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performed in this or that manner. They have afferted, that "the con-
ftruction of an Eclipfe geometrically is very rarely to be met with
We know not what mathematical books
in mathematical books."
our Authors mean; but every perfon, the leaft converfant in Aftronomy,
well knows, that there is hardly a modern author, who has undertaken
to explain the doctrine of Eclipfes, but has delivered the geometrical
conftruction of thofe phænomena.

Art. 16. Ifraelis Lyons, Jun. Fafciculus Plantarum circa Cantabrigiam nafcentium, quæ poft Raium obfervata fuere. 8vo. 2s. Millar, &c.

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We leave our curious English Botanifts to judge of the merit of this performance. The Author is certainly an Adept in the fcience. Art. 17. The Dutch Flori: Or true Method of Managing all Sorts of Flowers with bulbous Roots. By Nicholas Van Kamand Son, Florists at Harlaem in Holland. Tranflated from the Original, which is figned by the Authors, to prevent Impofition. 4to. 1s. 6d. Baldwin.

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We doubt not but this tranflation will be, as our Translator hopes, an acceptable prefent to the English Florist.

SERMONS, &c.

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1. The Device of the Crafty difa ponted,at St. James's church, Westminster, Nov. 5, 1763. Being the anniversary of Thanksgiving for the deliverance of this nation from popery and arbitrary power, and for the restoration of Liberty at the ever-memorable Revolution. By Nathaniel Ball, Rector of Wifley in Surry. Backland.

2. The Triumph of the Ifraelites-at Totting in Effex; on the peace. Henderson.

3. The Nature, Guilt, and Confequences of Murmuring; a Charge de livered at the winter Vifitation held for the archdeaconry of Wells. By Francis Potter, A. M. Archdeacon of Wells. Rivington.

4. How far a Dependence, and a Senfe of Gratitude, should influence our Conduct,-before the university of Cambridge, on Sunday January 1, 1764. By James Scott, A. M. of Trinity college. Dodfley, &c.

5. The Expediency and Neceffity of National Eftablishments in Religion, with Obfervations on that of the Church of England in particular,―at the first triennial Vifitation held by the Bishop of Bristol, at St. Stephen's, Bristol, July 14, 1763. By William Tofwell, M. A. Vicar of Wotton-under-edge, in Gloucestershire. Fletcher.

6. Dedication of ourselves to God, argued from the Divine Mercies ;at St Thomas's, January 2, 1764, for the benefit of the Charity-school in Gravel-lane, Southwark. By Thomas Gibbons, A. M. Buckland. Before the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, at Westminster abbey, January 30, 1764. By Thomas, Lord Bishop of Britto!. Tonfon.

7.

8.

By

Before the House of Commons, January 30, 1764. William Richardfon, D. D. Præcentor of the church of Lincoln, Ma fter of Emanuel college, Cambridge, and Chaplain in ordinary to bis Majefty. Bathurit.

... We propose to give an account of Dr. M'Knight's Truth of the Gofpel, in our next.

THE

MONTHLY REVIEW,

For MARCH, 1764.

The Hebrew Text of the parallel Prophecies of Jacob and Mofes, relating to the Twelve Tribes; with a Tranflation and Notes: and the various Lections of near Forty MSS. To which are added, 1. The Samaritan-Arabic Verfion of thofe Pafages, and part of another Arabic Verfion made from the Samaritan Text, neither of which have been before printed. 2. A Map of the Land of Promife. 3. An Appendix, containing Four Differtations on Points connected with the Subject of thefe Prophecies. By D. Durell, B. D. Principal of Hertford College, Oxford, Clarendon Prefs. 4to. 10s. 6d. fewed. Rivington.

WE had portant and effectual method of

E have frequently had occafion to exprefs it as our opi

nion, that the most

recommending revealed religion, and of fupporting its reputation among fenfible and intelligent perfons, is by explaining the facred Writings, clearing up the dark paffages that occur in them, and reprefenting them in a fair and explicit manner. For this reason, it is with pleasure we fee fo many of the most learn, ed of our Clergy, engage with fo much fpirit in carrying on this arduous but neceffary work. Their names deferve to be mentioned with honour, whilft eyery attempt in this ufeful service, ought to be received, at leaft, with the greateft candour: and we cannot help expreffing our concern, that any difcouragements fhould be thrown in their way, from the pride and bigotry of fome, or the envy and ignorance of others. For ourfelyes, we esteem it our duty and our honour, to speak with the higheft refpect of fuch worthy endeavours, and to give them all the countenance in our power.

In the performance before us, our learned Author difcovers a confiderable acquaintance with Oriental learning, and good VOL, XXX, judgment

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judgment in the application of it. Some of the Notes may, perhaps, be thought rather too minute; in general, they are ufeful and judicious.

As a fpecimen of the tranflation, we give the first ten verses of the forty-ninth chapter of Genefis.

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1. And Jacob called unto his fons, and faid, gather yourfelves together, that I may tell you what fhall befall you in the laft days.

2. Gather yourfelves together, and hear ye fons of Jacob, and hearken unto Ifrael your father.

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3. Ruben thou art my fuft-born, my might, and the beginning of my ftrength.

4. Superior in dignity and fuperior in violence, thou haft been as unstable as the waters, thou shalt not be fuperior; becaufe thou wenteft up to thy father's bed: then by going up didft thou defile my couch.

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5. Simeon and Levi are bretheren: they have executed their violent ftratagems.

6. O my foul enter not into their council; in their affembly, mine honour, be not united with them! for in their anger they flew men; and in their wilfulnefs they extirpated a Chief.

7. Curfed be their anger for it was fierce; and their wrath for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Ifrael.

