Almost three years after he made those wonderful and eventually world-beloved rhymes describing a flying Visit from St. Nicholas on Christmas Eve (originally composed "not for publication but to amuse my children," as he explained, decades later, in a printed letter to the editor of the New York American) Clement C. Moore gave the lecture transcribed herein, orienting new students and the public at large to significant challenges and rewards of learning to read the Hebrew Bible in Hebrew. The text follows the pamphlet edition of Moore's well-received discourse, issued soon after he delivered it by veteran printers Thomas and James Swords (New York, 1825). No illustrations appear in the 1825 publication; all images in the present article have been added for their educational value.
I am grateful to Carolyn Wilson with the Special Collections Research Center, Earl Gregg Swem Library, William & Mary Libraries for expert help with locating this one of many choice items in the Nancy H. Marshall "A Visit from St. Nicholas" Collection, Call Number PS2429.M5 L4 1825.
Permalink https://n2t.net/ark:/81220/w2f18sz04
A Lecture Introductory to the Course of Hebrew Instruction in the General Theological Seminary of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States, Delivered in Christ Church, New-York, on the Evening of November 14th, 1825. By Clement C. Moore, A.M. Professor of Oriental and Greek Literature
At a meeting of Trustees of the General Theological Seminary of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States, held in Christ Church, New-York, November 14, 1825—after the delivery of a public introductory Lecture by Professor Moore:—
The Right Rev. Bishop Hobart being in the chair:—
Resolved, that the thanks of the Trustees be presented to Professor Moore for the Introductory Lecture delivered by him this evening; and that he be requested to furnish a copy of the same for publication.
H. U. ONDERDONK, Secretary.
LECTURE.
THE following discourse is intended to serve as an introduction to that department of study, in the Theological Seminary, which is committed to my care. But it is hoped that some gratification may, at the same time, be afforded by it to all who feel an interest in the advancement of sacred literature and in the concerns of our infant institution.
The subject to which our attention is now invited is the volume of Hebrew Scriptures; a book whose antiquity, surpassing that of all others, should alone be a powerful title to the respect of mankind; a book which has, for ages, excited the liveliest interest and keenest curiosity, among the profane as well as the religious, among its opponents as well as its defenders; which affords to the curious rich treasures in various departments of literature, and which, even under all the disadvantages of translation, calls forth the admiration of the orator and the poet; a book which has been the subject of more discussion than any other in existence; which is almost as much encumbered by the friendly efforts of its commentators as harassed by the attacks of its foes; the history of whose editions forms, in itself, a distinct object of research, and displays a catalogue which would alone fill a volume.
It is proposed, after noticing some of the objections urged against the study of this ancient volume, to make a few remarks upon the origin and nature of the Hebrew language, upon the most remarkable features of both the prose and poetry of the Hebrew Scriptures, and to conclude with some observations more especially intended for the students of the Seminary.
It is manifest that, upon an occasion like the present, we must confine ourselves to a mere glance at each of the topicks offered to our view.
The study of Hebrew is, by many, supposed to be one which cramps the intellect and renders the genius dull. The words of the satyrist have become almost proverbial:
"For Hebrew roots ——— are found
"To flourish most on barren ground."
Nor is this sarcasm without foundation in truth. The plodding after mere words, and the investigation of minute verbal distinctions, must have a tendency to lower the tone of the mind and to cloud the fancy, to draw the thoughts away from what is noble and elevated, and to turn them upon things comparatively low and trifling; to hinder the native aspirations of a generous mind, and to invest it with an air of stiffness and pedantry. But in the cultivation of this language there is no necessity to be always occupied in digging among the roots, and clearing away the weeds and brambles; to him who, after a reasonable toil, will look up among the foliage and branches, an abundance of fragrant flowers and delicious fruit will present itself—flowers and fruits which the loftiest geniuses have delighted to cull, and upon which even the glowing and poetic intellect of Milton loved to banquet.
