He

successive emperors, Leopold I., Joseph I., and Charles II. He died in 1736. Although a great scholar, author of several valuable works, and most benevolent and liberal, yet was he chiefly remarkable for his extraordinary love for books. He collected, at an immense expense, and through extraordinary exertions, a Hebrew library, such as was not equalled either before or after his time. had agents in all quarters of the globe, commissioned to buy for him valuable Hebrew works, whether printed or in manuscript. It contained not less than 1000 manuscripts. Rabbi Oppenheim must have been a very rich man, since the tithe which he gave to the poor is stated in his epitaph to have amounted to 50,000 dollars. In the controversy against the followers of Sabbathia Zebee, which raged in his time, he evinced most tolerant sentiments, and steadfastly refused to join in the excommunication hurled by the rabbis of the age against He was considered as a good mathematician. Several works of his have been published, many more, however, are still in manuscript, twenty-four of which are in the possession of one private individual at Viasen, near Wilna.” Among the 170 epitaphs are also a considerable number of remarkable women. We will copy one or two. The first is that of Hendel, wife of the senior warden of the congregation at Prague :—

this sect.

"Jacob Baschevi, a man who for munificence, charity, true piety, and zeal for his brethren, has but few equals. Highly esteemed by the successive emperors, his cotemporaries, knighted by them, with the title Von Truenberg, and distinguished with extraordinary immunities and privileges for the uncommon services rendered to the state in times of great peril, his noble-minded wife rivalled him in deeds of charity and philanthropy. Having died in 1628, she for ten years witnessed the ravages of the war which desolated Germany for thirty consecutive years. During this calamitous period she proved a real mother to the distressed. At her table she fed the hungry, the naked her hands clothed, the orphans she educated, for poor girls she provided, needy scholars she supported, synagogues and schools she supplied with the necessary means. Whenever, in the neighbouring countries, the pillaging soldiers had destroyed books necessary for instruction or edification, she forwarded fresh supplies. She died deeply lamented by the thousands whom she befriended and benefitted."

Vögele, wife of Rabbi Isaac, the priest (she died in the year 1629), is, in the epitaph, greatly extolled, not only for her charity and piety, but also for her learning, she being a Talmudic scholar.

Let our readers not suppose that with these extracts we have exhausted the interest of the publication. Far from it, since every page records remarkable facts and notices, from which we have just culled a few as specimens. What renders the publication still more valuable is its introduction, written by Rappaport, replete, as are all the productions of this great scholar, with learning, deep research and profound criticism. Our review has already grown so extensive that we cannot spare any room for extracts from the introduction. But we can promise those interested in Hebrew literature and the history of the Jews, who will peruse it, a rich treat, such as can only be prepared by the genius and acumen of the erudite and indefatigable Chief Rabbi of the capital of Bohemia.— From a Review of Lieben's " Inscriptions in the Old Cemetery at Prague," in Jewish Chronicle.

Present State of Jerusalem.—“ Our dwellings, dear enough, would in Europe resemble hovels or dungeons. They are low, narrow, damp vaults, with walls hardly whitewashed, and which will hold neither nail nor hook. Small handstoves serve to bake the scanty dough. The whole week we live upon pulse, eggs, milk food, melons, or cucumbers. There is no meat except mutton or fowl. The majority cannot afford to buy meat except on Passover and Newyear. Corn is bought every week, and has to be cleaned, sifted, carried to the mill, be brought home, converted into dough, and carried to the oven. This is a task which occupies the housewife and her daughters three full days out of every week, and which proves a great obstacle to the establishment of a school. The dress is oriental, picturesque and noble, even in tatters. Clear eyes and light hair are a rarity among the Jerusalemites... The Jewish population is

about 7000 souls, which may be divided into two classes. Two-thirds are orientals, heirs to all the patriarchal virtues, almost entirely devoted to sacred studies. Few women, however, can read; they recite their prayers from memory. They are averse to every innovation, and afraid of European influence. The other third consists of Poles and Russians, who arrive by every steamer. These are divided into five or six congregations, by no means friendly with each other. There is also a German congregation of about twenty families who have a desire for schools and progress, but they are in a decided minority. Among these are distinguished Herr Schwarz, author of the book Palestine, and Herr Hausdorf, dragoman of the Austrian consulate. There are also five or six French and Italian families, who, however, do not count, and therefore have to join the other congregations. The Poles import, together with their trailing caftans and fur caps-now banished from the states of the czar-all the peculiarities now characterizing them. There are among them great scholars, but the mass is blindly fanatic and bitterly opposed to every study. Perhaps the wrongs suffered by them in Europe render them hostile to everything proceeding from thence. However, since the repeated journeys of the Montefiores, Rothschilds, and Cohens to the Holy Land, and the highly meritorious efforts made by them for her welfare, the terror with which the European costume was regarded is diminishing. The resident Jews begin to comprehend that a Jewish heart, loving God and observing his law, may also beat under a gilet.

