octavo, his treatise on Salvation by Jesus Christ. Mine is the second edition. It is no contemptible book, though the style is rather too prolix, and he has some peculiar notions. But who has ever seen a faultless book? All writers have their failings, more or less. No mortal is exempted from them; not even Homer, Virgil, or Milton himself. This ought to teach us candour and humility in such a state of imperfection; and above all, it should inspire us with a reverential admiration of the book of God, which alone is free from error; by which we are guided into all truth; and in which we are promised eternal life, procured for us by the righteousness, sufferings, and mediation of Jesus Christ. I wish, most heartily wish, you may sufficiently regard this inestimable book; and then you will be like the tree planted by the water-side, which bringeth forth its fruits in due season; and like that happy man of whom it is written by the Psalmist, "Look! whatsoever he doeth, it shall prosper." I am, my dear friend, affectionately and unalterably yours, &c.

JACOBI HERVEY

DE LIBRO JOBI

EPISTOLA

AD CAROLUM THAYER.

ADVERTISEMENT.

THIS epistle was published by John Rivington, MrHervey's bookseller, in 1766, and sold at 6d. The following advertisement is prefixed to it.

"The design of this publication is to acquaint the reader with the late ingenious Mr Hervey's sentiments on the book of Job; and it is given to the community in the language with which it was penned, as a specimen of this author's Latin style; but as it has never been corrected, it is presumed that the candid reader will make proper allowances for its defects.

"N. B.-The original letter (without the least variation) was transmitted to the press by the Rev. Mr Robert Knight, rector of Weston-Favell in Northamptonshire, who married Mr Hervey's youngest sister; and it is now deposited in the hands of Mr Rivington, for the satisfaction of such as desire to be assured of its authenticity."

The translation of this excellent letter, which now makes its first appearance in print, was undertaken by the printer, at the desire of several gentlemen, who conceived that the inserting the Latin copy of it only in our author's works, would be of no use

to the generality of the encouragers of this edition. Though the translator does not pretend that the translation is any way equal to the original, yet he flatters himself he has given the author's meaning, which may be of use to the unlearned. Those who are skilled in the learned languages will prefer the original, and cannot be displeased that Mr Hervey is also made to speak in English to those who do not understand Latin.

REVERENDO VIRO

CAROLO THAYER,

SALUTEM.

MIROR equidem, vir spectatissime, tantam tibi linguæ non vernaculæ, quæque ab hodiernis colloquiis exulat, copiam in promptu esse. Ni te jamdudum nossem, uberrima ista Romani eloquii penus facile me induceret ut crederem, Tusculi* te potius quam Abingtoniæ habitasse. Quod ad me attinet, quum probe sciam, quam rudis sim et inexercitatus in hoc scribendi genere, paulum abfuit quin silentum mihi perpetuum indixissem. Per plurimos dies, tenuitatis nostræ conscius, manum de tabula timidam cohibui. Verum enimvero pudor reclamavit, animusque ab ingratitudine abhorrens stimulos addidit; atque inde sit ut calamus, impar licet et ineptus, ad epistolare munus jam tandem excitatus est.

Gratias itaque ago, quantas possum maximas, quod plurima mihi notatu dignissima de Jobo, Jobique libro, pro singulari tua humanitate atque eruditione, ultro communicasti. Versionem imprimis ad examen revocas. Nitida ea est, elegantiarum ferax, vimque Hebræarum vocum, supra quod sperari potuit, vix imminutam tradit. Addas licet, novam eam esse in plurimis, sed quæ auctoritatem suam secum afferat, et legentium suffragia primo statim ab intuitu adscis* Tusculum, urbs Italica, ubi villa Ciceronis. † Abingtonia, oppidulum prope Northantoniam.

cit. Notas deinde sagaci percurris oculo. Quas qui legit religitque, haud facile est dicere, utrum plus sit reportaturus utilitatis, ex amplissima orientalis eruditionis segete; seu potius oblectamenti, a dulcissimo illo critica artis flore. Adeo non frivola sunt et futilia quæ ubique annotantur, ut vocabulorum emphasin, argumentorum pondera, sensuuma sublimitatem, colloquii denique telam pulcherrimo ordine deductam, manu limatissima admota collustrant. Imo tanto affuso lumine collustrant, ut vel mihi hebetioris ingenii viro patescant, et patefacta placeant. Quid multis? eum ipsum, puto, commentatorem nactus est Jobus, quem præ omnibus aliis optasset, si superstes adhuc inter homines versaretur.

