Nov. 5] SOCIETYOF BIBLICAL ARCHEOLOGY. [1889.fondnessfor it. The sameargumentsmay,I think, be applied to
the tappuakh. " The Song of Solomon," so called, seems to be a
sort of pastoral love-song, partly dramatic, and it abounds with
expressionsof endearment, caresses andlove. The quinceamong
the ancient GreeksandRomanswasa token of love ; it seems to
havebeenso regarded by the Orientals. CelsiusquotesAbu'lFadli
in illustration of Cant ii, 5, " Comfort me with tappfikhim,for I am
love-sick." "Itsscent,"saysthe Arabian writer,"cheersmy soul,
renewsmy strength andrestoresmy breath."
On the expression, "itsfruitwas sweet to my taste" (A. V.), one
mayobservethatthe Hebrew word (piflD)doesnot of necessity
eitherimplya saccharine or a glucose sweetness; " the bitter waters
whichweremade sweet,"A. V. (Ex. xv, 25), weremade pleasant;
theirbitternesswas destroyed ; "the wormshall feedsweetlyupon
him " (Job xxiv,20),mustmeanshallfeedon him with pleasure;
andso in Cant. I.e., " its fruit waspleasantto my palate," pleasant
probably notonlyon account of the acid juiceof the fruit, but
becauseof its associations withfriendshipand love. If a European
maywonderat an Oriental callingthe quince juicepleasant,let him
remember that Europeans eat with much delightsuch (to me)
abominable thingsas caviare and unripeolives steepedin brine!
It must not be forgotten thatthe seedsof quinceaboundin mucilage,
and that a decoction is sometimes used amongstourselves as a
demulcent. "The seed of quinces," says old Gerarde {Herbal.,
p. 1453, London, 1633), "tempered with water, doth make a
mucilage, or a thing likejelly,whichbeing heldin the mouth is
marvellousgoodto take awaythe roughness of the tongue in hot
burning fevers." An apparent objection to the quince beingthe
tappuakh of the Canticles, is the fact thatno ripe fruit wouldbe
foundon the tree at the end of March andbeginningof April, the
seasonexpresslymentionedof the Song ; the trees wouldthenbe in
blossom,or in early fruit; the only treewhichcouldhaveripefruit
in the Spring is the citron which mayhave flowers,youngfruitand
ripefruitseentogetherat the same moment; but is it necessary to
supposethat the tree underwhichthe Shulamite sat yielded at that
time ripefruit? May not the fruit be that of the preceding year
whichwouldhangon the tree till quite late,providedtherewereno
frost? May it not have beenamongthe fruits concerningwhichthe
Shulamite says(Cant, vii, 13), "at our doors are all manner of
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