and wise man, and understood Hebrew very well: they brought books with them which we did not accept, but some have read them.

I. Will you introduce me to your Rabbi, and shew me your synagogue?

Saadiah. With great pleasure.

I. How many Caraites may there be in the whole world? Saadiah. I cannot say, but there are some thousands in the Crimea and Polonia; there are some few at Damascus, and a thousand Caraites in Egypt-there are Caraites in India, and in the land of Cush, (Abyssinia,) but with the latter we have never been in correspondence—if you should go to Abyssinia, we will give you letters for them, to hear about their state.

I. Who was the founder of the Caraites?

Saadiah. The founder of the Caraites was Anan, in the captivity of Babylon.

March 14.-I called again on Procopius; he gave me a quantity of Greek, Hebrew, Syriac, and Arabic New Testaments, and will recommend me to a clever Greek master. I was again very much edified by his conversation he spoke with high regard of Levi Parsons, and told me that that gentleman went every day among Jews, until he was obliged to leave Jerusalem. I was finally introduced to the synagogue of the Caraite Jews by Saadiah and their rabbi Beracha. I opened the prophet Isaiah, and explained to them the xiiith chapter, and said to them, that the whole chapter has no sense, if it is not applied to Jesus Christ our Lord. Another young Caraite was present who knew the Rev. Lewis Way, when at Kalaa Saadiah's wife, called Esther, likewise knew him. They have in their synagogue five manuscripts of the Torah, and beside this, a most beautiful manuscript of the whole of the Old Testament, written with golden initial letters this manuscript is five hundred years old.

Rabbi Beracha told me that I might come to him every

Sabbath and read Hebrew with him. I have sold to-day, ten Arabic psalters to Signor Karabert, dragoman of the Armenian convent, for ten piastres-made a present of three Arabic Psalters to three poor Christians-a present of a Greek New Testament to Pater Paolo.

The Bible Society of Malta sent, two years ago, fifty Arabic Psalters to Mr. Antonio Damiani, British Consul at Jaffa, who had not sold one single copy of them; when Mr. Mackworth and I observed it, we desired him to deliver those Psalters to my charge; as soon as he consigned them to me, persons desired to buy, and we sold three copies, and I have now sold thirteen. I am interrupted by a priest of the Jacobites from Syria, who are likewise called, "Children of Israel :" he has written his name with his own hand-his name is Raba Tuma. They have here a convent, in which five or six of them live together: a bishop is their head. I was rejoiced with the simplicity of that Syrian Christian; he read the Syriac New Testament with great fluency, and he regretted that he had no money to purchase that precious book, I therefore gave him one gratis. He was quite overjoyed, and he wrote my name in it, in the Syriac tongue," I have received this book from Joseph Wolf, may God make him very great!"

I must here observe, that I asked the Caraite Jews whether they acknowledge the Beni Khaibr (Jews whom Niebuhr mentions in his travels) as their brethren! they replied, "God forbid, for those Jews never came to Jerusalem; they remained in the desert when Joshua brought the rest of the people of God into the land of promise; and thus they live in the desert near Mecca, without any knowledge of the law or the prophets, wandering about ás robbers, and enemies of mankind. They call themselves the Beni Moshe, children of Moses." Several Jews called to-day on me; I was not at home, for I had just called on the Archbishop of the Jacobites. I made him a

present of a Syriac New Testament, and he was quite overjoyed with it.

I visited this evening, the patriarch of the Armenian convent, where I am now situated. He asked me whether I found myself happy in his convent, and he promised me to write to you. We conversed on the excellency of the Scriptures. Archbishop Jacob made the excellent observation, that we must take Scripture in its simplicity, and not lay upon the text so many explanations; for by doing so, we shall not find a Pope in Scripture. He added to this observation, "I shall lay down my sentiments on paper, and you may send them to England." I read Jeremy this evening, and was struck with ch. xii. 5, for I remembered that Mr. Simeon cited that passage in a letter addressed to me, when at Stansted.

