PERFUMES; the Use of Perfumes was frequent among the Hebrews, and among the Orientals in General, before it was known to the Greeks and Romans. Pliny says1, that they knew not who was the first Inventor of Perfumes, and that they were unknown even at the Siege of Troy. Ovid2 imputes the Honour of this Discovery to Bacchus. Arnobius maintains3, that they were unknown in the Heroic Times. But in the Time of Moses they must be known in Egypt, since he speaks of the Art of the Perfumer, and gives Exod. xxx. 25.the Composition of two Kinds of Perfumes, of which one was to be offered to the Lord, upon the Golden Altar which was in the holy Exod. xxx. 34, 35, &c.Place; and the other was appointed for the anointing of the High-priest and his Sons, as also of the Tabernacle, and all the Vessels that were used in divine Service.
The first of these Perfumes was composed of Stacte, the Onyx or odoriferous Shell-fish, of Galbanum, and Incense, all of equal Weight. This Perfume was a sacred and inviolable Thing, and it was forbid on Pain of Death, for any Man whatever to make Use of it. It was set every Morning and Evening upon the Golden Altar which was in the Sanctum. This was the Office of one of the Priests of the Week. ‘Twas this Perfume that Zacharias the Father of John the Baptist went to offer, when the Angel appeared to him, and foretold to him the Birth of the Prodromus of the Messiah. The other kind of Perfume, which was rather an Ointment, to anoint the Priests and the sacred Vessels of the Tabernacle, was composed of the best Myrrhe, of the Weight of five hundred Shekels, of Cinnamon the Weight of two Hundred and fifty Shekels, of Canna Aromatica a like Quantity, of Casia Aromatica the Weight of five hundred Shekels; and one hin of Oil Olive. The whole being well mingled served to make a pretious Ointment, with which Aaron and his Sons were anointed, and every Thing that appertained to the Tabernacle. But ‘tis thought they did not afterwards anoint the Successors of Aaron, because their Dignity being successive in his Family, this Unction did not seem necessary. God reserved this Ointment, or this Perfume, to his own Service; and whoever should make of it, either for himself or another, was to be cut off from his People. I have spoke of the Altar of Perfume under the Title ALTAR.
The Hebrews had also Perfumes which they made Use of for the embalming of their Dead. The Composition is not exactly known, but ‘tis known they generally made John xix. 49.Use of Myrrhe, Aloes, and other strong and astringent Drugs, proper to prevent Putrifaction, Infection, and Corruption; and consequently they were of a saline, sharp, and astringent Nature. The Reader may see what Herodotus4 says of the Manner in which the Egyptians embalmed their Dead; for it seems to be from the Egyptians that the Hebrews borrowed this Custom.
Besides the Perfumes we have mentioned above, there are still others which are known to us from Scripture. Those for Example which King Hezekiah preserved in his Repositories. The Spices and precious Ointment.2 Kings xx. 13. And those that were burned with the Body of King Asa. They laid him in the Bed 2 Chron. xvi. 14.which was filled with sweet Odours, and diverse Kinds of Spices prepared by the Apothecary’s Art. Judith perfumed her Face when she was to appear before Holofernes. They Judith xvi. 10.prepared the Virgins which were to appear before the Kings of Persia, for six Months together, by the Use of Oil of Myrtle, and for six other Months, by other Perfumes, and other sweet-scented Oils. The Spouse in the Canticles commends the Scent of the Perfumes of her Lover; and her Lover in Return says, that the Scent of the Perfumes of his Spouse surpasses the most excellent Odours. He names particularly the Spikenard, the Canna Aromatica, the Cinnamon, the Myrrhe, the Aloes, as making a Part of these Perfumes. The voluptuous Woman described by Solomon says, that she had perfumed her Bed with Myrrhe, Aloes, and Cinnamon. The Epicures in the Book of Wisdom encourage one another to the luxuriant Use of Odours and costly Perfumes.
Isaiah reproaches Judæa, whom he describes as a Spouse faithless to God, as being painted and perfumed to please Strangers. Thou wentest to the King with Ointment, and didst increase thy Perfumes. Ezekiel seems to accuse the Jews with having profaned the Odours and Perfumes, the Use of which was reserved to sacred Things, by applying them to their own Use. Thou sattest upon a stately Bed, and a Table prepared before it, whereupon thou hast set mine Incense and mine Oil. Amos inveighs against the rich Men of Ephraim, who drank the most excellent Wines, and perfumed themselves with the most precious Oils. The She-sinner in St. Luke, and Mary Magdalen in St. John, anointed our Saviour’s Feet with costly Perfume. That of Mary Magdalen was Spikenard.
All these Examples shew us in general, what was the Taste of the ancient Hebrews, what was and still is the Taste of the Orientals, who made much Use of Scents and Perfumes. They prove also that Men and Women used them indifferently, and that wise and serious Men condemned the two frequent and affected Use of them. It may also be observed, that to abstain from Perfumes, Scents, and Unction, was esteemed as a great Piece of Mortification. Esther refrained from Perfumes and Ointments during the Time of the Humiliation of her People. Daniel did not anoint himself all the three Weeks that he was urgent in Prayer, to obtain the Communications that he desired of God.
Solomon says, that dead Flies cause the Ointment of the Apothecary to send forth a stinking Savour. One Fly is sufficient to spoil the Smell of a whole Box of Perfumes: So one Fault is enough to destroy a Man’s good Name. Qui in uno peccaverit, multa bona perdet; muscæ morientes perdunt suavitatem unguenti. The Hebrew says literally, one dead Fly will make the most excellent Perfume to stink.
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