SECT. III. The vanity of laborious inquiries into the ways and works of man (i. 12-18).

SECT. IV. Luxury and pleasure are only vanity and vexation of spirit (ii. 1–11).

SECT. V. Though the wise excel fools, yet, as death happens to them both, human learning is but vanity (ii. 12-17).

SECT. VI. The vanity of human labor, in leaving it they know not to whom (ii. 18-23).

SECT. VII. The emptiness of sensual enjoyments (ii. 24-26).

SECT. VIII. Though there is a proper time for the execution of all human purposes, yet are they useless and vain; the divine counsels, however, are immutable (iii. 1-14).

SECT. IX. The vanity of human pursuits proved from

the wickedness prevailing in courts of justice, contrasted with the righteous judgment of God (iii. 15– 17).

SECT. X. Though life, considered in itself, is vanity, for men die as well as beasts, yet in the end it will be very different with the spirit of man and that of beasts (iii. 18-22).

SECT. XI. Vanity is increased unto men by oppression (iv. 1-3).

SECT. XII. The vanity of prosperity (iv. 4).

SECT. XIII. The vanity of folly, or of preferring the world to True Wisdom (iv. 5, 6).

SECT. XIV. The vanity of covetousness (iv. 7, 8). SECT. XV. Though society has its advantages, yet dominion and empire are but vanity (iv. 9–16). SECT. XVI. Errors in the performance of divine worship, which render it vain and unprofitable (v. 1–7). SECT. XVII. The vanity of murmuring at injustice;

for, though the oppression of the poor and the perversion of judgment greatly prevail, they do not escape the notice of the Almighty (v. 8, 9).

SECT. XVIII. The vanity of riches; with an admonition as to the moderate enjoyment of them (v. 10–20). SECT. XIX. The vanity of avarice (vi. 1–9).

PART II. THE NATURE, EXCELLENCE, AND BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF WISDOM OR RELIGION.

SECT. XX. Since all human designs, labors, and enjoyments are vain, it is natural to inquire, What is good for man? What is his supreme good? (vi. 10–12). The answer is contained in the remainder of the book. SECT. XXI. The praise of character and reputation (vii. 1).

SECT. XXII. Affliction improves the heart, and exalts the character of the wise (vii. 2-10).

SECT. XXIII. The excellence of Wisdom (vii. 11-14). SECT. XXIV. An objection, with the answer (vii. 15; viii. 7).

SECT. XXV. The evil of wickedness shows the advantage of True Wisdom (viii. 8-13).

SECT. XXVI. An objection, with the answer (viii. 14; ix. 1).

SECT. XXVII. An objection, with the answer (ix. 2; x. 17).

SECT. XXVIII. The banefulness of sloth (x. 18).
SECT. XXIX. The power of wealth (x. 19).

SECT. XXX. An exhortation against speaking evil of dignities (x. 20).

SECT. XXXI. Exhortation to charity and benevolence (xi. 1-10).

SECT. XXXII. An exhortation to the early cultivation. of Religious Habits (xiii. 1–7).

SECT. XXXIII. The conclusion (xii. 8-14).
The allusions to music in the book are very few.

ECCLESIASTES ii. 8.

I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces; I gat me men-singers and women-singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts.

Men-singers-women-singers.-The plural masculine and feminine of the usual term shir, are here employed.

Musical instruments, and that of all sorts.-The original of this signifies simply wife and wives. Gesenius remarks that the singular noun may refer to the queen, and the plural to the king's other wives and concubines. The word here employed denotes, in the Talmud, a woman's camel saddle. In the Arabic it signifies the same. The Septuagint has ovoxoos (oinochoos), a cup-bearer. It is a very obscure term, and scholars have expressed various opinions in respect to its derivation. From the context it is evident that it refers to some kind of enjoyment, and its etymology would indicate that that enjoyment was connected in some way with females. As music was often practised by them, there may be a remote reference to the art. The word translated delights, may include music, among other things adapted to produce enjoyment.

In Eccl. iii. 4, dance occurs. The original is a derivative of TP (ragadh), signifying to skip, to play, to dance. In Eccl. xii. 4, the word music occurs. It is literally, daughters of the song. The usual term for song is employed. The expres sion is a general one, indicating all the sources of pleasure, and among them, music as one of the most important.

THE SONG OF SOLOMON.

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.

shir) שיר השירים THE Hebrew title of the book is

hashirim), signifying literally song of the songs, indicating that the poem is an elevated one. It seems to be an allegory, representing the church of God and her glorious Head under the similitude of two lovers. It is ascribed to Solomon, and contains obvious internal marks that he was the author (vid. Song of Solomon i. 5, 9; iii. 9, 10; vi. 12). It must have been composed by a contemporary, and, it is in the highest degree probable, by that monarch himself, for there are references in the book to nearly all of the leading circumstances in his life. About two centuries before Christ a Greek translation of it was made by the Jewish authors of the Septuagint, and is now found in the Alexandrian version. Aquila, Symmachus, and Theodotion also translated it into Greek, in the second century of the Christian era. Origen inserted it in his Hexapla in the third century. The allegorical signification attached to it by the Chaldee paraphrasts, shows that the ancient Jews considered it as inspired. Josephus, Eu sebius, Melito, of the second century, Ignatius, Athanasius, and others mention it as one of the books of the Jewish scriptures. From these and other proofs, it is generally received as canonical.

All commentators agree that the song of songs is a poem, but they differ in respect to the class of poetry to which it belongs.

Harmer regards it as a nuptial song; Bossuet, Calmet,

Percy, and others as a regular drama. As the Jews were accustomed to celebrate their nuptials seven days in succession, some critics divide the book into seven parts corresponding to each day. Bishop Lowth considers it as a sacred pastoral drama, though he does not agree with Bossuet in considering it a regular one. Bauer, Jahn, and others regard it as an idyl, or perhaps more correctly, several idyls. Dr. Good maintains that it consists of a series of poems, which he calls sacred idyls. divides the book as follows:

Accordingly, he

CHAP. i. 1-8.

i. 9-ii. 7.

ii. 8-17.

iii. 1-5.

iii. 6-iv. 7.

iv. 8-v. 1.

v. 2-vi. 10.

vi. 11-13.

vii. 1-9.

vii. 10-viii. 4.

viii. 5-7.

viii. 8-14.

This view is adopted by other eminent critics, and is probably the correct one. Dr. Wright presents an interesting analysis of the book, drawn probably from Jahn, which we here copy (vid. Kitto's Cyclop. Bib. Lit. Art. Canticles).

1. An innocent country maiden makes an undisguised profession of her attachment, and her lover, a shepherd, replies to it with equal protestations of affection (i. 2, ii. 7). Some prefer concluding this dialogue at i. 11, and making i. 12-ii. 7, a soliloquy, in which the maiden is supposed to repeat some compliments of her lover. But this is without sufficient reason.-2. A maiden sings of