. A few subordinate varieties are added; the exemplifications of which are taken chiefly from Bishop Lowth.

Sometimes the lines are bi-membral; that is, they consist, each of double members, or two propositions; for example:

Bow thy heavens, O Jehovah, and descend;
Touch the mountains, and they shall smoke:
Dart forth thy lightning, and scatter them;
Shoot out thine arrows, and destroy them.

Psalm cxliv. 5, 6.

And they shall build houses, and shall inhabit them; And they shall plant vineyards, and shall eat the fruit

thereof:

They shall not build, and another inhabit;

They shall not plant, and another eat.

Isaiah, lxv. 21, 22.

Parallels are sometimes formed by a repetition

of part of the first sentence:

My voice is unto God, and I cry aloud:

My voice unto God, and he will hearken unto me:

I will remember the works of Jehovah;

Yea, I will remember thy wonders of old :

The waters saw thee, O God;

The waters saw thee; they were seized with anguish.