And with this clue, lector benevole,

or notions.
speed thou on thy way.

Of Moses, nothing need here be repeated which can be found in the inspired volume: the date of his birth is disputed, but it is probably correct to fix it at 1570, B. C.: he died at the age of one hundred and twenty, and to prevent idolatry of his remains, it is said, in Deut. xxxiv. 6, that the Lord buried him, and no man knoweth of his sepulchre.”

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It is very interesting to find Herodotus bearing testimony to the consequences of the plagues of Egypt; also Diodorus Siculus, and Strabo, confirming holy writ in many particulars.

From the extreme antiquity of the works of Moses, it has long been an objection raised by sceptics, that the only method of writing then known was engraving on stones, and that the voluminous character of the Pentateuch rendered this impossible hence they infer that the books of Moses cannot be genuine or authentic, but the traditionary compilation of some later hand. But all this is founded on the extravagant assumption that every word was sculptured upon tables of stone: an idea now completely subverted by the fact, which the hieroglyphical researches of M. Champollion have established, that the use of papyrus was long anterior to the age of Moses; there being now extant at Turin an Egyptian writing on papyrus, expounded to be an act of Thutmothsis III.,

and accounted two hundred years older than the time of the Pharaoh, in whose reign Moses flourished.

There can be no doubt, however, that some passages have been added to the original text, by Joshua, or Ezra; as for example the account of the death of Moses, which closes Deuteronomy. In Graves on the Pentateuch the enquirer will find every objection honestly stated, and luminously solved.

From the very curious passage in St. Jude, concerning "Michael the archangel disputing with Satan about the body of Moses," taken in connection with the transfiguration on the mount, it has been imagined that Moses is one of those who, with Enoch, Elias, and our Saviour, are not in the state of disembodied spirits, but in that of the perfect resurrection.

DA V I D.

It is not for thy throne and diadem,
Nor for the prowess of thy ruddy youth,
Nor skill with gentle minstrelsy to soothe
The spirit in its griefs, and banish them,

We count thee blest; these lesser stars of praise May well in lustrous beauty round thee blaze, Anointed monarch of Jerusalem

But, that omniscient truth hath titled thee
Man after God's own heart,—this name alone
Doth, to its highest, mortal glory raise,
And leave us wondering here: O favoured one,
As to my Saviour's symbol, reverent
And with such worship as befitteth me,

So would I greet thee, royal penitent.

The types of our Lord Christ, which so remarkably pervade the historical books of the Old Testament, and indeed, (if it be not improper to say so,) constitute to us their chief value, form a system as worthy of the philosopher's attention as of the less reasoning acceptance of unlearned Christians. A most favourite principle it is in human nature, to follow examples; and this fact explains the popular power of analogical argument, and the love of biography of which most men are sensible. A type was a form of setting Christ before men exactly adapted to their social nature, and the pre-eminence of David, the Beloved, (as his name signifies,) in this respect, has been the theme of divines in all ages. However, there is still very much of the antitypical scheme to be made up: we are yet to hear of "bringing the King back;" and doubtless, every minute incident, as of Shimei, and Barzillai, &c., will be found to have its national counterpart hereafter.

To explain allusions in sonnets that concern such characters would be to cast an imputation on the reader.

Once for all, it is far from the intention of these sections to comment upon every phrase and image,

or with the blotting finger of notation to point out all the secret sense. Such a plan would generate more prose than the poetry could carry, and would be a method of swelling the volume, despicable from its very ease: added to which, it is more complimentary to the reader, and for that cause more worthy of the writer, to leave many things unexplained. In general, allusions will be obvious enough.

Many subjects, briefly touched upon in these cursory remarks, would require a treatise for their several elucidation; and the author has felt great difficulty in sufficient condensation: he is sensible that in some instances he may not have said enough to defend his positions from every opponent, (as perhaps, on Scriptural revision,) but it is really from the pressure of many matters: arguments and examples might often have been multiplied, but where one or two have been thought sufficient, the excess has been rejected: in fact among these brief essays, there will frequently be found little more than the seeds of thoughts, which he that so wills may cultivate at leisure: from the multitude of topics, and to produce variety, they are necessarily discursive: the opportunity has been taken to introduce original translations, and leave has been usurped to ramble at will to any subject at all connected with the character under consideration in a word, while the author would acknowledge with gratitude the general debt which he