against the Pronunciation of the Jews in the Time of Origen, as against that of the Mafforets.

M. Mafclef having endeavoured to fhew, that the Pronunciation and Punctuation of the Mafforets may be laid afide, establishes a fourth Principle in order to prove that it ought to be actually rejected. In order to understand the Hebrew Text of the Holy Scripture, (fays the Author) and to tranflate it accord, ing to critical Rules, it ought to be read without the Points of the Mafforets, for feveral Reasons.

First, the Points of the Maforets have been added to the Hebrew Text, and make no Part of the Holy Scripture.

Thofe Points do not reprefent the Senfe of the Sacred Writers, but only that which is afcribed to them by the Mafforets, who were not infallible in their Punctuation.

From whence it follows, that whoever reads the Bible, as it has been pointed by thofe Jews, cannot pretend to read it in its original Parity: He only reads the Commentary of the Mafforets.

Befides, it ought to be observed, That the Mafforets pointed the Bible according to their prejudi cated Opinions; and that their Punctuation is fre quently wrong, as it has been proved by several great Criticks.

These Confiderationf lead the Author to a fifth Prin ciple, viz. That in Order to have a good Hebrew Grammar, it must be fuch as may teach the Hebrew Tongue without Points; fince 'tis plain that the Defign of a Grammar can only be the understanding of a Language. Whereupon M. Mafclef bestows a great Encomium upon Lewis Cappel, and quotes a long Paffage of that Learned Critick out of the VIth Book of his Critica Sacra, Chap. x1. That Chapter is intitul'd, Nova Grammaticæ ratio ex ifta de variis lectionibus obfervatione inftituenda. Cappel fhews at large, "the

Infufficiency of the Punctuation and Grammar of the "Mafforets, and the Neceffity of compofing a new "Grammar. He lays down the Plan and the Rules of fit, and above all Things would have it to be withQUE

F 3

66

out Points. Tis true, the Difficulties of fucceeding in fuch a Defign appear to him infuperable; "and therefore he only wilhes that fome body may

at laft prove more happy than he has been, and "invent fuch a Grammar, for which he had taken "fo much Pains.

I need not infert here. the Paffage of that Author; his Critica Sagra is not a fcarce Book. M. Mafclef concludes his Difcourfe with thefe Words. "It appears that the only Reafon why Cappel dares "not affirm, that the Grammar of the Mafforets ought "to be wholly rejected, or decide whether it be pof: "fible to have a better one than theirs, is becaufe "he fuppofed that it was impoffible to read Hebrew "without Points; being otherwife difpofed to lay afide that Grammar, if any one could find a more "certaiu and convenient Way of Pointing and Pro66 nouncing Hebrew.

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66

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What Cappel dares not affirm. ro be poffible, ap pears to me not only poffible, but even fo eafy, "that I am furprised how fo Learned a Man, who "had meditated fo long upon that Subject, did not "perceive it. This I fhall fhew in the fecond Part of my Project."

See an Account of it, in ART. XXX.

*OGOCKOG-AGION ON UGSTUN OKOJEN STOFUKUP

ARTICLE XIV,

A NEW OBTERVATION upon the Nature and Qualities of the wild Afb-Tree, hewing that it may ferve instead of Sena, By M. TABLET.

By taking a narrow View of the Nature of Sena, especially of that which is brought into France from Tripoli, I plainly found that it was of the same Species with the wild Afh-tree, that grows plentifully

in Woods. The Leaves of both Plants are pointed. Those two Shrubs have ligneous Stalks, the Branches whereof come near the Colour and Figure of those of Licorifh: They have a gluifh Savour, and are bitter and odoriferous. The Flowers of both Plants come out at the End of the Branches, and look like Rofes.

As for the Virtues of the wild Afh-tree, its Leaves do admirably purge, in the fame Quantity as thofe of Sina, and do not occafion fuch a violent griping of the Guts, because Sena growing in a hot Climate, has not so much Phlegm, and abounds more with Acrimonious Salts. On the contrary, the wild Afht Tree is full of Tartareous Sulphur, and Armoniack Salt, united together with a clammy Phlegm; for it affords, through a Chymical Analysis, a great deal of Oil and Acid Phlegm. And therefore I may very well affirm, having tried its Purgative Virtue upon feveral Perfons, that this Kind of Sena, which is fo common in France, ought to be preferred to that, which is brought into this Kingdom from Alexandrie, Tripoli, and Italy.

ARTICLE XV,

ROVEN.

N Hiftorical Difcourfe concerning the Election

pire, has been reprinted here.

Difcours Hiftorique de l Election de l'Empereur & des Ele&eurs de l'Empire, par le Refident in Brandebourg. Rouen, 1711. 12mo. pag. 612.

This Book was printed the first time in 1658, in 4to. The Famous M. de Wicquefort is the Author of it.

FA

PARIS,

PARIS.

The Abbot & Empire, &c. That Author is very HE Abbot de Veyrac has published, The Prefents

methodical, and his Book is written with great Perfpicuity. He criticizes feveral Paffages in the History of the Empire published by M. Heifs, without pretending to leffen the Merit of that Hiftorian.

Etat prefent de l'Empire, où l'on voit fon origine, Sen établissement, fes progrès, fes revolutions, les droits de l'Empereur, du Roy des Romains, des Electeurs, des Princes, des autres Etats, qui le compofent; la maniere do convoquer & de tenir les Diettes; les cérémonies quis obfervent à l' Election & au Couronnement de Empereur, & generalement tout ce qui regarde la forme du Gouveronement Germanique Avec une Criti que de plufieurs points importans de l' Hiftoire de M. Heiß. Le tout extrait des anciennes Conftitution's Imperiales, de la Bulle d'Or, & des Ouvrages des meilleur's Auteurs qui ayent écrit fur cette matiere. Par M. l'Abbé de Veyrac. Paris 1711, in 12mo. pagg. 360.

Advertisement.

EW Perspective-Glaffes are to be Sold by way of Subfcription at Mr. Dillon's in Long-Acre, next Door: to the White-Hart, where Propofals may be had. With the Help of thofe Perspective-Glaffes, any one that looks forwards, may take a View of any Object, that is on the Right Hand, or on the Left; and no Body can difcover what he looks at. Some other Ufes of the fame Glaffes are defcribed in the faid Proposals.

ARTICLE XVI.

AN HISTORICAL ACCOUNT, never before publib'd, of the Life and Trial of MICHAEL SERVETUS. In feveral Letters to ****. By the Au thor of thefe Memoirs. The First Letter may be seen above, Art. X.

Letter II.

SIR

THO

HOSE, who call the Epifcopal Govern ment of the Church of England, her Excellent Liturgy, and fome few Decent Ceremonies, a Remainder of Popery, are blinded by Prejudices, and have a wrong Notion of Things. But whoever maincains, that the violent Zeal of fome Proteftants in the XVIth Century was a Remainder of Popery, fpeaks a great Truth. It was a pernicious Error, which they had imbibed in the Church of Rome. I think, Sir, it may be faid, without doing any Injuftice to that Church, That fhe is in a great measure anfwerable for the Execution of Servetus. If the Roman Catholicks had never put any body to Death on account of Reli gion, I dare fay, that Servetus would not have been tried in a Proteftant City. Let us remember that Cal

* I have observed in one of my Papers, That Calvin was no Enemy to Epifcopacy; for which that Illuftris ous Reformer is very much to be commended.