As there seems to be no question that what is contained in this volume is the composition of Burke, and as it has never yet been superseded as a spirited history of the stirring period to which it relates, it ought undoubtedly to be attached as a supplement to the 8vo. edition of Burke's Works, with his "Account of the European Settlements in America," his title to which is now placed beyond dispute.
It is greatly to be regretted that some of Burke's early publications are yet undiscovered, amongst which are his poetical translations from the Latin, and his attack upon Henry Brooks, the author of the Fool of Quality.
JAS. CROSSLEY.
JEWS IN CHINA.
The mail which arrived from East India and China about the middle or end of March last, brought news of the discovery of a race of Jews in the interior of the latter country, of which I have seen no notice taken by the English press.
It being a subject in which a number of your readers will probably feel interested, and but comparatively few of them see the China newspapers, I beg to enclose you an account from the Overland China Mail, dated Hong Kong, Jan. 29, 1851.
The existence of a fragment of the family of Abraham in the interior of China has been certainly known for upwards of two hundred years, and surmised much longer. The Jesuit Ricci, during his residence at Peking in the beginning of the seventeenth century, was the means of exciting the attention of foreigners to the Jews of Kai-fung-fú, the ancient capital of Ho-nan province. In 1618 they were visited by Aleni, a follower of Ricci; and a hundred years later, between 1704 and 1723, Fathers Gozani, Domenge, and Gaubil were enabled from personal investigation on the spot to give minute descriptions of the people, their synagogue and sacred books, the latter of which few could even then read, while the former was, with the peculiar institutions of Moses, fast falling to decay. Beyond a few feeble and ineffective efforts on the part of Biblical critics, nothing was subsequently attempted to maintain a communication with this handful of Jews until in 1815 some brethren in London addressed a letter to them in Hebrew, and offered a large reward if any one would bring an answer in the same language. The letter was entrusted to a Chinese bookseller, a native of the province, who is reported to have delivered it, which was doubted, as he brought no written answer.
Recently the Jews' Society in London, encouraged by the munificence of Miss Cook, who placed ample funds at their disposal, instituted enquiries on the subject, and sought the co-operation of the Bishop of Victoria, who having previously opened a correspondence with Dr. Medhurst on the subject, during his Lordship's recent visit to Shanghae, the plan of operations was agreed upon. This was to despatch two Chinese Christians, one of them a literary graduate, the other a young man with a competent knowledge of English, acquired at the London Missionary School. The North China Herald of the 18th January contains an interesting account of their mission, from which we gather the following particulars.
The two emissaries started on the 15th November last, and after an absence of fifty-five days, returned to Shanghae, the distance between the two cities being about six hundred miles.[1] Arrived at their destination, they found in the decayed city of Kai-fung-fú, both Mohamedans and Jews, the latter poverty-stricken and degraded, their synagogue in a state of dilapidation, and the distinguishing symbols of their religion nearly extinct. The books of the Law, written in a small square character on sheepskin, are however still preserved, although it would seem for many years they have been seen by no one able to read them.
[1] Kai-fung-fú, according to Williams's map, is situated about a league from the southern bank of the Hwang-ho, or Yellow River, in 34° 55´ N. Lat., and 114° 40´ E. Long.