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The only relic remaining to us of the glorious temple is the so-called (Western Wall). It is a wall of about fifty arms' length, consisting of massive oblong stones. The first layer, on a level with the space paved at the expense of Sir Moses Montefiore, where every Friday the devout assemble in hundreds in order to perform there the evening service and recite Psalms, consists of hard, imperishable stones, each the length of two arms, and one and a half high. After six or eight layers both the stones as well as their cut change; they are about 2000 years old. The upper stones are small and square, of about half an arm's length, similar to those used in constructing the high wall and strong towers surrounding the city, of which Saladin was the builder.-From the Journal of a lady printed in the "Educatore Israelita."

Christian Art.-Dean of St. Paul's.-Supposing it were possible to concentre in one great museum the whole of these things, where should you prefer to draw the line? Would you draw the line between what I may call the ancient Pagan world and the modern Christian world, and so leave, to what may be called the ancient world, all the ancient sculpture, and any fragments of ancient painting which there might be-all the vases, all the ancient bronzes, and, in short, everything which comes down to a certain period? Do you think that that would be the best division, or should you prefer any division which takes special arts, and keeps those arts together?-I should like the Pagan and Christian division. I think it very essential that wherever the sculpture of a nation was, there its ron work should be-that wherever its iron work was, there its pottery should be, and so on.

And you would keep the medieval works together, in whatever form those medieval works existed?-Yes; I should not at all feel injured by having to take a cab-drive from one century to another century.

Or from the ancient to the modern world?—No.

Mr. Richmond.- If it were found convenient to keep separate the Pagan and the Christian art, with which would you associate the medieval?-By "Christian and Pagan Art" I mean, before Christ, and after Christ.

Then the medieval would come with the paintings?-Yes: and also the Mahomedan, and all the Pagan art which was after Christ, I should associate as part, and a most essential part, because it seems to me that the history of Christianity is complicated perpetually with that which Christianity was effecting. Therefore, it is a matter of date, not of Christianity. Everything before Christ I should be glad to see separated, or you may take any other date that you like.

But the inspiration of the two schools-the Pagan and the Christian-seems so different, that there would be no great violence done to the true theory of a national gallery in dividing those two, would there, if each were made complete in itself? That is to say, taking the spirit of the world after Christianity was in it, and the spirit of the world before Christianity was in it.

Dean of St. Paul's.-The birth of Christ, you say, is the commencement of Christian art?—Yes!

Then Christian influence began, and, of course, that would leave a small debateable ground, particularly among the ivories, for instance, which we must settle according to circumstances?-Wide of any debateable ground; all the art of a nation which had never heard of Christianity, the Hindoo art and so on, would, I suppose, if of the Christian era, go into the Christian gallery.-National Gallery Commission.

The Cozri of Rabbi Yehudah Hallevi.-By Rev. Dr. Adolph Fischel, of New York.—Among the distinguished rabbins, who, by their writings, piety, and religious zeal, have rendered themselves worthy of the respect and affection of all true Israelites, a prominent place may well be claimed for Rabbi Yehudah Hallevi. He was one of the few on whom Providence had bestowed the talents both of a poet and a philosopher. Endowed with a vivid imagination, a warm heart and strong religious sympathies, he poured forth in melodious strains his gratitude to his God, and in soul-stirring elegies lamented the fate of Israel and Jerusalem. On these poetic effusions the highest honour has been conferred by his brethren, who inserted them in their ritual and recite them on fasts and festivals. Distinguished as he was as a poet, he allowed not his imagination to overshadow his reason; for, as his book Cozri shews, he was a profound thinker and devoted to the study of philosophy. This work, written in the year 4900 A.M. (1140 C.E), was translated by Yehudah Ibn Tibbon from the original Arabic into Hebrew, and re-translated into Latin, Spanish, and German.

