-tone, look, and manner becoming again those of the agitated supplicant, and she sunk once more at Isabella's feet: "In my wild agony I have forgotten the respect and deference due from a subject to her sovereign; I have poured forth my misery, seemingly as regardless of kindness, as insensible to the wide distance between us. Oh, forgive me, my gracious Sovereign; and in token of thy pardon, grant me but one boon!"

"Nought have I to forgive, my suffering child," replied the queen, powerfully affected, and passing her arm caressingly round her kneeling favorite; "what is rank-sovereignty itself-in hours of sorrow? If I were so tenacious of dignity as thou fearest, I should have shrunk from that awful presence-affliction from a Father's hand-in which his children are all equals, Marie. And as for thy boon be it what it may, I grant it."

:

"Thou sayest so now, my liege; but when the hour to grant it comes, every feeling will revolt against it; even thine, my Sovereign, kind, generous, as thou art. O madam, thou wilt hear a strange tale to-morrow-one so fraught with mystery and marvel, thou wilt refuse to believe; but when the trial of to-morrow is past, then think on what I say now: what thou hearest will be TRUE-true as there is a heaven above us; I swear it! Do not look upon me thus, my Sovereign; I am not mad-oh, would that I were! Dark, meaningless as my words seem now, to-morrow they will be distinct and clear enough. And then-then, if thou hast ever loved me, oh, grant the boon I implore thee now: whatever thou mayest hear, do not condemn me-do not cast me wholly from thee. More than ever shall I need thy protecting care. O my Sovereign-thou hast taught me so to love thee, in pity love me still!"

Strange wayward being," said Isabella, gazing doubtingly on the imploring face upturned to hers; "toward other than thyself such mystery would banish love forever; but I will not doubt thee. Darkly as thou speakest, still I grant the boon. What can I hear of thee, to cast thee from me?"

"Thou wilt hear of deceit, my liege," replied Marie, very slowly, and her eyes fell beneath the queen's gaze; "thou wilt hear of long years of deceit and fraud, and many-many tongues will speak their scorn and condemnation. Then wilt thou grant it—then?"

"Even then," replied Isabella fearlessly; "an thou speakest truth at last, deceit itself I will forgive. But thou art overwrought and anxious, and so layest more stress on some trivial fault than even I

would demand. Go to thy own chamber now, and in prayer and meditation gain strength for to-morrow's trial. Whatever I may hear, so it be not meditated and unrepented guilt (which I know it cannot be), I will forgive, and love thee still. The holy saints bless and keep thee, my fair child!"

And as Marie bent to salute the kind hand extended to her, Isabella drew her toward her, and fondly kissed her cheek. The unexpected caress, or some other secret feeling, subdued the overwrought energy at once; and for the first time since her husband's death, Marie burst into natural tears. But her purpose changed not; though Isabella's gentle and affectionate soothing rendered it tenfold more painful to accomplish.

(TO BE CONTINUED.)

THE INTENTION OF THE MOSAIC LAW.

THE "MORE NEVOCHIM" OF MAIMONIDES,

TRANSLATED FROM THE

BY JAMES TOWNLEY, D.D.

THE general intention of the law is twofold, viz.—the soundness of the body, and of the mind. Soundness of mind,-that the people, according to capacities, may obtain just sentiments of religious matters. On this account some things are declared clearly and openly, but others in parables, because of the incorrect apprehension of the unskillful multitude. Soundness of body,-produced by the disposition and ordering of the food which ministers to its support; and perfected, first, by the prevention of violence, so that no one may do just what he pleases, or desires, or it is possible for him to do, but that every one may regard the public good;-and, secondly, by teaching men the virtues necessary and useful for the government of the commonwealth.

It must be acknowledged, however, that one intention of the law excels the other, for soundness of mind, which embraces matters of belief, is certainly first in dignity, though soundness in body, as referring to the government of the commonwealth and the administration of its affairs, is first in nature and time;-and being necessary first, is therefore, with all its parts, treated the most exactly and minutely in the law; for it is impossible to arrive at the first intention

without having previously secured the second. This is demonstrable, for man is capable of a twofold perfection. The first perfection is of the body;-the second perfection is of the mind.

The first perfection consists in health, and the best bodily dispositions. But this cannot take place unless there be at all times a supply of necessaries, as food, and other things relating to the regimen of the body, as habitations, baths, and similar conveniences. Nor can this be effected by one man alone (for no man's capacity is sufficient for them all); but by the political association of a whole region or city, as it has been said—" Man is, by nature, a political animal."

The second perfection is mental, and comprehends the vigorous exercise of the intellectual powers, and the knowledge of everything possible to be known by man in his most perfect state. This perfection, therefore, includes neither works, nor qualities, nor virtues, but those of science, the result of observation and diligent inquiry. To this last and noblest perfection, it is evident, none can arrive, but through the medium of the first; for no man can attain the knowledge of all that is possible to be known, even when assisted by the instructions of others, and much less by himself, whilst he is daily affected and depressed by grief, and hunger, and thirst, and heat and cold: but when he has gained the former perfection, he may pursue and obtain the latter a perfection in every way the most excellent, and especially so, because it leads to life eternal. The true law, I mean the law of Moses, inculcates this twofold perfection, and even indicates that it is the design of the law to lead men to the attainment of them. Thus it is said, "And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is this day;" where the latter. perfection is placed first because of its dignity and excellence, which is what is intimated by the words, " for our good always," agreeably to the expressions of our wise men, who say, "That it may be well with thee in that world which is altogether good, and always lasting." So, of what is here said, "That it may be for our good always," the sense is, "That thou mayest arrive at that world which is all goodness and all duration," subsisting forever. But when it is said, "That he might preserve us alive, as it is this day," it is to be understood of the first and corporeal subsistence, which is only of temporary duration, and can only be perfected by the association of a whole province or city, as we have already shown.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF RABBI JOSEPH ALBO,

AUTHOR OF THE "SEFER IKARIM."

