cholic prefers an obscure philosophical style. The choleric belongs to the Socratic school, the melancholic to the Stoical; the former is predisposed in favor of the Protestant religion, the latter of the Catholic; the former manifests his degeneracy by fanaticism, the latter, by mysticism.

NOTE M,
P. 51.

The following letter, referred to also in Tholuck's Pref. to new ed. of Sermons, p. 45, is found in Luther's Works, Vol. V. pp. 18, 19. John Luther was the eldest son of the reformer, was born in 1526, and was therefore four years old when this letter was written.

"Grace and peace in Christ, my dearly beloved little son. 1 am glad to know that you are learning well and that you say your prayers So do, my little son, and persevere; and when I come home I will bring with me a present from the annual fair. 1 know of a pleasant and beautiful garden into which many children go, where they have golden little coats, and gather pretty apples under the trees, and pears and cherries and plums, (Pflaumen) and yellow plums, (Spillen); where they sing, leap, and are merry; where they also have beautiful little horses with golden bridles and silver saddles. When I asked the man that owned the garden, Whose are these children?' he said, they are the children that love to pray and to learn, and are pious.'

6

Then I said, Dear Sir, I also have a son; he is called Johnny Luther (Hänsichen Luther). May he not come into the garden, that he may eat such beautiful apples and pears, and may ride such a little horse, and play with these children?' Then the man said, If he loves to pray and to learn and is pious, he shall also come into the garden; Philip too and little James; and if they all come together, then may they have likewise whistles, kettledrums, lutes and harps; they may dance also and shoot with little crossbows.'

Then he showed me a beautiful green grass-plot in the garden, prepared for dancing, where hang nothing but golden fifes, drums, and elegant silver cross-bows But it was now early, and the children had not yet eaten. Therefore I could not wait for the dancing, and I said to the man, ' Ah, dear Sir, I will instantly go away, and write about all of this to my little son John; that he may pray earnestly and learn well and be pious, so that he also may come into this garden ;-but he has an aunt Magdalene, may he bring her with him?' Then said the man,- So shall it be go and write to him with confidence.' Therefore, dear little John, learn and pray with delight, and tell Philip and James too that they must learn and pray; so you shall come with one another into the garden.-With this I commend you to Almighty God,-and give my love to aunt Magdalene; give her a kiss for me. Your affectionate father, MARTIN LUTHER.

In the year 1530.

THE

FRIENDSHIP OF JONATHAN AND DAVID.

BY

PROFESSOR FREDERICK KÖSTER.

10

THE TRAGICAL QUALITY

IN THE HISTORY OF THE

FRIENDSHIP OF JONATHAN AND DAVID.1

THERE are few characters in the Old Testament which are delineated in a light so advantageous and so worthy of love as that of Jonathan, the brave son of king Saul. An intimate friendship requires, by its very nature, that every strong and noble feeling in man should be mingled with it. We accordingly observe that all the virtues of Jonathan were concentrated and pictured in his friendship for David. Hence Jonathan and David rightfully take the first place in the distinguished instances of friendship handed down to us from antiquity. The bewitching charm which surrounds the history of this friendship consists, perhaps, very much in the circumstance, that the dark, back ground in which it is invested, makes it appear but the more touching. The picture of so fine a sensibility, and of such a heroic and virtuous companionship, in a troubled and confused period, refreshes us like a star in a gloomy night; and it is clearly the design of the historian, in interweaving this picture, to place in stronger relief the exasperated, suspicious and hateful feelings of king Saul-contrasted with the transparent and lovely character of his son. But the story of Jonathan's friendship strongly attracts our attention and sympathy, in consequence of its tragical course. This point, hitherto but little considered, I may be here allowed to illustrate at some length. Many single portions of the narrative are exhibited in a better light and with greater prominence, from the circumstance that our historian, with all apparent simplicity, delineates human manners as few writers do. It is wonderful, how often, by a single word or by the position of a word, he indicates the finest traits in character.

See Note at the end of this Article,

The history is tragical, since, either in itself or in its consequences, it so exhibits important events, that our sympathy is awakened, and our sensibility deeply excited. An action is strongly characteri zed as tragical, when, though never fully accomplished, it exhibits a vehement struggle after something good, lofty and noble, developed by a complication of circumstances, involving a severe struggle between inclination and duty, or between two conflicting inclinations. How much all this entered into Jonathan's history, may be seen by the following observations.

1. The friendship of Jonathan is not only in its origin, generous in the highest degree, but it springs up suddenly, as if by a stroke of enchantment. When David, the shepherd's heroic son, was returning from the slaughter of the giant Goliath, bearing in his hand the head of his enemy, and was introduced to Saul by his general, Abner, then, as it appears from 1 Sam. 18: 1, compared with 20: 17, "the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and he loved him as his own soul, and he made a covenant with him." How touchingly do these words delineate the nature of true friendship, as well as that delicate connection between two persons, (compare Gen. 44: 30), whereby they melt, as it were, into one! But such friendship is wont to be awakened, as certainly in the present case, in a manner one knows not how. Some occurrence at a particular juncture reveals unexpectedly that oneness of inclination and action which lies at the foundation of the friendship. David had slain the champion of the Philistines, those hereditary enemies of Israel, with whom Jonathan also was constantly contending, and from whom he had, on one occasion, borne off a splendid trophy, 1 Sam. xiv. The courage and the modesty, the gallantry and the caution which David had shown in this encounter, were the very same qualities which pervaded Jonathan's great soul. He, consequently, did not think of the difference between a king's son and an unknown shepherd's boy. No vestige of envy lest David should divest him of his military glory found a place in his heart. Involuntarily and irresistibly he felt himself drawn to the youthful hero. This moment determined forever the direction of his feelings.

2. We may have observed, that friendship has rarely, on both sides, an equal degree of vehemence. In the case of one of two friends, there will be more of a disposition to communicate and to make sacrifices, regardless of self; while the other, on the contrary,