New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-12-14
LECTURE on SACRED POETRY.

Trol,tof Dr. Perbelrs series Of lectures on Hebrew
Poetry was delivered on Monday evening a. laoernaee
Hall The lecturer began by recnptuaung the results a.
which lie had arr, ed in bis previous lectures that whie
prose End poetry were alike founded in nature an OK
iresive o human ceiling, prose was me language 81 INC
ordinary or trarqu affections Of the mind but poetry was
the Offering of pov erfu and ardent emotions, aud there
foro he only dunn for expressing tho subhmest
thouoLts and most holy feelings that capable o en-
tertaininr even when be is under immediate direction
from on high That inspired or sacred poetry possessed
four oharacteTistca peculiar to ITSELF was Original ndu
ral ruro and universa distinction 10 which no human
rcdu,tons could Law claim That nspted poetry that
ofthe ,edeyod another advantage from the angagen
which Il was originally composed the Hebrew Whlch IN
the number OF it's verbs and IN ia roofs W IN ihe pre- anu
sf,xes combines Ia the greatest perfection action I'M
srry sentiment the three requisites AMI com
rluffts OF every poetic language lha me poetry oi inc
tIe divided Itself into four periods The first beginning
a. tho Oldest times presGntedthe fragments OF anted9van
and remains Of Tetrarohe poetry p'eseyed "a ns h3oH
matte M the book Of job That in the second period
flew had the founder OF Hebrew literature Moses whose
deeds vikings and prophetic character exercised an inuu
enco he Hebrew mind thai sqeh wi'es h'yer
renouuosd that lie became their guide ana m3d ia NC
three sICces Of composition they most cull'oledIthe
d. bcrah chant Of victory perfect and highly finished
ode 30 wears before Pnda the father ofthe Greek ode
qit Ia the third ut Rod the lyric poetry OF the Hebrews
bJ carried 10 ia highest perfection and devoted TO
49, ho 81 urruoe BY David and his cOemporlrles and
successors, whose produetons were presersea ~ ,ni
di5actc mind of Solomon impaired the results n ms ex
eierce IN The collection MistfG, or Proverbs through
grlff feSQ
hand in bend with their poetry so that the most renaA
e events in their astonishing career are recorded IN me
rerslable lave Of sacred until they reach the m
Glorious end Of Solomon glorious reign. but III
Re G,rrth reriod the poetry Of the Hebrews un
folds lofier character it beccmts prOpheuc. Inc
veot singers Of Israel become holy seer to whose eye
10 distsrt future Is unveiled and whose lips
arource Inc history of unborn generations But IN ts
rrhran exl lott they stand unrivaled and alone For
n wa remarkable fact TINT while all other NATIONS ha
PRODUCED poets orator. and Fhosopher the Hebrew. OF
the Bible only could produce prophets amer ihe
prediction Which Homer puts lu ihe NOUN ~ Ms uyns
Hector and Hslhy us into that of --sat aga Dl "iSh
only oefic cnlc ishmCuts delivered long after inc
event. f. Witch they refer bad taken place the Lecturer
5 ~ oriv excentiou - this general rule that 'hc lie
lrevs of Bible the only prophetwas lounl the
rergon Of Balaam the az beor, Wh1 was not an o
tie but 10 whom the sacred Inspiration OF ue plofAs
was corfdCd, and who.e pfedicuons ~. ~. 49, nm
by recording them IN his book amer SOM relA o
tie stvle % Balaam the cOunir.nlu anu a,'.lil-
10 tradition, the cotempoTay Of Jo1 On % %
NlIi;,s founded by Samuel. In the Englsh authorized
,sreion the Hebrew word NAH was lnyaHaOly ana
throughout translated oi i b1I ess.u % 1b ~,
nod made use Of would convince the Biblical student
that this term Nab wes also used 70 ds-sna'e "a oIu
tor post and public ieacnt ina - 5oSS ~ 80,
trs ,vdrd came also be aIpied % ire IN red peHctO
Of future events 70 whom IN the latter periods 81 sacrl
Scrinturs-but not till then-the desiSHhon Ns't. W.
funded Afer referring % various passages 81 saAaTe
~ d.. ,vord ~ "a was made Of IL the different
he had enumerated the Lecturer said tnIt le
sacred hss takes care T. Ten ns-i1,' We 'sou.
a.
IN which he ri. Of Trophecy cqpl2 D7 Niared oy
human Instruction a.. transmitted from one man 70 an
6ilcr # r ir tie dave OF Samue he i-spIei predc'os
Of future events wa called not NabL 6ui hoe' seer
e.; s.pt.l H. o Having thus cleared TIE way iOr
lort uui esfandne al this part OF his subject ne 5e
welt or T. say that the schools Of the Na5 f the pura
form Of Ncli) were seminares in which Samuel trained
most pous and talented YOUTH 10 become the tuiufe
tfsefers roots aud orators Of israel and that several
such schools were gradually founded three being named
in the days Of Elijah and though but hite snoWn OF
Iii
were unlike the oolegate institutions Of later times
Many q the great singers Of the days OF DaFid anu tha
mouSrh himself apprar % have pTote by me rainiHs Oh
these schools TO seversl disciples ofwich the spirit Of poph
ecv was rtrusted and Of whose influence be cited some
srEirg instances since tC David the best and AsD th
worst o. Hebrew moLeIchs received the .fo 7t eoAAe
with sul nj sve silence. The writings Of ne e1er pro
rbeq rcleu Of in tie books Of Kings and Chronicles hsd
Let resthtd Us and evident that ~ % called MINOR
rcrl6ts were bar portions Of larger works On le sacred
Scrirfures rrcserved tie whole or greater part OF me WI
irqs hfe prophets and in these - Wen a. IN tnS t"eye
rrouhei We posses treasures Of poetry such e. me
literature c 10 other language can equal Wie tneir da
irrec inn otanco ard the Wonderful manner 10 when
had bee fulfilled and were SIN neiag ven
fed Convinced every rejecting ld ~ ~ tAsg
irred hieh and carried with them the rs aiory
c,vion l6fever Was Necessary for The sals lpn
n mar had b. the benign care 81 Difire FfoH
lsen reserved ior bis guidance and support me l'1
turer rexl poko of tie design OF prophecy, hHSD "us
tWo fd. ehor,aiou 10 the ceneraon 70 whom the pre-
dittou YES directly altress q oy INC p.Opne- an, alu
oulstatoa Of the dig ne vcrGcity % az ~ eeeiins
generations. proved ~ the fuhl1ielt 81 me PIE
5iciion That the prophets gsnei4IJ content mem
selves. whether her eAhoi'euon Dc -s.-s 80. 80
solrr 10 Give The exterior Eeamens O. ne events me!
rrel,ef with the particular notification 81 one %
TO cierrssarces only clothed IN imagery, me proper
se If hch i proved b. the event lhai m ieetl 40
IL lClilIg 0tfe oriLnes froIAeo! ecu. ~ ','7
,rsIteur e., thought wish Cd alless ara e- -y % uclo-
4, 4 80 ~ lie utmost eublinity and exercises IN