we shall annex an extract which may suggest the nature of this mortar, which the reader will recollect is daubed on the wall, by way of exterior decoration. "Those buildings which are made of brick baked in the sun, they lay over them pounded straw to keep them from chopping in the heat. They never lay the second lay, till the first be dry, nor is the second lay to be so broad as the lowermost. Those buildings which are made of brick baked in the sun are very handsome; and after the wall is raised, the mason plasters it over with mortar made of potter's clay, mingled with straw, so that the defects of the building being covered, the wall appears very firm and close. Then the workman plasters the mortar over again with a lime mixed with Muscovy green, which he pounds with a certain gum, to render the lime mixed more glutinous; and then rubbing the wall over with a coarse brush, it becomes as it were damasked and silvered, and looks like marble. The poor are contented with only bare walls, or some coarse daubing, that costs little," Tavernier, Travels in Persia, p. 147. CHAPTER XIX. VERSE 2, &c. What is thy mother? a LIONESS ? She lay down among LIONS, she nourished her WHELPS among YOUNG LIONS. She brought up one of her wHELPS; it became a YOUNG LION; it learned to catch the prey ; it devoured men.... She took another of her w HELPS, and made him a YOUNG LION. This passage elucidates fully the meaning of the words to which it alludes: and there is neither ambiguity in their usage, nor can their application be doubted. 1st, A lioness, labia; this must be a lioness, not a lion, because it is called mother. Vide Gen. xlix. 2dly, Lions, ariuth. This word, having the feminine form, denotes, I rather think, not male lions, because the word has for them the masculine form, ariim, but rather full grown lionesses, creatures of great bulk and power; and this agrees well with, 3dly, Young lions, cephirim, rather, strong, male lions, at their maturity, in their prime. Vide Job iv. 11. 4thly, Whelps, guriah. These whelps may be of either sex; the feminine is used, no doubt, by custom; perhaps, too, by propriety of nature, as the number of female cubs born may exceed the number of males. One of these whelps was favoured by its dam, who nursed it up till it became cephir, a strong, powerful, rapacious, animal, capable of ravaging for itself: this being unfortunate, she took another of her guriah, and made him a cephir; and he roved among the ariuth, lionesses, and a cephir he was. The passage is clear, and may be compared to the description given by Horace, lib. iv. ode 4. of a sturdy vig great DRAGON, tanim, that lieth in the midst of his ness. We have in several places endeavoured to give a more correct idea of the nature of dragons, than our translation has attempted: the tanim we have uniformly referred to the class of amphibia, and this instance, we suppose, may fairly be included. A dragon is a great serpent, but these words refer rather to that great lizard, the crocodile, than to any serpent. As we have already included lisards among tanim, vide the gecko, Deut. xxxii. we must now admit the huge leviathan also; and this is the passage which we should quote, in support of our opinion. As to the giving him "to be meat to the beasts of the field," vide on Psalm lxxiv. 14. As the word amphibia is hardly naturalized in our popular language, and as it includes, in a philosophic sense, several varieties, perhaps, in such a passage as this, the word reptile might be advantageously substituted for dragon. CHAPTER XXXI. VERSES S, 8. Behold, the Assyrian, was, a CEDAR in Lebanon. The whole of this very poetic description of the cedar is well worth perusal. There is no doubt, that the word arets means a cedar; but here the prophet adds, in Lebanon, and our translators add the word was; they were aware that there is no mark of resemblance, 2, like a cedar in Lebanon ; and that they could not say, "Assur is a cedar in Lebanon:" but, when was Assur a cedar in Lebanon? meaning that Lebanon near Judea. We know no proof of this assumption. Suppose, therefore, we take this Lebanon according to the import of its roots, "the snowy mountain ;" and hint at the "snowy mountain." [FRAG MENT, No. 14,] Caucasus. This would refer to the original station of that people, near Kedem; to the antiquity of that people, [vide FRAGMENT, No. 247,] and to the influence of that people on surrounding nations in early times. This conjecture agrees perfectly with the mention of the cedars in the garden of God, Paradise, adjacent to "the snowy mountain ;" all the trees of Eden, &c. who envied the cedar, Assyria. For we cannot well take this Eden, and garden of God, for any place in Syria: it seems much more correct to refer here, as Balaam did anciently, to the "trees which the Lord had planted," in that first and best furnished habitation of