were a barbarous people, like the present Tartars, who have perhaps in general attained the same degree of improvement.

After this time disorders and wars became common. Robbers secured the fastnesses of the high ridge of mountains, which divides Asia from east to west, whence they made frequent descents upon the plains at the south, and carried off the inhabitants as well, as their cattle and other goods. The greater princes had adopted the style of the sons of God, and in this they were imitated by the heads of smaller tribes. They bore no resemblance to the moral character of the Deity; but, though their whole conduct was rude. and brutal, they adopted titles expressive of merit. Among the prisoners the handsomest women filled the seraglios of the chiefs.* Their progeny, not having any regu lar succession, followed the occupation of their parents, enlisted followers, or adopted them from among the prisoners, and became robbers of renown. Copying the titles of the patriarchal officers, Devas and Devatahs, the chiefs of mountaineers according to their power, assumed those grades of dignity. In such a state arms necessarily became a distinct profession, and an army was requisite to repress these continued incursions. These robbers from the mountains are the angels, said in the book of Enoch to descend on mount Hermon, and to seduce the daughters of men.‡ This book still remains a part of the Ethiopic Bible, and in Abyssinia is much valued for its sublimity. It is all in the inflated style of oriental oratory, and so little adapted to the taste of European readers, that it has never been translated, though nearly thirty years have elapsed since Mr. Bruce carried several copies of it to Europe.

The disordered state of the countries near the mountains of Persia and Syria made it necessary not only to have troops among them constantly, but to provide safe places of

*Gen. vi, 1--4.

These titles are written and pronounced Dew and Dewtah. Mr. Park found in Africa the last of them, which he writes Dooty, to be still the title of the headmen in the villages.

Whiston's authentic records,

retreat to secure their valuable property. This accounts for the great number of artificial grottoes in Syria and Palestine a fashion, which the Hebrew nations found it necessary to follow many centuries after this, when they were under the government of their Judges. Thus things went on to the end of the tenth century.

Seth had retired; and, head of affairs, yet they A man, who had spent

In the year 930' Adam died. though Enos remained awhile at the continued to grow worse every day. much the largest portion of his life in the retirement of a hermitage, was not likely to have either the enterprise or judgment, necessary to conduct in chief the business of a vast empire. The officers of the army would not respect him, and he would hardly be esteemed by the civil list. It was found necessary to have a man of more energy, and Jared, whom the Hindoos call Chacshusha, was promoted to be the successor of Adam. He was born in the year 430, and was five hundred years old when his predecessor died. It is probable that Enos was tried in the supreme command for some years, till experience showed his habits to be of a different kind from those, adapted to civil government, or a state of war. We may therefore place the elevation of Jared about the year 950, when he was five hundred and twenty years old. Whatever might be Jared's abilities or exertions, and however great, he was unable to stop the growing evil. His northern provinces were kept in constant alarm. The invaders often effected their retreat without a skirmish, and loaded with booty. Often they surprised his forts, and slaughtered or carried captive his garrisons. These things were to be expected in a state of war. Still there remained extensive and fertile countries in India, Persia, Mesopotamia, Syria, and Africa, which retained their allegiance, and supplied ample revenues for the support of his government. From the coasts of Syria, Palestine, and Africa the merchant ships had for three centuries carried on a lucrative trade to the ports of Europe.

[To be continued.]

LITERARY DISSERTATIONS.

66

No. III.

ON THE TALMUD.

Qui in scriptis Talmudicis et illis, quæ allegoricum docendi genus sectantur, sunt versati, ii nôrunt quàm illi ament breviter, concisê, tectè, et ænigmaticè quasi, animi sui sensa proferre, et undiquaque occasionem 66 captare, utilis et moralis sententiæ eliciendæ et proponendæ ; in multis "etiam controversis quæstionibus, de quibus inter se digladiantur et disA6 ceptant, tali aliquo dicto sententias suas sæpe ferre et pronunciare solent." BUXTORF. Florileg. Hebr.

