Messiah. A Sacred Eclogue. By Pope. הַמָּשִׁיחַ שִׁירַת הָרֹעִים׃ By Stanilaus Hoga. London:... MDCCCXXXVII. (Sm. 8º. 8 ll., in printed wrapper.)
The translator had been a Government Censor of the Hebrew press in Russia. On coming to London, he came under the influence of the Rev. Alexander McCaul (Father-in-law of James Finn, the British Consul at Jerusalem), who induced him to become an apostate. They co-operated in the production of “The Old Paths” ... London:... 1836–1837, which Hoga translated into Hebrew. He died repentant about the end of the year 1849. The Hebrew translation he had made of “The Old Paths,” entitled נתיבות עולם was not published until 1851. (“The evil that men do lives after them;...”)
“In the poems of [James] Thomson (1700–1748) there are a few passages for which he was, probably, in some measure, indebted to the Bible Translation—....”
“In the writings of [Edward] Young (1683–1765), many expressions may be found indebted for the idea or manner of expression to Scripture. In his paraphrase of the Book of Job, one of his earlier works, first published in 1719.”
“In the Night Thoughts,[¹] traces of Biblical influence are not so traceable, but it is probable that they exist....”
[¹] The Complaint: or, Night-Thoughts on Life, Death, and Immortality.... London:... 1742.... (Fol. 20 pp.)
“[Dr. Mark] Akenside (1721–1770), in one of his poems;[¹] [Thomas] Gray (1716–1771), in his admirable lines on Milton,[²] and [Thomas] Warton [the Elder] (1688?–1745), in his Address to Night,[³] had clearly in mind some of the passages in the Psalms.”
[¹] The Pleasures of Imagination. A Poem. In Three Books.... London:... M.DCC.XLIV. (4to. 125 pp.)
[²] Odes By Mr. Gray.... Printed at Strawberry Hill, For R. and J. Dodsley in Pall-Mall, MDCCLVII. (4to. 21 pp.) [p. 10, III., 2. “Progress of Poesy”: A Pindaric Ode written in Cambridge in 1754.]
[³] The Pleasures of Melancholy: A Poem.... London:... 1747.... (4to. 24 pp.)