Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1878-05-16
FiolIen III tile rsibie.

Auo Vioeot uoVel IN existence Is probably
the Book of JOB. We presume there may
be some mon loft who still read the Book Of
Job as vcritablo history, but those who
are capable Of judging will simply place it
at the head of the realm Of fiction. That
1t is divinoly Inspired wo do not dispute.
Indeed the establishment of its divine in
spiration as fact, rather than tho accept
anoe OF it as mattor of faith, would only
strengthen the position we havo always
held, viz, that the highest fiction is that
which most oompctently carries tho most
valuable burden Of truth. Tho writer Of
the Book of JOB is man who, 10 tho dawn,
os it wore, of human history, revolved in
| catholic, cultured and revorent mind tho
unequal dealngs of God with men. Why
did the good man have trouble2 Job was
an excellent man, t'perfcct and upright"
stripped of every good, aud tho art by which
the writer presents him as, one after another,
his possessions are taken from him, and his
friends discuss with him the great problon
that voxes him, with all the machinery of
dialogues between tho Almighty aud Satan,
and the Almighty and JOB himself, sur
passes all the art of later timcs. Such
imaginations and such descriptions, such
conversations aud arguments, suoh marvel.
GUS oharacterizations as arc to be found in
this great book, can bo found naBhoro else
in the whole fahgo of literature. 1t is q
book that hos commanded the admiration as
we'll os the profound reverence of the great.
ost mon who have ever lived, and it is q
novel in all its essential features, even
thouh wo Gull it poem.
The Book of Revelations is q novel, 80
far as it is on attempt to convey tho truth
through typical forms and scenes and
events. 1t is no record of facts, but pan.
oramic representation of conceptions born
OF it, and addressed to the imagination. In
short it is creation of art-whateyer may
DO its origin, whether divine or human-by
which certain great, shadowy thoughts and
ideas arc attempted to be represented to tho
mental apprehcnsions or the faith of mon.
There are many devout believers iu the
inspiration of the ancient Scriptures who
regard the story Of tho creation and fall of
Adam, rcheurscd 10 the book of Genesis, as
anything but literal representation of
historic facts. The essential truth is iu the
narrative, but it is represented in suoh
way that the simplest mind can apprehend
and mako uso of it, The Song Of Solomon
is very exquisite essay in tho art of fiction.
If the Books Of Esthor and Ruth are hsto.
rical, they arc certainly nothing to us but
stories with morals, and very strong and
beautiful stories they arc. Tho names of
Ahasueus and h1orieoai, and Haman and
Esther arc nothing but names to the present
reading world, which mean no more than
Daniel Dcronda and Ralph Nickleby and
Clarissa Harlowe. Boaz and Ruth might be
Abolard and Holoise, or any other lovers.
The two stories are to us simply stories,
having no significance particularly as
history, and no use, save as in an exquisite
form of nrt they convey to us tho moral
lessons with which they arc charged. dr.
Holland, an Scrtbncr's for March.