Second Epistle, knew that Paul's writings were numerous; though it seems to be most advisable to take the term all-all his Epistles," rather generally than absolutely; rather loosely than strictly. No. DCLXV. ON SILAS AND SYLVANUS. THE whole current of authority, so far as derived from commentators, sets so strongly in support of the proposition that Silas and Sylvanus are but two names for the same individual, that it requires some courage to oppose this current, by doubt. That Silas was not the same person as St. Luke, will appear certain, when we consider that we have no such violation of decorum by any evangelical writer, as is implied in the character given (by himself of himself, in this case) by St. Luke of Silas. We read Acts xv. 22. that Silas was "a leading man, a chief man, among the brethren;" not the believers, at large; but those of Jerusalem, the apostles, elders, &c. who sent chosen men from among themselves, to Antioch, &c. He was already of great reputation and dignity: a respectable man for a respectable commission. Moreover, Silas was "a prophet" (verse 32.), which implies a character next in importance to that of an apostle; and we read that it" pleased him" to abide at Antioch, which seems to imply a command of his time, and perhaps of his property, that was not in every Christian's power. Without affirming, positively, his appointment as one of the seventy, it must be confessed that the thought is not improbable; nor is it improbable, that he was among the hundred and twenty, on whom the Holy Ghost descended in the form of cloven tongues. Now Peter, beyond all doubt, must have known this man well: he must have been well acquainted with his qualifications; he must have concurred in his election and designation; he must have entertained the highest opinion of him.-— Contrast with this his "supposing him to be a faithful brother" (1 Epist. v. 12.): the incongruity is striking-we may, with some surprise, naturally ask ourselves-Can this be Silas? Does his character, after so many years of Christian experience, of labours and sufferings in the cause of the Gospel, rest on a supposition? Our feelings refuse to admit this, whatever force may constrain our judgment. Nor can we give any other sense to the apostle's term, than that of-a conclusion after reasoning on the question ;-an inference after a debate and discussion on the subject. It were desirable, if the structure of the passage would allow it, to attach this inference to the intended journey of Sylvanus, to take the word rendered "briefly"—di' ¿λywv-for a mark of time, and to include it in the parenthesis. [Observe, the term for "a few words," that is, briefly, Eph. iii. 3. is not dileywv, but Ev byw.] In this case, the import would be " I have written, by Sylvanus, a faithful brother, journeying to you in a short time, as I conclude, after having discussed the question with him." This removes all occasion of offence; and merely asserts that Peter had prepared his letter against the time when Sylvanus should depart on his journey. Leaving this, without attempting to support it, by additional investigation of the constructive collocation of the passage, we remark, that we find Silas in constant association with Paul after they had agreed to accompany each other from Antioch, through Asia Minor; and, in particular, we know that he crossed over from Troas to Macedonia, and was severely treated, with Paul, at Philippi, whence they proceeded to Thessalonica and Berea. Here Silas remained, while Paul visited Athens, and went on to Corinth, where they again joined company, about A. D. 51, or 52. If Silas be Paul's Sylvanus, they wrote to the Thessalonians, in conjunction, from Corinth, about that time; and he is again mentioned in the Epistle to the Corinthians, written about A. D. 56, or 57, perhaps from Ephesus. This interval of four or five years is the earliest we can find, in which Silas could possibly undertake so distant a journey as that to Peter, supposing him to reside in Babylon of Chaldea. He might travel from Corinth through Troas, proceeding by the provinces mentioned, Bithynia, Galatia, Pontus, and Cappadocia; and returning in the contrary order-which order which is that adopted by Peter-Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. This appears to be the most favourable statement that Chronology will bear, in behalf of the notion that the Sylvanus of Peter is Paul's companion, Silas. But, it must be confessed, that we should get