the only difference between them consisting in the absence of the præformative, or from the Arabic form. In every other respect they are precisely similar. Thus the Preterite in the Heb. is pon, Arab. sïëï, (¿. e. τpon); Fut. pn', sÿïï, (тpan'); Imper. pann, si" (pn); Inf. span, 3" (pn); Part.

.(מתפקד) 33 מתפקד

صبب

The principal points of resemblance between the contracted verbs in Arabic and Hebrew, are to be found in those which, in the former, are called by Richardson, who exactly follows Erpenius, the Surd, the Concave, and the Defective. The first accords with the class of Hebrew verbs, the second and third radicals of which are the same; such as 220 contracted ab, or in Arabic : and the only difference between them consists in the apparent retention of the third radical in the second and third persons of both numbers in the preterite, and in the participle throughout. We say the apparent retention of that radical, for, though expressed in printing, by the presence of Teshid it is actually suppressed in reading. In every other respect they are precisely the same, that radical being dropt in both. The Concave verbs correspond with those in Hebrew which have a quiescent or for their middle radical; as op contracted for

و

, or in the Arabic form, (xp,) used for (p.) In all the tenses of these verbs in both tongues, the similarity is complete; the original or being thrown out of the preterite and imperative, and retained or expressed in all the other tenses. The only seeming discrepancy is the substitution of the J (N) for (1) in the 3d p. sing. masc. and fem. and 3d pl. fem. of the preterite, and the 2d sing. m. and 2 pl. fem. imperative, while there is no such literal substitution in the corresponding parts of the Hebrew verb. The use of kametz, however, in the latter, distinctly shews that at the time when the vowel points were first adopted, the identity was complete. The Defective Arabic verbs in such as (), resemble the Hebrew verbs denominated defective in Lamed He, as a, in the clision of the third original radical, in some persons of the different tenses, and in the substitution of, (1) for it in others; presenting, though not so remarkably as in other instances, evidence of no inconclusive kind, that the two languages originally sprung from the same stock, or are dialects the one of the other.

رمي

(^),

It were easy to trace similar analogies between the other

parts of speech, but on any minute detail respecting these we deem it unnecessary at present to enter; a general statement of the particulars that might be adduced being quite sufficient to enable the student to verify them for himself. Suffice it, therefore, to say, that the great proportion of the nouns in both dialects, are formed not only on the same principle, from triliteral verbs, in each of the forms or conjugations which these verbs assume, but in most instances, by prefixing to the first, or subjoining to the last radical, the very same servile, or, as Hebrew grammarians style them, Heemantic letters *; that the particular meaning, whether of instrumentality, locality, causality, &c. which the nouns thus systematically formed, possess, correspond. ing to their formative serviles, is not less coincident; and that their numerals from 7778, ), one, to *, lo, a hundred, and even as far as x,, a thousand, are almost literally identical, agreeing not less in their construction than in their radicals. Almost every Hebrew particle too is to be found in the Arabic; and those of them in particular which are inseparable, whether used as prepositions or as conjunctions, such as 2, ; ;, S ; ',,; P, o ; &c. &c. perform the very same offices, and have the same signification in both. The comparison of adjectives by the particle (1) is not indeed so com mon in Arabic as in Hebrew; but in the peculiar use of the negative particle x, y, to express comparison, there is an exact correspondence.

من

The slightest review of the comparison thus instituted between these two languages, will, we are persuaded, remove every shadow of doubt, concerning their original identity, from any mind at all capable of entering into the subject. Coincidences so numerous and minute, throughout almost every part of their inflections, and relating not merely to the radical letters, but to the formation, structure, and force of their words, can be satis

• Nec minor harum dialectorum in variandis nominibus quam verbis consensio. Nam et hic literæ radicales plerumque immotæ manent. Quæ vero extrinsecus assumuntur, eæ, sive numerorum, sive casuum, sive generum, sive aliorum quorumlibet affixorum, suffixorumque formatione inserviant, aut eadem ferè sunt, aut ejusmodi saltem organi, ideoque levioris planè momenti: immo ne tantillum quidem, quantillum Græca nomina, per varias suas dialectos inflexa, patè solent." Hunt. de Utilit. Ling. Arab. p. 52.