man. VERSE 8. Fir-trees, beroshim; chesnut-trees, oremenim. I do not know any competent authority for this rendering. The platanus, or plane-tree is thought to be the subject intended. Milton is certainly no authority as a naturalist; but, as a poet, he places his Eve in Paradise "under a platan." The LXX, and Vul gate render platanus, a name derived from the breadth of leaf unfolded by this tree, and the extent of its branches. The luxury of shade in the East we have had frequent opportunities of remarking; and this, if any thing, must vindicate the frantic Xerxes for falling in love with a plane-tree, and adorning it with golden bracelets. The shade of this tree fitted the place of its growth for being the scene of social enjoyment, and even of solemn sacrificial rites. Pliny, lib. xii. cap. 1. mentions some very extensive ones; and Homer describes the Grecian army as sacrificing under a tree of this kind, Il. ii. 307; Virg. Georg. iv. 146. I pay great deference to Mr. Parkhurst, who says he had had frequent opportunities of observing that the bark of the plane-tree peels off from the trunk, leaving it naked; and, to a root signifying nakedness, he refers the Hebrew name. I shall however observe, that this seems to me like a defect of nature in this tree, which, whether it takes place in warmer climates, or where the tree is indigenous, requires clearer testimonies than I have hitherto happened to find. CHAPTER XXXIII. VERSE 30. Also, son of man, the children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls, and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, "Come, I pray you, and let us hear the word from the Lord." The idea which arises in the mind of an English reader from this passage, is, that the Jewish captives met each other accidentally, not by design, and seldom, not constantly; but it should be known, that in the East much traffic is carried on, and many businesses performed without doors, which our colder climate forbids. What hinders us, then, from supposing that these Jews, while engaged in their several occupations, made bargains and associations to attend the prophet's ministry, when they expected something curious or entertaining, some novelty of matter or manner? they came not for devotion, but diversion. That this might be their conduct the following extract sufficiently proves ; while it describes the occasion of their meetings, and the class of people who were guilty of this misconduct. "The jealousy of the people of the East renders them unwilling to receive persons with whom they have business, in their houses. On this account, the artisans work without doors, and spend the whole day in open places. The streets are full of joiners, ironmongers, goldsmiths, jewellers, &c. busy in the exercise of their several trades. Thousands of workmen come in the morning, work all day in the streets of Constantinople, and return in the evening to their houses in the country. If the same modes of life prevailed in Europe, and the greater number of the artisans and workmen about our great cities lived in the country, these would then appear much more populous than at present," Niebuhr, vol. i. p. 19. Eng. edit. CHAPTER XLV. VERSE 12. And the SHEKEL, shall be, twenty gerahs, twenty shekels, five and twenty shekels, fifteen shekels shall be your maneh. The unusual manner of computation employed in this passage is very perplexing. We have already, in our introduction to the book of Numbers, alluded to it, and regarded it as one of those ancient modes of numeration, on which we desire further information. To contribute in some degree to that information, I subjoin two passages from the Greek poet Theocritus, who uses these, perhaps, as a mode of counting proper to rustics or country swains; a class of people which, it is well known, preserve by tradition and custom many usages, which better informed persons relinquish for later improvements. In his fourteenth Idyllium, the poet represents a lover enumerating the day's since he last met his mistress: "And now twenty and eight, and nine, and ten days are past, today is the eleventh, add two more, and there will be two months." This mode of computing time might, possibly, arise from the return of periodical festivals, monthly, or weekly, &c. but, however that might be, it is not uncommon among ourselves to hear persons break into smaller portions a longer space of time than they can readily compute at once, to their own satisfaction; and then, adding them together, ascertain the whole. This is, usually, when such are in conversation, and when exercising the faculty of recollection. But we have in Theocritus, Idyll. xvii. another, and apparently a more confused manner of calculating a large number: for, enumerating the cities governed by Ptolemy, king of Egypt, the poet says; "He has three hundred cities And three times eleven" - 