THE HE famous Rabbi JUDAH HAKKADOSH, or the Holy, was born at Sephoris, a city of Galilee, A. D. 136. He was Prince of the captivity, or Chief of the Jews after the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. Having acquired great reputation by his profound knowledge of the ancient ritual, his opinion was consulted in all matters of doubt or controversy concerning the sense of the law and the correctness of ceremonial observances. Apprehensive that, as the Jews were dispersed through so many Provinces, and as most of their schools were interrupted or suppressed, the people would be in danger of forgetting some of those precepts, which had hitherto been transmitted only by oral direction,* of receding from immemorial practices, or of becoming less exact in the administration of rites, he judged it best to reduce to writing the Traditions of the Elders, and to form a methodical digest of the canon law of the Hebrews. Accordingly he composed a work, which is called the MISHNA, the repetition, or second Institute. It is not only a recital of things remembered and a statement of customs, rites, and ceremonies in general practice, but a compilation of, tracts by eminent Doctors of the law, "written aforetime Deut. vi, 7. and I Chron. xvi, 9. C c

* Consult Exod. xiii, 14.

"and venerated for their antiquity." The style of the work shows that the attempts of learned men, at the time of its composition, to restore the purity and dignity of the Hebrew language, had not been unsuccessful.*

No sooner did this great work appear, than it was received with profound veneration by all the Jews. The learned Rabbis made it their chief study, and employed themselves in writing dissertations upon it.

A complete commentary was composed by the venerable Rabbi JoCHANAN, who presided in the school at Palestine eighty years. It was finished about the year 300. Its style is barbarous and obscure, and at the present day hard to be understood even by the most learned of the Jews themselves; but it contains many important elucidations of the customs, manners, and opinions, which had become national characteristics of the Jews.

After the death of the Emperor ANTONINUS PIUS a fresh persecution broke out against the Jews, and their academies within the Roman empire were suppressed. Many fled to Babylon; and there in the fifth century R. ASA, who had presided forty years in the school at Sara, published a second and more particular commentary on the Mishna. In this there is less barbarism and obscurity, but more trifling and ridiculous explanations, than in that, composed by R. JOCHANAN. It soon however gained an ascendency over the Jerusalem Commentary, and supports its credit among the modern Jews.t

These writings are stiled GEMARA, or supplement, because by them the Mishna is fully explained, and the whole traditionary doctrine respecting the Jewish Law and religion completed; for the Mishna is the text, and the Gemara the com

* SURENHUSIUS published the original with a Latin version and the com mentaries of MAIMONIDES and BARTENORA at Amsterdam, in six volumes folio, between the years 1698 and 1703. A translation into German was made by RABE, and printed at Onolzbach in 1760, in six vols. 4to. The biblical student will take most satisfaction in consulting the edition of SUR

ENHUSIUS.

+ Since the invention of printing these commentaries have been several times published. The first makes only one volume, but the second fills six large folios.

mentary; and both together form what is called the TALMUD, or Doctrinale.*

The learned MAIMONIDES has made an abridgement of these voluminous explications under the title of JADHACHAZACAH, in which he has comprised the most judicious and valuable remarks. This elaborate work is alike distinguished by the importance of the matter, the perspicuity of the style, and the regular and systematic arrangement of the topics.

Though there are many absurd constructions of the law and some ridiculous stories, interspersed in the Mishna, yet there are frequent paragraphs and several entire treatises, full of just reasoning and good senșe. The Pirk Avoth deserves this character throughout. It contains the sentences of the fathers, collected by ELIEZER, who lived in the time of GAMALIEL the second. The celebrated RELAND considered this a work of great value ;t and says, that when he met with any difficulty in the Hebrew text of the Bible, the explications of this Jewish Doctor appeared to him more satisfactory, than those of the " GREAT CRITICS," or any other commentators. Dr. BARNARD also in his notes to Josephus remarks, that "though the Gemara is full of trifles " and fictions, the Mishna is a treasure of information res66 pecting the rites and customs of the ancient Hebrews as "far, as they could be preserved by tradition," and he might have added by constant usage, "after the destruction of the "Temple. Therefore its authority is of great service in il"lustrating many things in the sacred writings."+

As an apology for the frequent insertion of stories and fables in the writings of the Rabbins, it may be remarked that MAIMONides, Menasseh, Ben IsraEL, and other of their most learned writers inform us, that the custom of illustrating truth by parables and allegories was the taste of their countrymen, and the common method of communicat

* Prideaux, vol. II, p. 270.

+ Præfat. in Analecta Rabbinica.

See also the testimonies of FABRICIUS Bibliographia Antiquaria and of the learned LIGHTFOOT Hora Talmudice.