On the subject of the preceding comparison in general, much light is thrown by the very ingenious and erudite Dissertation of Ratelband, de Convenientia admirabili Dialecti Arabicæ cum Hebræû in universo linguæ ambitu, contained in Schultensi and Schroderi Syllog. Dissert. tom. i. Robertson's view of it in his Dissertatio de Antiq &c. Ling. Arab. is just an abridgment of Ratelband.

factorily accounted for on no other principle; and we should as little hesitate to pronounce them kindred dialects, as we do respecting the Syriac and the Chaldee. And if this be the relation in which they stand to each other, is it not perfectly demonstrable, that, to the full acquisition and understanding of either, the study of both is absolutely indispensble? But it is chiefly on those who, in addition to the veneration with which they profess to regard the inspired records of the Old Testament revelation, have already devoted, or are about to devote their time and their talents to the interpretation of its hallowed contents, that we would most earnestly press the necessity, no less than the importance, of cultivating this interesting field of literary research. Not only are there many words ἅπαξ λεγομενα (or that occur only once) in the Hebrew Scriptures, the import of which, if ever to be understood, must be sought for in other oriental tongues; but there is a great variety of other vocables, the roots of which are not now to be found in the comparatively scanty remains of that language which have come down to our times. The meaning or force of these it is utterly impossible satisfactorily to attain, without having recourse to the cognate dialects, and especially to the Arabic, the richest, and by much the most copious of them all. Nor is it more possible, without this prerequisite, justly to appreciate even the beauties of the Hebrew style of composition, and especially of its sublime poetical diction. Of this there cannot be a more demonstrative proof, than is afforded by the new and interesting light which the varied and extensive knowledge of oriental literature possessed by Michaelis and Rosenmuller have enabled them to throw on many passages of the sacred poets, even after they had received the elegant, and often in themselves poetic illustrations of Lowth.

Much, besides, as has already been done, particularly on the Continent, for the illustration of the Scriptures by the aids of Oriental Philology, and great as are the obligations which have thus been conferred on the cause of sacred criticism by many distinguished characters as well in England as there, we are convinced that the field into which they have so successfully penetrated, far from being exhausted, has only to be anew ex

This even the Rabbins admit; and we may be certain they would not have done so, without feeling its absolute necessity. Kimchi, among others, accordingly says, "Cui vocabulo non reperio socium in Scriptura Sacra, adducam illam è lingua Haga. renâ vel Arabicâ." Præf. in Lib. Radicum. Nay, the Talmudists themselves were forced to acknowledge, that but for the use of certain words among the Arabs, they would never have discovered their meaning in the Hebrew Scriptures. "Nesciebant, quid esset NUNUD, donec audirent famulam quandam Arabicam dicentem socia

accipe scopas, et scopato domum. En tibi ,שקלי טאטיתא וטאטי ביתא sua

ancillam Arabicam verbi divini Interpretem." Buxtorf. Lexic. Manuale.

plored with similar ardour and intenseness, in order to obtain the richest and most precious treasures. To the numerous and ingenuous youths, then, who are engaged in preparing for the highest and most important of all duties, that of instructing their fellow-mortals in the knowledge of divine truth, as contained in the sacred oracles, we would, in conclusion, and as the earnest expression of our wishes and hopes, address the appropriate and forcible (though, in regard to its Latinity, far from elegant) language of the elder Schultens to the Alumni of Leyden: "Macti estote virtute, florentissimi juvenes, "in quos spes patriæ, spes ecclesiæ recumbit. Macti præsertim vos, qui vivis ac perennibus e fontibus Zionis, ad celestium " veritatum ubertatem, a summis theologorum, rigari, fœcundarique amatis.-Vos ut etiam aliqua ex parte proprior nostra "cura contigit: ita non possumus non magnopere vos cohortari, "ut in excellentissimorum Verbi Divini interpretum exemplum, "tanquam in speculum, nobiscum intuentes, pectora vestra tum "Latinis, tum Græcis, tum Orientalibus quoque Literis, non per "prima tantum elementa imbui, non leviter colorari, sed penitus penitusque tingi, et saturari, gestiatis."—" Macti igitur iterum "virtute vestra, juvenes præstantissimi; Palmam vobis in me"dium protulimus, unde geminata ad vos laus, si fidelem iis "culturam impertieritis, haud dubie redundabit."