Another objection to the study of Hebrew is included in the sweeping prejudice, not unfrequently met with, against a learned clergy. They are, by many, supposed to neglect the spirit of their profession for the dead letter of it; to become proud of their scholastic acquirements, and to abate of their fervour and piety. By those who reason in this manner, the panoply of knowledge is considered as great an incumbrance to the native vigour of the mind as the unwieldy armour of Saul was to the limbs of his youthful and inexperienced champion. In all this, as in almost every trite saying or opinion, a portion of truth is to be found; and indeed there is not a natural feeling, or passion, or endowment of man, which is not equally liable to be abused, and with equal justice to be interdicted. Were a person to go the round of all the rules and prohibitions laid down by pious and conscientious writers, and endeavour to confirm himself to their several views, he would run the risk of losing the enjoyment of every sense, and of being debarred the use of every faculty. To forbid the acquisition of knowledge, because it may render a man vain, presumptuous, or pedantic, or more devoted to the improvement of his understanding than to the cultivation of his religious sentiments, would be to forego a certain good through fear of a possible evil, to shut one's eyes and grope in the dark, because men sometimes stumble in the light. Every attainment in knowledge may be somehow useful, and, upon occasion, turn to good account. And the long catalogue of names which might be cited, would afford an ample refutation of the charge sometimes brought against learning, that it is not perfectly compatible with great piety. But, to view the subject in a different light, we may observe that, as society increases in population and improves in its condition; as it becomes more wealthy, more refined, and more intellectual, more able to support those who think as a class distinct from those who work, the clergy must unavoidably lose much of their respectability in the eyes of their fellow-men, and consequently much of their usefulness, unless by the cultivation of their minds and by their attainments in the various branches of useful knowledge, they go along with the general progress of the community of which they form a component part; unless they fall into that subdivision of employment which, both mental and bodily, always marks the advancement of a people in numbers and prosperity.
I shall notice one other discouragement to the acquisition of Hebrew. Nothing is more common than the question, Of what use is it to spend time in learning to read our Bible in the original, when we have so good a translation, and when the other aids to the knowledge of the Scriptures are so abundant? It is very true, and we ought to be most thankful for it, that in all which essentially relates to our faith and practice, the unlearned may be as well grounded as the most erudite. We may add, moreover, that all the various readings touch nothing of material consequence to the doctrines inculcated in the Bible. And, while speaking of translations, it is a gratification to have an opportunity of noticing the superlative merits of our English version. Its fidelity and elegance are indeed surprising. I doubt whether any translation of any other book gives so true an idea of its original. And it is probable that no work, in any country, has had so much effect in giving stability to the language in which it is written. Our most favourite English authors, in every department of literature, become, in some measure, obscure, after the lapse of years. But the language of our English Bible remains perfectly intelligible to every capacity. Its beautiful sweetness and simplicity are admired by all whose taste is not vitiated by false refinement. And, while it continues to be statedly read in our churches and daily studied in our schools, it affords the best security we can have for the permanence and incorruption of our vernacular tongue. But, with all the excellence of this translation, it cannot give the characteristic life and vigour of the original. And it is manifest, that to be able to consult that original is, not only highly satisfactory, but of the greatest utility. All questions of verbal criticism on any part of the Old Testament must be decided by a resort to the Hebrew; and this may, in many cases, be done without a deep knowledge of the language; and be of special use in answering the cavils of the dishonest or the ill-instructed. But, to the proficient in that language, the benefits are important which may result from his attainments. Upon a competent knowledge of it, the whole fabric of biblical criticism rests. Without this knowledge, the student of the Bible may learn upon the authority of others, but he can never thoroughly pursue the investigation of any part of it by means of his own resources. What may be called the internal evidence of a passage, can exhibit itself only to a person familiar with the style and idiom of the original; before whom a sense sometimes arises which, although he may not be able fully to impart the evidence of it to others, appears to him so just and true, that it seems like a ray of light from a brighter region. The question, What necessity is there to learn the ancient languages, when we have faithful translations? is very difficult to be answered in such a manner as to satisfy the inquirer; because it is the result of the want of an intellectual sense, which can only be acquired by study and experience. The attempt to explain to a person ignorant of any language but English, why the Iliad of Homer has a greater charm in Greek than in the elegant translation of Pope, would be like endeavouring to give an idea, by means of verbal description, of the sound of a musical instrument to one who had never heard it, nor any thing like it. It is not a part of our present business to enter into a philosophical investigation of the reasons why no translation can give an accurate idea of its original; yet it is a fact so well known to all who are conversant with different languages, that I may, without fear of contradiction from any but the ignorant, rank among the advantages to be derived from a competent knowledge of Hebrew, the great satisfaction afforded to the mind by reading the Old Testament in its original tongue. What the enjoyment must have been of those to whom the lofty effusions of Isaiah, the divine strains of the royal Psalmist, and the unrivalled imagery of the book of Job, were addressed in their native language, is beyond my conception; but, even with the imperfect knowledge to which we can now attain, the perusal of those compositions in the original, at times excites a pleasure in the mind, so pure and elevated that it cannot fail to impart to the intellect something of higher worth than mere enjoyment.
