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pottery, I see there is a Hebrew scholar present who will perhaps say a few 
words on the subject. 
Mr. S. M. Drags. — Doctors and Eabbis say that every copy, of the 
Pentateuch especially, is a reproduction with the greatest minuteness of the 
original one, supposed to have been written by Moses himself. The Rabbis 
say that the Pentateuch was originally written in characters generally known 
as Hebrew or Samaritan, but it is generally allowed that Moses wrote the 
Pentateuch in alphabetical writing, and there is a great distinction between 
that and hieroglyphic writing. If we were to adopt Mr. Cooper’s idea, and 
only go upon written testimony, we might well doubt that Homer’s writings 
were written by Homer. Although it is the orthodox Jewish belief that the 
writings of the Old Testament were in the original language of mankind, yet 
I must dissent from that. There area good many synonyms and Jewish 
words which are perhaps', derived from an Indo-Germanic root ; so that the 
Hebrew of the Pentateuch and of the Old Testament generally is something 
like the English language, which is formed partly of Latin and partly of 
Anglo-Saxon ; or like the Spanish, which is partly Latin and partly Arabic ; 
and not a pure language, such as the German. Vide David Kimchi on 
Synonyms, “ Sh'met Nirdafim (12th century.) 
The discussion then closed. 
Alteration of the Rules of the Institute. 
The Chairman then announced that, in accordance with a notice issued on 
1st of November, the Meeting would be made Special, for the purpose of 
considering the suggestion of the Council, copies of which had been sent to 
all ; namely, that the list of 1st Class Associates should be amalgamated with 
that of the members. 
Resolutions to this effect having been passed nem. con., the Council were 
authorized to make the requisite alterations in the Bye Laws. 
The Meeting was then adjourned. 
