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ART. I.-Transactions of the Parisian Sanhedrim, or Acts of the Assembly of Israelitish Deputies of France and Italy, convoked at Paris by an Imperial and Royal Decree. Dated May 30, 1806. Translated from the Original, published by M. Diogene Tama, with a Preface and Notes, By F. D. Kirwan, Esq. 8vo. pp, 334, 3s. Taylor.

ART. II.-New Sanhedrin (m) and Causes and Consequences of the French Emperor's Conduct towards the Jews; including Official Documents, a Sketch of their History, and Considerations on the Prophecies. By an Advocate for the House of Israel. 12mo, pp. 190. 3s. 6d. Jones.

THE singular history of the Jews of all such, of whatever religious points them out as peculiar objects profession, as are "waiting for the of Divine Providence, and prophe consolation of Israel;" though we cy constitutes them the heirs of are aware that the mere man of the unparallelled blessings in some fu. world will smile at them, and the ture period. They have not been mere politician deem them beneath preserved a separate people, among his notice. The Almighty some. all the nations whither they have times mocks human expectations been driven, for no purpose, or for by bringing about the greatest rean unimportant one. The time sults from operations that are almay not be far distant when "God most imperceptible. The world will comfort his people, and speak has witnessed, with total unconcern, animating words to Jerusalem, and the annihilation, within these few declare unto her that her warfare years, of the papal dominion, and is fulfilled; that the expiation of the judgments of Heaven upon her iniquity is accepted; that she those countries which had "given shall receive at the hand of Jeho their power to the beast, and vah, blessings double to the punish- "become drunk with the blood of ment of all her sins*." the saints." The same insensibility prevailed in the minds of the Jews on the destruction of Jerusalem: hence the prophetic question of Christ to his disciples, which seems to characterize the nineteenth no ♦ Isa. xl. 1, 2. Bp. Lowth's version. less than the first century; "When

The events in relation to the Jews that have lately occurred in France cannot fail of exciting the attention

1

the Son of man cometh, shall he vice (the heaviest of all personal find faith on the earth*? taxes) but had profited, as mercanOne reason perhaps why the tile men, by the distresses of their people of this country have looked neighbours, a pecuniary considerawith indifference upon the change tion for their valuable privileges. that has taken place in the condi- If this country were invaded by tion of the Jews on the Continent the French, and the expulsion of of Europe is that it has been effect- them were found difficult, who ed by a power in hostility to Great would complain of the injustice of Britain. Our patriotic animosities, levying a tax upon the property of usually violent, are here ridicu. the Clergy and of Dissenting Milous. We think no name too abu- nisters, as a substitution for persive for the Emperor of the French. sonal service?-Rapacity would We give credit to every charge that rather have kept the Jews in a state renegade Frenchmen or needy wri- of subjection and fear, and have ters publish against him. Nothing doled out privileges by morsels and that he does is praiseworthy, none at a heavy price, than have, for any of his measures are even acciden- bribe completely emancipated tally beneficial. Englishmen ex- them. They are now to all intents patiate with raptures upon feudal and purposes French citizens, and vassalage because Bonaparte has as much secure as any other classes delivered Germany from it, and of their countrymen from extordefend persecution because Bona-. tion. They can no more be opparte is tolerant.

pressed as a people: and if gain On the same principle the en- were the object of the French gofranchisement of the Jews in France vernment in its late measures tois never adverted to but in ridicule wards them, it has duped itself and and contempt. Their convocation realized the fable of the boy and at Paris is either a scheme for ex- the goose which laid golden eggs. torting money from them, or a That the assembling of the Jews, mere theatrical shew, devised to in solemn council at Paris, was a gratify the vanity of an upstart proud spectacle cannot be denied, ruler. nor is it improbable that an ambiTo substantiate the charge of tion of glory might have mingled rapacity against the French go- itself with the motives that induced verument, a story is told of a Bonaparte to convoke them. But douceur of 30 millions of livres it is surely no disgrace to a prince being required of the Jews, previ- that he builds his glory upon the ous to their assembling to form a happiness of his subjects. Would Sanhedrim. We utterly disbelieve to God that all that occupy thrones it. Even were it true, we see no had no other ambition! violation of equity in demanding of a community who, in the most mosity and vulgar suspicions, it troublesome periods of the French would be interesting to inquire inRevolution, had not only enjoyed to the real motives of Bonaparte an exemption from military ser

Luke xviii, 8. ↑ Transact. Pref. p.5.

