contained a hymn printed side by side with the Syriac original, for the purpose of conveying a more definite idea of the metrical compositions, and I have been requested, in several cases, to pursue this method throughout the whole work. I could not do this for many reasons. The expense of printing so much oriental matter would have been too great, and its introduction would have been useless to the greater part of my readers. As a Chrestomathy, considering the expensiveness of Ephraem's printed works, such a selection of them would be desirable, but my plan did not allow me to make the translations mere aids to the student of the Syriac language. The notes indeed contain much learned matter, but I hope they will be found, in most cases, instructive to the general reader as well as to the scholar. I have desired, in the whole execution of the volume, even in its external and more mechanical features, to attract English readers, and to shew that a Father of the Church may furnish popular as well as more recondite reading.

I have paid particular attention to the Indices, which, I hope, are as full as the most correct scholar could desire. I confess I have gone almost to an extreme in giving a copious guide to the contents of a work of small extent, from the constant annoyance I experience from the want of a full index in works intended to be of practical utility. That this charge lies against English books more than against those which are printed on the Continent, is not creditable to us as a nation, and it is time the reproach were removed. The Index of Syriac words will convince

any one what ample materials are at hand for improving the lexicography of the language, since so small a portion of its literature has yielded so many words and meanings as yet unedited.

I beg to return my sincere thanks to all those gentlemen who by their aid and advice have promoted my undertaking. Nor can I allow myself to forget how much of my own comfort, and the beauty and utility of the volume, are due to the printers. At so great a distance from the press, it would have been very troublesome to have ensured correctness in the Oriental types, had they not shared with me an ambition to make the work, in this respect, faultless. The reception of the present volume will decide whether I shall present to the British public any further stores from this fertile department of the literature of the Church.

HENRY BURGESS.

Blackburn, February 26, 1853.

INTRODUCTION.

FROM the proximity of Syria to the scenes of the labours of our Lord, and from the similarity of its language and customs to those of Palestine, it might have been expected that Christianity would establish itself there at an early period. Such was the fact, as we learn from the New Testament. In its capital city, equally renowned for its political importance and its devotion to sensuality, converts were early made to the new faith, and the disciples were called Christians first at Antioch. A name which was destined to make itself known all over the earth, was there given to the followers of the Redeemer, whether as a reproach or an honourable distinction it is difficult to say. The fact itself however is characteristic of the attention which Christianity attracted, and proved to be a fit introduction to that entire influence which it soon exerted over the whole of Syria.

We will concede to antiquity the truth of the tradition, that the Apostle Thaddeus, or Thomas, founded the Christian Church at Edessa, formerly the residence of the Macedonian kings, afterwards celebrated for its schools of

learning, and even now a city of considerable importance. Here the Syriac translation of the New Testament was used towards the close of the second century; this has historical certainty, but it may have been in existence much earlier; and, from the learned tendencies of Edessa, it is not improbable that it deserves the honour of having produced a work which is second in value only to its inspired archetype. However this may be, it is certain that in the northern parts of the Syrian Mesopotamia, a peculiar form of the Aramaic dialect early prevailed, which has been properly called the ecclesiastical Syriac, the same in substance with that before existing, yet possessing some distinctive features derived from the introduction of Christian ideas. It is in this dialect that the literature exists which we have now to treat of, the copiousness and variety of which have been always known, but at the same time, from various causes it has been unfortunately neglected.

When the student comes in contact with this Syrian Church literature, either in manuscript or printed books, he is attracted by the singular fact, that much of it is in a metrical form. We lay stress on the word student, because a superficial investigation will leave the phenomenon unnoticed, as has indeed happened to men of learning. Both

a In the third volume of the Roman edition of the works of Ephraem, two metrical pieces are printed in Syriac in the form of verse. Each is entitled Precatio Ephraem. They are printed as if in dodecasyllabic metre, but it is more probably tetrasyllabic. Now learned men have been so far mistaken as to imagine that these are the only printed Syriac remains of the metrical works of this Father. Hahn notices two who fell into this error, the mention of whom will give an opportunity of indicating their learned productions on Christian hymno

in manuscripts and printed books the metrical verses of this literature are generally written as prose, only a point indicating the close of a rhythm, and that not always; so that such works may be consulted occasionally as books of reference, without their artificial construction being perceived. But apart from all marks of distinction, as soon as these compositions are read and studied in their individual completeness, their rhythmical character becomes evident, sometimes from the poetical style of what is thus circumscribed by these prosodical measures, but always from the moulding and fashioning which the language has to undergo before it will yield up its freedom to the fetters of verse. This then is the sphere of our present undertaking, and it will be our duty to trace up this metrical literature to its origin, as far as historical light will guide us:—to say something on the laws by which its composition appears to be regulated :—to glance at its existing monuments :—and then, more especially, to treat of the works of Ephraem, the great master of this literature, a few of whose compositions are now brought before the English public.

I. ON THE ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF SYRIAN

METRICAL LITERATURE.

Ir is not unreasonable to suppose, that whatever hymno

logy: Fr. Münter in his dissertation Ueber die älteste christliche Poësie, prefixed to his metrical version of the Apocalypse; Augusti, de Hymnis Syrorum sacris (which the writer has in vain endeavoured to procure). Mention may also be made here of Rambach, Anthologie christlicher Gesänge aus allen Jahrhunderten der