Sayings of the Jewish Fathers. Edited for the Syndics of
the Cambridge University Prose. By Charles Taylor. (Cambridge Uni- versity Press.)—Without attempting to estimate the critical value of this work—and Mr. Taylor's reputation makes it scarcely necessary to do so—we may point out its general interest and value. The" Masseketh Aboth " stands at the bead of Hebrew non-canonical writings. It is of ancient date, claiming to contain the dicta of teachers who flourished from B.O. 200 to the same year of our era. The precise time of its compilation in its present form is, of course, in doubt. Mr. Taylor's explanatory and illustrative commentary is very full and satisfactory. There is an interesting account of the Docalogue, with its present Hebrew division, giving five Commandments to both tables, each com- mandment answering in a way to that which occupies the correspond- ing place. This analogy is sometimes very close,—between the second, against idolatry, for instance, and the Eleventh, ageing adultery. (Com- pare Hosea and the Prophets, passim.) Sometimes it is fanciful. There is no satisfactory connection between Honour thy father and thy mother" and " Thou shell not covet," suggested by the words," Whoso- ever covets at last begets a son who annoys his father and his mother." The fifth examen illustrates the expression and ideas of the Lord's Prayer from the Rabbinical writings, and contributes not a little to _ sss- .sroisosay.
bring out its meaning,—that, for instance, of the Zi prow Zv vs
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