University of Virginia Library

INTRODUCTION.

The peculiar feature of this poem is ascribable to the Book of Tobit, where the supernatural throws a mystical wildness over a touching narrative of human interests. A legend in the Talmud, also, mentions the appearance in Jerusalem, not far from the date here assigned him, of the most remarkable of our dramatis personæ.

The belief in a former intercourse between mankind, and the good and evil beings of the Spiritual World, harmonizes with the solemn twilight of the scriptural ages, and is sustained by many declarations of Holy Writ. The passages reciting the necromantic power of the Sorceress of Endor, the passion and discomfiture of the Spirit who was enamoured of the daughter of Raguel, and the Demonian possessions of a later period,—as explained by most commentators, supported by the common faith of the Christian world,—are simple narrations of actual occurrences. Dr. Clarke affirms, that to every unprejudiced reader of the Sacred Writings, it is evident they represent those who dealt with Familiar Spirits, “as actually possessing

a power to evoke the dead, to perform supernatural operations, and to discover hidden and secret things, by spells, charms, incantations, &c.” Dr. Gray, in his observations on the Book of Tobit, which he considers as entitled to the credit of an authentic historical narrative, remarks: “With respect to the agency of Angels, there is nothing inconsistent with reason, received opinions, or Scripture, in supposing a limited superintendence of Superior Beings. We know, indeed, that, under the peculiar circumstances of the Jewish economy, the ministry of Angels was manifestly employed, in subserviency to God's designs; and that particular personages were occasionally favored with their familiar intercourse. It is likewise unquestionable, that, before the power and malevolence of Evil Spirits were checked and restricted by the control of our Saviour, their open influence was experienced.”—Thus understood, the Scriptures offer scenes of unrivalled wildness and sublimity; agents, whose power and attributes are of unknown extent, who connect, on the authority of our Faith, the visible with the invisible world.

The particular epoch signalized by the rebellion of Absalom, is familiar to all. The simple manners which prevailed in Israel previously to the kingly government, and even during the life of Saul, had disappeared. Accelerated by the extensive conquests and the amazing wealth of David, history declares the dawn of that luxury to have become

manifest, which advanced, in the reign of his successor, to a proverbial height of splendor.

Perhaps it may be as well to remind the reader, that Absalom, having avenged his sister by the death of his half-brother Ammon, fled to the court of his maternal grandfather, Talmai, king of Geshur, a principality in the neighbourhood of Damascus. At the expiration of three years, David was persuaded to recall him to Jerusalem, but refused, during two years more, to admit him into his presence. Being, at last, entirely restored to favor, he began to display a pomp characteristic of his haughty and magnificent spirit. He “prepared him chariots, and horses, and fifty men to run before him,” and commenced a system of popular arts, which, rendered effective by his extraordinary personal beauty, and, probably enough, by his talents and achievements, seduced the affections of a great part of the nation from their venerable king. Though, under the severer light of Sacred History, this Achilles, or Alcibiades, of the Hebrews is regarded with a sort of prescriptive horror, his crime was no other than that for which Cœur de Lion, and many other favorites of history and romance stand accountable. David's vehement attachment proves him to have been not destitute of virtues, and they may naturally be supposed to have been of the heroic kind. Of his beautiful daughter we know no more, than that her personal attractions were thought worthy of mention by the sacred historian.

Hadad was the name of the contemporary sovereigns

of Damascus. Nicholas of Damascus relates, that, after many battles, David signally defeated one of them near the Euphrates, together with Hadadezer, another Syrian monarch, whom he was attempting to succour; and adds, that the succeeding kings of Damascus took the name of Hadad.