This theory will be found developed in Budde's Commentary on Canticles (1898); it is a volume in Marti's _Kurzer Hand-Commentar zum Alten Testament_. An elaborate and destructive criticism of the repertory theory may be read in Appendix ii of Mr. Andrew Harper's "Song of Solomon" (1902): the book forms a volume in the series of the Cambridge Bible for Schools. Harper's is a very fine work, and not the least of its merits is its exposition of the difficulties which confront the attempt to deny unity of plot and plan to the Biblical song. Harper also expresses a sound view as to the connection between love-poetry and mysticism. "Sensuality and mysticism are twin moods of the mind." The allegorical significance of the Song of Songs goes back to the _Targum_, an English version of which has been published by Professor H. Gollancz in his "Translations from Hebrew and Aramaic" (1908). Professor J.P. Mahaffy's view on the Idylls of Theocritus may be read in his "History of Greek Literature," ii, p. 170, and in several pages of his "Greek Life and Thought" (see Index, _s.v._). The passage in which Graetz affirms the borrowing of the pastoral scheme by the author of Canticles from Theocritus, is translated from p. 69 of Graetz's _Schir ha-Schirim, oder das salomonische Hohelied_ (Vienna, 1871). Though the present writer differs entirely from the opinion of Graetz on this point, he has no hesitation in describing Graetz's Commentary as a masterpiece of brilliant originality. The rival theory, that Theocritus borrowed from the Biblical Song, is supported by Professor D.S. Margoliouth, in his "Lines of Defence of the Biblical Revelation" (1900), pp. 2-7. He also suggests (p. 7), that Theocritus borrowed lines 86-87 of Idyll xxiv from Isaiah xi. 6. The evidence from the scenery of the Song, in favor of the natural and indigenous origin of the setting of the poem, is strikingly illustrated in G.A. Smith's "Historical Geography of the Holy Land" (ed. 1901), pp. 310-311. The quotation from Laurence Oliphant is taken from his "Land of Gilead" (London, 1880). Egyptian parallels to Canticles occur in the hieroglyphic love-poems published by Maspero in _Etudes egyptiennes_, i, pp. 217 _et seq_., and by Spiegelberg in _Aegyptiaca_ (contained in the Ebers _Festschrift_, pp. 177 _et seq_.). Maspero, describing, in 1883, the affinities of Canticles to the old Egyptian love songs, uses almost the same language as G.E. Lessing employed in 1777, in summarizing the similarities between Canticles and Theocritus. It will amuse the reader to see the passages side by side. [Transcriber's Note: In our print copy these were set in parallel columns.] MASPERO Il n'y a personne qui, en lisant la traduction de ces chants, ne soit frappe de la ressemblance qu'ils presentent avec le Cantique des Cantiques. Ce sont les memes facons ..., les memes images ..., les memes comparaisons. LESSING