CORRESPONDENCE AND INFORMATION 



259 



advantage, considerable cardiac and 

 cerebral enthusiasm is required in the 

 study of nature. 



Nature, the study of it, God's works, 

 utilitarian objects, development of 

 mentality, are good for all people at all 



times in all ages, in this world and 

 whatever else may follow. Nature is 

 the mother of us all, and we are only 

 children in her kindergarten, still 

 studying and for the profit of mind 

 and body still trying to apply what 

 we have learned. 



fORRESPONDENCE 



>- ^r^ and Inform; 



and Information^ 



A Quotation From "Migdal Oz." 



Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. 

 To the Editor : 



Much has been said and written of 

 late years showing a love of nature 

 and the simple life, but perhaps few of 

 your readers have read "Migdal Oz," 

 and I think that the descnptioci of 

 Shallum's secluded retreat amid the 

 mountains, as contrasted with the per- 

 ils and turmoils of courts, is one of the 

 finest passages in the poem. 



"Migdal Oz" is a Hebrew drama, the 

 existence of which is, indeed, little 

 known even to scholars, and it is to 

 those of Germany that we are indebted 

 for its having been saved from com- 

 plete oblivion. 



The author, Moses Ben Jacob Luz- 

 zato, was born at Padua in 1710, and 

 died while on a pilgrimage to Jeru- 

 salem. Versed alike in the sciences of 

 the West and the traditions of the East, 

 he is universally admitted to have been 

 the founder of a new style of Hebrew 

 poetry, departing from the orientalism 

 of that of ancient days, and partaking of 

 the classic taste of Greece and Rome, 

 whose rythmical forms it adopted. His 

 play is designed to illustrate the diffi- 

 culties attendant on the pursuit of di- 

 vine knowledge and its characters are 

 therefore to be regarded as allegorical. 

 "Migdal Oz," was published in Ger- 

 many in 1737, but did not succeed in 

 keeping its place before the public eye. 

 We only know it through the medium 

 of a Latin translation executed about 

 the beginning of the last century, by 

 Francis Delisch, who added a prelim- 

 inary dissertation on the few scattered 

 efforts of the Hebrew dramatic muse 

 from the day of Josephus downwards. 



Shallum (the hero) awaits an answer 

 from the Princess Shilomith, his love, 

 his bright gazelle, etc. 



The imagery might seem hackneyed, 

 but as a specimen of modern Hebrew 

 sentiment and philosophy, it will have 

 much of the zest of novelty, and the 

 piquancy of contrast. 



Trustmg you may deem this worthy 

 of publishing in The Guide To Nature," 

 believe me, 



Yours sincerely, 

 Ed. D. Marshall. 



Ye everlasting hills; beneath whose shade 

 Sleep deeply hidden vales, where gentle 



peace 

 Loves still alone to dwell — how dear to me 

 The privilege, amid your leafy groves, 

 To doff the burden of unwelcome greatness, 

 From cities far — from palaces remote: 

 For there lurks suffering in its bitterest 



forms, 

 And gilded treachery, spreading still her 



net 

 For the unwary foot, nor taking rest 

 Until her victim fall. How different all 

 Here in this peaceful haven; Wars alarms, 

 The din of tongues, laws janglings, bloody 



strife, 

 Are things undreamt of in our happy 



sphere. 

 Even the despairing wretch, on whom the 



world 

 Hath done its worst, in this its loneliest 



nook, 

 No sooner folds his weary wing, than lo: 

 The soothing whisper of the murmuring 



boughs, 

 Stirred by soft winds, attunes his soul once 



more 

 To joy, and lulls his sorrows in oblivion: 

 Are not these verdant, flower-enamelled 



meads, 

 A goodly heritage — a second Eden? 

 Yet free to every dweller in the land, 

 Who neath the fig's deep shade, from mid- 

 day heat, 

 Careless reposing, stretches him at ease. 

 Lord of himself— from thoughts of evil far; 



