es came to him with a kind of beggar, who had made his appearance on 'change, giving himself out for a Jewish rabbi, learned but distressed, and who boldly challenged
At the outset of these pursuits, when he was about twenty-one years of age, some merchants of Marseilles came to him with a kind of beggar, who had made his appearance on 'change, giving himself out for a Jewish rabbi, learned but distressed, and who boldly challenged to have his pretensions investigated by some Oriental scholar. Our author endeavoured to evade the task, by representing, that his mode of study could at most enable him to read, but not at all to converse in the dialects of the East; but there was no resisting. The Jew began to repeat the first Psalm in Hebrew. Our author recognized it, stopped him at the end of the first verse, and addressed him with one of the colloquial phrases from his Arabic Grammar. The Jew then repeated the second verse, and our author another phrase; and so on to the end of the Psalm, which comprised the whole scriptural knowledge of the rabbi. Our author closed the conference with another sentence in Arabic, and, with more good nature than strict propriety, said, that he saw no reason to intercept the intended charity of the merchants. The Jew, delighted beyond expectation, declared, that he had travelled over Turkey and Egypt, but had no where met with the equal of this young theologian; who acquired prodigious honour by this ridiculous adventure. In vain he endeavoured to tell the story fairly; every one chose the marvellous colouring; he was extolled as a prodigy; and his reputation established at Marseilles.
, a Jewish rabbi, and author of the “Itinerary,” was the son of
, a Jewish rabbi, and author of
the “Itinerary,
” was the son of Jonas of Tudela, and born
in the kingdom of Navarre. He flourished about the year
1170. He travelled over several of the most remote countries,
and wherever he came, wrote a particular account of what
he either saw himself, or was informed of by persons of
credit. He died in 1173, not long after his return from his
travels. Casimir Oudin tells us, that he was a man of
great sagacity and judgment, and well skilled in the sacred
laws; and that his observations and accounts have been
generally found to be exact upon examination, our author
being remarkable for his love of truth. There have been
several editions of his “Itinerarium.
” It was translated
from the Hebrew into Latin by Benedict Arius Montanus,
and printed by Plantin at Antwerp in 1575, 8vo. Constantine PEmpereur likewise published it with a Latin version, and a preliminary dissertation, and large notes;
which was printed by Elzevir in 1633, 8vo. J. P. Baratier
translated it into French, 1731, 2 vols. 8vo, but the most
remarkable translation is that published at London in 1783
by the Rev. B. Gerrans, lecturer of St. Catherine Coleman, and second master of Queen Elizabeth’s Free Grammar school, St. Clave, Southwark. The author of this
translation, which is taken from the Elzevir edition abovementioned, hesitates not to speak of Benjamin as contemptible, doubts whether he ever left his native Tudela,
but allows, although with some reluctance, that he may
have travelled through Spain and some part of Italy. Mr.
Gerrans, having thus, as he says, “unmasked, chastised,
and humbled his author,
” allows that as he wrote in a century so obscure, we ought to be glad of the least monument to cast a glimmering light on it. He allows also that
the pure and simple style in which the book is written,
renders it one of the best introductions to the Rahinical
dialect: it throws more light on the times than a whole
catalogue of monkish writers: it shews the ignorance of
the Jewish teachers in matters of geography and history,
and the state and numbers of their own people. The chief
use, the translator adds, which he wishes to make of the
book, is to confirm lukewarm and indifferent Christians, in
the principles of their religion, and to combat the errors
and impenitence of the Jews by their own weapons. This
work is no doubt a curiosity, as the production of a Jew in
the twelfth century, and the translator’s observations also
may be allowed to have some weight: but considered in
itself, the rabbi’s book has only a small portion of real
worth; for in addition to the fabulous narrations, which
lead the reader to suspect him even when he speaks truth,
there are many other errors, omissions, and mistakes. Benjamin’s principal view seems to have been to represent the
number and state of his brethren in different parts of the
world, and accordingly he mentions merely the names of
many places to which we are to suppose he travelled, furnishing no remark, except,perhaps, a brief account of
the Jews to be found there. When he relates any thing
farther, it is often trifling, or fictitious, or mistaken, as he
frequently is, even in numbering his countrymen.
, a Jewish rabbi in high repute among them, wrote a book called
, a Jewish rabbi in high repute among them,
wrote a book called the “Chapters of Eliezer,
” which was
partly historical, and partly allegorical. The Jews, who
consider it as one of their most ancient books, would refer
the time of this author to the first century; but father
Worin has very ably proved that he lived in the seventh,
and that he was an impostor who assumed the ancient name
of Eliezer to give currency to his work, which is a collection of fables from the Talmud, &c. Vorstius translated
this work into Latin, and published it in 1644, 4to, with
notes, &c. and although he allows that it contains
much fabulous matter, yet thinks it may be useful in explaining some parts of the history and traditions of the
Jews.