The Hebrew, in its purity, is nowhere to be found but in the Old Testament. And those parts of it which are not in this tongue, are in the Chaldee dialect; which so much resembles it, that they can scarcely be called distinct languages.
 |
| Hebrew Lexicon (1809) by Clement C. Moore |
A great diversity of opinion exists among critics with respect to the origin and antiquity of this language; and much has been written in favour of various and conflicting theories and conjectures. Some suppose that the Hebrew, as we now have it in the more ancient books of the Old Testament, was the language first spoken by man, and that in which God conversed with him in the garden of Eden. It is, by the old writers, generally called sacred; and so far do some carry their veneration for it, as to imagine that it is the language used in heaven. Others, and particularly those of the school of Albert Schultens, deny to it the characters of antiquity and sanctity with which it is commonly invested. They suppose it, together with Chaldee, Arabic, and Syriac, to be derived from an original tongue now lost; and they style them sister languages. From this theory they infer the necessity of studying those cognate dialects, in order to obtain a thorough knowledge of Hebrew. A modern French writer* [* Fabre D'Olivet.] boldly maintains that this language is, in reality, the ancient Egyptian; and supposes that, like the Chinese and the Sanscrit, it is one of several original languages spoken by the first inhabitants of the earth. It is almost needless to remark, that the labours of the learned and the ingenuity of critics, when they thus travel out of the plain road of scripture history and ancient tradition, amount to little more than dark conjectures and unsubstantial dreams. Whatever may be the truth, this inquiry is one of mere curiosity to the antiquary and philologist, without, in the least, affecting the authenticity of the volume of Scripture. It would, indeed, be most grateful to feel assured that while we are reading the account of the creation of the world and of the formation of man, we use the very language in which God called the universe into existence, and in which he held converse with our first parents. But this would rather be a gratification of our feelings than a thing of any real importance to our knowledge or our faith.
The proneness to theory which seems natural to man, is, perhaps, in nothing more manifest than in the attempts made by different authors to reduce the radical and derivative words in Hebrew to a regular system. One takes the Hutchinsonian philosophy as the basis upon which to build his structure, and supposes every root to have what is called an ideal meaning, indicative of the very essence of the thing signified; and takes it for granted, moreover, that, whenever a word expresses any operation of nature, it is to be explained by the philosophical theory of Mr. Hutchinson. Thus supposing, a priori, that this system of natural philosophy is true, and that the Hebrew language is so framed as to accord with it and to be explained by it. Another looks principally to the modern Arabic for assistance in cases of difficulty, and seems to consider that language as the great storehouse from which the deficiencies of the ancient Hebrew are to be supplied. Another pretends to have discovered a secret meaning in the characters of the alphabet. By him, it is supposed that each letter is a sort of hieroglyphick or symbol, expressive of a mystical sense; and that, in order to understand the true import of any word, the symbolical meaning of each letter must first be explained. I might go on to mention other fanciful opinions. But, what has been said is sufficient to show the various and widely diverging courses into which men are apt to run, when they depart from common sense and experience into the wilds of imagination and theory. With these profound and dark investigations the students of our seminaries are not expected to interfere. We shall consider the Hebrew simply as a language transmitted to us from men among whom it was in common use, and subject to the same changes, corruptions, and injuries of every kind that affect all things over which men have any control.