RABBI JOSEPH ALBO lived from about the year 1360 till, at least, 1444. We have no historical records to inform us which was his birth-place, or where his ashes rest. Not even his father's name is preserved to us, while generally the names of the parents of celebrated men among the Jews are carefully recorded; yet with the name of "Albo" we only meet once besides in the annals of Jewish history. Nor is there any explicit account of the occupations which he followed through life, though it seems highly probable that he dedicated all his time to theological studies. His teacher was Rabbi Chisdai Kreskas ben Abraham, belonging to the numerous and renowned family of the Kreskas, so well known in Spanish-Jewish literature.

The first instance where the name of our author became of historical moment, was in the celebrated meeting at Tortosa, whither he was deputed by the Jewish community of Monreal, in Arragon, to take part, with many other learned Rabbis, in the protracted and obstinate controversy with Geronymo à Santa Fé. This meeting was called by the pope, Peter de Luna, known by the name of Benedict XIII., upon the instigation of his physician, Josua de Lorca, a converted Jew, who pretended that he would prove to the Jews, from their own Talmudical writings, that Messiah had already arrived, and that Christ was that Messiah. At that time the converted Jews were the most dangerous instruments in the hands of the enemies. of their former co-religionists; and they manifested the greatest ardor, both as a justification of their conversion, and a proof of their attachment to the faith they had adopted. Upon the persuasion of this Josua, or as he is commonly called, Hieronymus à Santa Fide, Peter de Luna called an assembly of the most renowned Rabbis of Catalonia, Arragon, Valencia, and other states, to Tortosa, in the year 1413, where those learned men were either to refute the arguments of his physician, or be converted to Christianity.

The Rabbis having been presented to the pope, on the 7th of February, 1413, the monster controversy began on the day following, and was carried on through sixty-eight sessions, in which sixteen themes were under discussion. We will not enter into the details of the discussions, but only notice those sessions which stand in immediate connection with our author.

VOL. IV.-23

In the sixty-fourth session, all the Rabbis, with the exception of Rabbi Ferrer and Rabbi Joseph Albo, presented a declaration, in which they confessed themselves unable to explain, or justify, all the discrepancies of the Talmud.

In the sixty-fifth session, Rabbi Joseph Albo and Rabbi Astruc presented a memorandum in favor of the Talmud.

In the sixty-eighth session, the pope's edict concerning the Jews was read. It is contained in a bull which was issued on May 11, 1415, and the laws which it prescribes bear the marks of the greatest intolerence and the most cruel persecution.*

*The following are the restrictions under which the Jews were put by this edict :1. The Jews are strictly prohibited to hear, read, or teach the Talmud, publicly or secretly; all the copies of the Talmud, besides other writings bearing on the Talmud, are to be delivered up within a month to the respective cathedrals; the Inquisitors have to search their districts at least once in two years, and wherever such a book is found, the possessor is to be punished.

2. The Jews are strictly prohibited to read, or to hear read, any book which contains anything against Christianity.

3. The Jews are not allowed to make crosses, holy vessels, &c., under any pre-
tense whatever; not to bind any books in which the name of Christ, or that
of the Holy Virgin, occurs; any Christian giving such into the hands of a
Jew is excommunicated.

4. A Jew cannot fill the office of judge, not even in matters among themselves.
5. All the Synagogues recently built or repaired are to be closed immediately;
henceforth only one Synagogue is to exist in a town, and this must not be a
magnificent building; where there are two or more Synagogues, only one, and
that the smallest one, is to be opened for use; if it should be found that a
Synagogue occupies the site where formerly a church stood, that Synagogue
is to be closed immediately.

6. No Jew is allowed to be a physician, surgeon, &c., or to hold any public office
in Christian affairs. Jewesses are not allowed to be midwives. The Jews
must not hold any communication with their Christian neighbors; they
may neither sell them any provisions, nor buy any from them; they must
not be together at any meal, or bath; and they are not allowed to learn any
art, or science, or profession, in a Christian school.

7. In every town where there are Jews, they must be compelled to reside within a certain quarter.

8. All Jews and Jewesses are obliged to wear a yellow badge; men on the breast, women on the forehead.

9. A Jew cannot enter into any business, or conclude any contract, with a Christian.

10. All Jews and Jewesses who have been converted to Christianity, and al Christians having Jewish relations, are considered their lawful heirs; all wills and declarations which tend to avoid the property of a Jew coming into the hands of a Christian are void.

11. Where there are a sufficient number of Jews, according to the opinion of the bishop, three sermons shall be preached for them every year; and all Jews from the age of twelve years and upward are to assist at these sermons.