A Few Words Concerning The Philosophy Of The Jews.

Tibbon , who was about to visit him for the sake of enjoying the pleasures of his conversation , and thus prepare himself for the translation of writings from the Arabic into Hebrew : I do not advise thee to expose thyself on my account to the perils of the journey , for all that thou shalt be able to obtain will be to see

me ; but as to deriving any benefit for arts and sciences , or having with me , even one hour of private conversation , either during the day or the night , do not hope for it . The number of my occupations are immense , as thou shalt judge . Every dayearly in the morning I go to Cairoand

, , when nothing particular detains me there , I leave it at noon to return to my residence . Once back to my home , half starved to death , I find all my ante-rooms filled with Mussulmans and Israelites ; with distinguished persons , and others who are not ; judges and collectors of taxes ; friends and enemies—who are

waiting anxiously for my return . I have hardly dismounted , and taken time for my ablution , as is my wont , than I hasten to meet my numerous visitors , and beg them most humbly to wait patiently until

after my dinner . This does not vary one single day . After my hasty meal I begin to give them my best attention , and prescribe remedies . Some of them are still in my house when night comes on . "Very often even , God is my witness ! I am occupied thus , until the late hours of the night , listening , answering ,

giving advice , and prescribing . When sometimes I have fallen asleep from excess of fatigue alone , being so much exhausted as to lose the power of speech . So many occupations , duties , and business , did not , however , prevent Maimonides to find leisure for the composition of his numerous worksThese are of

. three kinds . Eirst , treatises on medicine , then , purely theological writings ; amongst which , the foremost is the MishneTorah , abridged from the Talmud ; and , lastly , treatise in which philosoph ) r is combined with theology ; and of this class , the best aud most celebrated is certainlthe Guide of the Uncertainwhich

y , forms , without doubt , the principal title of the author to the attention of history , and the regard as well as admiration of posterities . But a man may not always be a theologian and philosopher with impunity , even Avhen the favourite of a Sultan . Maimonides was

harassed on account of the freedom and liberty of his opinions . A Mussulman theologiau , one Aboul-Arabben-Moicho , attacked him Under the pretence that he had relapsed to Judaism , after having embraced Mahometanism . This , of course , was sufficient to convict him of being a relapsed heretic , as the judges of

our inquisitions would have called it . Maimonides , to ward off the danger that threatened him , had need of all the favour of the Sultan , and the cunning of ^ his minister , the Kadhi al Eadhel . Some time after , one of his disciples , whom he had instructed at Cairo , having at Damascus contended

that the resurrection of the dead is only a symbol ; this occasioned a perfect storm in the synagogue ; and to avoid being excommunicated by his own people , Maimonides was obliged to capitulate on this point , though by a subtle subterfuge he should return to his doctrine . But it was after his deathwhich happened

, in 1204 , that being no longer restrained by the high position of Maimonide at Court , the rage of the orthodox in Israel vented itself with great violence . A rabbi of Toledo , one Meir ben Todros Halevy ,

declared that the More JVebouJchim , under the pretence of strengthening the roots of religion , was intended to cut down all its branches . Numerous communities of Jews , amongst which were those of Provence and Languedoc , pronounced their anathema and the penalty of the flames against the philosophical

writings of Maimonides . On the other side many other committees rose in his defence . Then they began to fulminate excommunications one against the other , and not very seldom did they apply to the secular power . It was a regular schism which extended by degrees to all the various synagogues during a

whole century . However , amidst all these tempests the glory of Maimonides survived . Time , in calming the passions and dispelling the smoke of contests , has left us clearer and brighter the glory and beauties of this good and high-minded man—his science , profundity ,

and greatness . By degrees his superior intellect and qualities have exercised their soothing , convincing , and irrestable influence , first , upon the Jews , then upon Musselmans , and even the Christians . The Coptic theologians translated the writings of Maimonides ; the great Christian doctors of the church

of the thirteenth century , Albert the Great—St . Thomas d'Aquin and many more used to read them in the Latin translations , and often quote them with respect and admiration . His name spread all over the world , will for ever remain as a glorious symbol of the boldness of ideas restrained by a spirit of great moderation and wisdom .

The author of the Guide of the Uncertain , at the very beginning of his work , explains the object to his beloved disciple Rabbi Josephus , son of R . Jehouda . This wonderful work is not addressed to the generality of men , nor the young scholar , even to those readers who , although enlightened to a certain degree ,

desire however to know only the practical and traditional interpretation of the law ; it is intended for philosophers—for those minds which aspire to grasp the highest sense of traditions . The first are often perplexed and undecided because of the opposition they meet between the letter of the Holy Writs and

the data , supplied by reason . Ought they to accept in their literal sense the words of the prophets ? Ought they to consider them only as symbols and allegories ? They do not know ; they hesitate , and their minds remain in suspense , and painfully agitated . Maimonides proposes to remove all indecision and

perplexity from these pyrrhonists , or doubters ; therefore it is that he calls his book the Guide of the Uncertain ; or , trauslating the text more exactly , * the Guide of thelUndceided ( dux perplexorum ^) as we read in the old Latin version of 1520 . This is a great design . Maimonides measured its heights and perils

with lively feelings of anxiety . Therefore did he take care not to display before the world the new method of which he was in possession . This method , in tact , is nothing less than what in our days is called the Rational Fxegesis ( explanation ) , or more distinctly , rationalism . !" The general principle of Maimonides is that revelation cannot be in contradiction with reason . Every narration—every word which is contrary to reason