The sound of this language, owing principally to it gutturals, is, at first, harsh to the ear of a learner. But it should be remembered that every foreign tongue requires some use to render it agreeable. The mere strangeness of the sounds of a language with which we are unacquainted, is apt to render it unpleasant to our ear. The Englishman laughs at the sound of French, and the Frenchman, probably with more reason, considers the sound of English as uncouth and barbarous. I am much inclined to think that, upon a fair comparison, no unprejudiced ear would give a preference to the harshness produced by our consonants crowded together, and sharpened by the continual recurrence of the sound of the letter s, over the full vocal breathings of the Hebrew, strengthened by the occasional roughness of a guttural, serving, like a discord in music, to render the other sounds more agreeable.
The prominent characteristics of the language are conciseness, strength, boldness, and animation. It seems peculiarly adapted to the lofty and terrible, the deep and sententious. Its great simplicity renders it also capable of going at once to the heart and of expressing the most exquisite pathos. The adaptation of its sound to the sense is, in many instances, very remarkable. From the scanty number of writings which remain to us in this language, it must, of course, appear deficient in copiousness. Yet, even in the remnant which is still left, there is, frequently, an exuberance of expression which seems to argue that want of words was not its defect during its existence as a living tongue. But its characteristics will be more apparent by a transient view of the prose and poetry of the Old Testament; upon which it was proposed, in the third place, to make a few remarks.
Those parts of the Hebrew Scriptures which are written in prose, are remarkable for the ease and clearness of their style, and their entire freedom from any thing like ambitious or unnecessary ornament. The descriptions to be found in them are like paintings whose lights and shades are in masses, and whose touches are few and bold. The effect produced by the Hebrew manner of relating, is, to place the objects and actions described immediately before the eye of the mind. The leading facts are seized by the author, and all attendant circumstances neglected. Thus a life and vigour are imparted to the descriptions and to the speeches quite peculiar to the scripture compositions. As, in the human countenance, more may, oftentimes, be conveyed by a flash of expression than by the most laboured words; so, in the Bible, a whole train of ideas is frequently awakened, or a most powerful effect produced, by some brief phrase or sudden exclamation. These writings possess a wonderful and unrivalled union of pathos and strength. In them every thing appears natural and unsought. And, with regard to the characters and conduct of persons therein portrayed, the most perfect candour and impartiality are manifest; their vices and crimes are related in as simple and unqualified a manner as their virtues and good actions. No false colouring appears to be thought necessary; all bears the stamp of truth and reality. But when we look attentively at the narrative parts of this sacred volume, we must be particularly struck with the view which it gives of the creature man; of the littleness and insignificance of all exterior circumstances, in comparison of what constitutes his real essence; how that breath of life breathed into him by his Creator, when unadulterated by vice, exalts him above all the accidents of time and circumstance. In naked purity in the garden of Eden—in the garb of a simple shepherd—of the cultivator of the soil—of the lowly servant of God—of the royal sage—of the triumphant conqueror—it is still the mind, the soul, the moral qualities of man which, in this holy volume, exhibit him in his real worth and dignity.
