doubly precious and valuable. There is, for instance, as an appendage to the first chapter, a long dissertation on the real meaning of the phrase, "The Angel of the Lord," and its distinction from the other phrase, "The Angel of God." And again, in the observations on xiii. 7-9, there is a full discussion of the important Messianic passage, "Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts," and a vindication of its import, as implying an equality, "in the man that is my fellow," with God. If any one wishes to see the value of these observations, (whether he agree with Mr. M'Caul or not, in the application of the passage,) let him compare it with the hasty and incompetent manner in which this passage is disposed of in Dr. Pye Smith's Scripture Testimony to the Messiah, vol. i. p. 330. The following extracts from Mr. M'Caul's introduction will be of considerable interest to those who occupy themselves with these important subjects: "Rabbi David Kimchi, commonly called by the Jews from the three initial letters P RaDaK, was probably born at Narbonne, where his father lived. Reland considers it doubtful, because, in his printed and manuscript works, he calls himself, 'David, the son of Joseph, the son of Kimchi the Spaniard,' whereas Narbonne is in France. But the vicinity to Spain, and the fact that his family was Spanish, and that he himself was altogether identified with the Spanish school of Hebrew learning, would fully warrant this title. But, however that be, it is certain that his life and labours present an interesting incident in the literary history of an eventful period. He flourished about the time of the third Crusade, A.D., 1190, and lived through the first quarter of the thirteenth century. Whilst the laity of Christendom were engaged in the attempt to recover the Holy City, and the divines in perfecting and systematising the Christian oral law, or Popish Rabbinism, Kimchi, and other distinguished rabbies of the day, were zealously and laboriously employed in the grammatical study of the Old Testament, and in the improvement of biblical interpretation. "Soon after the triumphs of Mahometanism, and the culture of Arabic, the series of professed Jewish grammarians commenced. About the beginning of the tenth century, Saadiah Gaon distinguished himself as a grammarian, translator, and commentator, from whom the succeeding commentators often make useful citations. In the latter half of the eleventh century, R. Solomon, commonly called Rashi, furnished a commentary to the whole Bible, which, though full of Talmudisms, manifests diligence, acuteness, a thorough acquaintance with the language of scripture, and a desire to rise above Talmudic interpretation. He was succeeded in the next century by Aben Ezra, who far surpassed him in power and freedom of judgment. And a little later came David Kimchi, who, diligently using the labours of his predecessors, and possessing no ordinary resources of his own, has, besides a grammar and lexicon, left a commentary on most of the books of scripture, which, though written six hundred years ago, will bear a comparison with any that has appeared even in the nineteenth century. "To the reader of the English Bible, Kimchi is also of value, as he will find the translations generally confirmed, and see how very little that rabbi would have altered. Indeed, a comparison with the rabbies would shew that our translators were deeply read in, and diligent in consulting, the best Jewish authorities, and would go far towards proving that we have great reason to be satisfied with, and thankful for, our English translation. To the student of divinity, Kimchi and his cotemporaries are of great importance, inasmuch as they may be regarded as the founders of a new school in Jewish theology. The violent persecutions of the crusaders, the jealousy excited by the Christian attempt upon the Holy Land, and the influence of the doc trine of the Mahometans, amongst whom they lived, produced a sensible change in Jewish opinions and interpretations, which is plainly marked in Kimchi, and other writers of the day, and without a knowledge of which, the phænomena of modern Judaism cannot be fully understood. Rashi, Aben Ezra, and Kimchi, endeavoured to get rid of the Christian interpretations, and Maimonides to root out the Christian doctrines which had descended from the ancient Jewish church. The writings of the commentators passed without notice, but Maimonides' attack on Jewish doctrines drew down the sentence of excommunication, and