to actually represent the concentrated thought of twenty years. A few weeks before his death, my lamented friend did me the honor of consulting me, at frequent intervals, regarding the plan and scope of the work, and while we did not agree on certain basic principles and some essential details, he was so modest and self-effacing, and deferred so gently and genially to the advice of others, that, in the end, his own view was subordinated, and what he accepted as superior judgment prevailed. In this, as in all his dealings with his fellow men, his sweet docility, amiability and chivalrous courtesy were the attributes which gave strength and power to his character and served to endear him to all with whom he came in contact. Although the title, "The Standard Book of Jewish Verse," seems to imply that it is a collection which comprises poems of recognized merit that bear the stamp of general approval, it must be understood that, in no sense, has it been placed before a literary tribunal and that its value is yet to be appraised. The compiler was a man of catholic sympathies. He included in this Anthology almost every phase of the Jewish spirit. If by dint of rare diligence, acute discrimination, and by all the subtle processes of racial sympathy he has succeeded in producing a work which will be acclaimed as a classic, so that this volume may take a notable place among other similar collections, his arduous and devoted labor will yield rich recompense. The compiler's untimely death, before the final revision of the book had been completed, necessitated a careful re-reading of the entire text. With the aid of another mutual friend, who prefers to remain nameless, this irksome and difficult task has been adequately accomplished. While it has not been possible, for obvious reasons, to verify, line by line, the accuracy of numerous fugitive pieces, by minor poets -scattered as they are in periodicals not readily accessible-it may safely be assumed that no errors of any consequence remain. The poems of classical authors have been scrupulously collated with, the editions generally accepted as definitive and standard. The Introduction was pieced together from fragments of manuscript left by the author, and particular care has been taken to reproduce as much of the original phrasing as possible and to round out some paragraphs, here and there, in the same spirit in which they were conceived. The Editor has also added a comprehensive Index, which will facilitate reference, and desires distinctly to state that he holds himself responsible only for this feature of the work, as well as the revision of the compiler's Introduction, but in no wise for the arrangement of the material, and the general character of the contents. GEORGE ALEXANDER KOHUT. NEW YORK, August 1, 1917. J INTRODUCTION EWISH poetry has its own place in the SongHistory of the world. Dryden has significantly summarized the great poets of their representative countries: "Three poets-three distinct ages born- But he said nothing of Hebrew poetry. Probably he had in mind that the sacred poetry of the Jews stood on a plane of its own-unapproachable, lofty, sublime-the poetry that lifted up to infinite heights of subliminal consciousness the peoples who absorbed it. It was the poetry whose marked influence on the destinies of the higher races of mankind moulded in no small degree the civilization we enjoy. Indeed, it might be said that it has revolutionized its intellectual and spiritual conceptions. Certainly there is a marked difference between Greek and Jewish poetry. Let us understand by the former an inclusive term, embracing all profane and secular poetry of other lands and ages-Russian, Persian, Italian, German, English, Celtic, Spanishfor, in the last analysis, all poetry of whatever kind, lyrical, epical and dramatic, must be finally traced to the Greeks. Their culture and development conduced to the free practice of every kind of poetic art. Both in form and spirit, all later poetry was derived from the Attic poets, and, to this day, our best singers go to them for inspiration and for imitation. Being themselves possessed of a deathless afflatus, of a divine form or a divine mould of beauty, their poetry, whether dramatic or lyrical, remains the source from which all nations have drunk. In no less universal degree has Hebrew poetry fashioned the modern soul to its finely-tempered edge. It was essentially religious, flowing from an intense racial consciousness and developing to an exalted spiritual mood, under stress of mingled storm and sunshine of national fortune. It was dominated by the personal emotional note. The soul of the singer was linked in all its moods to the relationship it bore to God. The overshadowing presence of the Almighty in all its varied and infinite manifestations was an ever constant influence. In the Psalms, Israel sang his hymn of spiritual love to God. They were the outpourings of his daily experience. The consciousness of God in all his thoughts and actions was the mainspring of all his personal emotions. If he circumvented an enemy, or defeated him by the prowess of his arms, the victory was attributed to Elohim, to Jehovah, the special guardian of Israel. If he enjoyed prosperity and lived at ease under his fig and vine tree, it was ascribed to God. Whatever happiness came to him was vouchsafed by his Adonai, Who had the power and will to bring to him either joy or sorrow, fortune or adversity, life or death. He acknowledged that in all His dealings, God was just and merciful, Who ordered all things for the best. And the Jew clung to his God with every fibre of his being; loved Him with all his strength, with all his heart and with all his mind. These two species of poetic art dominated the world. Yet, although each had its own distinctive charm and greatness, some affinity can be traced between them. The deathless dramas of the Greek poets were per |