On the subject of Hebrew poetry, so much has been written that, even did time admit, it would be superfluous, on the present occasion, to enter minutely into a discussion of its merits. But the noble strains and sublime imagery of the Old Testament form such striking features in its composition, that they ought not to be passed over in total silence. We may observe, by the way, that much of what is generally styled poetry in the sacred writers, might, perhaps, with more propriety be classed under the head of oratory. But, without discussing the accuracy or inaccuracy of terms, we may remark that what is generally comprehended under the head of poetry, is easily distinguished from those parts, such as the historical books, which are undoubtedly prose. What may strictly be termed Hebrew poetry, is marked by a regularity of division in its sentences which makes an approach to metre. The selection of words appears to be more choice than in prose, and the language is generally of a more lofty character. Some critics also pretend to distinguish certain words which are peculiar to poetry. It may, however, be doubted whether we have enough of the language remaining to enable us to form any certain rules on this subject. But the blaze of magnificence displayed in the Hebrew poetry arises not from the selection of words or arrangement of phrases. It is due to the subjects treated of, to the imagery employed, to the feelings which are expressed and awakened, to the boldness of its flights, to the awfulness of the ideas it presents, and to the immensity of its range, "as high as "heaven"—"deeper than hell." The effect of this poetry upon the mind resembles that produced by the view of the great works of nature; it is irregular, but with an irregularity which could not be changed without destroying its effect. It is composed of features too great to be submitted to the strict canons of criticism. It is the voice of the thunder or of the whirlwind which strikes our ear; it is the expanse of the firmament which meets our eye: all creation rises before us; it is the voice of nature inspired by nature's God. Let not the cold-blooded critic, who sees nothing but through the medium of books, who weeps and laughs by rule, and who can feel no admiration but with the permission of Aristotle; let him not come within the verge of this sacred domain; here is no school for him. The study of these compositions teaches us to contemplate the material universe unchanged by art, and the native feelings, emotions, and passions of men, unsophisticated by the artificial bonds of society and refinement. In the works of nature we may, here and there, be struck with appearances of regularity which remind us of the hand of man. So, in the poetry of the Hebrews, passages occur which coincide with the rules of art. But, who that looks at a magnificent forest, planted by the hand of nature, would wish to see its trees growing in even rows and at equal distances? Who that beholds the starry firmament would desire to see the multitude of shining worlds, which now appear to be thrown into space without effort from the Creator's hand; who would desire to see them ranged in regular figures and disposed in parallel and equal lines? No! before that poetry criticism remains silent and abashed. We there walk abroad into the wide world, and view the mountains and the vallies, the stars of heaven, the flowers of the field, the desert wastes, and the peopled regions of the earth; and, as we proceed, a heavenly fire kindles all into life and motion; the mountains and the hills tremble; even hell from beneath is moved; the fir-trees and the cedars rejoice, and the desert blossoms as the rose; the morning stars sing together, and all the sons of God shout for joy.
Such, my young friends, is the wonderful volume, to the study of which a large portion of the time to be passed by you in the Seminary is allotted. When the difficulties of its language are surmounted, it opens an abundant store of treasures to the antiquary, the historian, the chronologer, the philologist, the grammarian, the orator, the poet, and the divine. Its entire freedom from every thing that makes the least approach to affectation; the unrivalled simplicity of its style; its admirable touches of pathos; the perfect picture of nature in its narratives and descriptions; the beautiful metaphors, allegories, and similes; the noble hymns of praise; the profound strains of penitence and prayer with which it abounds, added to its high and holy import, render it a work of a nature fitted, in every point of view, to excite the most intense interest, and to afford the most exquisite gratification. And I hope it is not presumptuous in a layman to dissuade you from being influenced by the practice of those bold critics who, by conjectural emendations of the original text, attempt to throw light upon such parts of it as the lapse of ages has rendered obscure. This volume is like a beautiful old picture which has come down to us in a state of extraordinary perfection. Some defects and blemishes, it is true, appear; but they materially hurt neither the design nor the colouring; and it is not for modern and obtrusive hands to attempt to repair the injuries done by time to such a venerable and matchless work.
