voice of love to say, "Take away the veil from thy eyes." The contempt of his own people, the agony of his beloved mother, the hatred of his brethren, and the prospect of a scanty subsistence, were presented to him; but his wish to find the truth, prevailed with him, and he went forward in the way of Christianity.

Dr. Rheinhard had appointed a day to receive his final determination; but Joshua presented himself before the day arrived. "I will," said he, "on the day of Pentecost, attend the synagogue for the last time; and I shall then take leave of my brethren for ever.”

(To be continued.)

LEARNING AMONGST THE JEWS. CHRISTIANS generally are not aware of the fact, that amongst the Jews, in former ages, when ignorance sat brooding over Europe, there were men of learning and science, whose names are recorded with honour, and who have proved the intellectual power of their nation. In a valuable history of the Jews in Spain and Portugal, called Sephardim, there is a long list of Jewish authors. These wrote on various branches of science. These were poets, and physicians, and astronomers, eminent in their day; and some of them rose high in Royal favour, and filled important posts in the government of their native country.

In the last number of the Jewish Chronicle,* a short illustration is given of the literary tendencies of the people. We insert a part of it, that our readers may see, that though ever a despised and oppressed nation, since they have dwelt in * August 6.

Gentile lands, their native genius has not slumbered, nor their love of learning forsaken them.

In the darkness of the middle ages, the Israelites alone preserved the light of the sciences. They followed the studies of the Arabs, and translated their books into Hebrew; and as there were Jews in France, and in all Christendom, they also Latinized the works which they translated from the Arabic.

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At the commencement of the ninth century, the Caliph Mamoun caused all important Jewish books to be translated into Arabic to inspire the Israelites with a taste for science. Before this period, the Jews produced works in Arabic on morals and philosophy; and hence the opinion that they were not only the secondary or intermediate cause of the regeneration of the sciences in Europe, but, in fact, the preservers and transmitters of existing knowledge, at the period when it was threatened with oblivion.

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The height of Hebrew scientific glory was in the tenth century, under the Moors in Spain. Twelve thousand pupils attended the Jewish schools in Toledo. No European academy could then compete with them, particularly in mathematics and astronomy; and they formulated the celebrated Alphonsine Tables, established by Alphonso the Tenth, king of Castile. By the works which they published, it appears that allusion is made to the system of Newton on the attraction of celestial bodies; and Aben Ezra is allowed to be the inventor of the method of dividing the celestial sphere equatorially.

"The glory of the Spanish schools redounded to the Israelites of Portugal and Italy. 'To the Jews,' says a historian, we owe our first know

ledge of philosophy, botany, medicine, astronomy, and cosmography; also the elements of sacred language.'

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Germany and France did not remain inactive in the promotion of science. In France especially, the Jewish schools of Beziers, Narbonne, Lunel, and Montpellier, acquired a high reputation. Paris gave its name to the rabbinical academy which revised that remarkable Talmudical commentary known as the Tossephoth.' But it was not only to the study of the law, and the progress of literature, that they applied themselves; they also zealously cultivated a knowledge of medicine, and for several centuries they were the repositories of that science. Despite the opposition of the councils, they supplied physicians to nearly all the kings of Europe, and to several Popes; and amidst the most violent persecution directed against the Hebrew nation, the public physicians, paid by numerous cities, were of the Jewish faith.

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At the revival of letters, the Israelites shewed that the ancestral fire yet existed among them. Their physicians, philosophers, and learned men, held distinguished rank among the celebrated names of scientific Europe. Germany is noted for the number of literary men-poets, musicians, and physicians who are Israelites by birth.

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The efficiency of asses' milk, in relieving consumption and diseases of the lungs, was discovered by a Jew. A Jew of Rotterdam introduced vaccination into Holland; and a Jew named Pereire, originated, and proved to the Academy of Paris that there existed means to make the dumb speak.

"At the present day, when liberty reigns in the domain of science, and when the merit of almost

every work is investigated, rather than from whom it emanates, the Israelites of all countries furnish their proportion to the scientific, artistic, and literary world."

JERUSALEM.

THE Holy Land and its once glorious, now half desolate, metropolis, are objects of deepest interest both to the Jew and the Christian. To the former, because the scenes where the past glories of his nation were exhibited, and the dust of his ancient prophets, kings and sages has been laid to rest; to the latter, because, indeed, the scene of Old Testament history, and the land of prophets, and a mighty nation, raised up to bless the world; yet especially so because there the Redeemer dwelt, and taught, and died, and rose again; and there, too, will be the scene of his future triumph. We met, some time since, with an interesting journal of a Jewish lady, illustrating the deep feeling of devout Israelites, when in the land that once their fathers dwelt in. The following beautiful extracts, referring to Jerusalem, will, we are sure, prove acceptable to our readers.

The plague was in the city, and the party, consisting of the most distinguished of modern Jews, his wife, the lady who writes the journal, and Dr. L., a physician, are dwelling in tents, on Mount Olivet, from whence they look down on Jerusalem.

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we

This morning," writes her ladyship, recited our prayers on the Mount of Olives, and as we bent our eyes upon the site on which the temple once rose in all its glory-a glory which,

even its latter day, the Heathen could not contemplate without awe how did our hearts swell with holy emotion! how fitly could we have adopted the language of Israel's own minstrel, Thou art the God of our strength. Why hast thou cast us off? Why go we mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? O send out thy light and truth: let them lead me let them bring me unto thy holy hill and to thy tabernacle. Then will I go unto the altar of God; unto God my exceeding joy. Yea upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God!'

Saturday, June 8th. Mount of Olives, encamped. "The remembrance of this Sabbath morn can never be effaced. Every spot answers minutely to the descriptive language of Scripture. The walls of the temple may have yielded to the desolating arm of the conqueror; but Mount Zion itself standeth for ever: nor are there wanting objects or circumstances to give a present reality and vividness to the picture of past times, full of depth and power. The olive trees spread their dim grey branches, as if emblematical of hoar antiquity. The country is sad and of melancholy aspect; and every now and then rose on the air the solemn funeral chant, the mournful lament for broken ties of love and kindred.

"Dr. L. read and translated some descriptions of the holy city from an ancient Hebrew work, and M-read the book of Zechariah. Oh might we not have exclaimed, when will the words of the prophet be fulfilled? And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph; and I will bring them again to place them; for I have mercy upon them and they

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