led to a serious feud, in which Kimchi appeared as the friend of Maimonides, and endeavoured to make peace. In the course of time, however, the opinions of all gained ground, and have now an almost universal influence on Jewish habits of thought, which makes a knowledge of their writings desirable." It is earnestly hoped that this volume will receive sufficient support to encourage its author to proceed in his learned and useful career. THE Fifth Part of that very interesting publication, Finden's Views of the Ports, has appeared, and each plate gives us a different northern harbour. To those who are going down by steam to the north, this book will be a delightful companion. The First and Second Parts of the London Churches have appeared. It was a bold thing in so small a publication to venture on St. Paul's; but there is great cleverness in the way in which many details of that magnificent church have been given. The next Number is to go to St. Bartholomew's, Smithfield, really the most interesting church in London to the student of architecture. The letter-press is very good and useful. The Ven. Archdeacon Pott-venerable alike by character, station, and age has just published "A Letter to the Clergy of the Archdeaconry of London, on the Present State of the Church," written in the best and most conciliatory Christian temper. The Rev. Henry Cary has published an excellent Sermon on the Apostolical Succession, which ought to have been noticed long ago. Mr. Cator has just published a letter and two sermons, as well as a larger pamphlet. The letter and the pamphlet have for their object chiefly to recommend certain alterations in our ritual, and to bring men to unite in giving efficiency to that ritual, when all that Mr. Cator thinks objectionable is removed. The sermons are entitled "The work of an Evangelist," and "The Influence of the Visible Church on the World." With regard to his alterations of the ritual, Mr. Cator certainly does not carry the reviewer with him. MISCELLANEA. BURIAL OF PAUPERS. To the Editor of the Cambridge Chronicle. SIR,-As I am aware that your paper is extensively circulated throughout the kingdom, I am emboldened to request you to insert in it the following circumstance, which has recently occurred : : The guardians of the St. Ives' poor law union, and which union comprises twenty-five parishes, have come to the decision of not paying the fee for the VOL. XI.-March, 1837. 2 s interment of the paupers dying within their district! I shall make no other comment than merely to state I have, for nearly thirty-five years, received the fee for the burial, &c.; and I have it from good authority, that my predecessors were accustomed to have the same fee of one shilling paid to them. I shall conclude this letter with an extract from Dugdale's Monasticon :-" It was found by inquisition in the 36th of Henry III, that the parish church of St. Ives is dedicated to the honour of All Saints, and is a vicarage with the annexed chapelries of Woodhurst and Oldhurst, in the county of Huntingdon, of the presentation of the Abbott of Ramsey, and that the vicar receives all small tithes, oblations, mortuaries, plough alms, offerings, rights of wills, rates, and other customs." I remain, Sir, your obedient servant, CUTHBERT JOHNSON BAINES, A.M., Oxon, Vicar of St. Ives, with the Chapelries of Oldhurst and Woodhurst, by endowment annexed. P. S. I subjoin an extract from the opinion of an eminent K. C., for the information of the clergy of the established church of England : "The churchwardens and overseers have no authority to direct a burial to take place without the permission of the vicar; but the vicar, if he refuses to bury without lawful cause, is liable to an information. No burial fees are due at the common law, but they may be payable under a reasonable custom, and, if substantiated, the fees may be recovered, under the statute of 7th and 8th Wm. III." Query-Is not five hundred and eighty-five years a reasonable custom ? THE HAPPY EFFECTS OF READING THE NEW SCRIPTURE LESSONS IN THE NATIONAL SCHOOLS OF IRELAND. THE MEMORIAL OF THADY BRADY, TO THE COMMISSIONERS OF EDUCATION, HUMBLY SHEWETH,-That I am, as you know, Thady Brady, who was appointed master of the National School of Killmegranny, county Clare, having been recommended by the Rev. Eustathius Finnerty, P.P. And as the protestant minister, Mr. Pleaseall, joined in the application for building the school, and induced a few of the protestant children, whose parents live among us, to come to it—I