To those of you who are just entering upon the course of study in our Seminary, I think it right to state some of the difficulties which will meet you in your progress, in order to save you from disappointment, and to awaken you to forethought. It is a very general opinion, that Hebrew may be learned with great ease. It is true, that the language is simple in its structure; that the number of words is fewer than in less ancient languages; that the sentences are not long; and that the compound words are comparatively few. But its simplicity and brevity are often attended with great obscurity. The paucity of words, or rather of books containing those words, occasions uncertainty, as to the meaning of a considerable proportion of them. To a beginner, every thing in the language is new and strange. The appearance and sound of the letters, and the manner of writing them, are different from what we are accustomed to in the western languages. More than two thousand radical words, with their derivatives, must be committed to memory, and their various shades of meaning, rendered familiar. It is necessary to become acquainted with the characteristic modes of expression, of the language in general, and of each different author in particular. The obscure passages are to be examined; and, among the multitude of conjectures offered by various commentators, that which, in our estimation, is most probable, is to be selected; and, perhaps, after all our search, we may be able to find none upon which our minds can rest with entire satisfaction. In short, with every aid which may be obtained for the acquirement of any branch of knowledge, if many things are to be imprinted on the memory, and if the powers of investigation are to be much exercised, no great proficiency can be made, except by very extraordinary minds, without much time and great diligence.
I have thus set before you what appears to me to be the truth, without any endeavour to hide or disguise the impediments with which you will probably meet; for, in this world of false and vain shadows, truth is the most desirable of all things; and, though casuists may teach that it is not at all times to be disclosed, I am unwilling to suppose it expedient to make use of any thing towards you that approaches to dissimulation. I trust that no one who has a sincere desire of attaining to useful knowledge, and who is not deficient in spirit and ability, will for a moment hesitate to meet the difficulties just held up to view, if he reflect upon the advantages which are to be derived from the steady pursuit of his object; and, particularly, when it is remembered that those difficulties, like most others, continually dwindle away by being steadily encountered.
It is to be observed, that a complete course of Hebrew would include far more than can be attained during the time allotted to this department in our Seminary. It, therefore, becomes necessary to devote particular attention to such parts as are the most natural introduction to higher branches; such as contain principles most generally applicable; such as promise to be most useful to those who may not have opportunities to pursue their studies after they leave this institution; such also as most require the aid of an instructor. In order to attain, as much as possible, these different ends, the principle kept in view, throughout the course, is, to avoid hypothesis, and to inquire after facts. In the study of this, as of other languages, there are, what may be termed, the theory and the art. In the theory are comprised the various speculations of learned men respecting the language, its antiquities, and its curiosities; which may be read and studied without obtaining any real knowledge of it; and which enable people to talk learnedly about it, without rendering them competent to translate or understand the most ordinary passage. The art, on the other hand, is conversant with the method of acquiring skill in the language itself; and requires much and constant practice and close attention. It is with the art, as distinguished from the theory, that the students of this Seminary are principally occupied. Some who enter the institution may, perhaps, expect to pursue their Hebrew studies by learning a few leading principles of the language, by making themselves acquainted with some passages of Scripture in the original, for the purpose of illustrating those principles, and by devoting the chief part of their time to attendance upon lectures, and to the hearing of discussions, criticisms, and entertaining conjectures relative to the various branches of oriental literature. All this is very well for those who have passed through the real study of the language. But we have little time for such luxuries in the present state of our Seminary. We are, as yet, what our name imports, a place where seeds are to be planted, and where, of course, much labour and industry are requisite before they produce fruit. It is hoped that no student will feel disappointed at finding the mode of learning there carried on in the old-fashioned manner. It seems to be by some imagined, that knowledge may be acquired without any other exertion than the trouble of listening; as though they were vessels capable of receiving and retaining information poured into them by others. I freely confess my entire ignorance of the manner of effecting this sort of inspiration. It will be expected of the students, directed by the experience of their professor, to acquire what they learn, by the exercise of their own faculties, and the exertions of their own diligence.
