Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1816-04-10
A Copy-Test,
], WILSON. Jr. c. II. c..
From Late London Papers


iCURIoUS AND UNIQUE JEWISH
MANUSCRIPT.
| The litersti are likely to be highly
interested with an original, ancient
land complete manuscript Of the Pen
,lta:eucb, now in possession of Mr..
Joseph Sums, of Darlington, Dur
lham,
j This original copy is Of leather ;
lit is In two volnmes, about two feet
wide, and measures 100 feet long.
tits supposed of goat skin leather Il
lis meet exeellently dressed, so as to
lhaye an exquisite softness to the
liouch. Each sheet of skin is divided
into pages, five inches and a half
width. The letters very large. and
Inot unly most excellentIy written.
lbut ornamented with number ct
/ fagin or Ccronac, which is a thing
peculiar to the most ancient manu-
scripts. Each sheet Of leather is
stitched very neatly TO the others
with a kind Of substance in appear
lance not unlike cat-gu..
! The antiquity Of this manuscript
tmay be Inferred by its being written
lon leather, circumstance which
lwoald hardly have taken place al
tier the invention Of yeiiur: was
|nade. i was recently procured from
THE continent under the most inter
testing circumstances. Kits believed
Ito be fgem / + 20 1860 years old, and
I;a any case is the oldest copy oft.le
Ilaw estant. There Is reason 10 be,
Iliave it has been above 500 years in
,l,ne family, on the continent. II is
iwell known to what degree the Jews
.lyenerate fhe;r sacred books, and
with what care they preserve them ;
liz viii, therefore, be believed. thai
Iaotliipg hut the most affecting snd
li,npepioas circumstances cnu!d in
.iduce family loving their law, 10
.ipart with Treasure SO preciaas.
iBueing the csllmities which follow
lea the train OF Ronaparte's wars. 9
i.Jewish family, Of opulence, vas re
Idnesd to utter ruia, and compelled
tie emigrate. They came TO Holland
lin their exile. and we're so reduced
las to SIC Obliged to pledge, as the last
1remaining resource, this manuscript
7 ofiheiT law. under the limitation OF
ia lsalerafih time for its redemp
'.tiop. The time expired, the pledge
Twas not redeemed, ard the property
Twas sold in HolIaad by the person
Isho lent his money or it. ibis
Imost valuable and antique perform
: Iauce lis now likely TO be public be-
-insGt.
i u has been preserved with the
7igrestest care, snj rich covered fsin-
Iced with Sac silk and lined. The
|, lroilers, on which the manuscsinl
!, lruns are BEAUTIFUL mahogany or iron
J lwoOd. Ftlas been seen by a numbei
los Hebrew scholars and jews the
nfermer always expressing literap,
f leBthussiasm. and tie latter treating
elit with the most solemn reverence
olit has been collated by q very leara
8 ed man, and lis readiags preferred e
1.-The most ancient topics We have; ST
That this may justly he thought I,
: jbe unique, as we'll as the laost AN
> Icient copy ofthe FIVE books of Alese,
lin existence.
These facts nsturallygise birth tt
tia few reflections. Is not such ma,
n nuseript national object Ought j
-inot tobe purchased for the British
Museum or the Universities Of Ok
: ford or Cambridge I There are ma
! my neblemen and litersti, who woul,
mot scraple the most generous prize,
J ard Tor generous price only It's pre-
} IseM possessor ought to be induced Il
4 lpart With it. / he writer OF this ar
d Itieie having seen il. thinks that HI
: may hazard an opinion, that its ieas
: Isa'ne mastbe 1900 guiaeas. Sure
" such rational oi.jtct ought to b,
lEn any private hands whatever bn
Ieither the universities. or some O
her pui'lic body, should purchas,
md Place il. whrre under regular
upsiiatendance. il may OCCASIONAL,
d pen TO the learned, ard TO thos.
e &ho ere curious for the accusat,