Putting aside all national ani

for bettering the condition of the Jews. They are no doubt political: there are few instances on record of kings and emperors doing

granted to the Sublime Porte in Europe the Holy Land may be quietly surrendered into the hands of the Christian Emperor. The kingdom of Persia may be at any time won over to the side of France. A bribe would convert the Arabs into useful allies. The native Indian powers are easily stirred up to revolt. And in such a conjunction of circumstances it might be wisdom in the British to stipulate for their safety by engaging to leave Hindostan."

good for its own sake. His main ob ject in calling the Jews together was, we are persuaded, to devise some plan for making them good and useful citizens, to repress their usurious practices, and to convert them into manufacturers, husbandmen, and conscripts. The effects of the mea sure will exactly coincide with his views of policy. Paris is to be the metropolis of the world, and it is fit that there the Jews, who are dispersed overall nations, should have a representative council. The seat of the Sanhedrim will be their Our opinion briefly is that home. They may look for gain in the measures now pursuing in - other countries, but they will turn to France with regard to the Jews, France for respectability and com- will lead to their restoration. How fort. Wherever they are they will near this event may be is not for secretly favour the French cause, us to pronounce. The signs of the and, like the Jesuits, will commu- times seem to prognosticate its be nicate important intelligence to the ing at hand. Emperor, distribute his bribes, and The Jews in France and Italy in short, become his agents. Their amount, it seems, to about a hun opulence, which procures them ac- dred thousand. Germany and Holcess to prime ministers and prin- land, which are in some measure ces, and their mercantile activity, under the control of France, conwhich carries them over all the tain probably twice as many. The world, will be subservient to the in- whole of this population would terests of their benefactor, the form but a weak state; but cousi"Centurion "who "loveth their dered as a body of non-conformists nation and hath built them a sy- in religion, it is sufficiently strong to nagogue. It may be necessary be respected, and important enough hereafter, for the security of Euro- surely for the care of a wise legispean states, that the Jews resident lator. The National Assembly of in them should take an oath of ab- France had, in the year 1790, en-. juration of the Grand Rabbi and franchised all those of the Jewish the Sanhedrim of Paris. The Jews persuasion that took the civic oath; in France are to become soldiers, and though, in the stormy period and Bonaparte would be at no loss that succeeded, their rights could how to employ an army composed scarcely be pronounced secure, of "the children of Israel." He their condition was constantly im-, has not dropt his predilection for proving till the memorable Imthe conquest of Egypt, and the peo- perial Decree" of May 30, 1806, ple that should establish themselves elevated them to a higher rank than in Palestine would easily subjugate the most sanguine among them the neighbouring countries. From ever expected to attain, establishing Italy to Syria is only a short voy- their religion not on the sandy age. In consideration of favours foundation of toleration, but on the

immutable basis of justice and ogene Tama, who is, we appre

providing for its permanence and respectability.

hend, a Parisian Jew. The former part of the volume is filled with It is not our intention to relate extracts from some dull Jewish in this place the history of the controversial pamphlets; the latter Jewish Convocation. That has contains a Journal of the deliberabeen given in part and will be, from tions of the Deputies. The whole time to time, more fully given in is as immethodical as French works another department of our work. commonly are. The translation The members of the Assembly is respectable. F. D. Kirwan, Esq. seem to have displayed greater ta- is we conjecture a mere bookseller's lents than was to have been ex- name. The "Preface" by the pected from persons who had been translator is ill written, and displaye hitherto detained in such political the most vulgar prejudices and the obscurity. Their deliberations shew most contemptible ignorance of the that they are as well qualified for principles of religious liberty. In civil government as any other class scurrility it is not surpassed by of men, and afford ground to hope the London ministerial newspapers, that when the occasion arises He- The title of this volume is a sheer brew senators will not talk less deception, for instead of being an eloquently or decree less wisely account of the Sanhedrim, it conthan an equal body of Christians. cludes with the breaking up of the We may wish that they had not Assembly of Deputies some time been quite so lax in the interpre- before the Sanhedrim had been tation of their law, or so extrava- convened. gant in their praise of Napoleon, "The New Sanhedrin” (m) is a but, comparing their past with their work of less pretension. It contains present condition, their feelings the accounts of the Jewish Assem. heretofore with those which must now spring up in their bosoms, we cannot allow ourselves to charge them-after the English mannerwith impiety and blasphemy. We are acquainted with men who readily sacrifice better principles than those of Moses, and offer adulation as gross and disgusting as any presented by the Jewish deputies, to a monarch not altogether so heroic, or so wise, or so tolerant as Bonaparte.

