best weak, and this
loses all its force from the circumstance that he omits others, as Ezra
and Mordecai (the twelve minor prophets also, since chap. 49:10 is
regarded as spurious).

(3.) The alleged _linguistic_ difficulties have been reduced, so far as
the date of the book is concerned, to three or four Greek names of
musical instruments; all of which--the instruments and their names--may
naturally enough have been brought from Greece, the home of musical art,
in the way of ordinary commercial intercourse. We are not called upon to
defend the classic purity of Daniel's style. A Hebrew and educated at
the court of Babylon, it was natural that his Chaldee should be colored
with Hebrew forms, and his Hebrew with Chaldaisms. The argument from the
general style of the book is in favor of its genuineness, not against
it.

(4.) The _commendations_ bestowed upon Daniel are thought to be
inconsistent with his being the author of the book. Some, who admit its
authenticity and its right to a place in the sacred canon, have been led
by this consideration to adopt the opinion that Daniel, though
essentially the author of the book, did not himself put it into its
present form, but that some one of his countrymen put together his
prophecies, prefixing to them introductory notices respecting the
author. So far as the canonical authority of the book is concerned there
are no serious objections to this hypothesis; but we may well ask
whether undue weight is not given to the objection under consideration.
Throughout the whole book these commendatory notices are underlaid by
the idea that Daniel's wisdom is not his own, but is given him by God,
and for purposes connected with the welfare of the covenant people. By
revealing to his servant secrets beyond the ken of all the wise men of
Babylon, he manifests at once his own infinite perfections and the
vanity of the Chaldean gods; and this Daniel records to the glory of the
God of Israel.

(5.) The real objection to the book lies, as already intimated, in _the
supernatural character of its contents_--in the remarkable miracles and
prophecies which it records. The miracles of this book are of a very
imposing character, especially adapted to strike the minds of the
beholders with awe and wonder. But so are those also recorded in the
beginning of the book of Exodus. In both cases they were alike fitted to
make upon the minds of the heathen, in whose presence they were
performed, the impres