take equal pains to instruct them. It is on the subject of the scripture lessons that I now make bold to address your honourable board; for being, as you truly say, not well qualified as a "teacher of religion," I am fairly at a nonplus with these lessons, and would be infinitely beholding to you, if, by return of post, you will let me know who is Boothroyd, for I asked the minister, and he told me that he was a country gentleman, a sort of a quaker, that died in England last year; and, as I thought that it was very queer to have him set up to teach the meaning of the Bible, that never was baptized, I asked the priest, and he told me he was an Egyptian monk; so I refer it to your honours for information. And would also be thankful for a clear notion of who Bishop Horsley was, and Kennicott, and Griesbach,|| as we never heard of them before in these remote parts: and some say they were protestants, and others say they were old saints, only not called so, like Origen, of whom we are not sure whether he was a real saint or a heretic, though you mention his opinion about the Paternoster.§ And please to tell me also how many Manuscripts ¶ there are, and who wrote Preface to Old Testament, No. 1. + New Test. No. 1, p. 136. New Test. No. 2, p. 52. § New Test. No. 1, p. 60. constantly, "Six MSS. read so and so;" We find in the Scripture Lessons, "Eight MSS. have such or such a reading." them, and all about them. As you set me to teach these things, sure you are bound to instruct me, for, as you say, I am not qualified. But if the truth was known, no more is the priest or the minister; for I asked them both, how many Manuscripts there were in all, and they looked cross, and one said, What's that to you?' and the other said, 'Mind your own business:' so, 'Boys,' says I, 'a large proportion of Manuscripts reads so and so.'* "Your memorialist also prays that your honours will tell him a safe meaning to give of 'justification,' which you bid me explain,'t but which is getting me into scrapes and scoldings on all sides. I do not ask for the true meaning, for I know that, but a meaning that wont give any peculiar religious instruction,' for that's what they blamed me for doing in the school hours, when I gave my own explanation of the word. That you may understand my case, I will lay it before you in detail, and relate my grievances in handling these lessons. right,' says I. 'But which is to go up?' says they. "I was teaching, one day last month, the first lesson in the New Testament, and after the boys had read it and closed their books, I began to ask the questions printed at the end of it; and in due course, says I, How did the angel address her?' (meaning the Blessed Virgin.) 'Hail Mary full of grace,' answers Tim Flanagan. As one peculiarly blessed of God,' says Jack Smith, the water-guard's son, amn't I right, and may I go up? You are both Jack Smith is more exact,' says I, and accordingly he took Flanagan's place, Well, the school was not broke up an hour, when Mrs. Flanagan,—she's a carmelite-came to ask me if I had put down her grandson for saying 'The Angelical Salutation.' 'Ma'am,' says I, I adhered to the strict letter of the scripture lessons.' 'Sir,' says she, 'I'll complain of you to the bishop for punishing my boy for confessing the true faith. And you are a renegade and an apostate from your religion for doing what you have done.' The next week I was teaching, with much fear over me on account of Mrs. Flanagan, when in came the minister, and with him an Evangelical gentleman that opposed the school, whom he thought to win over by shewing him how well the children were taught to read the scriptures. As ill luck would have it, I was hearing the boys the lesson in which you have marked the word 'repent,'|| to be explained.' So taking your note at page 14 to help me, I said, says I, 'Repent means do penance, and that means a great deal; for example, it means peas in the shoes, and a pilgrimage to Lough Dearg, and saying seven hundred aves and a hundred paternosters, fasting.' I saw the minister wriggling as I went on explaining repent;' and the Evangelical gentleman grinned. And when school was over, the minister in a high rage set upon me, and rated at me for teaching Popery, as he called it, in school hours. Sir,' says I, 'the Board put down the word "to be explained," and I believe in no other meaning.' 'I won't leave my children here,' says he, to be corrupted by you, and I'll report you to the board for giving peculiar instruction before the proper hour for it is come.' 