De Jobi ævo, quo vixit, non constat inter doctos, neque opinor constabit unquam. Atqui verisimilima videtur quam tu aliique tuentur opinio. In vestras partes non invitus transeo. Illustrem hunc principem non nisi post Abrahamum floruisse certo certius est. Qui enim nomen terræ dedit, quam alter amicorum coluit, Temanitidi, is inter Esaui posterus numeratur. Prohibet porro insignissimum istud encomium quo cohonestatur a Spiritu Sancto, ne suspicemur eum diebus patriarcharum Isaaci aut Jacobi vitam transegisse. Vix potuit vere dice "CI AIN CTHU CADING” nisi post funera Josephi. Inter hunc igitur morte ablatum, et Mosen ex ephebis excessum, omnino statuendo videtur æra Jobi.

De scripto ipso, profluxisse illud ab alia quam Jobi manu nullus dubito. Is quippe inter Arabas nutritus, atque Arabum linguæ assuefactus, vix tanta fuit Hæbraicarum literarum peritia imbutus, quanta opus erat ad res tales tali verborum nitore et concinnitate consignandas chartis. Si Mosi authori librum ascribere quis maluit, quod Anglicana nostra in observatiunculis suis margini affixis editio innuit, tum demum arbitror ante Israelitas per deserta traductos confectum esse. Legislator ille celeberrimus dum tanto agmini ducem se rectoremque præbuit, vix potuit ad historiam poeticam contexendam ani

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mum appellere. Ingens præterea rerum quotidie agendarum multitudo atque onus, ne tale aliquid. moliretur, mentem sine dubio abstraherent. Nulla autem ea potuit opportunior esse occasio, quæ illi obtigit, dum exul inter Midianitas commoratus est. Rusticabatur tunc temporis; otiabatur; omnia habuit indulta, quæ poetæ ingenium stimulare atque accendere solent. Huic insuper sententiæ adstipulatur, quod in eas regiones relegatus, omnia quæ ad Jobum, finitimæ terræ incolam, pertinerent, ediscere potuit uberius. Gnaviter quoque pro tali conjectura militat frequentior exotici idiomatis usus, phrasiumque varietas Arabicam, indolem plane redolentium. Warburtonus noster omni nisu id agit, ut Esræ, scriptorum sacrorum ultimo, thesaurarium hoc theologiæ, philosophiæ, atque omnigenæ fere doctrinæ acceptum referamus. Quæ quidem hypothesis, speciosa licet, et rationibus neutiquam contemnendis subnixa, fidem apud me non optinet. Signa enim sunt (ni vanus auguror) et criteria, passim per librum sparsa, quæ ætatem longe antiquiorem subindicant. Ad legem latam aut res gestas Israelitarum ne allusum est, quod mihi videre contigit, uspiam. Nullibi vel mentio fit miraculorum in Egypto et per deserta editorum. Que tantum cuivis poemati conciliarent decus, tantum porro Judæis solamen suppeditarent, ut a nemine cordato intacta prorsus relinquerentur. Inter alia quæ scripsisti pulcherrima, motorníc toti huic historiæ adstruis. Adeo non esse asseris, assertumque probas, fictitium quendam pii ingenii lusum, ut omnia e contra revera agerentur. Proinde non debere aliquem inter legendum putare, sibi ante oculos esse ejus solius quod fieri potuit figmentum, sed genuinam ejus quod fuit narrationem. Me jam antea huic opinioni accedentem, fecerunt quas protulisti rationes, ut ei arctius adhæream. Etsi vero historiæ veritatem sibi vindicet, dramatici tamen operis lepores præ se fert. Voces si spectes, ornatissimæ illæ cultissimæque, non tam enarrant, quam res conspiciendas ferme exhibent. Sensibus autem nihil gra