Having indulged in these general 'reflections we shall now briefly notice the publications before us, which, as may be easily conceived are more interesting on account of their subject than their execution.

The "Transactions" is a translation from the original of M. Di

VOL. II.

bly and Sanhedrim, which have appeared in the Moniteur. It was evidently compiled in haste: the translation is sometimes incorrect, and the names of the Jewish depu. ties and members of Sanhedrim are here and there misprinted. It contains however much novel and useful information, and, to the credit of the bookseller, is published in a cheap and popular form. The author is truly "An Advocate for the House of Israel." He thinks that Bonaparte is raised up to be their temporal Messiah. He spiritualizes the prophecies and contends that France may prove the holy land, Paris the holy city. He has no tenderness for the whore of Babylon, but he argues that religious tyranny is every where anti-christ, 4 Q

He augurs ill for England of the upon us. His speculations, however present contest with France, and disagreeable, are worthy of attenin concluding, warns his country- tion. It is not the part of a faithful men, as intelligibly as was prudent, scer to prophecy always smooth of the calamities which are coming things.

ART. III.-A Letter to the Rev. Dr. Beilby Porteus, Lord Bishop of London, on the Subject of his citation of the Writer before the Spiritual Court, on an unfounded Charge respecting certain Doctrines contained in his Visitation Discourse, preached before Dr. Greiton, Archdeacon of Essex, at Danbury, July 8, 1806. By Francis Stone, M. A. F. S. A. Rector of Cold-Norton, Essex, 8vo. pp. 42. Eaton, 187. HighHolborn, 1807.

mon had expressed any indignation against the author, or the sentiments contained in his discourse; and after going through one edition, a second was published, the dis persion of which was stopped by a criminal prosecution being instituted against the author.

This is a very important pub. reader. It did not appear, howlication, and highly deserving of ever, that the Archdeacon or any the attention of every serious of the clergy who heard the serChristian, to whatever denomination he may belong. The circumstances which gave rise to it are the following: Mr. Stone is an aged Clergyman, between seventy and eighty years of age, with a family of eight children. It is necessary that this circumstance should be mentioned, because it The mode in which this was is not improbable that it had some instituted is perhaps the most exweight in the prosecution instituted traordinary that has hitherto ocagainst him. He is rector of a curred in the annals of the Church parish in Essex, and in consequence of England; and it is peculiarly of holding a living he was called incumbent on the clergy of that upon by the Archdeacon to preach church to attend to it, or from a visitation sermon. Obedient to being one of the most independent this call, he preached a sermon they may become one of the most before Archdeacon Gretton, at servile bodies that has hitherto Danbury, July 8, 1806,

disgraced ecclesiastical history. It is usual at these visitations for On April 10, 1807, an appa. the clergy to dine together,and at ritor, that is, a messenger or this dinner the preacher sat down bailiff, from the bishop of Lonwith his reverend brethren, and don, knocked at Mr. Stone's door parted from them apparently in and put into his hand a citation to christian charity. About a month appear in the Spiritual Court, in after, he printed and published Doctor's Commons, before Sir this sermon; and the doctrines William Scott, a Doctor of Laws, contained in it, being open to public who is also the gentleman who animadversion, received as might presides in the Admiralty Court on be expected, applause or censure prize cases, and has full employaccording to the tenets of the ment upon his hands in marine

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