Theseconquestshadreducedthevaststructureswhichtheologianshadduringagesbeenerectingoverthesacredtexttoshapelessruinandrubbish：thisrubbishheremoved，andbroughtoutfrombeneathitthereality。HeshowedJewishhistoryasanevolutionobedienttolawsatworkinallages，andJewishliteratureasagrowthoutofindividual，tribal，andnationallife。Thuswasoursacredhistoryandliteraturegivenabeautyandhighusewhichhadlongbeenforeigntothem。TherebywasavastservicerenderedimmediatelytoGermany，andeventuallytoallmankind；andthisservicewasgreatestofallinthedomainofreligion。[476]
[476]ForLowth，seetheRev。T。K。Cheyne，D。D。，ProfessoroftheInterpretationoftheHolyScriptureintheUniversityofOxford，FoundersoftheOldTestamentCriticism，London，1893，pp。3，4。ForAstruc’sveryhighcharacterasamedicalauthority，seetheDictionnairedesSciencesMedicales，Paris，1820；itissignificantthatatfirstheconcealedhisauthorshipoftheConjectures。Forabriefstatement，seeCheyne；alsoMoore’sintroductiontoBacon’sGenesisofGenesis；butforastatementremarkablyfullandinteresting，andbasedonknowlegdeatfirsthandofAstruc’sveryrarebook，seeCurtiss，asabove。
ForMichaelisandEichorn，seeMeyer，GeschichtederExegese；
alsoCheyneandMoore。ForIsenbiehl，seeReusch，inAllg。
deutscheBiographie。ThetextscitedagainsthimwereIsaiahvii，14，andMatt。i，22，23。ForHerder，seevarioushistoriansofliteratureandwritersinexegesis，andespeciallyPfleiderer，DevelopmentofTheologyinGermany，chap。ii。Forhisinfluence，aswellasthatofLessing，seeBeard’sHibbertLectures，chap。