It is needless to speak of the benefits, which, in a religious point of view, must result to society from having a number of young men go into the world well acquainted with the sacred volume which has been the subject of the foregoing reflections. But the diligent study bestowed by you upon it, cannot fail, my young friends, of also having a most salutary influence upon the literary character of your country. The tendency of the present day, in all matters of taste, is false refinement and excessive ornament, to the neglect of what is useful and essential, in favour of what is merely exterior and accessary. The conscientious and diligent study of the Hebrew writings cannot fail, in some measure, to counteract this tendency. The frequent perusal of what is simple, natural, and unaffected, must impart to the mind somewhat of those qualities. The overwhelming importance of the subjects there embraced, must likewise, on a mind that is not vitiated, induce an habitual dislike to all meretricious ornament. No clergyman who feels the power of the truths he inculcates, can have an affected and unnatural manner. Where there are weight and interest in the subject, the style readily becomes simple and easy. And it should be impressed on your minds, that our Seminary, in particular, while yet in its infancy, depends mainly for its reputation, upon the efforts of its students. It has yet to struggle against the opposition of its enemies, the tardiness of its friends, and the indifference of the multitude. Much may be done by your diligence and industry towards raising the character of your profession, and towards rendering the Seminary an object of more importance in the eyes of your countrymen. If once it be found to grow more independent, more able to take care of itself, men will be more ready to help it forward. And it is my ardent hope, that, at least, some of you may live to see our institution grow to that condition at which every enlightened friend to our Church must pray that it may arrive. May you see it extended, honoured, and cherished; and, above all, may you behold it replete with that comprehensive wisdom of which it is said,—
"she is the breath of the power of God, and a pure influence flowing from the glory of the Almighty; therefore can no defiled thing fall into her. For she is the brightness of the everlasting light, the unspotted mirror of the power of God, and the image of his goodness. And being but one, she can do all things; and remaining in herself, she maketh all things new; and in all ages entering into holy souls, she maketh them friends of God, and prophets. For God loveth none but him that dwelleth with wisdom. For she is more beautiful than the sun, and above all the order of stars: being compared with the light, she is found before it. For after this cometh night: but vice shall not prevail against wisdom."
THE END.
 |
| New York Daily Advertiser - Tuesday morning, November 15, 1825 |
Professor Moore in Hebrew class, as remembered by his students
William Croswell, writing home on October 30, 1826:
“We are yet in the very rudiments of the Hebrew, and our advances are perfectly snail-like and imperceptible. If Professor MOORE was not one of the most mild and unassuming men of learning in the world, he could never tolerate the stammering and blundering of such full-grown novitiates in the Hebrew horn book. But he is Clement by nature, as well as by name. It is related of HUTCHINS, that he once indulged his disposition for pleasantry by playfully translating a passage of Scripture, 'I love CLEMENT C. MOORE (clemency more) than sacrifice.’”
-- A Memoir of the Late Rev. William Croswell, D. D. by his father Harry Croswell (New York: D. Appleton & Co., 1853) page 32.
Clarence Augustus Walworth:
"Santa Claus himself could not be more welcome to children than was this odd and genial man upon his appearance in the Hebrew class. He was very particular in his ways; but one great feature of his peculiarity was, that he was utterly unartificial. He was droll, but unconsciously so. He never joked in the class, but always something made the classroom seem merry when he was in it. He was a true scholar in Hebrew. His knowledge of Hebrew words did not seem to be derived from the dictionary alone. He knew each word familiarly, and remembered all the different places where it occurred in the Hebrew Bible, and so could prove its significance in one place by the meaning which necessarily attached to it elsewhere."
--The Oxford Movement in America, Or, Glimpses of Life in an Anglican Seminary (New York: The Catholic Book Exchange, 1895) page 7.
Francis Prioleau Lee (age 19) from his diary entry dated March 8, 1834:
" ... On meeting Her my sensations were very queer. This is the first blush I ever accomplished that I recollect. I blushed once since when I made a bad recitation in the lecture room of our Hebrew Professor (Dr. Clement Moore). These two blushes shall be immortal. I hope that I shall never have similar occasions for such displays."
Francis P. Lee Papers, Transcription of Francis P. Lee Diary, 1833-1835. William & Mary Libraries, Special Collections Research Center.
A Compendious Lexicon of the Hebrew Language in two volumes (New York, 1809) by Clement C. Moore
Related posts
.jpg){kind=spacer}
