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tradition that they arrived in India soon after the Babylonian captivity. There are in that province two classes of Jews, the white and the black Jews. The black Jews are those who are supposed to have arrived at that early period. The white Jews emigrated from Europe in later ages. What seems to countenance the tradition of the black Jews is, that they have copies of those books of the Old Testament which were written previously to the captivity, but none of those whose dates are subsequent to that event.

Some years ago the President of Yale College, in America, an eminent archaiologist, addressed a letter to Sir William Jones, on the subject of these manuscripts, proposing that an inquiry should be instituted. by the Asiatic Society; but Sir William died before the letter arrived. His object was to obtain the whole of the fifth chapter of Genesis, and a collation of certain other passages in the Old Testament; and also to ascertain whether the MSS. at Cochin were written in the present Hebrew character, or in another OrientalPalæography.*

* [The particular design of the late President STILES, in soliciting this inquiry, was to ascertain, whether the copy of the Pentateuch, belonging to the Jews at Cochin (supposing them to possess a Hebrew copy of remote derivation,) accords with the Hebrew, the Septuagint, or the Samaritan. The difference between these copies of the Old Testament, in the chronology of the patriarchal ages, is known to be great; and he was very desirous to determine, if possible, which is correct. Although Sir William Jones died before the President's Letter reached India, a member of the Asiatic Society acknowledged the receipt of it, informing, that it was read at the first meeting of the Society after its reception; and that it would be answered by Sir John Shore, the President of the Society, as soon as he should receive replies to the inquiries which he had directed to be made at Cochin and Cranganore, respecting the points which "the laudable zeal" of the writer" wished to have ascertained."+-The long wished for inquiry has at length been made by the respectable Author of this MEMOIR, under the auspices of the Marquis Wellesley; and it appears, that the black Jews colonized on the coast of India long before the Christian æra; that the very imperfect resemblance of their countenance to the Jews of Europe, indicates that they have been detached from the parent stock in Judea, many ages before the race of the Jews in the West; and that they are descendants from those ancient dispersions recorded in the Sacred History; that corroborative of this is the fact, that certain of these tribes do not call themselves Jews, but Beni-Israel, or Israelites; that in the record chests of the synagogues of the Black Jews of Cochin have been discovered old copies See Life of President Stiles.

In the year 1748. Mr. Romaine, the learned editor of Calasio's Hebrew Dictionary, was meditating a voyage to India, for the sole purpose of consulting these manuscripts.

The latest information respecting them is contained in a letter lately received from a learned missionary in the south of the peninsula, who had resided for some time in the vicinity of Cochin. He states, that he "had constantly been informed that the Jews at Cochin had those books only of the Old Testament which were written before the Babylonian captivity; and that thence it is generally believed by the Christians of the Deccan, that they had come to India soon after that event. He adds, that the MSS. were on a material resembling paper, in the form of a roil, and that the character had a strong resemblance to Hebrew, if not Hebrew."

By the inspection of these MSS. some light might be thrown on the controversy respecting (1.) the Hebrew and Samaritan letters; (2.) the antiquity of the vowel points; (3.) the Scripture chronology; and (4.) the correctness of the European copies of the Old Testament. Dr. Kennicott complains of a practice among

of the Law, some of which are complete, and for the most part legible; that at the remote synagogues of the same description of Jews, situated at Tritooa, Paroor, Chenotta, and Maleh, have been found many old writings, among which are some of great length in Rabbinical Hebrew, but in so ancient and uncommon a character, as to require much time and labor to ascertain their contents; that they have, in most places, the book of the Law, the book of Job, and the Psalms, but know little of the Prophets; that some of them have even lost the book of the Law, and only know that they are Israelites from tradition, and from their observance of peculiar rites; and that in a coffer of a synagogue of the Black Jews, in the interior of Malayala, there has been found an old copy of the Law, written on a roll of leather, about 50 feet long, composed of skins sewed together, so worn out, in some places, as to be patched with pieces of parchment. Dr. Buchanan brought from India a collection of Oriental Manuscripts, chiefly Biblical, written in the Hebrew, Syriac, and Ethiopic langua ges; and presented them to the University of Cambridge in England. The Hebrew manuscripts were obtained from the Black Jews; and among them, it is presumed, is the old copy of the Law above described; for the person employed in arranging and collating the Oriental Manuscripts for the Library, to which they are presented, observes: "A copy of the Hebrew Pentateuch, written on goat skins, and found in one of their synagogues, is in the Buchanan collection.". Amer. Edit.]

the Western Jews of altering many copies to a conformity with some particular manuscript. He also accuses them of wilful corruption; as in expunging the word "COL" in Deut. xxvii. 26. Bishop Louth sus pects them of leaving out words in certain places, to invalidate the argument of the Christians; as for example, "BEMOT" Isaiah liii. 8.; where the Septuagint reads "ε15 Davatov." But Jews in the East, remote from the learned controversy of Christians, would have no motive for such corruptions.

