MERCY.

That mercy I to others show,
That mercy show to me,

is illustrated in the following apologue from the Talmud. Rabbi, surnamed the Holy, was once going through the street, as a calf was being led to slaughter. The poor animal moaned piteously, and crouched under the garment of the sage; he, however, drove it off and said, “Away! away! you were created for that purpose." A voice was then heard from Heaven, saying, "Thou hast no pity for my creatures, thyself also deservest no pity." And thenceforward, from that day, the body of the sage was covered with wounds. Another day, his servant was cleaning the house; in the corner of a room she saw some young weasels, and was about to drive them away. "Poor creatures," said the rabbi, "let them remain." A voice was heard from Heaven, saying, “Thou hast pity for my creatures, thyself also deservest pity." And thenceforward, from that day, the holy man was restored to perfect health. -Talmud, Baba Mezia, p. 85A.

CONTENTS OF THE MISHNA.

The six books of the Mishna are subdivided into sixtythree treatises in the following manner :

Book I.-This book, called ORDER OF SEEDS, * 770, contains the following treatises :

1. Blessings.-. together with prayers and thanksgivings, with the times and places in which they were to be used.

2. A Corner of the Field.- ND (Lev. xxiii. 22; Deut. xxiv. 19) treats of the corners of the field to be left for the poor to glean them-the forgotten sheaves, olives, and grapes-and of giving alms, etc.

3. Doubtful.-D treats of the doubt about the tithes being paid, as the Jews were not allowed to eat anything without its being first tithed.

4. Diversities.-DNS (Lev. xix. 19; Deut. xxii. 9-11) treats of the unlawful mixing or joining together things of a different nature or kind-of sowing seeds of a different species in one bed-grafting a scion on a stock of a different kind, suffering cattle of different kinds to come together.

5. The Sabbatical Year.-nya (Exodus xxiii. 11; Lev. xxv. 4) treats of the laws which regulated the land as it lay fallow and rested on the sabbatical year.

6. Heave Offerings.—

(Num. xviii. 8) treats of separating the heave offering-who may eat it, and who may not eat it—of its pollutions, etc.

7. The First Tithes.—¡

yn (Lev. xxvii. 30; Num. xviii. 28) treats of the law of tithes for the Levites.

8. The Second Tithes.-wy (Deut. xiv. 22; xxvi. 14) treats of those things which were to be carried to Jerusalem and there eaten, or to be redeemed, and the money spent in Jerusalem in peace offerings, also of the tithes which the Levites had to pay to the priests.

9. Cake of Dough.-лn (Num. xv. 20) treats of setting apart a cake of dough for the priests; also from what kind of dough the cake must be separated.

10. Uncircumcised Fruit.-ny (Lev. xix. 23) treats of the unlawfulness of eating the fruit of any tree till the fifth year. The first three years it is considered as impure and uncircumcised; the fourth year it is holy to the Lord; the fifth year it may be eaten.

II. First Fruits.

(Exod. xxiii. 19; Deut. xxvi.

6) treats of what fruits are to be offered in the Temple, and

in what manner; also the baskets in which they were to be carried.

Book II.-THE ORDER OF THE FESTIVALS TD 770. 1. Sabbath. na treats of the laws relating to the seventh day; its privileges and its sacredness.

2. Mixtures or Combinations.— treats of the extension of boundaries, whereby all the inhabitants of the Court, or entry, where the mixture is made, are counted as one family inhabiting one domicile, and are thereby allowed to carry victuals from one house to another. It also treats of the mixtures for a Sabbath-day's journey, whereby the distance may be extended for an additional 2,000 cubits.

3. Passover. - D'NDD treats of all rites and ceremonies relating to the Paschal lamb and celebration of the Pass

over.

4. Shekels.—p (Exod. xxx. 13) treats of the halfshekel, which every Jew, rich or poor, was obliged to pay every year to the daily sacrifice.

5. Day of Atonement.-D treats of the solemnities peculiar to it.

6. Tabernacles.-D teaches how they are to be built and how used.

7. The Egg laid on a Festival.-1D D or ' treats of the works which may or may not be done on any of the festivals, which are called days of holy convocation, on which no servile work may be done.

8. New Year.

treats of the laws and solemnities of the Feast of the New Year, as also of the Feasts of the New Moon.

9. Fasts.-nyn treats of the various fasts throughout the year, and the manner they should be observed.

10. The Roll- treats of the Feast of Purim, and gives instructions how and in what manner the Book of Esther and other lessons are to be read.

II. Minor Feasts.py treats of the works that may and that may not be lawfully done on the second, third,

fourth, fifth, and sixth days, when the first and seventh are holy; these intermediate days being lesser festivals.

12. Sacrifices on Festivals. - treats of the great festivals, when all the males were obliged to appear before the Lord, and of the sacrifices which they were to bring (Exod. xxiii. 17). It also lays down rules for the dissolution of vows.-JOSEPH BARCLAY. The Talmud. 1878. KITTO, etc.

(See further on for continuation of "Contents of the Mishna.")

CRABBE'S TIRADE.

Jews are with us, but far unlike to those,
Who, led by David, warr'd with Israel's foes;
Unlike to those whom his imperial son
Taught truths divine-the Preacher Solomon ;
Nor war nor wisdom yield our Jews delight;
They will not study, and they dare not fight.

These are, with us, a slavish, knavish crew,
Shame and dishonour to the name of Jew;
The poorest masters of the meanest arts,

With cunning heads, and cold and cautious hearts;
They grope their dirty way to petty gains,
While poorly paid for their nefarious pains.

Amazing race! deprived of land and laws,
A general language, and a public cause ;
With a religion none can now obey,

With a reproach that none can take away :
A people still, whose common ties are gone,
Who mixed with every race, are lost in none.

A part there are, whom doubtless man might trust,
Worthy as wealthy, pure, religious, just;

They who with patience, yet with rapture, look
On the strong promise of the Sacred Book;
As unfulfilled th' endearing words they view,
And blind to truth, yet own their prophets true;
Well pleased they look for Sion's coming state
Nor think of Julian's boast and Julian's fate.

(It being the intention of the compiler to give the various opinions of writers on the subject, he inserts the calumnious lines above quoted from The Borough, by the Rev. GEORGE CRABBE. 1810.)

THE BOAST OF JULIAN.

His boast was, that he would rebuild the Temple of Jerusalem, his fate (whatever becomes of the miraculous part of the story), that he died before the foundations were laid.-CRABBE.

An edict was issued by Julian for the rebuilding of the Temple on Mount Moriah, and the restoration of the Jewish worship in its original splendour. The whole Jewish world was in commotion; they crowded from the most distant quarters to be present and assist in the great national work. Their wealth was poured forth in lavish profusion. Men cheerfully surrendered the hard won treasures of their avarice; women offered up the ornaments of their vanity. Already was the work commenced, already had they dug down to a considerable depth, and were preparing to lay the foundation, when suddenly flames of fire came bursting from the centre of the hills, accompanied with terrific explosions. The affrighted workmen fled on all sides, and the labours were suspended at once by this unforeseen and awful sign. The discomfiture of the Jews was completed; and the resumption of their labours, could they have reco