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cation of his principles. The mind is not wearied, on the one hand, with a dull collection of apparently arbitrary rules, followed by hosts of exceptions beyond the power of memory to retain, or bewildered with theories of general grammar, which have not been verified by a careful induction from the particular language to which they are applied. In almost every page we are reminded of the presence of one pervading principle, which may be regarded as the soul of the work. It seems to be assumed as the fundamental position, which every thing else is designed to illustrate, that there is nothing arbitrary in the syntax of a language; that a reason exists for every change, although that reason may not be always discoverable, or may not have been, in the majority of cases, distinctly present to the consciousness of the writer; or, in other words, that we have not the full sense of a passage, until we can enter into the variation of feeling or conception, by which a variation of expression was caused. When this is discovered, the rule of syntax no longer comes by induction from without, and lodges in the folds of the memory, but is found to exist within us, written on the soul, though now, it may be for the first time, brought forth into the light of its own consciousness. It follows also conversely from this, that for the student to give the full meaning of a passage, and to feel the emotion which gave rise to its peculiar phraseology, is to give its rule of syntax. Unless they lead to this, rules are useless; and when they do accomplish this, they absolve the memory from the difficult task of retaining them as mere abstract propositions.

We will not say that there can be no exception to a rule of syntax, as there can be none to a principle in physics when rightly understood and cleared of every thing extraneous; but we must conclude, that language is not a correct representation of the minds of those who use it, in as far as it allows of arbitrary varieties in the expression of the same subjective state. The external fact stated, or the scene described may indeed be set forth in various modes; but these arise from, and constantly follow certain modes of conception, under which the same fact or scene may present itself to different minds, or to the same mind in different circumstances. In translating, therefore, it is not enough merely to ascertain the event narrated, or the proposition set forth. The emotion, or state of mind with which it is contemplated, forms likewise a most important part of what may be styled the full sense of the passage, and in no

case is this principle of more value than in the interpretation of the Holy Scriptures. The critical grammarian must then investigate the new aspect or change of conception, to which the superadded emotion is to be attributed. In one case there may be the mere historical mention of a fact, in which the writer manifests but little interest, and demands none of the reader: at another time, the same event or one in all respects similar, may be connected with certain strong emotions of the narrator. In one case, the subject and predicate may be viewed as of equal importance, or the mind may be simply occupied with the assertion of their logical connection. Here the sentence will present its ordinary grammatical form, free from all apparent anomalies. The ordinary principles of agreement in gender and number will be observed, and every thing will be adjusted to a proper balance. Again, in relating the same fact or stating the same proposition, the soul may be so occupied with one part, as to destroy this balance, and to impel to a mode of expression, giving greater conspicuousness to that which lies nearest the heart. This can only be effected by sundering the ordinary connections, and causing the emphatic word to stand out in anomalous prominence. To understand this, it is not enough to be content with external induction, which would class all these apparent irregularities as exceptions, but we must enter subjectively into the writer's state of mind, or in other words, put our soul in his soul's stead. Then do we not only understand or remember, but we are feelingly impressed with the fact or sentiment intended to be communicated.

The work before us is entitled to the praise of having done much to accomplish this important end. The space allotted to us would not admit of extended illustrations. We select a few portions, and dwell upon them with some degree of minuteness. Passing over the chapter on the article, we select examples from that department of agreement, which is supposed to abound so much in anomalies, and in which, in other grammars, there are so many arbitrary exceptions. Many of these are satisfactorily disposed of under the head of nouns construed collectively. Others are found, which, as our author observes, "appear to be utterly subversive of all order and harmony." We refer to cases of the disagreement of the subject and predicate in gender. These, however, he satisfactorily explains by a concise mention of the principle to which we have more fully alluded. Sometimes more is intended in such examples than simply to

assert a logical connection. There is associated with them an emotion of the speaker, which destroys the balance, and leads him to adopt some mode of expression, which may place the mind of the hearer in the same state. Hence if the cause of this emotion be the subject, it is separated from its verb by a difference of number or gender; or rather, the predicate is thrown into the impersonal form, and the isolated subject presents thereby a stronger claim upon the attention. Thus, for example: A grievous vision is declared unto me :-Thy terror hath deceived thee:-A cry is heard among the nations:-Iniquity was not found in his lips :-Knowledge is pleasant to the soul. In all these examples, as they stand in our translation, there is simply the assertion of the logical connection of the subject with the predicate, with nothing to suggest any thing anomalous in the original. Such anomalies, however, do exist, without an understanding of which we cannot put ourselves in the subjective state of the writer, or receive all, whether of fact or emotion, which he intended to convey. In every one of these cases, the predicate is of a different gender from the subject, by which fact, the reader is, as it were, directed to use the former impersonally, and to regard the latter as in a certain sense independent. Their best rendering into English, according to this view would be as follows:

A grievous vision! it is declared unto me.*
Thy own terribleness! it hath deceived thee.t
A cry! among the nations is it heard.‡
Iniquity! it was not found in his lips.§
Knowledge! it is pleasant to the soul.