The book is written in the form of a dialogue, and the author no doubt chose this Socratic mode of argument as being the best and easiest plan for the exposition of his views and the refutation of objections. He chose as the basis of his dialogue an incident which transpired four centuries before his time. It seems that a king of the Chasars (whose dominions extended along the Caspian Sea) had a dream, in which an angel appeared to him and told him that "though his intentions were good, yet his acts were not acceptable to God." When he awoke he sent for a Greek philosopher, a Christian, and a Mahomedan, and asked cach individually to give him a lucid exposition of their religious views. As none of these appeared satisfactory, he sent for a Hebrew and questioned him on various points connected with his religion and people. The Hebrew gave him an outline of the historical facts that form the basis of his belief, the ideas he entertains of a Supreme Being, which were not founded on speculative philosophy but on revelation, emanating from him who is the Creator and Guide of the universe, and who selected Israel from all nations to be his peculiar people, revealing to them the duties of man, the means whereby divine favour may be obtained, and everlasting life in a future world. The king listened attentively, argued each point with him, and finding his arguments conclusive embraced the Jewish faith, and appointed the Hebrew as his teacher. The latter now gives a more systematic analysis of his doctrines, and begins by explaining the biblical expressions regarding the Deity. He then speaks of Palestine as the land of Israel, and of Israel in relation to the world, especially of their duties as true worshippers of God-duties which consist both in inward sentiments and outward observances. This leads him into a disquisition on the oral law and a refutation of the Karaite doctrines. The various names of God, as specified in the Bible, form the next subject of discussion, and also the attributes ascribed to him by Moses and the prophets. He further contrasts the doctrines of the Greek philosophers with those of the Holy Scriptures, and concludes with an exposition of his views on the human soul, free-will, Providence, and other metaphysical subjects.

The Hebrew then informed the king that he intended to depart on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The king dissuaded him, and asked, "What he would do in the land of Canaan, seeing that the Shechina is no longer there? Why expose himself to all the dangers of a journey and a voyage?" But the Hebrew replied, "The Shechina that was seen eye to eye, is indeed no longer there, but the invisible spiritual Shechina is with every Israelite whose actions are correct, whose heart is pure, whose soul is zealous for the religion of the God of Israel. Heart and soul can only be pure and perfect in a place which we know is consecrated to the Lord; and hence the longing for the Holy Land, especially on the part of those who for former transgressions have to implore God's pardon. The dangers I may incur do not restrain me. Nay, far greater dangers might be incurred by him who longs and hopes for reconciliation with his God. This is more praiseworthy than to risk our lives in war to be called heroes and obtain honours." The king replied, "May God protect thee! he is the giver of all good, the God of mercy and reward. May he be gracious to thee, and to all who, like thyself, are devoted to him! Amen, Selah!" This latter part derives additional interest from the facts that Rabbi Yehudah Hallevi himself, animated with a strong desire to see the Holy Land, left Spain and its blue sky to visit the land of his forefathers. It is said that, when before the walls of Jerusalem, he recited his beautiful elegy on Zion, and there fell a victim to a murderous assault of an Arab. Whether this is true or not it is difficult to decide; and it has very appropriately been said of him what the Holy Scriptures say of Moses: "No man knoweth his sepulchre unto this day."

Those who have commented on the "Cozri" have invariably taken a somewhat contracted view of the author's object in writing this work. They speak of his exposition only in relation to his people and to his faith, but forget that the events of the times in which he lived may have furnished this occasion to produce such a work. The crusades which at that time agitated the Christian and Mahomedan world, and thus brought two cognate religious systems into collision, could not be looked on with indifference by the Hebrew. To him it was a collision of two erroneous principles, the vindication of which was left to the force of arms, and the prize of which was to be Jerusalem. How significant do not these words become in the mouth of the religious philosopher: "Great dangers might be incurred by him who longs and hopes for reconciliation with his God. This is more praiseworthy than to risk our lives in war, to be called heroes and obtain honours."-Occident.

Celtic Burial Places.-" Cairns, which are the most undisputed form of Celtic burial-place, were once very numerous in this district; but a great part must have been long since removed. The graves of Norway bear an outward resemblance to the Celtic cairn, but the main cause appears to be that in moun tainous countries stones are more easily procurable than earth. Wherever a doubt, therefore, exists as to the proprietorship of one of these mounds, the only certain means of deciding would be afforded by an examination of the interior. The Norse cairn should enclose a stone chest or wooden chamber, and certainly iron weapons. Of all the cairns described in Hutchinson, not one can with certainty be identified as Norse. There is no mention of iron, a number only contained urns and ashes; and though unburnt bones and corpses have been found, the Norwegians, as has been observed before, burned the body, until at or about the time of their conversion to Christianity.

