Saul to treat this offer at first, as a fally of juvenile fpirit, laudable enough, but nothing effectual; and his reply to it must have been delivered fmilingly. Thou, child Thou are not able to go against this Philiftine, to fight with him for thou art but a youth, though a brave one; and "he a man of war from his youth" - from his very infancy, trained to the knowledge and exercife of arms. The modefty, brevity, and concisenefs with which our young hero afferts his pretentions to fuccefs from this engagement, is inconceivably pretty, and attracting.

"Thy fervant kept his father's fheep, "and there came a lion and a bear, and "took a lamb out of the flock:

"And I went out after him, and smote "him, and delivered the lamb out of his mouth, and when he arofe again, I caught "him by his beard, and smote him, and "flew him.

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Thy fervant flew both, the lion and "the bear and this uncircumcifed Phi"liftine fhall be one of them, feeing he hath "defied the armies of the living God.

"The Lord that delivered me out of "the paw of the lion, and out of the paw “of the bear, he will deliver me alfo out "of the hand of this Philiftine."*

Saul

This gallant and modest address, attended as it is with every prepoffefling circumftance, bears fome resemblance to the ftory of young Norval in the Tragedy of Douglas, when he difplays his heroic fpirit, and is firit admitted into the prefence of Lord and Lady Randolph. Perhaps, the author really had the bravery of the conqueror of Goliah in his eye, which is the more likely, as an intimate acquaintance with the fcriptures, and, no doubt, a veneration for them, was in the way of Mr. Hume's profeffional stadies. At any rate, the fpeech will read extremely well after that of the ftripling David, whether it be intended, or accidental, the refemblance is ftriking.

:

My name is Norval on the Grampian hills My father feeds his flocks: a frugal fwain, Whofe conftant cares were to encreafe his ftore, And keep his only fon, myself, at home.

For I had heard of battles, and I long'd

То

Saul was fo charmed with his bravery and heroic fentiments, that he began already to hope fomething from his efforts,

To follow to the field fome warlike lord;

And Heaven foon granted what my fire denied.
This moon which rose last night, round as my shield,
Had not yet fill'd her horns, when, by her light,
A band of fierce barbarians, from the hills,
Ruf'd like a torrent down upon the vale,
Sweeping our flocks and herds. The fhepherds fled
For fafety, and for fuccour. I alone,

With bended bow, and quiver full of arrows,
Hovered about the enemy, and mark'd

The road he took, then hafted to my friends :
Whom, with a troop of fifty chofen men,
I met advancing. The purfuit I led,
Till we o'ertook the fpoil-encumber'd foe.

peers

We fought and conquer'd. Ere a fword was drawn,
An arrow from my bow had pierced their chief,
Who wore that day the arms which now I wear.
Retiring home in triumph, I disdain’d
The shepherd's slothful life; and having heard
That our good king had summon'd his bold
To lead their warriors to the Carron fide,
I left my father's houfe, and took with me
A chofen fervant to conduct my steps:-
Yon trembling coward who forfook his master.
Journeying with this intent, I past these towers,
And, Heaven-directed, came this day to do
The happy deed that gilds my humble name.

infomuch,

infomuch, that he faid: "Go, my lad, "and the Lord go with thee." But the preparatory ceremony, which fucceeded this commiffion, is most beautiful, indeed! Delighted with his generous ambition, Saul, with his own hand and acoutrements, equipped David for the battle; he put an helmet of brafs upon his head, and defended his body with a coat of mail; then, girding his fword upon his armour, he affayed to go-but-touched by fome fecret infpiration-he again divefted himself of the armour, and putting only five smooth ftones out of the brook, he took his staff, his fcrip, and his fling, and thus, like a fhepherd, drew near to the Philiftine. There is great imagery in the following verses.

"And the Philifine came on, and the man that bare the shield went before "him; and when the Philiftine looked "about and faw David, he difdained him." Disdained is, perhaps, the only word in this language that could have been used properly

There was fo

properly on this occafion. palpable a difference between the combatants, and the fuperiority and ftrength evidently lay fo much on the side of Goliah, that he difdained to fight with him, very naturally thinking him no object of his fpear for David had every perfonal advantage, being a lad of a ruddy and fair coun

tenance.

It never entered into the imagination of the Philifline that the battle was not always to the ftrong, nor the race to the fwift. The ideas of a more powerful Providence were fwallowed up in the vanity of his own vigour, and yet that vanity was fomewhat piqued, when he beheld our daring youth meet him only with a stick, and a string. "Am I a dog, that thou comeft to me with "ftaves?" This foon exafperated him, and he curfed David by his own gods. Whoever examines the fcriptures, will find the niceft prefervation of character, each delicately defcriminated, and fo admirably contrasted, that nothing which marks one,