believes, to differ from him, especially in regard to arrangement; but not in any important matter. Whoever will take the trouble to compare, will find much fuller paradigms of nouns, and somewhat fuller of verbs, in the present work. The Hebrew accents are treated here with much more particularity, and in a different manner from that of Gesenius. The rules that respect the regulation of the tone-syllable, and which lie scattered over the whole work of Gesenius, and are so very vague in most Hebrew grammars, he has embodied in one section, for the convenience of the learner, and endeavored to render them more complete, than any to which he has had access. The tables of suffix-pronouns are more complete, and as he trusts, more conspicuously arranged, than will be found in most Hebrew grammars. The section which exhibits the forms of Hebrew nouns will be found to depart, in respect to arrangement, in a very considerable degree, from that of Gesenius, by which the labor of the student will be much facilitated, and the different kinds of forms and their respective roots rendered very easy and obvious. Other lesser changes in regard to method, and in not a few cases in regard to the completeness of rules, may be found, if any one will take the pains to make the comparison."

We do not perceive that Professor Stuart has overrated his own labors, and we feel much indebted to him for the result. If we thought it would gratify enough of our readers to reward us for the pains, we would make the comparison to which the author invites us, in order to shew how far, and for what good ends, he has deviated from Gesenius. But it will be enough to describe in a few particulars the character of his work.

In giving the classification, sound, and quantity' of the vowels, we regret that he has followed the innovation of Gesenius, instead of the simple plan in which the best grammarians had before been sufficiently agreed. The common distribution of the vowels is into five long and five short; the long vowels agreeing in their order and sound with those of the German language, and other languages of the European continent, and the short agreeing, in like manner, both with them and with the English. This distribution is very simple and intelligible, while at the same time it affords sufficient variety; and it agrees so nearly, as far as we have had opportu nity to learn, with the manner in which those who are familiar with the Hebrew, whether Jews or Christians, read the language, that we confess an unwillingness to change, without

perceiving an adequate benefit. It may be true in theory, that in Hebrew, as in Arabic, there are only three classes of vowels; and it would seem probable, from philological speculation, that there is the same analogy in this respect between the oriental languages, as between European languages of the same family. But the Hebrew is a dead language; and we must take the sounds, as they have been transmitted to us by those who had most occasion to pronounce it.

It may seem at first view that Professor Stuart has adopted the most simple plan in his classification. But it must be remembered that while in the Arabic grammar there are but three vowels, each having a distinct name; in the Hebrew there are ten (including Kamets and Hirik long and short) having as many distinct names. Now, if five of these be long and five short, as it is generally agreed, admitting exceptions, which may be pointed out, it is a great assistance to the memory to represent them by a sequence of modern vowels, either known or easily made familiar. Instead of this, if they be reduced to three classes, as partaking severally of the sound of a, e, or u, in order to shew their relations and commutations, the grammarian is obliged to put in the same class those which are manifestly distinct, and in different classes those which are alike; and thus he renders the names and power of the vowels more difficult to be learned and retained, than they are in the usual

way.

Such are our opinions on this subject; but still we think this grammar such a valuable thesaurus, that we are unwilling to lay so much stress on these opinions, as to deduct from the praise to which it is fairly entitled. It is a very large book for a grammar, and may appear to a learner to render his task discouraging. With a little aid, however, his attention may be directed to what is more immediately necessary; and, as he advances in his knowledge of the Hebrew, he will find in this grammar all the facilities requisite to a thorough acquaintance with the language. We should indeed prefer a more elementary book for a beginner; but Professor Stuart's work combines with what is primarily important, such ample grammatical commentaries, as, in the end, save the trouble and expense of multiplying books of a similar kind; and we will not, therefore, find fault with what may seem to be redundant.

The copious paradigms of nouns and verbs, particularly the last, are a great excellence of the grammar of which we are

speaking. generally languages. sufficiently and scarce student th We can classes of

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speaking. In this respect the wants of the learner have not generally been enough regarded, in the grammars of the dead languages. None of the Greek grammars, in common use, are sufficiently full in examples of the different kinds of verbs; and scarcely too much can be done to render familiar to the student that which is so various and complex.

We cannot close without congratulating our late and present classes of students in the principal theological schools, that they are laying their foundation in the original language of the Old Testament, after the close of the dark age of Hebrew learning, as it may be termed in England and America, during the latter part of the last century, and the beginning of the present. Whatever diversity of doctrinal tenets may exist in the different institutions among us, it is fortunate that they are agreed in the importance of a thorough acquaintance with the original languages of the bible; for on this foundation must be reared all that is true and imperishable, whether pertaining to faith or practice.

PERMIT me to allude to the present condition of American literature, however trite some of you may think the whole subject, for the purpose of congratulating you on the new and agreeable aspect, in which it now presents itself to our contemplation. The progress which it has made within a very few years, is too great and too manifest to be overlooked or denied. All who hear me must be well aware, that our writers are every day increasing in number and in merit, that our standard of excellence is rapidly rising, that our readers are constantly becoming more correct in their sentiments, and more severe in their requisitions. In asserting that an important change has already taken place, that our literary character is higher at this moment, than at any former period of our existence as an independent community, we shall surely give no just ground for the imputation of national vanity. These opinions are not confined to ourselves, they are those also of many of the principal writers of Great Britain, who have given little indication of any undue prepossessions in our favor. As I have no wish to speak extravagantly of our actual progress, still less would I insinuate that nothing, or that little now remains to do. What we have already accomplished furnishes a ground of hope rather than of complacency, a motive to exertion and not an excuse for indolence. There is doubtless yet much room for improvement, but we have proceeded on the whole with no faltering step, and if we are but true to ourselves, the continuance, diffusion and increase of an

enlighter produce

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enlightened and efficient spirit of literature, a spirit which will produce writers as well as readers, will be henceforth no longer doubtful. The present period then is indeed an interesting era. We shall cease to depend wholly on another country, for the daily nourishment of our understandings from the first moment of their opening. We are preparing to distinguish ourselves among nations by our writings as well as by our actions.

I have said thus much, my friends, on what has been effected by our late writers, not merely on account of the pleasure innocent, to say no more, which such a retrospect must afford you, both as scholars and as citizens. It has been my object to remind you in a few words, that our literary career is actually commenced, principally because a consciousness of this fact cannot but give a new and immediate interest to all speculations on our future progress. What, we are naturally led to ask, is the degree of eminence which American writers may ultimately hope to reach, and what will be their relative rank among the distinguished authors of modern times? In reflecting on these questions, one circumstance suggests itself to the mind, as distinguishing, more than any thing else, our own literary condition from that of every enlightened country in Europe, our community of language with a nation, which has been long and highly celebrated for its advancement in letters. As far as respects the words, and as far as the words affect the sentiments, our compositions must always be English. The effect of this community of language, on our own literature, is the subject on which I shall now offer a few remarks to your consideration.

It has often been confidently asserted, that this peculiarity in our situation, must forever render our writers incapable of every thing like originality. We are doomed to compose, say the supporters of that opinion, in a language which has been cultivated, and how successfully! for three centuries. The time for bold and novel conceptions, the golden age of English literature is now gone by, and every department is already occupied by writers, who have left no choice to us but to imitate them servilely, or to differ from them affectedly. We should scarcely suppose, my friends, that opinions like these, even if founded on the most solid reasoning, could ever gain a prompt and cheerful assent, from any real friend to improvement. Still less should we imagine that writers of genius, New Series, No. 8.

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