Mr. Makarditch, residing at Cairo, a rich merchant of the Armenian nation, with whom I travelled through the deserts from Cairo to Jaffa, lives at present at the Armenian convent with me. I talked with him on the subject of the Bible Society, and he desired to become a member of the British and Foreign Bible Society. As I am not agent of that Society, I desire every one to state his wish on paper, which he did.

March 15.-I wrote a letter to Mr. Leutzen, from Stutgard, a rich traveller, respecting the object of the London Society for promoting Christianity amongst the Jews, and he wrote to me in answer, that he should be most happy to subscribe, and will give 17. sterling to Peter Lee, Esq. according to my desire.

March 16.-The Caraite Jew Saadias, calls very often upon me. I made him, and the other two Caraite Jews, presents of Hebrew New Testaments and three Arabic Psalters, which they accepted with thanks. They promised me to read in both books, and they did so in my presence, more than an hour. I was struck by their telling me that the Caraites do not believe in the existence of the

devil, and believe the book of Job not to be an inspired book.

March 17.-I delivered the letter of introduction, with which Assaid Ahyr Effendi, a Mussulman at Jaffa, had furnished me, to Mahomed Said Har Allah, at Jerusalem, The latter is known from Jerusalem to Mecca, on account of his knowledge of the Arabic language. I have taken him for my master in the Arabic and Turkish, and he instructs me every day, two hours. I have, induced him to write a letter to Henry Drummond, and John Bayford, Esqrs., and to the learned Oriental scholars in Germany and England. I shewed to him the Arabic Psalter, and offered him one as a present; of which he was very glad. It would be better to leave out in the beginning of the Psalters, the inscription, " In the name of the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit," for Jews and Mussulmen would then more readily receive them.

Archbishop Jacob, the Armenian, called on me, and I talked with him on the importance of promoting the word of God, by which we shall become, by God's grace, teachers of righteousness; for teachers of righteousness shall shine as the brightness of the stars.

Mr. Stephen Catchtoo, the Armenian, residing at Calcutta, has dissuaded the patriarch from writing to you about the establishment of a college at Jerusalem in their convent. Mr. Stephen Catchtoo observed, that the lives and conduct of the missionaries at Calcutta, is so different from the conduct of the other English gentlemen, that he was persuaded, that no missionary was ever a native Englishman; for the missionaries in India live a holy life, whilst the other English gentlemen live a very gay life. I mentioned to him the names of several English gentlemen who are no missionaries, but notwithstanding are pious men; but as Stephen is an old man, I must have patience, and try to convince him of his error by degrees. Bishop Jacob and Pater Paola, however, try to induce

the patriarch and the bishops, to leave a considerable part of the convent to the disposition of English Christians. **Archbishop Jacob said to me to-day, that it is highly necessary the English Bible Society should print, 1. Turkish Bibles and Testaments with Armenian characters; and, 2. Bibles and Testaments in the vulgar Armenian tongue': he recommended this to me repeatedly.

March 18. I have to-day invited Mr. Carne, Mr. Gethin, and Mr. Lutzen, to dine with me: during our dinner, Rabbi Mose Secot, one of the divines (Hakam) of the Talmudist Jews, a Pharisee by persuasion, entered the room. I was struck with his modesty.

1. (In Hebrew). Have you read the law of Moses and the Prophets?'

Rabbi Mose Secot. Yes, the name of the Lord be blessed for it!

I. And the Talmud?

Rabbi Mose Secot. I am reading it day and night. I. Will you give me lessons in Hebrew and Spanish? Rabbi Mose Secot. With all my heart; I shall come to you every day. I am surprised to hear you talk in Hebrew so well. Where have you learned it?

.

I. Jews and Gentiles have been my masters in that language!

Rabbi Mose Secot. Your name?

I. Joseph Wolf.

Rabbi Mose Secot. I have heard of you; you have conversed with Jews in Egypt.

I. Yes, and I was very well received by them indeed; the letters I have received from them for several rabbies of this place may convince you of it.

Rabbi Mose Secot. And you shall be well received by Jews of the holy city; we shall shew you our colleges and our synagogues.

1. How many synagogues are there here?

"Rabbi Mose Secot. Five synagogues, and 700 famílies of Jews.