Page:The Song of Songs (1857).djvu/107

 described from its first germs to its full maturity, its ripened fruit, and its first regermination.

1780. This beautiful commentary was followed by an elaborate work of Kleuker on this Song. He too, with an overwhelming force of argument, opposes the allegorical interpretation, and maintains that the book consists of detached songs.

1781. Ann Francis, a lady of much poetical taste, who, assisted by the learned Parkhurst, published a poetical version of the Song, was the first who adopted and defended the theory of Harmer, that this book speaks of two wives, one a Jewish lady, who had been married to Solomon long before, and the daughter of Pharaoh, whom the king had recently espoused.

1786. Hodgson, however, was not influenced by the theory of Harmer, but, with Bossuet, Lowth, Percy, &c., regarded this poem as "an epithalamium written by Solomon, on his marriage, as some have supposed, with the daughter of Pharaoh."

1789. The theory maintained by Abrabanel and Leon Hebraeus, seems at this time to have found its way into the Christian Church. An unknown author, mentioned by Magnus, defended the view that ''the bride of the Song represents wisdom, with whom Solomon converses''.

1790. It is indeed cheering to meet again with some glimpes of light amidst the dense darkness which gathered around this book. Ammon not only vindicated its unity against some of his contemporaries, but showed that it ''celebrates the victory of true and chaste love in humble life over the allurements of courtly grandeur''.