193 SECTION XI. I PROPOSE, in this Section, to exemplify stanzas consisting of five lines; and those also which contain six. 1. The five-lined stanza admits considerable varieties of structure: sometimes the odd line or member commences the stanza; frequently, in that case, laying down a truth to be illustrated in the remaining four lines: sometimes, on the contrary, after two distichs, the odd line makes a full close; often containing some conclusion deducible from what preceded sometimes the odd line forms a sort of middle term, or connective link, between two couplets: and occasionally the five-lined stanza begins and ends with parallel lines; a parallel triplet intervening. Of all these varieties, some exemplification shall be given : ουχι δώδεκα εισιν ώραι της ήμερας ; εαν τις περιπατη εν τη ήμερα, ου προσκόπτει· Are there not twelve hours in the day? If a man walk in the day, he stumbleth not; Because he seeth the light of this world: S. John, xi. 9, 10. Sir Norton Knatchbull, M. Saubert, Dr. Franck, Mr. Hallett, Mr. Wakefield, Dr. Campbell, &c. κόσμου "Be refer εν αυτω to του κοσμου, as its antecedent. "cause there is no light in IT, that is, in the world," says Sir Norton, "not in HIM, as it is commonly "rendered, which agreeth not with common sense.' And so Dr. Campbell; "Common sense, as well "as the rules of construction, require this inter“pretation." I have preferred the common rendering, because, in my judgment, it seems to accord with the rules, both of grammatical construction, and of sententious parallelism; and, at the same time, to convey a far nobler sense, than the proposed innovation. The construction would be extremely forced, if we were to go so far back as xoμov for an antecedent: the parallelism would be destroyed, if we were to desert "the person walking," the leading member of the three preceding lines, and, in the last line, to take up "the world," a merely subordinate member, which had before occurred only in regimine: and the deep moral sense, would be sacrificed to an unmeaning pleo nasm; for who needs to be informed, that THE LIGHT, that is, the SUN, does not, at night, appear to the world? The brief, but satisfactory note of Grotius, gives the true literal bearing of the passage: "Quia lux non est in eo.] In oculis ejus : "receptione enim lucis, et speciorum, fit visio." The allegorical, or spiritual meaning, is happily expressed by Euthymius. Εαν τις περιπατη εν φωτι της αρετης, ου προσκόπτει εις κινδυνον· οτι το φως της αρετης βλεπει, και οδηγειται. εαν δε τις περιπατη εν τη σκοτεί της κακιας, προσκοπτει· ότι το φως ουκ εςιν εν αυτώ. "If a man "walk in the light of virtue, he stumbleth not « into danger; for he seeth the light of virtue, "and is led on his way. But, if a man walk in "the darkness of vice, he stumbleth; for the light " is not in him.” The light is wanting, not in the world, but in the individual. It is probable, that the whole range of literature, ancient and modern, sacred and profane, does not afford a better illustration of this passage, than the strains of our great poet : Virtue could see to do what virtue would, By her own radiant light, though Sun and Moon He that has light within his own clear breast, απο των καρπων αυτων επιγνωσεσθε αυτους• όυτω παν δενδρον αγαθον καρπους καλους ποιει· Comus. ου δύναται δενδρον αγαθον καρπους πονηρους ποιειν· άραγε απο των καρπών αυτών επιγνώσεσθε αυτούς. Thus, every sound tree beareth good fruit; every corrupt tree beareth evil fruit: A sound tree cannot bear evil fruit; Every tree not bearing good fruit, Is hewn down and cast into the fire: By their fruits, therefore, ye shall thoroughly know them. S. Matt. vii. 16-20. On the use of the article in this passage, Bishop Middleton has the following remark. “ V. 17. rò "de σangòv dévègov. Eng. Version, a corrupt tree.' δε σαπρὸν "This is the sense: yet the article here is not with"out meaning in the Greek, but is equivalent to "Tay in the preceding clause. The Version might "have been [rather, ought to be] every corrupt "tree,' as is evident from what was said of the hypothetical use of the article, Part I. In the "next verse, neither av nor rò is used, because the proposition is there exclusive." Doctr. of the Greek Article, p. 192. 66 66 Our authorised translation renders wav Sevdgov ayaΤον καρπους καλους ποιεί, Every good tree beareth "good fruit." The adjectives αγαθον and καλούς, however, should be distinguished: the first, I have accordingly rendered sound, as antithetically opposed to the rangov, corrupt, rotten, or unsound, of the next line. These two connected stanzas are distributed with masterly skill. In the first stanza, the odd line commences the paragraph; laying down a proposition to be proved, or illustrated; "by their fruits ye shall thoroughly know them." In the second stanza, on the contrary, the odd line makes a full close, re-asserting with authority the same proposition, as undeniably established by the intermediate quatrains" by their fruits, therefore, ye shall "thoroughly know them." The entire illative force of the particle agaye, it is impossible to convey in any single English word. This passage unites the most exact logic, with the most beautiful imagery: the repetition, too, is no less poetical than it is argumentative. Our own best poets well know the value of a full reduplicative close; thus DRYDEN: What passion cannot music raise and quell! To worship that celestial sound: Less than a God, they thought there could not dwell That spoke so sweetly and so well: WHAT PASSION CANNOT MUSIC RAISE AND QUELL! And SOUTHEY: How beautiful is night! A dewy freshness fills the silent air, The desart circle spreads, Like the round ocean girded with the sky : — HOW BEAUTIFUL IS NIGHT! εγερθήσεται γαρ εθνος επι έθνος και σεισμοι κατα τόπους : παντα δε ταυτα αρχη ωδίνων. For nation shall rise against nation; And kingdom against kingdom: |