1807.1 Means of preventing Fires—Aets of the Sanhedrim. 
onteaiea story of Queen Jane being to- 
taliy ommtied. M. de Bock, the French 
trauslatur, has done great justice to his 
author ; he | has, however, omitted to in- 
torm ae to whom we are indebted for 
that charm ne romance, I do not, at 
present, recollect the name of the au- 
thor; but, if my memory does not de- 
ceive me, we are indebted to the same 
authorstor the romances of Bruno of El- 
geimburg, and Alcibiades. 
Your's, &c. A.B. 
Rp - 
fo the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
N RA NS of lessening the danger 
F i trom fire have lately been pointed 
out in your valuable Magazine; (vide 
No. 185, p. 259, &c.) but should not 
our countrymen Bek called on to construct 
their pul blic and private buildings of such 
materials, oron such a plan, as would 
prevent them from becoming an easy 
prey to fire?) Should it not be recom- 
meiuded to them to arch their floors, or 
tile, or stucco them? Should they not be 
exhorted toerect stone, instead of wooden 
stairs, und to employ iron, instead of 
beth: for at least al the lower parts of 
their fixtures? Whe fate of the noble li- 
brary at Hafod has alarmed me for the 
British Museum, the public offices, and 
the libraries belonging to our learned 
seminaries, All cases containing books 
er papers of value, should be made of 
Iron, or cast metal; and the floors upon 
which they rest Should either be arched, 
or constructed of such materials as resist 
fire. This; in my Opinion, is a subject 
worthy the attention of Parliament ; uid 
Parliament will, I trust, at length pike it 
. Mto serious Gohididetations 
It has often occurred to me, that all 
watch and guard-houses in cities and 
towns should” be supplied with buckets; 
and, if possible, there should be a large 
cis ber constantly full of water witli 
their precincts. Thus, in case of fire, 
there would be always the means at 
hand of quenching the flames at the com- 
mencement, or, at least, of checking or 
retarding’ heir progress. 
Your’ 55 &e. O. fap 
te 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
ACTS of Lie GREAT SANHEDRIM a PARIS, 
(Concluded from p. 136,)) 
HE eighth doctrinal point is on 
Loans to an Israelite. 
- The Great Sanhedrim feel the evil 
consequences which have followed from 
aa erroneous translation of the 419th 
‘ 
243 
verse of chap. 23 of Deuteronomy, where- 
in the Hebrew word Neshech is impre= 
perly translated Usury, instead of Inte- 
rest. It siynities iuterest of any kind, 
and not usurious interest. The Bible of 
Osterwald, and that of the Portuguese 
Jews, ianaleite Neshech by Interest, 
whicly Sacy, from the Vuigate, has called 
Usury. . 
Wien the iaw prohibited the Jew 
lending another Jew any thing and re- 
quiring dn/erest for this loan, 1t was only 
to bind closer the bond of brotherhood, 
to inspire a reciprocal kindness, and to 
love one another with disinterestedness, 
The divine jaw and its interpreters per- 
nuit interest, according to the use which 
is made of money. If the loan is in- 
tended to assist an unfortunate famil 
interest 1s prohibited. Lend te the Poor, 
says Moses. The idea of appearing 
agreeable in the eyes of the Eternal, is 
the only interest the Jew can accept. 
In convmercial speculations it is allowed 
to receive a just interest, because the 
lender risks his capital with the. bor- 
rower. 
Vhe ninth doctrinal point is on Loans 
from an Israelite to a Stranger. 
The Great Sanhedrim, desirous of cor 
recting that error which attributes to Is- 
raelites the faculty of prac tising usurious 
acts with those who are not of het re= 
heion, allowed both by their Law and 
their Talmudical doctors; and farther 
considering that this Tpatatien has oc- 
casioned strong prejudices against them, 
declare that the text which authorises 
Loans on interest, ¢o the Stranger, is to 
be confined to digas foreign nations on 
the borders of their Jewish. terri tories, 
who bad an intercourse with the pneiene 
Israelites, and who themselves lent to the 
Jews; and that’ the word Nockra is ouly 
applicable to the individuals of those foe 
reign nations, and not to those individue 
als” amone whom the Hebrews live as 
fellow-citizens. That even this interest 
is never permitted to be excessive and 
ruinous, for that would be an abomina- 
ble iniquity. Therefore they declare that 
hencetorward all Israelites are to make 
no distinction in their loans to ther 
brethren or their feilow-citizens, or even 
foreigners, but are to consider this ordi-+ 
nance as a religious duty, and that Usury 
is an abominable iiquity. 
The President Furtado addressed the 
Sanhedrim on these two last decisions. 
“The subject of these two decisions 
have often produced polemical discuse 
sions.  Divines and pohticians have 
spoken in direct opposition to each other. 
The 
