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We
have received, too late however for any extensive
notice this month, two small works, both issued
lately in New York; they are the first serious
attempts at Jewish literature undertaken there, and
we hope that they are only the precursors of many
more. Whoever has hitherto devoted himself to this
branch of literature in America has found but little
encouragement to persevere; but we trust that the
time is fast approaching when people will begin to
inquire into the nature and object of their
religion, and desire to become thoroughly acquainted
with whatever can throw light on this all-important
subject. Though therefore the first productions may
not be altogether such as to elicit unqualified
approbation, sufficient encouragement should be held
out to the authors to induce them to persevere, and
to enable them to succeed better at a second effort.
The first of the works we have received bears the
following title:
The Hebrew Language Demonstrated On Ollendorff’s
Method. By the Rev. G. M. Cohen. In two parts:
the theoretical part containing 31 pages 12mo., and
the practical part 74 pages. Printed by J. M.
Jackson.—The author’s object seems to be to induct
the scholars by easy gradations into a practical
knowledge of the Hebrew language, wherefore he has
bestowed but a few pages upon the grammar proper,
and more than double the quantity on the exercises.
The first portion or the latter consists of reading
lessons, in twenty sections; the remainder is taken
up with exercises in translation on the well-known
plan of Ollendorff, in fifty-four lessons. We would
gladly bestow unqualified praise on this effort of
Mr. Cohen’s to render the acquisition of the Hebrew
easy and agreeable; but we regret that it is full of
typographical errors, and occasionally also
misconstructions of sentences and faulty spelling
are to be met with. Evidently the author’s German
ideas are translated into Hebrew, instead of his
thinking in the sacred language, without which
no correct conception of it can be acquired. It is a
great pity that Mr. C. did not obtain the aid of
some one thoroughly acquainted with the art of
authorship to revise his book before he offered it
to the public;—since a few week’s revision by such a
person would have added great value to the entire
performance. The very title is badly worded; for
what does the author mean by demonstrated? We
never heard the word used except in reference to ana<<420>>tomy,
a demonstrator of science is a necessary appendage
to a medical college; but surely he did not mean to
dissect the Hebrew for the use of schools? We do not
blame him for not being a master of the English, but
for attempting to compose a work partly in the same,
without a sufficient knowledge to do it well. If we
had the space , we could soon prove our words; but
the lack of it must be our excuse for not going
fully into the subject at present, as otherwise we
consider a school-book of the highest importance,
and every defect in it ought to be carefully pointed
out, that it may be avoided hereafter. In
conclusion, we must candidly state, that
notwithstanding the faults which we have pointed
out, the book has considerable merit, and will, we
have no doubt, be a great advantage in schools, in
the absence of any other better calculated to
subserve this purpose.
The second work is called
The Challenge Accepted;
a Dialogue between a Jew and a Christian, the former
answering a challenge thrown out by the latter
respecting the accomplishment of the prophecies
predictive of the advent of Jesus. By Selig Newman,
author of the Emendations of the English Version of
the Old Testament. New York, 8vo., pp. 87.—This book
consists of a series of dialogues, eighteen in
number, wherein the Jew gradually silences his
Christian challenger. Mr. Newman proves himself an
able Hebrew scholar, and thoroughly familiar with
biblical interpretation; and a careful perusal will
convey much information to those who are not able to
institute a proper inquiry for themselves. Situated
as we are in this country, often in small numbers
and even single individuals in the midst of a large
population differing from us in sentiment, it is
absolutely requisite that we should be armed on all
points to silence any opponent to Judaism. Though
controversy on the part of Jews is nothing new, and
though Mr. Newman acknowledges that he has made use
of already existing materials: the information which
he conveys is not so generally accessible but that
we are grateful to him for having opened another
avenue through which it may be more widely diffused.
But we regret to be compelled to say, as of the
first work above, that too many typographical and
grammatical errors have been allowed to escape,
which we hope will be corrected in a second edition.
We hear from competent authority so high a character
of Mr. Newman that we should be pleased to see him
receive such a support from our brothers, that he
may be induced to devote his powerful intellect for
the promotion of the welfare of his religion; and we
honestly think that the Jews in this country owe it
to themselves to see that those who are so well
<<421>>able to serve them should not be compelled
through their indifference to devote those talents
which they would gladly devote to the service of
their people to secular pursuits. We hope therefore
to see Mr. Newman again cultivating the now almost
barren field of Jewish literature in this country. |
