and partly because he could with the greater facility express his philosophical views in the Arabic. The design of this book is to develop the spiritual character of the revelation made through Moses, and to show how its difficulties may be removed, and its seeming contradictions accommodated by the calm illumination of the holy scriptures, without the aid of Rabbinical tradition and fables. In a letter addressed to his son, the author declares that he did not write his work in order to promote his own reputation, his advanced age having taught him to estimate lightly such honor; but rather as a useful recreation, and in order to set at rest various doubts. In publishing it to the world, he was governed by the consideration, that he had a religious duty to perform, growing out of the prevailing ignorance of the Jews, and in the hope that some, at least, might derive instruction from its pages, although many a fool would cast it aside as useless, or, on account of the confusion of his own mind, regard it as unintelligible.

The More Nevochim soon found an honorable distinction in the south of France. In Marseilles, a Spanish Rabbi, named Judah Ben Solomon, undertook a translation of it into Hebrew, but was not very successful, owing somewhat to the incorrectness of his copy. The work was performed much more correctly by another Spanish Jew, Rabbi Samuel Ben Judah Ebn Tibbon, at the

instance of the most respectable Rabbins of Provence. This excellent translator, whose father was already well known for his translations of many Arabic writings, regarded it as his first duty to open a correspondence with the author, and to send him some portions of his version, requesting him, at the same time, to explain obscurities, and correct the errors which had crept into the copies through the carelessness of transcribers. It is hardly necessary to add, that courteous and satisfactory replies were sent without hesitation. Maimonides speaks in very favorable terms of the character of the translation: but it must be regretted that it was only in part subjected to his supervision. An opportunity of examining the entire work would, in all probability, have resulted in a closer approximation to the pure Hebrew idiom, and a removal of those traces of the original language, which at present are but too conspicuous.

While the pupils and friends of Maimonides estimated his work too highly to allow it to remain concealed in a language not generally understood, the bigoted adherents of Rabbinism, who had become acquainted with its character, renewed the cry of heresy that burst out from that very province which procured the translation of his book. The More Nevochim was publicly burned; the author and his adherents, comprehending all who dared to read this or other philosophical works written by Greeks or Arabians, subjected to the

ban; and, for forty years, the Rabbinical world was torn to pieces by internal commotions and logomachies. The gifted author did not live to witness the confusion of which he had been the indirect occasion. He died at Cairo, at the age of seventy-five, generally beloved and lamented, not, however, without expressing his apprehension to his son of the storm of persecution that was arising.

The More Nevochim is in three parts. An account of it in detail may be found in WOLF, Vol. I. pp. 855--859; III. 779--785; and IV. 917, 918. The younger Buxtorf translated the work into Latin, beginning his task at the age of twenty-five years. He is highly commended by his father for his perspicuity in eliciting the meaning of his author. WOLF, in his third volume, speaks of a Latin version prior to that of Buxtorf, and gives a specimen of both.

The remains of Maimonides were interred at Tiberias. Some French Jews, travelling in Palestine, effaced, it is said, the honorable inscription on his tomb, which distinguished him as "the choice one among men," and substituted in its place one of the very opposite character, "the excommunicated and the heretic :" a striking comment on the extravagance of ignorance and fanaticism.

This sketch will be suitably concluded by a short notice of the active and useful manner, in

sation.

which the last years of this remarkable man were employed. It is drawn originally from his letter to Rabbi Samuel, the translator of his work. In reference to a suggestion made by this person of his inclination to visit the author of the More, and to converse with him on the topics of his book, Maimonides, while he expresses the great satisfaction which he would derive from a visit from his friend, frankly acknowledges that his engagements are so unremitted, as to deprive him of the pleasure of much intercourse and converThe duties which his station required him to discharge, were oppressive and injurious to his health. He was compelled to visit the palace daily, and to attend to the medical wants of the royal occupant, and of his children and women. On returning to his residence, so many sick persons were in waiting, for all of whom he was obliged to prescribe, that he had not time enough to take his meals. Religious topics were necessarily confined to the Sabbath, when he was occupied by members of the congregation. It is not to be doubted that on this day he was called on to expound various topics of the Jewish law, and to solve such difficulties as were thought to surpass the ability of ordinary minds.

DAVID KIMCHI.

AMONG the most distinguished defenders of Maimonides, the name of RABBI DAVID KIMCHI, who is known by the abbreviated term RADDAK, is conspicuous. He lived at a period when the difficulties were at the greatest height, the latter part of the twelfth century and beginning of the thirteenth, and died,it is said, in Provence in the year 1240. Several writers speak of him as a native of Narbonne, but Bartolocci asserts, without hesitation, that the country which gave him birth is entirely unknown. He states that the author of the Shalsheleth hakkaballa, that is, chain of tradition, speaks of Kimchi's being in Narbonne in the year of the Christian era, 1192; but this determines nothing respecting the place of his birth. Many of his works, whether in print or manuscript, introduce him as David Kimchi of Spain, (the Sephardi,) in which country the family was long distinguished for supplying rulers of synagogues and rectors of schools, both in Arragon