grammar the corporation paid him £35. He made use of the vowel points in this grammar, and insisted that they were essential to the right pronunciation of the language. He resigned his office in 1761. On the 7th of September, in the same year, the corporation voted, "that Sir Sewall be the Hebrew instructor in Harvard College this year." He was re-chosen in 1762 and 1763. In 1764, the Hancock Professorship of the Hebrew and other Oriental Languages was established, from a legacy of Thomas Hancock, an opulent merchant of Boston, who died August 1, 1764. This was the first professorship founded in America by a native. Stephen Sewall was elected the first professor on this foundation. His qualifications for the office were so preeminent, that he was probably the only one who was thought of to fill it. Besides his instructions in Hebrew and Chaldee, he was required to teach in a more private way, such students as should desire it, in the Samaritan, the Syriac and the Arabic. No American, previously, had acquired so extensive an acquaintance with eastern learning as Professor Sewall. His Greek odes were praised by the English reviewers. He corresponded with Kennicott and other learned foreign orientalists. He prepared a Greek Prosody and Lexicon, a Hebrew grammar, a Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon, (now in Ms. in the library of Harvard University), and pushed his studies into the Ethiopic and Persian.

President Stiles speaks of Dr. Cutler, the second rector of Yale College, as a "great Hebrician and orientalist." The vehement literary ardor of Dr. Stiles himself is well known. He would actually compass sea and land to get the sight of a Jewish rabbi or a piece of vellum. In May, 1767, says his beographer, Dr. Holmes, he commenced the study of the Hebrew. In the first five days, he read the Psalms. In one month, he translated all the Psalms from Hebrew into Latin. In 1768, he commenced Arabic, Syriac, Chaldee, and Rabbinic. In 1769, he copied an Arabic volume, and translated it from the original. He then, as he terms it, "dipped into Persian and Coptic."

college," and that his salary for one year should be £70. All the undergraduates, except the freshmen and such others as should be exempted by the faculty, were required to attend his instructions on four days in the week. He was re-chosen in 1723, and in 1724. He then appears to have become a permanent instructor. See Worcester Magazine, II. 180, and Peirce's Hist. of Harvard University, p. 232,

During the latter part of the last century, however, the interest in oriental literature had greatly declined. The study of Hebrew was not, indeed, entirely neglected in the colleges which more recently came into existence. Professor John Smith of Dartmouth College gave instruction in Hebrew and compiled a grammar of the language.

The knowledge of eastern learning, possessed by the fathers of New England, was doubtless, in some instances, curious and ill-digested, possibly, superficial, rather than profound and practical. When we take into account, however, the ruggedness of the times, the pressure of other and indispensable duties, and the very imperfect lexical and grammatical helps, we cannot but be astonished, that so much progress was made. More attention, comparatively, was bestowed on the study of Hebrew during the first fifty years after the settlement of New England, than has been given to it at any subsequent period, not excepting the present century. No generation of biblical students has arisen in England, which can be compared to the Ushers, the Seldens, the Lightfoots, the Pococks, the Castells and the Waltons of the middle of the seventeenth century. Dr. Lightfoot gave his invaluable oriental library to Harvard College. The flame of sacred learning which rose high in their Trinity and Immanuel, was rekindled on our wintry shores and amid our unbroken forests. Our fathers did not avail themselves of the common excuse-want of time-for the neglect of the study in question. One of these venerable men, who had read himself blind, and who was accustomed to derive consolation from the thought, that his eyes would be opened at the resurrection of the just, performed the duties of a laborious parish minister, in a new settlement, and also of a teacher of youth. Another individual, who was the pastor of an English church, a preacher to several native congregations, and the creator of an Indian language, did not lack time to pursue his Hebrew studies.

But it is not my intention to dwell on these interesting facts in the early records of New England. Before proceeding to the main purpose of this address, I wished to fortify myself with good examples, and to show that ancient precedents were in my favor.

I shall attempt, in the ensuing remarks, to adduce some reasons why the study of the Hebrew language should be made a part of a liberal education, and be put into the same category with Latin and Greek. There is no adequate cause for con

fining the study to a small part of one of the professions. Why should it not be considered as the common privilege of all the professions? I know of but one argument against its introduction into our present courses of collegiate study;-they are already pre-occupied and crowded with other branches of learning. Were one or two additional years, however, allowed to the preparatory schools; were the elements of Latin and Greek thoroughly mastered at our academies, as they ought to be, and as they are at two or three of them, an opening might be found somewhere in the four college years for the histories of Moses and for the songs of David. No considerate man would dislodge the Latin and Greek classics from the place which they now occupy. Still, Isaiah is, in all respects-in simplicity, in fire, in originality, in sublimity-as worthy of study as Homer. The Lamentations of Jeremiah will not yield to the Elegies of Tyrtaeus. These things ought to be done, while the other should not be left undone.

