Daily national Democrat., 1860-11-29
1ailg gational 9culutrat
An Allegory Interpreted.

From the well-flled storehouse of his
abounding richness of memory and thought
our never to.be-too highly appreciated friend
Gen. Allen, of the Nevada Transcript, pro.
duces the following. If the General would
more frequently draw upon these rich re-
sources of his, there is no editor in the land
who could even approach to competition
with him. Says the General in his nimita,
bic way;
There is much philosophy as well as po-
etry, in the writings of the ancient Hebrews.
Poetic fancy and philosophic fact are beauti-
fully mingled in the book of job and in ma
ny of the Psalms but, in no part of the Old
Testament are these two apparent opposites
more harmoniously blended than in the first
half of the last chapter of Ecclesiastes. There
is mysterious beauty in the thought that
pervades it, which, clothed in the Shakspear
can Saxon of the Protestant English version
char ms even those who do not understand it.
1t is an anatomical aud physiological allego-
ry. in which the Royal Preacher, with the
pathos OF the poet and the research of the
anthropologist, presents to the minds eye
the phenomena which mark the decay of the
physical and intellectual powers in old age
How often has this masterpiece of Hebraic
literature been recited and heard in certain
mystic halls, charming reciter and hearers by
its melodeous rhetoric. while the grandest of
its truths and beauties remained hidden be-
meath vail of biological allegory.
To reveal its recondte eXcellences, the
bricfest and best way is 10 give the passage,
entire, with explanatory notes below it:
Remember now thy Creator in the days
a Al ~
not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou
shalt say, have no pleasure in them; while
the sun, or the light. or the moon, or the
stars be not darkened, (2) nor the clouds re-
tue1 after the rain in the day when the
Keepers of the house (3) shall tremble, and
the strong men a. shall bow themselves, and
the grinders (5) cease because they are few,
and those that look out of the windows be
darkened; (6) and the doors (7) shall be shut
In the streets, when the sound of the grind
ing Isl is low, aud he shall rise up at the
voice of the bird, (9) and all the daughters of
music (l0) shall be brought low also when
they shall be afraid of that which is high,
Ul) aud fears shall be the way, (l2) and the
almond tree shall flourish, (l3) and the grass
hopper shall be a burden, (l4) and desire
shall fail; (5) because man goeth to his
gohg home, (l6) and the mourners go about
Vhe streets; (l7) or ever the silver cord CS)
be loosed, or the golden bowl (l9) be bro
ken, or the pitcher (20) be broken at the
fountain. or the wheel broken at the cstern
(2D Then shall the dust return to the earth
as it was; and the spirit shall return unto
God who gave it,"
|. The days Of disease and old age.-2
Failure Of the eyesight-3 The hands,
The knees.-5. The teeth.-6. Utter blind.
I Il
have gone-S. Act of chewing the food -
8. Wakefuness of age; rising at cock crow
ing-l0 Power to sing and whistle lost
II and IL Cd age breads elevations, and is
dubious of its path.-i3. the hair becoming
gray.-l4 Inability to lift OR carry.-l5.
Incapacity for love.-l6 The grave.-l7. A
Hrbrew custom on funeral occasions.-l
The spinal marrow.-l9. The heart.-2).
The aOrta-2l. The arch of the aorta.