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 M. FRIEDL^NDEE, THE GUIDE, ETC., OF MAIMONIDES. 101 author, who formed a high opinion of the character and talents of his disciple. After a course of astronomy, mathematics and logic, he taught Joseph the elements of metaphysics, but found that his pupil was not to be put off with vague hints in reference to the esoteric doctrines of philosophy. Maimonides was opposed to teaching philosophy indiscriminately, but he deprecated the study of metaphysics not so much because he considered the objects of philosophy impious or unattainable, as that (to use his own simile) he believed transcendental food too heavy for the digestion of an uncultured intellect. With Aknim he could not plead this excuse, even had he been so inclined. Aknim, Maimo- nides thought, had undergone a systematic training which would justify the author in presenting him with a full statement of his views. For him, and others like him, Maimonides accordingly composed his treatise the Guide of the, Perplexed. First, he would explain certain terms occurring in the Prophe- tical writings. It will be readily seen that some knowledge of Hebrew is necessary for a full appreciation of this portion of the work, but the reader must not be dissuaded from its perusal by the large quantity of Hebrew type which distinguishes the first volume of Dr. Friedlasnder's translation. It should be mentioned that this instalment of the translation was issued as far back as 1881 under the auspices of the Hebrew Literature Society (now defunct), and was therefore intended mainly for readers to some extent acquainted with Hebrew. But not only will this difficulty be found altogether absent from the latter chapters of Part i. and from almost the whole of Parts ii. and iii., 1 but it is more apparent than real even in the earlier sections. In these, Maimonides is chiefly occupied with the Biblical anthropomorphisms, and their relation to the true theory of God. Earlier Jewish philosophers and theologians had explained these expressions as figurative, but Maimonides is not satisfied with this : he attempts to assign to each of them some definite metaphysical meaning. Besides figurative terms, he distinguishes between terms homonymous, which denote things totally distinct, and terms hybrid (which denote things which may variously be taken as belonging to the same or to different classes). Thus the narrative of Adam's sin is interpreted as an allegorical exposition of the relations between Sensation, Intellect and the Moral Faculty (i. c. 2). The Hebrew term for form he explains (i. c. 3) as (a) bodily form shape, as perceived by the senses ; (b) mental form the image which remains when the objects have ceased to affect the senses ; and (c) the intellectual form the true idea, in which sense alone it can be applied to God. Prof. Pearson thought it necessary to seek outside the Guide for Maimonides's views on the close con- nexion between truth and virtue. But Maimonides affirms the same doctrine here, declaring, for instance, that " only the man 1 No Hebrew type is used in Vols. ii. and iii.