1. An argument for the study of Hebrew may be derived from the fact, that great eminence in the pursuit, on the part of a few individuals, cannot be expected in the absence of a general cultivation of the language.

It has been argued, that we need a few men well-skilled in the original Scriptures to serve as defenders of the faith when attacked on critical grounds, while the great body of the clergy and of the educated laity may safely neglect or but imperfectly acquire the branch of knowledge in question. That this general position is untenable, it were perfectly easy to demonstrate. Of the ten thousand, or twelve thousand ministers of Christ in the United States, more than ten, or fifty, or one hundred, or one thousand ought to be intimately conversant with the original documents of their faith. Allowing, however, that a few men, well trained as original investigators would meet the exigency, still we contend, that this small number could not be raised up amidst a surrounding ignorance, or a general apathy, in relation to the pursuit. No one acquainted with the history of the world, or with the nature of man, can entertain an expectation so fallacious.

Why is England destitute, and why has she always been destitute, of great masters in music? Because her people have no taste for it. It is not taught in her schools. There is no chord running through her bustling population, which a mighty minstrel, rising up, could touch. It is the flight of the shuttle

and the stroke of the hammer for which England has ears,none for the charming symphony that wakens raptures high. Why has Germany produced Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Weber, and nearly all the other distinguished original composers of music? Because these men could be understood and relished all over Germany. Every peasant is a singer; every family is an orchestra. Her entire population is impregnated with the spirit of song. It is considered to be no more difficult nor remarkable to read and write music in the schools, than it is to read and write language. This universal diffusion of the musical taste does not cramp genius, or prevent the rise of great men; on the contrary, it enlivens genius, and creates masters who become the teachers of Christendom.*

Why has France been eminent above other nations for mathematical development, so that we can hardly count up her Clairauts, Lalandes, Laplaces, Lagranges, Biots, Aragos? Because mathematics have been highly honored by sovereign and by people, not merely in the practical applications, but in the most abstract analyses. Her scientific men have not risen up alone, like a single cedar on the sides of Lebanon. Multitudes of young men, educated in her schools and sent forth in her armies, have been eminent mathematicians.

Sacred literature holds out like examples. England, in the seventeenth century, had a constellation of profound linguists. Learned travellers were despatched to the East; manuscripts and books were collected; oriental professorships were founded; archbishops laid out their revenues in buying coins. Cromwell, "who chose men for places and not places for men,' opened his republican chest. Translations, collations, and gigantic polyglotts were the result. While the general interest continued, eminent scholars were not wanting.

Thus it is in Germany. Her biblical scholars, who are

"I always loved music; whoso hath skill in this art, the same is of good kind, fitted for all things; we must of necessity maintain music in schools; a schoolmaster ought to have skill in music; otherwise, I would not regard him, neither should we ordain young fellows to the office of preaching, except they have been before well exercised and practised in the school of music. Music is a fair gift of God, and near allied to divinity. I would not for a great matter be destitute of the small skill in music which I have. The youth ought to be brought up and accustomed to this art, for it maketh fine and expert people."-Luther's Table Talk, London, 1652, p. 500.

known the world over, did not rise up isolated, without sympathy or encouragement. All the middle and most of the north of Europe were spectators or competitors. Hosts of ardent scholars were pressing on behind them. They were borne upward by an impulse which they could not resist. Outward things combined with the inward resolution and contributed materially to the result.

acorns.

It is not denied that there are apparent exceptions to this position. It has been strenuously argued, that a state of semibarbarism is the most favorable for eminence in some of the fine arts, particularly in poetry. David, it has been said, reached by one bound, the highest place in lyric composition. Homer flourished when the Greeks lived in caves and fed on Yet these are not to be viewed altogether as exceptions. The people who had in their remembrance such strains as the sister of Moses sang at the Red sea, such words as Moses himself delivered on the plains of Moab, such triumphal songs as that of Deborah, by the brook Kishon, could not but furnish many minds kindred to that of David. And it is not certain but that Homer has collected the spoils of a thousand preceding or contemporary bards, whose names have faded away partly in the accidents of time, and not merely through his own transcendent effulgence.

In every department of labor, men are made for each other. They need the cheering sympathy and the generous coöperation of fellow-laborers. Were there none to share the pleasures of success, one half of its value would be wanting. A modest man does not wish to acquire languages, that he may be stared at as the eighth wonder of the world. Ordinarily he will have no heart to labor, unless he is surrounded by a community who can properly estimate his productions. What motive has he to push his researches far beyond the point where they would be generally appreciated? What security, moreover, has the church, that he will not involve himself with them in errors and absurdities? He needs around him the safeguard of a vigilant, as well as the support of a sympathizing community.

2. My second argument for the more general study of the Hebrew is, that we may be better prepared to take all proper advantage of the immense stores of erudition on the general subject which have been collected in Germany.

Nothing is more common, and nothing is more unfounded, than national prejudice. The name of a Frenchman with some