north and south, than most men living. I have conversed with nations who live many degrees beyond the poor frozen Laplander; and have travelled among the barbarians who scorch beneath the burning zone.

Who lived in this delightful valley, was, in the next place, my enquiry, after I had admired for an hour the amazing beauties of the place. I walked up to the house, and in one of the parlour windows, that had a view up the loch, I saw a young beauty sitting with a music-book in her hand, and heard her sing in a masterly manner. She could not see me, but I had a full view of her fine face, and as I remembered to have seen her somewhere, I stood gazing at her with wonder and delight, endeavouring to recollect where I had been in her company, when another young one came into the room, whom I had reason to remember very well, on account of an accident, and then I knew they were the two young ladies I had seen at Mr. Harcourt's, and admired very greatly for the charms of their persons, and the beauties of their minds. Upon this I walked up to the window, and after a little astonishment at seeing me, they behaved with the greatest civility, and seemed to be highly pleased with the accidental meeting. While we were talking, their mamma came into the apartment, and on their let

ting her know who I was, and where they had been acquainted with me, the old lady was pleased to ask me to stay at her house that night, and to assure `me she was glad to see me, as she had often heard ́her daughters speak of me. Three days I passed with great pleasure in this place, and then with much regret took my leave.

The 5th of July I left Mrs. THURLOE's, and by the assistance of a guide, had a fine ride to the house of Friar FLEMING, in Richmondshire, where I arrived by noon. I dined with this good Franciscan, and should have lain there that night, but that I could not help being melancholy, on missing my dear friend Toм, the monk's brother, who died of a fever, as before related. From him then I parted in the evening, and rode to a Carthusian monastry, which consisted of seven monks, men of some estate, who had agreed to live together in this remote place, and pass their lives in piety, study, and gardening. I had a letter from FLEMING to one of these gentlemen, the superior, letting him know I was his near friend, and desiring he would receive me as himself; that, although a protestant, I was of no party, but in charity with all mankind. This letter procured me all the kindness and honours these gentlemen could shew me. They behaved with great civility and tenderness, and gave

me the best they had, good fish, good bread, good wine, excellent fruit, and fine vegetables; for as to flesh, they never eat any, by their rule.

They were all learned and devout men, very grave and silent for the most part, except when visited, but without any thing stiff or morose in their manner. They had a large collection of books, and seemed to understand them well. What time they had to spare from the hours of divine service, and working in their gardens, according to the rule of St. BRUNO, which they follow, they give to study, and had many volumes of their own writing; but mostly old manuscripts which they had transcribed, in Greek, Latin, and French. Making such copies was their principal work in the closet.

I stayed two days with these gentlemen, and had a good deal of useful conversation with them, on various subjects. On looking into the writings of the Rabbies, which I saw in their library, I told one of these Chartreux, that it was a wonder to me, that any one read such extravagant fabulous relations and despicable fictions as these books contained, and should be glad to know, what good could be extracted from them.

The Friar replied, that notwithstanding their being fictitious and extravagant to a high degree, yet great use might be made of the works of the

VOL. III.

H

*

Rabbies, and especially of the Talmud of Babylon. We obtain from thence a knowledge of the cus

* Reader, that you may the better understand the conversation I had with this learned Carthusian, I must inform you what the Talmud, and other writings of the Rabbies are.

The Talmud, a celebrated piece of Jewish literature, full of Rabinical domination and enthusiasm. The Rabbins pretend, this book contains the Oral laws, and other secrets, which God communicated to Moses. It consists of two parts, each of which is divided into several books. In the first part, which

they call Mishna, is the text.

In the other, is a sort of comment on the text, and this is stiled the Gemara.

This oral law, or tradition of the Jews, was collected after the destruction of the Temple, A. D. 150, by Rabbi Judah, and is by them preferred before the scripture. They suppose it was orally delivered by Moses to Israel, and unlawful to be written; but when Jerusalem was destroyed, they were constrained to write it, least it should be lost; but yet it was so written, as that none but themselves might understand it -This Mishna and Gemara complete the two Talmuds: that of Jerusalem, A. D. 230; and that of Babylon, five hundred years after Christ. Many parts of these Talmuds are translated by several learned men, who have endeavoured to render them intelligible: but in order to understand them fully, you must read the Jad Chaska, or Mishna Torah of Moses Maimonides, who was physician to the king

toms and opinions of the Jews, which afford some benefit. In the next place, they serve to the confirmation of the history of Jesus Christ; for it appears by the Babylonish Talmud, that there was

of Egypt about six hundred years ago.` This Rabbi hath comprized the substance of the Mishna and Gemara of the Talmud, in his books, and enabled us to understand all the Mishna with ease and pleasure. See likewise the Clavis Talmudica, Cock's Excerpta, and the works of the excellent Ludovicus de Campeigne du Veil, who had been a Jew, but after becoming a Roman Catholic, went over to the Church of England, in which he continued for several years in the character of a great divine: but at last turned Baptist, and died a member of that Christian church; which lost him all his friends and interest. He died the beginning of this century, with the reputation of an upright Christian and a most learned man. There is no tolerable account given of him in any of the Biographical Dictionaries. What they say is short and next to nothing. And the Popish accounts are not only short, but false, and sheer calumny. I took much pains some years ago, to collect among the Baptists, and from others who knew this great man, every thing I could get relating to him and his works, and formed what I had got into a life of him, which I did intend to insert in this place: but by some accident or other, it is gone. I cannot find it any where.