, 1879-04-20
JOSEPH'S COAT,
ONLY 4 LONG TUN1c WITH SLEEVES.
Ndrifnrd Cou3uuf.

Harlfnrd Cou1unt.
:Joseph,s sscoat Of many colors ~ is the latest
victim Of the sacred iconoclasts. 1t is piece Of
the irony of accident that mau of the highly
colored name Of Green-Prof. Grccn, Of Prince
ton-should be the one to dcclarc that Joscph's
coat was not colorcd gurment. The trunsla-
ton has been wrong, and the proper rendering
is Josep1's "long tunic with slccycs.'
We believe it, keeping up with all the modern
improvements OF the Bible, hut, after all, it is
by no means misfortune that this change has
come late. Joseph's coat is feature Of the
Old Testament that has had wide influence
in its day. The many-co|ored coat and the
rainbow that followed the flood have been
two Of the brightest bits OF picturesque 1llr-
mination on the sacred pages, md the
Influence OF the coat has been subtle, but
extensive 1t has been the delight of children
for agcs In the way Of Bible narrative. Over
and over again will they listen to the story of
tile brothers, cruelty, and wonder whether they
would not have been equally jealous and severe
had their own brother been tie only one in tile
family with such garment. Who eau imagine
them getting up much OF an Interest over q
stlonc tunic with Sleeves! 10 the modern
child, "long tunic with sleeves" brings mp
suggestion rather of what he wears in the night
than in the day time. The change cannot but
remove the involuntary sympathy Tor the wicked
brothers, and tend to increase the sympathy for
the unfortunate Joseph. Indeed, Tor long
time, certainly until we all get used to the new
interpretation, Joseph will ret a good deal of
pity for not having Ind the coat OF many colors
that It has t-een the habit to attribute to him.
and then this coat. for it has never been sup
posed that the dyer was the artist OF its ecccn-
trio charm, has always been the stimulus OF
patchwork enthusiasts. How many children
nndcr school age have patiently put together
al the contents 0. the rag-bag in the hope Of
equalng this bright, suggestive garment, how
many old women Of SO without glusses) have
built brilliant bedquilts out OF thousands Of
different pieces, actuated only bY the 1ncon-
scfous influence Of Joseph's "long tunic with
sIceyes.H Centuries have confirmed the GUS
tom, and the County Fair has affixed pre-
ni1m for this important branch Of industry,
and now, perhaps, it is safe to dispense with the
coat. But had it not been for that garment
originally, 1t is doubtful whether pa,cl-woEk
would have reached any higher Development
than those utilitarian functions which the aver
age small boy makes manifest upon the knees
Of his breccnes and the elbows Of his jacket.
II is to the error OF the translator, therefore,
that we owe the blending Of polyclronlatic art
with the art OF needleWork. The Kaleidoscope
Of the rao-bae has found its apology III the coat
Of Joseph. Fortunately it is too late now to
try to change the established order We do not
look for an era Of 'slong tunics with sleeyes "
ut County Fairs, nor for the abolition OF the
dazzling bcd-qult. It is doubtful whether the
small boy, forced to 90 to bed before he wants
to- will ,:1lt on his long tunic with sleeves any
more willingly because he may be told that in Il
similar attitude Joseph was cast into the pit.
hanging By his hair and Joseph clad in rainbow
plaid are fixed points in pictorial art. 1t is we'll
to have the facts, but we cannot destroy the
pictures If we would.