The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-02-07

tion to the one on Mount LlOn-received, ~
is said, through q Levitical priest, sent to
them from Babylon, copy of the Pentateuch
written in the old Hebrew character. This
manner of writing they ever preserved. II
appears now on coins, medals, some minor
writings. and in the Samaritan Pentateuoh in
Walton's celebrated Polyglot. The latter,
however. is not considered pure. There are
also in the British Museum several volumes
of Samaritan, that include the Pentateuch
and some liturgies and ceremonials. OF
their age we cannot speak; but they are all in
the ancient character, which, Havernick says,
is identical with the old Hebrew"
Owing to the sxolusiveness of the Samari
tans. and the jealous spirit with which they
have always secluded their writings, until
within the last twenty years, it has been
difficult matter to obtain any of their manu-
scripts. Within the period referred to, how
ever, change has come over the spirit of
the Samaritans; and the volumes, now in the
British Museum, have been obtained. Ger
many, likewise, has procured some manu-
scripts through Professor Petterman, of Ber-
lin. Among them is Pentateuch. But, q
few years since, discovery of great impor-
tance was made. DIR. Basilius Levi
shon, distinguished member of the
Russian establishment in Jerusalem, 'got
hold" we are informed, ''of large-sized
yellum Samaritan Pentateuch, defective in a
few leaves at the beginning and end, and
which he believes to have been written during
the days of the first Temple, which was des-
troyed b. @. $685." The London Attengu11
gave the following as the reasons which in
duced DR.. Levison to assign SO remote date
to this valuable codex-
l, "The extreme reserve with which the
priestly family in NabloEs have guarded it
from the knowledge even of their own sect,
and the assertion of the priest from whom it
was obtained.
2. 'aThe fact of its not being divided into
chapters or sections of any kind, except as
books such as Genesis, Exodus, etc.
3. 'The names of several priests found in
marginal scraps about the volume, recording
occurrences connected with its preservation
the names coinciding with the priestly
genealogy in his possession.
4. 1.-THE express statement, in marginal
observation, that the volume had escaped q
peril of fire during the time of zerubbabel, B.
| G. $780,"
DR.. Lewiston, who, though member OF
| the Russo-G Greek Church. is of Hebrew origin,
| and familiar with the Samaritan, as well at
with the Masoretic Hebrew, aided by learned
| assistant, devoted much time to his highly
| priced manuscript, and we believe proposed tt
reproduce it in fac-simile for the benefit oi
thu leading European libraries
lDlB WOIk VI LIZ l10NloAOI, WAASh ohNuAN
be far advanced now, is of great Importance
and cannot fail to awaken the liveliest interes
among those who search the Scriptures in thE
original. The learned professor AYERS tha
he has ''neted down ten thousand variations
from the received Hebrew text He does ne
inform us in regard to their Importance. Viii
the new readings shed new light upon the
record of creation? Will they render nev
translation of the original imperative?
| The age of the manuscripts from which th'
Samaritan Pentateuch, in the Walton Poly
glot, was derived is quite uncertain. SOM
scholars have attributed them to the Macedo
nian period. The one in possession of Dr.
Lewiston, thus far, seems to be veritabl
antique, and may be expected to shed som
light upon those which have preceded it
Indeed, copy of the Books of Moses writer
when the first House was in her glory, is n
small addition to literature, and must be re
garded with emotion. We trust that if it
reproduced in fac Stnile, that some of on
libraries will obtain copies, as they have O
the Codex Sinaiticus. Students of the sacre
language will certainly view them with gres
interest.-Appleton's Journal