300 3,000 30,000 6 33 33,339 It will strike the reader's reflection to what mistakes of final numbers this method must be subject; and it strongly corroborates the idea suggested on Numbers, that the abacus table was employed in such arithmetic. Perhaps it implies, too, that the manner of reading the strings of that table was not uniform; for we find in this enumeration, the hundreds before the thousands; the ten thousands, or myriads, in the middle; and the units, if units they be, are put last. I notice this, as I verily think the remark is of some importance, toward settling the numbers of some places in the Old Testament, and toward detecting some causes of error. I shall therefore arrange the numbers abacus-wise, both as placed by the poet, and as they would be placed if correctly arranged, according to decimal notation. The reader perceives at once that what would be indispensable in our manner of notation by decimals, which preserve a regular order and progress, has not been regarded by the poet, and probably was not attended to in practice: such want of arrangement might have no inconveniencies to those accustomed to it, but it has many in respect to us, at this distance of time; and the same when it came to be expressed in writing, and other symbols to be substituted. Is it at all to be wondered at, that inextricable perplexities should ensue ? perplexities inextricable to those who have never seen the application of a method of computation so totally different from their own. 33,339 AN EXPOSITORY INDEX, &c. DANIEL, AND THE MINOR PROPHETS. CHAPTER II. VERSE 31, &c. FOR Some thoughts on this image, and its signification, vide the dissertation annexed to the map of "Geographical Illustrations of Scripture Journies." No. 150. CHAPTER III. VERSE 1. The golden image of Nebuchadnezzar has been explained, and its proportions given, in FRAGMENT, A question may be raised on the cubit, by which the prophet proportions this figure: if it was the Babylonian cubit, which exceeds the ordinary measure, then this figure may be taken as 100 feet high; very nearly equal to the famous Colossus of Rhodes, which might be about 104 feet. The Colossus of Nero, dedicated to the sun by Vespasian, was still larger: it could not be less than 115 feet. For some thoughts on the furnace into which the Hebrew youths were cast; vide the plate. CHAPTER IV. VERSE 33. Nebuchadnezzar was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven; ... his hairs were grown like eagles' feath ers, his nails like birds' claws. This passage, in all probability, should not be taken too literally. That Nebuchadnezzar suffered under mental derangement, may be admitted; but those can be ignorant persons only who suppose he was changed into an animal of any kind. It is no uncommon thing for deranged persons, in our own day, to fancy themselves kings and princes, or haunted by wild beasts, or to assume the actions of wild beasts; the same, no doubt, was the change in Nebuchadnezzar, from the exercise of rationality, to the absence of his mental powers; or rather their suspension for a time; but the change was remarkable in him, who had been a warrior, a politician, a sovereign, of no ordinary description; who had been indeed a head of gold: vide chap. i. Driven from men: not from his own palace demesnes, perhaps, though certainly removed from his office; but probably attended in some secluded part of his park or garden, with proper care, till his health returned, as had been foretold. In this state, he did eat vegetables, such as he found around him, such as man in his savage state lives on, depends on finding as food; and sometimes grass itself: the word is not desha, green grass; but one implying vegetation generally. He was, indeed, during this time, a wild man of the woods, and did not even by night always retire to his den, but, eluding his keepers, exposed himself to the dews, or mists, which fall evening and morning; nails grew without trimming, to a greatly disfiguring nor was any care taken of his person, but his hairs and length. The word for eagle is nesher, and for bird is tzippor; which seems to be taken generally. We have repeatedly noticed both words. I would further remark, that we have no account of any violence committed by this fallen prince, while in his deranged state; so that we may safely, it appears, consider him as one of those milder kind of maniacs, who do no hurt, but whose minds being alienated, they wander about, melancholy, abstracted, imbecile; not violent or outrageous. This supposition agrees with the course of similar diseases in some of our greatest men. Nebuchadnezzar had been a warrior, had probably exerted his mind beyond its genuine powers; had, in short, worn out his rational faculties before his body was worn out; he had also been a contriver, a man of enlarged capacity, as a king, as a