1800.] 
much into the inland parts.—And thirdly, 
from a citeumftance which bas not been 
much noticed, and that is; as foon as na- 
vigators land in fuch countries as Otaheite, 
they form connexions of intereft and fen- 
fual enjoyment, which are of themfelves 
confiderable obftacles in the way of alcer- 
taining the original character of the natives, 
— We induce them to become what we are, 
and even call them wicked ; but as I un- 
derftood Commerton’s cbdfervations were 
intended to elucidate the original character 
of the people of Otaheite, and not their 
European metamorphofis, and as I thought 
Sobrius mut have mifunderftood him, I 
have gone more at large than, perhaps, the 
limits of your work wyll admit. 
I remain, yours, 
PHILANTHROPOS, 
— OE a 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
I Should be obliged to any of your nu- 
merous correfpondents, if they would 
favour the world with a lift of ail the 
PUBLIC LIBRARIES in this metropolis ; 
together with the advantages of accels 
to them, and upon what terms and condi- 
tions fuch admittance is granted.—I am 
perfuaded that a knowledge of this kind 
would prove to the advancement of litera- 
ture in general, which is oftentimes 
checked for want of proper means of car- 
tying on an inguiry ; and the fources of 
real information are feldom to be met with 
in common circulating libraries. 
Nov. 4) 1799+ LiBER. 
Biber <2 eER 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine, 
SIR, 
HE queries of W. H. relative to the 
Jews, are inmy opinion, unintereft- 
ing ones; and the reply of H. has not 
added to their importance. To me it ap- 
pears ftrangely ridiculous, to afk 2 Jew, to 
what particular ftock he belongs, fo many 
centuries as his nation has been driven 
about the world by the moft terrible tem- 
pelts of perfecution, without the means of 
enjoying for one moment any general power 
of monicipal or religious government, 
and moreover compulfively obnoxious to 
all the tyranny ot other people and of 
other religions. We look not for the 
punctilious obfervance of his country’s 
cultoms, in the conduét of a man wander- 
ing far fromhome, the companion of #ern 
adverfity, and mojnentarily conitrained to 
the ftudy of felf-prefervation ; nor can we 
otherwiie expect, than that the Hebrew 
On the Fews. 
945 
ordinances are confiderably mutilated; and 
that the Jews, like fo many hirelings, 
brow beaten and defpifed by every one, 
have long fince loft the means of retaining, 
and of performing, feveral of their ancient 
ceremonies. Do the Jews know the zra 
of their final difperfion? Poor harraffed 
race! they would hardly have been capa- 
ble of more, if Providence had not ob- 
vioufly rendered them invincible to their 
inceffant barbarous treatment. Have the 
Jews any faithful record which teftifies to 
them where the 12 tribes were difpofed of, 
after the total annihilation of their empire ? 
Or is there avy juft authority to prove, 
that fuch a diftinétion furvived the Baby. 
lonian captivity ? The latter of thefe two 
queftions is partly negatived by the dif- 
ferent flatements given in Nehemiah and 
Ezra of the names and numbers of thofe 
who returned to Jerufalem under Zerubba- 
bel; and the inference to be deduced from 
this will fuficiently anfwer the former 
queftion. Exclufive of the prophecies de- 
nouncing confefion and {cattering abroad 
to the tribes, Joflephus (Antig. if I re- 
collect right) very hypothetically reckons 
up the tribes, ten faid to be beyond the 
Euphrates, and two fuppofed to dwell ia 
Judea, and Paleftine :—Again, R. Benja- 
min, 2 Jew who lived nearly 600 years 
aco, and who travelled diligently over thote 
parts of the globe where his fraternity 
were known to exift,could butacknow edge 
feven tribes (Ben. Itiner.) and thefe too 
upon reafons extremely lax. From hence 
then itis evident,that the number of tribes 
has continually diminifhed, till at lencth 
ali diftingtion among, them feems now to 
be perfectly loft : and likewile there relulte, 
that the diftridution of this people into 12 
difting’ branches began to ceafe with their 
non-exiltence as a nation, which circum~ 
fiance it appears took place even fo early 
as the defruétion of their temple and ‘city 
by the Chaideans. ‘To thefe arguments 
may be added, Ezra, cap. i. 59, 61- 
cap. ix. where Ez mourns tor the afanny 
of the people with ftrangers, and alle 
Nehem. cap. xiii. 23, 24. Phe fuppofition 
of the European Jews being the defcend- 
ants of Judah and Benjamin,(£zra. cap. x. 
6.) is egregioufly vague, not having the 
fupport of analogy, or the fanction of 
hiftory, either facied or canonical. Bur 
there are Hebrews who ftyle toemfelves the 
poRterity ef Levy; the alumption, however, 
avails themlelves notaing, as their brethren 
do not efteem them worthy of credit, bovh 
becaufe they canaot adduce. adequate proof 
of their claim, and becaute they are now 
no longer ufeful as the appendages of the 
‘prict- 
