, as well as the solidity and penetration of its sentences,
the Wisdom of the Son of Sirach, there is a noble panegyric on the
high-priest Simon the son of Onias; and it is a very fine example of the
point before us:--

_How was he honored in the midst of the people, in his coming out of
the sanctuary! He was as the morning star in the midst of a cloud,
and as the moon at the full; as the sun shining upon the temple of
the Most High, and as the rainbow giving light in the bright clouds:
and as the flower of roses in the spring of the year, as lilies by
the rivers of waters, and as the frankincense-tree in summer; as
fire and incense in the censer, and as a vessel of gold set with
precious stones; as a fair olive-tree budding forth fruit, and as a
cypress which groweth up to the clouds. When he put on the robe of
honor, and was clothed with the perfection of glory, when he went up
to the holy altar, he made the garment of holiness honorable. He
himself stood by the hearth of the altar, compassed with his
brethren round about; as a young cedar in Libanus, and as
palm-trees compassed they him about. So were all the sons of Aaron
in their glory, and the oblations of the Lord in their hands, &c._

SECTION XIV.

LIGHT.

Having considered extension, so far as it is capable of raising ideas of
greatness; _color_ comes next under consideration. All colors depend on
_light_. Light therefore ought previously to be examined; and with it
its opposite, darkness. With regard to light, to make it a cause capable
of producing the sublime, it must be attended with some circumstances,
besides its bare faculty of showing other objects. Mere light is too
common a thing to make a strong impression on the mind, and without a
strong impression nothing can be sublime. But such a light as that of
the sun, immediately exerted on the eye, as it overpowers the sense, is
a very great idea. Light of an inferior strength to this, if it moves
with great celerity, has the same power; for lightning is certainly
productive of grandeur, which it owes chiefly to the extreme velocity of
its motion. A quick transition from light to darkness, or from darkness
to light, has yet a greater effect. But darkness is more productive of
sublime ideas than light. Our great poet was convinced of this; and
indeed so full was he of this idea, so entirely possessed with the power
of a well-managed darkness,