builder, as a legislator, perhaps; and this might give the more importance to the prophecy preserved under his name. Is it uncommon for such men to become effête, to sink into inanity? Alas! no: From Marlborough's eyes see streams of dotage flow; And Swift expires, a driveller and a show! Nebuchadnezzar, however, did not expire a driveller; his health was restored to him; he resumed his dignity for a time; but his constitution was too much shattered to last; he soon bid a final farewell to his station and the world; at the same time foretelling the fate of his kingdom, as we learn from Herodotus, who also informs us, that madness was afterward called "the royal disease," by which succeeding kings of Babylon were afflicted, to the destruction of neighbouring states, and the vexation of their own subjects. CHAPTER VI. VERSES 23, 24. My God hath sent his angel, and shut the lions' mouths. Daniel's deliverance from the lions is one of those remarkable circumstances which may justly be reckoned miraculous, when accompanied by others which contribute to characterize it. A mere escape from the jaws of a lion is no miracle; we have several histories to that effect; and the story of Androcles, who, having drawn a thorn from the foot of a lion, was afterward recognised by him, whether true or false, may shew the opinion anciently entertained on this CHAPTER IV. VERSE 16. subject. I shall, however, relate a story of unquestionable truth, which happened some years ago among ourselves. In the tower of London, the dens where the lions are kept are large wooden cages, divided into two rooms, which open into each other; and the custom is every day to turn the creature into one of them, while the other is cleaning. It happened, that the man who was accustomed to feed and clean these lions, having commanded one of them to go out of the den where he lay into the other, he supposed the lion had complied, as usual, and unsuspectingly went into the den, to clean it; the lion, however, had remained in his den; and advancing up to the man, smelled him, licked him, and examined him all over; then, without hurting him, went away, and laid himself down quietly. N.B. The man had the precaution to put his hands carefully into his coat pockets, lest the rough tongue of the lion should draw blood, and the taste of that blood should excite the lion to voracity. I have this story from a lady who superintended the lions at the time, and who nursed the litters of whelps, born in the tower. Nevertheless, such an event, though remarkable, is no counterpart to the history of Daniel; it has not the justifiable occasion of a miracle, the dignus vindice nodus. I introduce it only to confirm what I have elsewhere stated, that a fact related is, occasionally, less the miraculous part of the history, than time, place, prediction, competition, or other circumstances which give a consequence to it; and, indeed, on which it depends for extraordinary claim to importance. Daniel's vision of compounded wild beasts, &c. are evidently beyond the province of the naturalist. For thoughts on some of them, vide FRAGMENT, No. 147. HOSEA. ISRAEL slideth back, as a BACKSLIDING heifer. “Parah sorera, designs properly a cow which has been stung by a gadfly, gnat, or other insect, and is thereby rendered ungovernable: therefore the LXX have rendered this passage by the word paroistresen; as they rendered the serebim of Ezek. ii. 6. by paroistresousi. These two places give us occasion to speak of a little animal known to the ancient poets; which the Greeks called oistros, the Latins, asilus, or tabanus," [the gadfly.] Has the word serebim in Ezekiel any relation to the sarar of this text, as the coincident renderings of the Lxx would lead us to believe. "The Arabs call sarran, a species of gnat, which particularly incommodes mankind. We read in Meninski, Lex. 2643. of "a great bluish fly, having greenish eyes, its tail armed with a piercer, by which it pesters almost all horned cattle, settling on their heads, &c. often it creeps up the nostrils of asses. It is a species of gadfly, but carrying its sting in its tail." [Vide the Zimb of Ethiopia, &c. on the plate of the blue bottle fly.] The above are the sentiments of Scheuzer; the reader will perceive how much they support the idea we had thrown out on the passage of Ezekiel, that the three creatures there mentioned were all of them insects. The gadfly is a flying insect; but as a cow may be bit, or stung, by a creeping insect, in her legs, &c. we are not obliged to suppose the gadfly is the only insect to which this circumstance may refer; if the sarar may be a crawler, then its connection with the scorpion is more direct, as that creature does not fly, if it have any relation to the serebim of Ezekiel. Besides the scolopendra to which we have referred as above alluded to, there is in the East a kind of |