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Untitled Article
or parody . The costume of the time and country is well preserved . Peculiarities of climate , scenery , the vegetable and animal ^ tribes * , dress , manners , and custbttis , &g . » are iotrodueed frequentl y * V > iit nev ^ r obtrusively ; their fttenfcion &eems rather to flow from 1 the writer ' s familiarity than to have been intended for the instruction even of . the most juvenile reader . There is sufficient 'of hiiiman interest to keep up the attention of tho $ e who must of th
have something like'a story to fix their minds ; sorae ^ ^ . ehar ^ ct ^ r ^ are excellent sketches ; they could be no more ; and occasionally they are grouped mutilations which are striking , affecting , and even dramatic . The approach tt > Mount Tabor , Christ walking on the water , the last day of the feast of tabernacles , the return of the Seventy , the solitude of the lepers , and other scenes which we forbear to mention , though even more deserving of praise than these , are very ably and graphically delineated . There are other descriptions which imply a higher species of power , and bespeak a mind
enlightened by philosophy and imbued with religion . Such are the progress of an ardent and ingenuouscon vert , the dogged obstinacy of a follovyer of the Pharisees , the contrasted characters of the two lepers , the calm austerity of the Essenes , the meek , affectionate , and dignified bearing of an early preacher and martyr , and the conflicting emotions of the aged Christian priest . . We only mention specimens ; and these are specimens of an insight into human nature , as modified by the various influences which were in such powerful operation at the period of the gospel history , on which we build high hope for the future fame and future usefulness of the writer * The
most adventurous step was the introduction of real characters ; of which the principal 1 are Pilate , and John , and Mary the mother of Jesus . But they are so afiprbpiiately introduced , so characteristically employed , and so speedily dismissed , ' that the most fastidious can scarcely object ; and they mujst be very fastidious who are not p leased . The Saviour can scarcely be said to be personally introduced ; there are only brief and distant glimpses of his presence , which yet seems , invisibly , to peivade the whole . This part of the subject was a difficult one ; and it is managed with consummate judgment and delicacy .
We shall only make two extracts , and they are selected on account of the truth and originality by which they are both distinguished . The Martyrdom of Paltiel , from "The Hour of Rest . " "They who beheld the countenances of the people had no hope that life could be saved . The reproaches were loud , and the curses on the
blaspherner Were bitter ; and the murderers could scarce refrain from blood till they had reached the place where Paltiel was to die . To speak was in vain for iio voice could be heard ; and when the Nazarene women threw themselves in the way , and besought mercy by their tears , Paltiel made a $ ign to theuci to arise and be still . They sat down by the way side , well "knowing that they should see him no more . but
" Sadoc tarried not ^ wont side by side with his friend . When lie found that the cry of the people was for blood , his heart became fixed like that of Paltiel ; Ins eye was as cairn and his step as firm . " c ls this man no longer thy friend / said one to him , * that thott'gotist to look on his death without sorrow ?' . > vi ¦; - ¦
'V * Because lie i 9 my friend , and I know what is hi his heart , I fear not for him , * replied Sadoc , > 4 but rather rejoice . ' w y : ¦ < ( nv " Paltiel heard the words and smiled upon him . u y ^ "" As they passed by where Jesus had led forth his djs ^ ipjes to ^ ehpld how he left the world , Paltiel looked-up into tk $ heaven ^ saying , * tyjwlji it ,, wJ 3 i ;< : here \> ,
Untitled Article
Traditions of Palestine . & 25
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Aug. 2, 1830, page 525, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2587/page/21/
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