8. Thou art indeed JUDAH; thy bretheren will PRAISE thee thy hand fhall be on the back of thine enemies; the fons of thy father fhall fall down to thee.

" 9. Judah thou art a lion's whelp, thou didst bring up my fon from being a prey: he ftooped down, he couched as a lion, and as a lioness: who fhall rouze him up?

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10. The fcepter fhall not depart from the land of Judah, nor a leader from her standards, before he come who belongeth to her; and him fhall the nations obey.'

To this we fubjoin fome fpecimens from the Notes.

Ver. 4. Superior in dignity and fuperior in violence.] The verb fignifying primarily to ftretch beyond the ufual bounds, is ufed alfo figuratively for adding, advancing, &c. I follow moft of the ancient verfions in confidering the two words " in this place as adjectives, and this may be juftified by other places. Vid. Efth. vi. 6. Prov. xvii. 7. The word being uted indifferently in a good or bad fenfe, I apprehend the latter of them fuits the context better; because Jacob in the next

word

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word reproves his fon, and as it were paffes fentence upon him; and in ver. 7. the fame word is joined to the anger for which the two next fons are condemned.' Though our Tranflator limits the word fy to the idea of violence, yet it does not fo clearly appear that Reuben was fuperior in violence as he was in dignity and power in confequence of being the firft-born: we are therefore inclined to give the preference to the cosmon verfion, as more agreeable to the ufual fignification of the word.

Ver. 5. They have executed their violent Stratagems, or literally, the violence of their stratagems, pon] This laft word occurring only in this place, has much divided the expositors: of all the interpretations of it, that of habitations is the leaft juftifiable; for there is no fufficient authority for that fignification, which, at beft, makes but a bad fenfe.-The fenfe of fwards given to it, is borrowed from the Chald. which the Rabbins, who mix all forts of languages with their own, having evidently adopted from the Greek payaga, it cannot for that reafon be admitted. Le Clerc tranflates it affiances, from the Chaldee root, which is a much better fenfe, as it intimates, that the promises of marriage to which they had affented, were the cloak of their cruelty. Dr. Caftell contends for the fignification of counsels.'

Our Author, by the authority of several MSS, referred to at the bottom of the page, fubftitutes 1 inftead of the reading of our prefent printed copies. The fenfe he gives to the paffage is much better than that in our version, and more agree able to the original. At the fame time it may be obferved, that the words are capable of a very tolerable interpretation without any alteration in the printed text, and without having recourse to the Arabic for the fenfe of the word : The term is, indeed, one of the ara λeyousvwv in the prefent form of it: but may it not naturally enough be derived from Hebrew fignifies, to fell, and then the fenfe of the be inftruments of violence are the wares they deal in. only offered as a conjecture.

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which in paffage may But this is

Ver. 6. They extirpated a Chief] The primary fignification of the verby is that which is here given. It is ufed in a fecondary fenfe for houghing horfes or cattle; hence many render this place, they houghed an ox; while others prefer the fenfe of pulling down a wall; for abftractedly confidered, may juftify either interpretation. But as Dr. Taylor has obferved, in his Concordance, neither appears from the hiftory; on the contrary, they preferved and feized upon the oxen. If the grammar will but bear it, adds the Doctor, the beft fenfe, I apprehend, is, in their felf-will they extirpated a Prince. They flew the fub

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ject,

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ject, and extirpated the Prince's family. That, and not , is the ufual term for a Prince or Chief is well known: but as the verb fignifies to have power, as a King or Chief, one might expect to find the participle, or the derivative ¬, ufed as the appellative for the perfon vefted with that power; the firtt fignifies only an enemy; but, the latter, befides the fignification it has in common with the firft, is used alfo for Chief or Principal, as I think may be proved from two inftances, viz. Ifaiah xxviii. and 25. and Hofea xii. and 12.' We apprehend few will doubt of the juftice of our Author's criticifm, and the ropriety of his rendering in this place.

Ver. 8. Thou art indeed Judah.] In our verfion the pronouns and are fupplied, and is omitted; which is not fo well, as the words may be conveniently rendered literally. To the fubftantive verb, which muft neceffarily be fupplied, I have added the adverb, indeed, and diftinguished the word praise by different characters, in order to convey by it fome faint idea of the paronomafia of the original.' The force of the Hebrew is not to be difcerned in any tranflation, because the allufion between the proper name and the verb in Hiphil 7 is totally loft in English.

Ver. 9. O Judah thou art a lion's whelp, thou didst bring up my fon from being a prey.] Mr. Durell has a long note of four or five pages in fupport of this verfion, to which we must refer the Reader, as it is impoffible for us to tranfcribe it. But after confidering it with attention, we cannot help preferring our own verfion. The Enallages complained of, are extremely well adapted to the dignity of Poetry, and the obscurity of Prophecy. The words, we apprehend, cannot be made to fuit with our Tranflator's interpretation. is not a proper term to exprefs Jofeph's being starved to death in a pit. Judah's advice to fell Jofeph, rather than leave him to perifh there, feems to have proceded from avarice rather than compaffion; for before he faw the Ifhmalite Merchants he had confented with the reft to put him to death. It was Ruben alone who prevented them from killing him with their own hands, and itrove to deliver him fafe to his father: if ever therefore Jacob knew the whole flory, (which it is moft likely he never did) he would not have commended Judah for his behaviour, and have been filent about that of Ruben.

Ver. 10. The fceptre fhall not depart from the land of Judah, nor a leader from her ftandard, before he come who belongeth to her, &c.] Mr. Durell examines all the parts of this celebrated versa with great attention and accuracy. The word which is rendered Shil in our verfion, is written in the Hebrew text, ut in the Samaritan the latter is fupported by the beft authorities.

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