question is put and answered, and many an intimation conveyed, even by children, who learn this language of signs sooner than they learn their mother tongue. Thus the universal sign of invitation, or of beckoning one to come, is given by the rapid movement of the entire fingers of the right hand; in short, the same as our own sign of beckoning, except that the palm, and consequently the fingers, are held downward instead of upward. Then the equally universal sign for money is to slip the thumb repeatedly and quickly over the forefinger, as one does in telling out money—a very good sign, but not obviously intelligible until it has been explained.

In regard to the feet being mentioned here as well as the hands, the Rev. W. Jowett, in his Christian Researches, suggests that the allusion is to be understood in connection with the Oriental habit of sitting on the ground, which brings the feet into view nearly in the same line with the hands, the whole body crouching down together, and the hands, in fact, often resting upon the feet.

But apart from such common movements or signs, it is a fact that artificial systems of signs, by which any kind of communication may be made without the interchange of a word, and by means of which even the deaf and dumb may receive instruction, and communicate with others, existed in the East long before such systems were devised in Europe for the education of persons so afflicted; and it seems to us far from impossible that something of the kind may be alluded to in the proverb, as employed by nefarious persons in making their communications to one another. In confirmation of these observations, we may refer to the employment of mutes in the seraglio of the Turkish sultan at Constantinople. The plan there followed is thus described by one 'Master Robert Withers,' in an account published upwards of two centuries ago in Purchas's Pilgrims. 'In the seraglio,' says this writer, there are many dumb men, both old and young, who have liberty to go in and out, with leave of the Capee Agha. And this is worthy of observation, that in the seraglio, both the king and others can reason and discourse of anything as well and as distinctly, alla mutesca, by

nods or signs, as they can with words—a thing well befitting the gravity of the better sort of Turks, who care not much for babbling. The same is also used among the sultanas and other of the king's women; for with them likewise there are divers dumb women, both old and young. And this hath been an ancient custom in the seraglio; wherefore they get as many mutes as they can possibly find, and chiefly for this one reason, that they hold it a thing not befitting the Grand Signior, neither stands it with his greatness, to speak to any about him familiarly; but he may, in that manner, more tractably and domestically jest and sport with the mutes than with others that are about him.' The public officers and governors, who acquire the knowledge of this mode of communication when young, in the seraglio, for the sake of communicating with the mutes, employ it afterwards among themselves in their secret transactions and communications.

Add to this, that the ancients had another and an analogous use for their fingers in a very complete and compendious mode of expressing numbers upon them. This art did not originate with the Romans, but it seems to have acquired its ultimate perfection among them, and there are various allusions to it among the poets. Passing an old book shop the other day, our eye was attracted by a worm-eaten book in the window, open at a plate, exhibiting what appeared, at the first view, very like the one-handed finger alphabet. On closer inspection, the work proved to be a translation of Juvenal, 'illustrated as well with Sculptures as Notes,' by 'Barton Holyday, D.D., and late Archdeacon of Oxon.' Oxford, 1673. The notes are very copious, learned, and curious. The engraving which attracted our attention is designed to illustrate one of great length upon that passage of the tenth satire in which the poet, alluding to Nestor, represents him as reaching such great age, that he 'counted his years on his right hand.'1 'In this pas

sage,' says Holyday, 'the poet intimates a point of antiquitie, concerning the art of numbering upon the hands; but the interpreters telling us only that there was such a custome, but not Atque suos jam dextrâ computat annos.'-Sat. x. 249.

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searching out the manner (excepting only that they say, that they reckoned on the left hand unto a hundred, and afterwards on the right unto a thousand), it will be neither unpleasant nor unprofitable to clear this obscuritie, divers passages in ancient authors, both Greek and Latin, intimating it, and some places in St. Jerom not being to be understood without it.' He then names the authors who have more or less touched upon the subject, and states that he means chiefly to follow Nicolus Smyranæus Astabasdas and Lylius Gyraldus, 'these two being the most diligent in this argument.' He then first deduces the names by which the several fingers were distinguished by the ancients, from which, among other things, we learn that the fourth finger of the right hand was called medicus and medicinalis, 'because Physitians commonly stirr'd their compositions with that finger.' The annotator then proceeds, with great pains and ingenuity, to collect from these authorities the combinations of the fingers by which numbers were progressively expressed; but as these conclusions are more intelligibly represented to the eye in the engraving in which he embodies his conclusions, and which we have caused to be copied, we shall not follow the details. Of this engraving, Dr. Holyday says: 'For the quicker apprehension and delight of the ingenuous reader, I have expressed here in picture the summe of this art. A table of the ancient hand-arithmetick, so far as I have described it; doing it without pattern, yet by the precedent descriptions, as well as in such an obscuritie, my guess could direct me to give directions for the performance.'

It may be added that Dr. Holyday indicates, as a divine, his knowledge of the application of his researches to the texts we have before us, for he says: 'And as the ancients did thus number up on their hands, so by the hands' gesticulation they did express their commands unto their servants; and hither some do draw that of the Psalm cxxii. 2: "As the eies of servants look unto the hand of their masters."

Eleventh Week-Sixth Day.

THE HEBREW MATRON.-PROV. XXXI. 10-31.

THE writers who, from imperfect knowledge of the matter, or from too much reliance on modern Oriental analogies, and these not well understood, have presented us with low and degraded pictures of the condition of woman among the Hebrews, must have overlooked the beautiful, dignified, and engaging picture of a Hebrew matron with which the Book of Proverbs closes. Yet it ought to be the chief authority, as it is by much the most complete description which the Bible contains; and it is to us deeply interesting, as showing that the wise and benevolent institutions of the Mosaic law, tending to elevate the position of woman in the social system, had, in the course of time, their just and designed effect, in giving to her a place in the Hebrew community far more advantageous than that which she held in any ancient nation whose domestic usages are known to us, or than she now enjoys among any eastern people.

What can be more emphatically appreciative of a virtuous and prudent wife's value, than the declaration that, 'Her price is far above rubies; the heart of her husband doth safely trust in her she will do him good, and not evil, all the days of her life ?'

:

The description of her conduct and course of daily life is deeply interesting, and highly instructive as to the domestic customs and economy of the Hebrews, admitting of far more consideration, and of more ample illustration, than we are now able to give to it.

The family to which she belongs is clearly intended for one in good circumstances, to the prosperity of which her wise management materially contributes. Her place in the family is no indolent sinecure, such as most people conceive Oriental matrons to enjoy, but is full of useful activities, generous cares, and refreshing duties.