rid of these difficulties, if we coincide with the Greeks, who distinguish between Silas and Sylvanus. It is true, that Calmet pointedly condemns this distinction; and if his censure be restricted to the Silas alias Sylvanus of Paul, we might incline to agree with him; but, if we should prefer to distinguish between the Sylvanus (Silas) of Paul and the Sylvanus of Peter, this opinion of the Greeks evinces that the conjecture has been thought (anciently?) admissible, by those whose information on the subject should possess a certain degree of authority. We should then have no occasion to consult the convenience of chronology, nor to embarrass ourselves in attempts to reconcile contradictions of character; the date of Peter's First Epistle would then be left somewhat more at large, though it is most probable, that what we have hinted on this particular is not very far from the truth. No. DCLXVI. ON THE BABYLON WHENCE PETER DATES HIS EPISTLE. THAT the Babylon whence Peter dates his Epistle, was the famous city of Rome, has been the sentiment of many among the learned. On the present occasion, we do no more than call the attention of the reader to the order of the provinces saluted by the apostle. He places Pontus and Cappadocia first, certainly, because they were nearest to him; and Bithynia last, because it was the most distant from him. This is utterly inconsistent with his being at this time resident in Rome, which would have prescribed a contrary order. Whether it favours the notion of a third Babylon-that mentioned in the Maccabees-must be left to the candid consideration of the reader. Comp. III. BABYLON, in the Dictionary. "The Syrian and Chaldee writers," says Mr. Yeates, " in the lives of the apostles and martyrs, record of the apostle Peter, that he preached in Syria, and Antioch, and in Asia, Bithynia, Galatia, and other regions." They say nothing of Babylon. "Elias, bishop of Damascus writes, that... the country of Babylon. was called to the faith by Addeus and Marus, of the seventy disciples, which followed Bartholomew." And in the Epitome of the Syrian Canons they write, "The fifth seat is Babylon, in honour of the three constituted apostles; Thomas the apostle of the Hindoos and Chinese; Bartholomew, who also is the Nathaniel of the Syrians; and Addeus, one of the seventy, who was master to Agheus and Marus, the apostle of Mesopotamia and Persia." Here they say nothing of Peter; who, most assuredly, could not have been omitted in this enumeration, had there been any tolerable pretence for inserting him. PERSONAL APPEARANCE, MANNERS, AND ACCOMMODATIONS. IN NO. LXI. the reader may see an attempt, by means of the Dresses at present worn by Arabian women, to illustrate some of those particulars to which Scripture alludes in reference to the Dresses worn anciently by the Hebrew women; and in the notes and plates annexed to the proposed arrangement of Solomon's Song, the subject has been farther considered. There remain, however, several passages connected with this inquiry, and various incidental references, which have their importance; these may claim our attention: and the rather, as in explaining and correctly stating these, we may elucidate, at the same time, other particulars, in which the maxims and customs of the east differ essentially from our own; and from whatever previous conceptions we can form of them. The same may be said of other articles included in this division; they contribute to our better acquaintance with their subjects, although those subjects may have been partly noticed already. No. DCLXVII. OF FEMALE DRESS IN THE EAST. ISAIAH, CHAP. III. VERSES 17-24. ARTICLES of Dress, especially of Female Dress, are so capricious, that having been used they are laid aside, and being laid aside they are forgotten: we know this to be fact in respect to the fashions of our own country, and much is the most learned British antiquary puzzled to appropriate to their uses the kinds of apparel, with their parts, which occur in the descriptions of our ancient writers. If this be the case in our native land, there can be no wonder, that we should be more than equally embarrassed when endeavouring to explain and elucidate passages of the sacred writings where articles of Dress are mentioned. As we differ considerably from all commentators who have endeavoured to determine the various parts of Dress worn by a Hebrew lady, as mentioned by the prophet in the passage under consideration, we beg leave to offer our reasons for such differences. The following is the rendering of our Public Version; and underneath, in italics, is that of Bishop Lowth. עכסים Ocasim שביסים Shebisim שהרנים Sheharenim נטפות Netephuth שרות Sharuth In that day, the Lord will take away the bravery of from them the ornaments of 2. And their cauls [or net-works. Margin]. 