Tumuli or barrows still remain in great numbers. As far as any records have been kept of those removed, nearly all must be claimed for the Bronze age, and the main part of those yet standing are essentially of a Danish character. Again, in the description of this class of graves, we have no actual mention of iron antiquities. The cairn called Mill Hill appears to have been a Celtic burialplace, whilst Lowdon How was more probably Danish than Norse. Four dif ferent names are found in connexion with sepulchres of this kind; how, raise, barrow, and hill; but the distinction is principally that of age, and the order of the words as here placed indicates the period to which each belongs.

We have few traces of the Iron age, which is to be regarded as exclusively

Norwegian, wherever the body has been burned. On opening Beacon Hill, near Aspatria, an unusually long skeleton was found; but as some of the exhumed antiquities are described as effected by rust, it is possible that the grave was Norse of the latest period. Iron is said to have been found under two cairns, in the excavations at "Stoneraise Camp" in Dalston. Ormstead near Penrith was possibly a Norse burial-place, whilst Thulbarrow in the same neighbourhood (still remaining) is in all probability Danish. But there is no doubt an examination of the numerous tumuli yet scattered over the country would extend and correct our knowledge on this interesting subject.

Runes are not to be found earlier than the Iron age, and in Cumbria they are still of later date. All those yet deciphered have proved to be Anglo-Saxon. On this part of our subject there is very little to be said, save that in doubtful cases every professor of runes imagines a different reading from every other, and where certainty prevails, the inscription invariably runs thus: "One person erected this to another," the name being rarely of the slightest importance. Memorial stones of various kinds still remain in considerable numbers, the most remarkable of which perhaps is Nine Standards in Westmorland. Several villages called Unthank take their name from monuments no longer in existence, the word being in English onthink, and the phrase "to think on" still current in the dialect. Bauta stones are invariably found in connexion with graves.Sullivan's" Cumberland and Westmorland."

Christian Jewish Sects in Russia.-Towards the close of the eighteenth century the so-called Jewish sect produced a great stir in the Russian church. Its origin is ascribed to a Jew named Zacharias, who is described as an astrologer and necromancer, and who came from Poland to Novgorod, about the year 1470. He began to teach secretly that the only divine law was that of Moses; that the Messiah was still to come; and that the worship of images was a sin. He made his first converts among clergymen and their families, who became so zealous in their new persuasion that they desired to receive circumcision. But Zacharias persuaded them not to discover by such an act their real sentiments, and to conform outwardly to the Christian religion. The clergymen strictly followed this prudent advice. The number of proselytes considerably increased, chiefly among the clergy, and some principal families of the town. These sectarians covered their real opinions with such a display of zeal in the rigid observance of the precepts of the church that they acquired a great reputation for sanctity. Two of them, Alexis and Dionysius, were accordingly transferred to Moscow, in 1480, by the grand duke, Ivan Vaalovich, as priests to two of the principal churches of the capital. Alexis advanced high in the favour of that monarch, to whom he had free access, which was a rare distinction. This circumstance gave him great facilities for propagating his opinions, and he made many proselytes; the principal of them were the secretary of the grand duke, Theodor Kuritzin, who was employed on several diplomatic missions, and Zosimus, the archimandarite of the convent of St. Simon, whom the grand duke, on the recommendation of the same Alexis, raised to the dignity of metropolitan of Moscow.

Alexis died in 1489, and it was only after his death that his opinions became known. The grand duke then declared that he remembered some very strange mysterious words of Alexis. It is also said that he confessed that his daughterin-law, Helena, daughter of Stephen the Great, Prince of Wallachia, was seduced to the Jewish sect by a disciple of Alexis. The existence of this sect was discovered by Gennadius, Archbishop of Novgorod, who sent to Moscow several priests accused of having insulted the cross and the images of the saints, of having blasphemed against Christ and the Virgin, and denied the resurrection of the dead. A synod was assembled at Moscow; in 1490, in order to try these heretics. The metropolitan, Zosimus, presided, whose participation in their tenets was not then discovered. The accused denied the charge, but sufficient evidence was brought forward to prove the fact. The bishops wished to punish the heretics severely, but the grand duke opposed them, and declared they should only be anathematized and imprisoned. Theodor Kuritzin and other ad