It is in contemplation of the Author of this Memoir to visit Cochin, previously to his return from India, for the express purpose of investigating these ancient Jewish records; and also of examining the books of the Nestorian Christians, who are said to possess some MSS. in the Chaldaic character, of a high antiquity.*

* [Dr. Buchanan fulfilled his intention. In 1806, he travelled from Calcutta to Cape Comorin by land; and proceeded from the sea coast into the interior of the country, north east from Quilon. In this sequestered region of Hindostan he found churches, where, the inhabi tants informed him, no European had, to their knowledge, visited be fore. It appears, that the number of Syrian churches is greater than had been supposed; that there are, at this time, 55 churches in Malayala, acknowleding the Patriarch of Antioch, and estimated to contain 23,000 people; that their doctrines are not at variance in essentials with the church of England; that their bishops, and the me tropolitan, after conferring with his clergy on the subject, delivered the following opinion: "That an union with the English church, or at least such a connexion as should appear to both churches practicable and expedient, would be an happy event, and favorable to the advancement of religion;" that it is in contemplation to send to England some of the Syrian youth, for education and ordination; that the old Syrians have continued, till lately, to receive their bishops from Antioch, but that ancient Patriarchate being now nearly extinct, and incompetent to the appointment of learned men," the Christian church in Malayala looks henceforth to Britain for the continuance of that light which has shone so long in this dark region of the world;" that Dr. Buchanan was about to commence the Malayalam translation of the Scriptures, and that there are 200,000 Christianst in Malayalam, who are ready to receive it; that there are various ancient SyrioChaldaic manuscripts in Malayala; that a volume has been found in a remote church of the mountains, containing the Old and New Tes taments, engrossed on strong vellum in large folio, having three col umns in the page, written with beautiful accuracy, in the Estrangelo

In this estimate are included with the old Syrian (commonly called St. Thome, or Jacobite) Christians, the Syrian Roman Catholics, and the Latin Roman Catholics. In some American editions of the Star in the East, it is incorrectly printed 20,000.

L..

Shanscrit Testimonies of Christ.

The learned Wilford, who has resided for many years at Benares, the fountain of Shanscrit literature, and has devoted himself entirely to researches into Hindoo mythology and Oriental history, has just finished a work which will be received with much satisfaction by the public. It is a record of the testimonies contained in the Shanscrit writings of the truth of the Christian religion.

This work, which is yet in manuscript, is now in circulation (January, 1805) with the members of the Asiatic Society, previously to its publication in the Asiatic Researches. It is entitled, "Salivahana; the Son of the Jacshaca, or Carpenter; or introduction of the Christian Religion into India; its Progress and Decline."

From these evidences it appears, that the prophecies of the Old Testament were recorded in the Shanscrit Puranas of India, as in the Sybilline books of Rome; that the rumour of the universal dominion of the Messiah had alarmed the emperors of the East as well as the emperors of Rome; and that holy men journeyed from the East, directed by a miraculous star, to see the heavenly child. It further appears, that many of the Shanscrit writings to which had been attributed a vast antiquity, were not only composed after the Christian æra, but contain particulars of the advent, birth, life, miracles, death, resurrection, and ascension of our Saviour.

To establish fully the authenticity of these important records, and to invite investigation, Captain Wilford Syriac (the character in which the oldest Syrian manuscripts are written,) and illuminated; that the Syrian church assigns to this manuscript a high antiquity; and that it has been handed down to the present time under eircumstances so peculiarly favorable to accurate preservation, as may justly entitle it to respect, in the collation of doubtful readings in the sacred text. This volume was presented to Dr. Buchanan by Mar Dionysius, the archbishop of the Indian church, and is now deposited among the Oriental Manuscripts in the public library of the university of Cambridge. Amer Edit.]

has deposited his authorities and vouchers in the library of the College of Fort-William, and among the archives of the Asiatic Society.

At the conclusion of the work the learned author thus expresses himself; "I have written this account of the Christian religion with the impartiality of an historian; fully persuaded that our holy religion cannot possibly receive any additional lustre from it."

M.

Chinese Version of the Scriptures; and Chinese Literature.

1. THE projected translation of the Scriptures into the Chinese language in England, which, we understand, has already obtained the most respectable patronage, is considered here as an undertaking, which will be attended with extreme difficulty, if it be not found altogether impracticable. Before any commencement be made, the subject ought certainly to be maturely considered, both in regard to the expense and the execution. The estimate is stated to be thirty thousand pounds sterling, and doubtless the expense of executing the work in the proposed form, by types, (or even by copperplate, which would be the cheapest and perhaps the only practicable mode in England,) is not over-rated at

that sum.

2. But who is to translate the work? Dr. Montucci's Dictionary, now in the press, must indeed be a valuable performance, (judging from the genuineness of the materials and the erudition of the compiler,) and it will be of considerable use to any translator whether in China or in England. But will the united labours of Dr. Montucci and Dr. Hager ever produce a chapter of the Bible which will be intelligible to a native of China? Without the aid of learned natives of the country to write their own language, or to hear it read by the translators, no work of this kind can be prosecuted with any confidence of its utility. This has been sufficiently proved to us in the versions in other Oriental languages (much more simple than the Chinese) which have

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