66

ART. VI.-Paramythia; or Mental Pastimes: being Original Anecdotes, Historical, Descriptive, Humorous, and Witty: Collected chiefly during a Long Residence at the Court of Russia, by the Author. London. Lawler and Quick. 1821. 16mo. Pp. 183.

66

WE readily admit, with the author of this little volume, that "true wit, like the sparkling gem, whose lustre it resembles, " is an object more rarely met with than sought for." "The "proof of this truth," he continues, " as far as my experience goes, may, I think, be evidently established; seeing that, in nearly sixty years' crawling (qu. scrawling, i. e. scribbling) in "this vale of tears, the following pages of authentic original "matter are all that I can furnish."—And seeing, we shall add, in order to strengthen his argument, how rarely is found, in the author's 175 pages of scraps, both original and authentic, any thing approaching the character of the sought-for excellence. But it were ungenerous to stifle the product of " the first egg

hatched by a chicken of fifty-six," as the author denominates himself, though, doubtless, the period of its existence will not be greatly prolonged. Besides, we find so many claims urged in behalf of mercy, and the author so plainly professes his object is "to 66 amuse and not to offend," that we shall allow it to take its own course, and die a natural death.

66

From the preface we learn, that the author is an artist,—that few persons (by his own account) have enjoyed more frequent opportunities of mixing with good society-that few of his profession have travelled more, and consequently had a wider field of observation, and that he resided for a considerable length of time in the court of the Emperor of all the Russias, “almost daily honoured by the confidence and conversation of a truly great and amiable sovereign." Now, we cannot but think, that, with such advantages, he ought to have made a much better book. But, not to forget that we have considered him free from the shafts of criticism, we shall content ourselves with gleaning from his pages a few "mental pastimes" for our readers, hoping that, with us, they will be thankful for what they receive, and remember the words of the Scots fisherman, which the author pleads in his own favour,

"Better small fish than none."

But

The author thinks fit to introduce the following "scrap" with some just remarks on the character of British seamen. what follows might have been told with as much, or more propriety, of any other than a seaman, considering how different continental manners and customs are from our own.

"A captain of a merchant-ship was dining at his merchant's table with a large party. It is the custom at St. Petersburg to carve the poultry, or cut a great many slices of the roast or boiled meat, and send it round by a servant to the company, each helping himself to the part he likes, or as much as he chooses. A duck had been carved, and put, as it so happened, into a plate to be handed round. As the lady of the house had often observed the diffident character of our British tars, she verified the proverb, that "those that humble themselves shall be exalted," and placed our country's defender at her right hand, at the top of the table. It followed, the plate of duck was first handed to him; he took the whole, without returning his own plate, eyed it, blushed, wiped his forehead, wriggled in his chair, admitted, in a hectic stammering voice, he was not a bad trencher-man, but protested that madam was very bountiful; said that he would just try what he could do, and actually eat it all, (to the no small astonishment of all present,) merely for want of sufficient confidence to correct an error once made.'

The next is at least fully as characteristic of a British tar: "I was once eye and ear-witness to a striking instance of the discrimination of character exhibited by an English sailor on board a merchant-ship. In the beginning of summer, when the ships arrive at St. Petersburg, the wharfs, at the custom-house where they deliver their cargoes, becomes the morning and evening lounge for all the beauty and fashion of that splendid city. It is really an amusing and pleasing sight. The English bring horses,