'Sir,' says I, it is not peculiar instruction; I am bound to give an explanation, for the Board has marked it for me to explain, and I will do my duty.' May it please your Honourable Board, I have found it a hard and vexatious thing to do that same. After Mrs. Flanagan blew me up, I made a rule that in reading the lessons the children should not take each others places when they missed. But it was not long till, as I was hearing them read the 19th lesson, I asked them, as you directed me,¶ 'How must we be justified?' By my good works,' says Jem Flynn. By faith,' says Bob Jones, amn't I right?' By faith and works,' says Darby Morris, 'amn't I right?' By faith without works, amn't I right,' says Miles Johnson. 'O! you're all right,' says I, 'more or less: but no taking of places, as I *New Test. No. 1, p. 150. New Test. No. 1, p. 5. + New Test. No. 1, p. 130. Old Test. No. 1, 41. ¶ New Test. No. 1, p. 98. commanded you already. The boys looked at each other, as if they would determine, by a fight after school, which was right, since I would not decide it for them. And I thought to myself, anyhow, it is mighty little knowledge they'll get out of the Lessons, if I mustn't help them and put them right. However, as that was one of the days set apart for separate religious instruction, when the school was dismissed the Protestants went home by themselves, and the Catholics remained to say their catechism, which prevented a fight on that day; and I took the opportunity of telling them that 'justification means sanctification,' and so we are justified by our good works. But five days after, when they came to the twenty-fourth lesson, I asked them what does the word " Paradise" mean?'* Limbo,' says Phil Scratch. Heaven,' says Tom Whack. What was I to do now? The boys looked angry, and were waiting for me to decide who was right, when in came Father Finnerty, and, without more ado, Phil appealed to him. 'You're right,' says his rever. ence. Tom's eyes flashed fire, and he muttered something between his teeth, that came out afterwards when the school was breaking up. For he set upon Phil as he went out of the door, and said, 'You unmannerly cur, do you mean that our Saviour went to Purgatory?' 'I do,' says he. There's no such place in the Bible,' says Tom. There is, you bloody Protestant,' says Phil. You lie,' says the angry fellow, 'Paradise is Heaven,' 'It is Limbo,' says Phil, and gave him a punch in the ribs. Heaven,' says Tom, and hit him a blow in the eye. A ring was now formed by four or five Protestants and about fifty Catholics, and the shouts were loud on both sides, one bawling for Limbo and the other for Heaven. And I saw the Evangelical gentleman riding by, and he shook his head as much as to say our system of united instruction was making fine harmony in the country. He complained of it, however, to the minister, and so he came up along with him next day, and taxed me with setting the boys fighting. Sir,' says I, I only asked the question which the Board bid me ask. And I gave no explanation of my own. You were angry with me the other day, for explaining a word; and now you're angry because I can't keep the boys from controversy, and all the controversy was brought in by the Board.' 'But look at the lesson of love and charity that's hanging upon the wall,' says he, why did you not enforce it?' Is it with a rattan?' says I; am I to flog them to make them love one another; and as to the lesson of charity that is hung up, it's a different lesson they hear at home; and one can't expect all at once that they will give up the old plan, and be persuaded that it is not right to punish a heretic for reviling the true faith.' 'I will not have these scripture lessons read any more in the school,' says he, they only drag the children into controversy by the notes and questions they contain.' 'The Board earnestly recommend the use of them, Sir,' says I. And if you do not use the lessons,' says the Evangelical gentleman, you won't have any scriptures read in the school.' 'I will take away my children,' says the minister, and send them to the Bible school in the next parish.' This is the state of the case. And I humbly pray your Honourable Board to tell me how I am to explain 'justification' and 'Abraham's bosom,' without giving particular religious instruction, and without teaching them what I believe myself to be their true meaning. And In duty bound, both night and day, Thady Brady will ever pray." November 1, 1836. New Test No. 1, p. 133. + Ibid. p. 139. |