In the first example, the ordinary translation is too cold. Something anomalous in the expression was required to set forth a peculiar modification of the conception. The context will show why this apostrophic mode was adopted. The soul of the prophet, on the watchtower, was occupied with the vision itself, not simply with the fact of its having been declared. In the second example, there is a superadded emotion. It was not simply terribleness, but thine oum terribleness, etc. This, it is true, might have been expressed by the suffix pronoun alone, but it would not have been sufficient to give that prominence to the fact, which arises from the mode adopted. In the fourth

*Is. 21: 2. † Jer. 3: 5. Jer. 50: 46. § Mal. 2: 6. || Prov. 2: 10. SECOND SERIES, VOL. V. NO. II. 17

example, there is an expression of surprise and indignation. The bare suspicion of the contrary produces an apostrophe of the subject. For the priest's lips must keep knowledge, etc.

Other cases, in which agreement in number is neglected, are well explained by regarding plural nouns, joined with a singular verb or adjective, as taken distributively. This, however, is noted by almost all writers on Hebrew Syntax, and is generally well observed in our translation. We are told that the number is frequently neglected, when the verb commences the phrase; as in Jer. 51: 48, the spoilers shall come upon her- or, in the Hebrew order, shall come upon her the spoilers. We are not to infer, however, that this arrangement is arbitrary or accidental, or that the neglect of number is the result merely of the collocation. The verb is not only designedly placed first, but left uncontrolled by the number of the noun, in order to give it prominence and emphasis. The noun (spoilers) was in itself of secondary importance. That there should be an invasion, an invasion of Babylon, was the strange thought that filled the writer's mind, which called forth the strong emotion, and forced upon him the anomalous expression. In the preceding part of the same verse, the noun contains the predominant idea, and the verb, notwithstanding it is placed first, conforms to it in its accidents. The Heavens shall

וְרִפְנוּ עַל־בָּבֶל שָׁמַיִם-cry out against Babylon

We regret to find the author regarding the plural names of the Deity as merely plurals of pre-eminence. He has no doubt the majority of modern authorities on his side, and may perhaps be right, although we are inclined to differ from him; still it is far from being so clear as to warrant its being laid down, as an unquestioned principle in a work on Syntax. A good grammar is likely to be a book of far more authority with a student than any commentary. His mind, therefore, should not be prejudiced in favor of a theological opinion, in respect to which there may be good grounds for a contrary belief.

The following reason is assigned for the different location of the adjective, according as it is predicative or qualificative. "In the latter case, the idea it expresses is accessory to that of the noun it belongs to, which, as the principal member of the compound term, is placed first, by a constant law of the Shemetish languages, according to which the most important word assumes the right of priority in the sentence. But when an adjective forms the predicate of a proposition, the case is

different; for then, instead of being an appendage to a noun, it constitutes a most important part of the sentence, and is accordingly placed before the noun, at or near the commencement of the proposition." The mere order of the location of words must, we think, be regarded as belonging to the externals of a language, in the same manner as its elementary sounds and forms. For these, no doubt, reasons exist, but they pertain rather to the sensitive than to the rational or logical soul, and are, therefore, less capable of a priori explanation. Other languages, we know, assign a different place to those which are deemed the most important words, and sometimes defer them to the very close. We can, however, determine a priori, with almost as much confidence as is felt in the solution of a mathematical problem, that every language must have two distinct modes for expressing the difference of conception, which arises from regarding the adjective as predicative or qualificative, and that these modes when established would be almost invariably adhered to. Induction is to determine the particular method adopted; but when this is done, it belongs to the critical grammarian to explain apparent exceptions, and reduce them all, if possible, in subjection to the reason of the general rule. We think that our author has not always gone as far as he might in the application of his own principles. He allows the predicative adjective, in some few cases, to follow the noun. It may be a question, however, whether in all the instances cited as exceptions, the full sense is not better brought out by adhering to the general position, and regarding the adjective as a qualificative. Thus, Ps. 99: 2 is rendered: Jehovah is great in Zion. The adjective in the Hebrew has the position of a qualificative, and we cannot help thinking that by so regarding it in reality, we obtain a more vivid sense, and enter more truly into the conception of the writer: The Great Jehovah is in Zion. The one proposition seems to limit his greatness; the other expresses, at the same time, his universal agency and condescending protection of his peculiar people. On a careful examination of all the cases of apparent exception cited under this head, we have little doubt that they may all, in a similar manner, be reconciled with the general usage of the language.

We are compelled to pass, although with regret, several intermediate chapters, throughout which we find that same predominant feature, which may be regarded as the peculiar

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