But by far the most prominent example of the deference and homage paid to the Bible will be found in the works of William Shakespeare (1564‒1616). As he excels in nearly all other points, so also is he greatest in this respect. His works are so perfectly impregnated with the Bible that we can scarcely open them without encountering one or other of the Bible’s great truths, assimilated by Shakespeare and reproduced in words that renew the Bible’s authority and strengthen its claim upon men’s attention. The influence of the Bible is apparent not only in the tone of Shakespeare’s poetry but also in the shape and character of it.¹ Both the spirit and the letter bear witness to this fact. The Bible has left its impression not only on Shakespeare’s mind but on his idiom, on the exquisite simplicity of his diction, while his innumerable allusions, direct and indirect, to Scripture history, persons, places, events, doctrines, parables, precepts, and even phrases show a great familiarity with the Bible.² The Reformation introduced the same spirit into all the English literature of the Elizabethan era. It was the distinguishing feature of the period, and naturally enough culminated in the greatest genius of the time. ¹ It is interesting to note that some of Shakespeare’s plays have been rendered in _Hebrew_:―― Othello, The Moor of Venice אִיתִּיאֵל הַכּוּשִׁי מִוִינֶעצְיָא Translated into _Hebrew_ by J. E. S.... Edited by P. Smolensky ... Vienna.... 1874. (8º. xxv. + 298 _pp._ + 1 _l._) The editor remarks in the preface: “The English people took our _Hebrew_ Bible and translated it into all the languages of the world; we in revenge have taken their Shakespeare and translated it into our _Hebrew_ language.” J. E. S., _i.e._ Isaac Eliezer (_ob._ 1883) [ben? Solomon (_ob._ 1868) Salkind] Salkinson, also translated Romeo and Juliet רם ויעל ... Wien, 1878. (8º. xii. + 167 _pp._) Hamlet has also been done into _Hebrew_ by Chaim Jechiel Bornstein [born at Koznitz, Poland, in 1845]. Macbeth מקבט חזות קשה has been rendered into _Hebrew_ by Isaac Barb from the German version of J. C. F. _von_ Schiller (1759‒1805). ♦Drohobycz, 1883. (8º. 123 _pp._ + 2 _ll._) King Lear המלך ליר חזון־תוגה has been translated by Samuel Löb Gordon. Warsaw, 5659. (8º. 176 _pp._) Incidentally may be noted that:―― Julius Cæsar יוליוס צעזאר איינע איסטארישע טראהעדישע דראמא has been translated into _Yiddish_ by Bezalel Vishnepolski. Warsaw, 5646. (8º. 148 _pp._) The title of “The Merchant of Venice” in Yiddish: שאילאק אדער דער קויפמאן פון ווענעדיג by י. באוושאווער Basil Dahl. New York, 1899. (8º. Portrait of W. S. + 116 _pp._) ♦ “Drohobyez” replaced with “Drohobycz” ² _Bible Truths with Shakespearean Parallels._ [James Brown.] London, 1862. Preface, _pp._ xv.‒xvii.