3. And their round tires like the moon. The Crescents. 4. The chains [or sweet balls. Margin]. 5. And the bracelets. Bracelets. Our endeavour will be, to shew each of these parts of dress distinctly-most of them are still worn in the east; and the certainty of some of them will enable us to judge sufficiently on the nature and application of others.-Each of these words will engage attention in its order, as numbered. We are rather unfortunate in differing from every translator and lexicon on the meaning of the very first word, which has been universally rendered in reference to the feet or legs. This might be just, if the prophet, beginning at the feet went regularly upwards, in describing the Dress: but having presumed to think, that he begins at the head and goes downwards [as observed formerly of the bridegroom, in Solomon's Song], it follows necessarily, in our opinion, that to make him begin at the feet, and instantly skip to the very summit of the head, is doing him great injustice as a poet. No. 1. Ocasim. The meaning of the root oces is, to tie up, to bind and for the present the reader will indulge the reference of this word to the binding of the hair; to a fillet for tying up the hair in rolls, plaits, or other artificial forms. No. 2. Shebisim. The word signifies reticula, net-works. Our translators have accepted the true idea of it, by rendering cauls; meaning, net-work for the hair. The reader may see on PLATE LXII. No. 16. a specimen of this kind of ornament, as worn anciently at Syracuse: also in No. 17. he will observe, too, the natural connection of the band which ties up the hair, the oces in No. 1. with the reticula, or caul, of the present number. No. 3. Sheharenim; lunulæ, crescents-crescent-like tiaras. This also is a part of the present eastern Head-Dress. In Nos. 13, 14. Plate LXII. the reader will find two specimens, copied from Sir John Chardin, who considers them as the true tiara, or diadem of the queens of Persia. No. 13. is circular downwards (No. 14. is circular upwards), and this, we presume, is the lunula, it having much of that crescent-like form which is a usual appendage to figures of the Dea Luna; wherein the horns of the crescent, pointing upward, resemble the horns of an animal. In this shape it is still worn by the women of some countries. This article, then, is clearly a part of the head-dress. In M. Le Prince's "Dresses of the various Nations under the Dominion of Russia," this crescent-like form of the bonnet, or head-dress, is very conspicuous as worn by some women of Muscovy; and particularly, those by which he calls Femmes Schouvaches. "By No. 4. Netephuth; chains-rather drops, or pendants. Mr. Levi says, what I have been able to collect from the Jewish commentators it appears, that they were a kind of necklace made of pearl beads; hence their derivation, either from falling, or dropping, down the bosom, or from the bead [head?]: for Kimchi observes, the bdellium, or pearl, is called in Arabic al nataph." The word occurs also, Judges viii. 26.—“ beside the Sheharenim, little moons-lunettes, and the Netephuth-drops:" now these drops, though they might be necklaces worn by the kings of Midian, yet they might be drops of another kind [vide PLATE CLV.]; for instance, jewels appended to the tiara, or turban, for so the passage stands, connecting (apparently) one with the other; and so, we apprehend, it stands in the passage before us, intending ornaments appended to the tiara; which, of course, keeps the prophet's description still in the head-dress. No. 5. Sharuth; bracelets. Bracelets are ornaments for the arms: but, apparently, we are yet attending to the head-dress; and, therefore, as the import of this word is chains-little chains, we may suppose them to be a connection of ornament, attached to the tiara, perhaps, a pattern wrought on its front; or possibly hanging loosely over it. N. B. If this root denotes a coat of mail, the tiara is equally capable of receiving this kind of imbrication, or any other, as ornament to its surface. Vide Nos. 13, 14. a. a. PLATE LXII. No. 6. It is probable the word Roluth, which signifies shakings, denotes some |