Page:Jewish Encyclopedia Volume 2.pdf/630

580 THE JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA

Basnage

on these subjects are enumerated as twenty-five in "La France Protestante" by Haag (Paris, 1846-58; 2d ed., 1877, vol. i., s.r.). Chief among them is "L'Histoire et la Eeligion des Juifs Depuis Jesus Christ Jusqu'a Present," intended as a supplement and continuation to Joseplms (Rotterdam, 1706-11). This work is in five books, forming seven volumes, the sixth of which has the following title: "L'Histoire des Juifs Reelamee et Retablie par Son Veritable Auteur, 31 Basnage, Contre l'Edi.

His tion Anonyme et Tronquee Qui s'en " History of Est Faite Paris, ehez Roulland, 1710 a'

the Jews." avec Plusieurs Additions pour Servir de Tome VI. a Cettc Histoire." The mutilated edition mentioned in this remarkable title was by Du Pin. A long preface to the sixth volume,

580

A

second and enlarged edition was brought out later (The Hague, 1716-26 7 books in 15 volumes), revised in accordance with the criticisms made upon the first edition, and enriched by the author's new researches. The changes are apparent even in the first book, to which was added the genealogy of the Hasmoneans and of the Herodians in three parallel columns, the first of which is according to the first edition of the "De Numeris Herodiadum" by P. Hardouin, disproved by Basnage; the second is the same changed by P. Hardouin in his reply to Basnage; the third is according to the system of Josephus, followed by Basnage. Voltaire, in his "Siecle de Louis XIV.," 1830, xix. 55, in placing Basnage among the French writers of that period, says " Among the most Voltaire's valued of his books is his 'History of Favorable the Jews.' Books on current events Estimate, are forgotten with the events; books of general usefulness survive." This history is in fact the most important of Basnage's works, in quality as well as in bulk. At the beginning of the work he calls it "a survey of all

some years





and the history of the Herod the Great." And he goes on to

that pertains to the religion

Jews

since

say: "I have followed this nation into every corner of the world where it has sought refuge, and have brought to Light the Ten Tribes that seemed buried in the East. I have studied the schisms, the sects, the dogmas, and the ceremonials found in that religion.

The contents

of the seven books of the history are

as follows:

Book i. The condition and the government of Judea under the Herodians.

Book

The

history of the sects at the time of Jesus and the destruction of JerusaContents of lem the origin, dogmas, progress, and the Work, present condition of the Samaritans, the Sadducees, the Pharisees, the Essenes, and the Herodians. ii.

.



Book

iii.

The



history of the patriarchs

who

ruled

Babylonian captivity, and the successive generations of important rabbis since the destruction of Jerusalem the character and in Judea, the princes of the



works of the Talmudists, Amoraim, Pyrrhonists or Skeptics (perhaps he meant the Epicureans), " Excellents " or Geonim, Masoretes, and Cabalists, together with a description of the Cabala and of its famous

Jacob Christian Basnage. (From Basnage's French

translation o£ Josephus.)

in twenty-eight paragraphs, contains

criticisms passed

remarks on the

upon Basnage's "History

of the

Jews " in the " Journal des Savants " of the time. Very justly Basnage protests against the accusation that he had "rejected the testimony of a contemporary author who states facts," whereas he had examined and discussed it ("Histoire des Juifs," 1st ed., book vi., ch. xiv. 1265), as he had done, for instance, in reference to the decree of Arcadius

the Jews to abide by the Roman Codex Theodosianus, i. 87).

pelling (II

comlaws

This pirated edition testifies to the success of the book, which on its appearance was translated into English by Taylor, London, 1706, and later con-

densed into two volumes by Crull, London, 1708. In the same year was published " Remarks upon Mr. Basnage's Historj 7 of the Jews," London, 1708.

teachers. iv. The Jewish dogmas and confession of and the history of the Jewish religion from the destruction of the Temple. Book v. Jewish rites and ceremonies.

Book



faith,



Book

The dispersion of all the tribes in the Orient and the Occident, up to the eighth century. Book vii. The history of the dispersion from the eighth century to the eighteenth century. Of these chapters, Richard Simon (according to Haag, " La France Protestante ") praises especially those on the Karaites, the Masorites, and the Samaritans. It is a matter of regret that the portions relating to modern times are not more complete. Basnage apparently did not know that in his day there were already many European Jews in America, occasionally banded together in religious communities vi.