THE THIRD DAY. (I) What is that—? In the original, "Who is that"—? But this has been regarded as an error of transcribers. If the orig inal word were what, then the palanquin is the subject of this inquiry, and to this the answer is given. If the original word were who, then the answer implies that the royal owner was seated in this vehicle. But there appears no subsequent reference to him. We have rather thought that the general turn of the question leads to the word what; the reader will take his choice, as either word implies the same import and will justify the same answer.
(2) Vast column of smoke. This strong ex pression (plural) is by. no means too strong for the poet's design; the word is used in Joel ii :30 to denote the smoke of a volcano or other abun dant discharge of smoke, rising high in the air like a cloud. The immense quantity of perfumes burning around the approaching visitor is alluded to with very great address under this prodigious comparison. The burning of perfumes in the East, in the preceding part of processions, is both very ancient and very general. Deities (images) were probably the first honored with this cere mony, and afterward their supposed vice-gercnt, human divinities. The English people have a relic of the same custom still existing among them in the flowers, strewed or borne in public processions, at coronations, etc., and before great officers of state, as the lord chancellor, the speaker of the House of Commons; and in some corpor ations the mace, as an ensign of office, has the same origin, though now reduced to a gilded or nament only.
(3) Fairmount. (Sec the plate of vehicle, p. 362.) (4) Fearless. We rather think this epithet de scribes the commander of these guards, "the man," that is, the head man, or chief (see No. to of the SIXTH DAY), as a brave fellow; of tried courage, void of fear in the very darkest night, or rather at all times. The composition of the Hebrew word (with n) favors this thought, and we think had not the bed, the sleeping bed, unluckily pre ceded it, this word would not have been deviated by translators from its proper import, to which we have endeavored to restore it.
(5) This passage would startle the reader if he had not been prepared for it by what we have already said. This arrangement of the words is unusual in Hebrew, yet in poetry is very natural; it merely refers the subject described to the fol lowing words describing it, instead of the fore going words, to which it has hitherto been usual to refer it. We shall see by the plates the pro prieties which accompany, as natural inferences, this manner of regulating the passage. (See the plate of vehicle, p. 362.) (6) Head-Circle.t. This might be rendered ban deau; but then we could not have preserved the play of words, for to have said, "the bandeau with which his mother banded, or bandaged, his head," would have been intolerable; the expression in our language becomes ludicrous ; we have, there fore, preferred circlet, with which his mother en circled him. What this circlet was, we may see on another occasion more fully; but the plate of the bridegroom's dress will assist us in part. (See P. 364.) (7) Bridegroom, having seen his bride for the first time. This we infer, because this is his first description of her, or the first compliment he pays to her person ; he praised. in the first day, her general deportment; on the second day he only compared her neck to that of a dove, that being all he had yet seen ; but now the poet seems to say that he takes advantage of her contempla tion of the royal palanquin to inspect her coun tenance, which also she has suffered to be seen. partially at least (see Nos. 7 and 8 of the SEcoxo DAv). Observe, he only praises so much of her person as we may suppose he could discern, while she was standing behind the window ; that is to say, her face, her hair (seen in front), het neck, and her bosom; having caught a glimpse of these he praises them, but his bride has modestly stolen away, and returns no answer. Shc hears him. no doubt, with internal pleasure; but the com plete sight of her being a favor not yet to be granted, she withholds her approbation front the incident which had been too much his friend.