ter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the city that men call the perfection of beauty, the joy of the whole earth." And Job, after describing the destruction of a wicked man, says, "Men shall clap their hands at him, and shall hiss him out of his place." But other words that are translated in our version, clapping the hands, denote no more than the gentle application of one hand to the lips, or some part of the body, as a testimony of approbation and delight. This allusion is perhaps involved in David's invitation, "O clap your hands all ye people, (in the original, hand), shout unto God with the voice of triumph;" and in the mode in which the people expressed their joy, when Jehoash ascended the throne of his ancestors; they clapped their hands, (in Hebrew, the hand), and said, God save the king."

It is still the custom in the east, to testify their respect for persons of distinction, by music and dancing. When Baron du Tott, who was sent by the French government to inspect their factories in the Levant, approached an encampment of Turcomans, between Aleppo and Alexandretta, the musicians of the different hordes turned out, playing and dancing before him all the time he and his escort were passing by their camp. Alcinous the king of Phæacea, from the same motive, entertained Ulysses with music at a public feast, when he was ready to embark for Ithaca. Thus, it will be recollected, "the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of music," when he returned in triumph from the slaughter of the Philistines.

8 Lam. ii, 15.

h Psa. xlvii, 1.

j Odyssey, lib. viii, 1. 62.

i 2 Kings xi, 12.

* Memoirs, part iv, p. 131, 132.

In the oriental dances, in which the women engage by themselves, the lady of highest rank in the company takes the lead; and is followed by her companions, who imitate her steps, and if she sing, make up the chorus. The tunes are extremely gay and lively, yet with something in them wonderfully soft. The steps are varied according to the pleasure of her who leads the dance, but always in exact time. This statement may enable us to form a correct idea of the dance, which the women of Israel performed under the direction of Miriam, on the banks of the Red sea. The prophetess, we are told, " took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women went out after her, with timbrels and dances." She led the dance, while they imitated her steps, which were not conducted according to a set, well known form, as in this country, but extemporaThe conjecture of Mr. Harmer is extremely probable, that David did not dance alone before the Lord, when he brought up the ark, but as being the highest in rank, and more skilful than any of the people, he led the religious dance of the males.'

neous.

When a great prince in the east sets out on a journey, it is usual to send a party of men before him, to clear the way. The state of those countries in every age, where roads are almost unknown, and from the want of cultivation in many parts overgrown with brambles, and other thorny plants, which renders travelling, especially with a large retinue, very incommodious, requires this precaution. The emperor of Hindostan, in his progress through his dominions, as described in the narrative of Sir Thomas Roe's embassy to the court of Delhi, was preceded by a very great company, sent before him to cut up the trees

i Harmer's Observ. vol. ii, p. 435, 438.

and bushes, to level and smooth the road, and prepare

k

their place of encampment. Balin, who swayed the imperial sceptre of India, had five hundred chosen men, in rich livery, with their drawn sabres, who ran before him, proclaiming his approach, and clearing the way. Nor was this honour reserved exclusively for the reigning em peror; it was often shewn to persons of royal birth. When an Indian princess made a visit to her father, the roads were directed to be repaired, and made clear for her journey; fruit trees were planted, water vessels placed in the road side, and great illuminations prepared for the occasion. Mr. Bruce gives nearly the same account of a journey, which the king of Abyssinia made through a part of his dominions. The chief magistrate of every dis trict through which he had to pass, was by his office, ob liged to have the roads cleared, levelled and smoothed; and he mentions, that a magistrate of one of the districts having failed in this part of his duty, was, together with his son, immediately put to death on the spot, where a thorn happened to catch the garment, and interrupt for a moment the progress of his majesty. This custom is easily recognized in that beautiful prediction: "The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain; and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken

Sir Thomas Roe's Chaplain, p. 468.

1 'Forbes's Orient. Mem. vol. ii, p. 449. Maurice's Modern Hist. of Hindostan, vol. i, p. 417. Bruce's Trav. vol. iv, p. 66, 4to ed.

VOL. III.

it." We shall be able, perhaps, to form a more clear and precise idea, from the account which Diodorus gives of the marches of Semiramis, the celebrated queen of Babylon, into Media and Persia." In her march to Ecbatane, says the historian, she came to the Zarcean mountain, which extending many furlongs, and being full of craggy precipices and deep hollows, could not be passed without taking a great compass. Being therefore desirous of leaving an everlasting memorial of herself, as well as of shortening the way, she ordered the precipices to be digged down, and the hollows to be filled up; and at a great expense she made a shorter and more expeditious road; which to this day is called from her, the road of Semiramis. Afterwards she went into Persia, and all the other countries of Asia subject to her dominion; and wherever she went, she ordered the mountains and the precipices to be levelled, raised causeys in the plain country, and at a great expense made the ways passable. Whatever may be in this story, the following statement is entitled to the fullest credit: "All eastern potentates have their precursors and a number of pioneers to clear the road, by removing obstacles and filling up the ravines, and the hollow ways in their route. In the days of Mogul splendour, the emperor caused the hills and mountains to be levelled, and the valleys to be filled up for his convenience. This beautifully illustrates the figurative language in the approach of the Prince of peace, when every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain."

1 Lib. ii, cap. 13, p. 127. Forbes's Orient. Mem. vol. i, p. 213.

A spear carried in the hand, is another mark of honour in some countries. We can trace this custom as high as the days of Saul, the first king of Israel: He" abode in Gibeah, under a tree in Ramah, having his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him."P

A bracelet is commonly worn by the oriental princes, as a badge of power and authority. When the calif Ca yem Bemrillah granted the investiture of certain dominions to an eastern prince, he sent him letters patent, a crown, a chain, and bracelets. This was probably the reason that the Amalekite brought the bracelet which he found on Saul's arm, along with his crown, to David. It was a royal ornament, and belonged to the regalia of the kingdom. The bracelet, it must be acknowledged, was worn both by men and women of different ranks; but the original word, in the second book of Samuel, occurs only in other two places, and is quite different from the term, which is employed to express the more common ornament known by that name. And besides, this ornament was worn by kings and princes in a different manner from their subjects. It was fastened above the elbow; and was commonly of great value. The people of Israel found the bracelet among the spoils of Midian, when they destroyed that nation in the time of Moses; but it will be remembered, that they killed at the same time five of their kings. The prophet Isaiah, indeed, mentions the kind of bracelet, which Mr. Harmer considers as the peculiar badge of kings, in his description of the wardrobe of a Jewish lady, which proves, that in the age when he flourished, it was not the exclusive decoration of regal person

P 1 Sam. xxii, 6.

q

¶ D'Herbelot, p. 541.'

* 2 Sam. i, 10.

Morier's Trav. vol. i, p. 175.