my spittle.] This is a proverb among the Arabians to the present day, by which they understand, Give me leave to rest after my fatigue. This is the favour which Job complains is not granted to him. There are two instances which illustrate the passage (quoted by Schultens) in Hariraes's Narratives, entitled the Assembly. One is of a person, who, when eagerly pressed to give an account of his travels, answered with impatience, "Let me swallow down my spittle, for my journey hath fatigued me." The other instance is of a quick return made to one who used that proverb, "Suffer me," said the person importuned, "to swallow down my spittle:" to which his friend replied, "You may if you please swallow down even Tigris and Euphrates;" that is, take what time you please. Biblical Researches, vol. i. p. 84. No. 966. ix. 18. He will not suffer me to take my breath.] Dr. Gill is of opinion that in these words there is an allusion to the hot burning winds, which prevailed in the eastern countries; and which sometimes blew so strong as almost to take away a man's breath. Thevenot (Travels, part i. b. 1. c. 34.) reports, that between Suez and Cairo they had for a day's time and more so hot a wind, that they were forced to turn their backs to it to take breath. No. 967.-xvi. 9. He gnasheth upon me with his teeth.] Homer describing Achilles arming to revenge the death of Patroclus, among other signs of indignation mentions the grinding of his teeth : Τ8 και οδοντων μεν καναχη πελε. Il. xix. 365. Grief and revenge his furious heart inspire, POPE. Thus in Virgil, Hercules is described furens animis, dentibus infrendens, raging in mind, and gnashing his teeth. (En. viii. 228.) So also Polyphemus: Dentibus infrendens gemitu. Æn. iii. 664. No. 968.-xvii. 9. He that hath clean hands.] The idea here suggested is that of purity and holiness. Porphyry observes, that in the Leontian mysteries the initiated had their hands washed with honey, instead of water, to intimate that they were to keep their hands pure from all wickedness and mischief; honey being of a cleansing nature, and preserving other things from corruption. No. 969.-xviii. 4. Shall the earth be forsaken for thee? and shall the rock be removed out of its place?] When the Orientals would reprove the pride or arrogance of any person, it is common for them to desire him to call to mind how little and contemptible he and every mortal is, in these or similar apophthegms: What though Mahommed were dead, His imams (or ministers) conducted the affairs of the nation. The world does not subsist for one man alone. LowTH's Lect. (Gregory's Translat.) vol. ii. p. 420. No. 970.xviii. 15. Brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation.] Scheuchzer (Physic. Sacr. vol. iv. p. 709.) is of opinion that this expression refers to the lustration of houses with sulphur, to drive away dæmons, remove impurity, and make them fit to dwell in: (Homer, Od. xxii. prope finem) but others think it is to be understood of the burning of sulphur in houses at funerals, to testify and exaggerate mourning. Livy mentions this practice as usual amongst the Romans, lib. xxx. c. 15. VOL. II. No. 971.-xxi. 33. The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him.] These words seem to suppose that the person buried in a grave may partake in some respects of the prosperous state of the tomb which contains him. Such an idea seems to have been indulged by Sultan Amurath the Great, who died in 1450. "Presently after his death, Mahomet his sonne, for feare of some innouation to be made at home, raised the siege, and returned to Hadrianople: and afterwards with great solemnitie buried his dead body at the west side of Prusa in the suburbs of the citie, where he now lieth, in a chappell without any roofe, his graue nothing differing from the manner of the common Turks; which they say he commanded to be done in his last will, that the mercie and blessing of God (as he termed it) might come vnto him by the shining of the sunne and moone, and falling of the raine and dew of heauen upon his graue." KNOLLES's Hist. of the Turks, p. 332. No. 972.-xxvii. 21. The east-wind carrieth him away, and he departeth; and as a storm hurleth him out of his place.] The ancients were persuaded that some persons were carried away by storms and whirlwinds. Homer gives us an instance of this, making one exclaim, Snatch me, ye whirlwinds, far from human race, See also Isaiah xli. 16. Odyss. b. xx. No. 973. xxix. 3. When his candle shone upon my head.] The houses of Egypt, according to Maillet, are never without lights in the night-time. If such were the ancient custom not only of Egypt, but of the neighbouring countries of Judea and Arabia, it will strongly illustrate this passage. Mr. Scott, however thinks that there is probably an allusion to the lamps, which hung from the ceiling in the banqueting-rooms of the wealthy Arabs; not unlike what Virgil mentions in the palace of Dido, -dependent lychni laquearibus aureis Incensi. From gilded roofs depending lamps display En. i. 730. DRYDEN. No. 974. xxix. 7. When I prepared my seat in the street.] Job here speaks of himself as a civil magistrate, as a judge upon the bench, who had a seat erected for him to sit upon whilst he was hearing and trying causes and this was set up in the street, in the open air, before the gate of the city, where great numbers might be convened, and hear and see justice done. The Arabs to this day hold their courts. of justice in an open place, under the heavens, as in a field, or a market-place. See Norden's Travels in Egypt, vol. ii. p. 140. No. 975.-xxix. 8. The aged arose, and stood up.] "This is a most elegant description, and exhibits most correctly that great reverence and respect which was *paid even by the old and decrepit, to the holy man in passing along the streets, or when he sat in public. They not only rose, which in men so old and infirm was a great mark of distinction, but they stood; they continued to do it, though even the attempt was so difficult." LOWTH'S Lect. vol. ii. p. 412. No. 976.-xxix. 19. The dew lay all night upon my branch.] It is well known that in the hot eastern countries, where it rarely rains during the summer months, the copious dews which fall there during the night contribute greatly to the nourishment of vegetables in general. "This dew," says Hasselquist, speaking of the excessively hot weather in Egypt, " is particularly serviceable to the trees, which would otherwise never be able to resist this heat; but with this assistance they thrive well and blossom, and ripen their fruit." Travels, p. 455. No. 977.-xxx. 4. Who cut up mallows by the bushes, and juniper roots for their meat.] BIDDULPH (Collection of Voyages and Travels from the Library of the Earl of Oxford, p. 807.) says he "saw many poor people gathering mallows and three-leaved grass, and asked them what they did with it: they answered, it was all their food; and that they boiled it, and did eat it. Then we took pity on them, and gave them bread, which they received very joyfully, and blessed God that there was bread in the world." HARMER, vol. iii. p. 166. No. 978.-xxx. 23. Death, the house appointed for all living.] Those expressions in which the grave is described as the house appointed for all living; the long home of man; and the everlasting habitation; are capable of much illustration from antiquity. MONTFAUCON says, "We observed in the fifth volume of our Antiquity a tomb styled quietorium, a resting-place. Quiescere, to rest, is often said of the dead in epitaphs. Thus we find in an ancient writer a man speaking of his master who had been long dead and buried, cujus ossa bene quiescant; may his bones rest in peace. We have an instance of the like kind in an inscription in Gruter (p. 696.) and in another (p. 594.) fecit sibi requietorium, he made himself a resting-place. This resting-place is called frequently too an eternal |