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OS THE LANGUAGE OF THE ENGLISH BIBLE.


1t is striking beauty in our English Bible,


that, though the language is always elegant and


nervous, and for the most part very harmonious


the words are all plain and common; no affecta-


ton of learned terms, or of Greek or Latin ety.


molegy have sometimes amused myself with


the simplicity and harmony of particular Passa-
ges Nothing can be more melodious than the


following, which yet seems to be the effect of ac-
cident rather than art {: 'Man that is born OF


woman is of few days and fun of trouble. He


cemeth forth as flower, and is cut down; he


feeth also as shadow and continueth not
Virgil himself would not versify the following


passage, for fear of hurting its harmony; and
vet every word is common, and there is not the
least appearance Of art in the composition: "My
beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my
love, my fair one, and come again. For 10, the
winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The


flowers appear on the earth, the time OF the


singing of birds is come; and the voice of the


turtle is heard in our land. The ig-tree put
ting forth her green figs, and the vines with
the tender grape give a good smell. Arise,
my love, my fair one, and come away" Our
critics have often affirmed, that the English
tongue derives great deal of harshness from the
multitude of its monosylables: this passage may
serve for proof of the contrary; for here (if l
reckon right are eighty words, whereof sixty


eight are monosyllables and yet will venture


to say, that the Italian language itself is not sus-
ceptible of greater sweetness. Some of our
words of one syllable are certainly harsh, as
WHICH, SUCH, SCRATCH, &c, but even these lose
great part of their disagreeable sound, when
the word, that come before and after them are
properly modulated Bedttie.