look on the
fields; for they are white already to harvest.' [136:2] It is true that
the Talmudical passages do not fix the locality of their 'Ayin-Sychar;'
but all the circumstances agree. It was just from such a country as this
(neither too near nor too far distant for the notices) that the
Pentecostal loaves would be likely to be procured in such an emergency.

The reader will draw his own conclusions. He will judge for himself
whether the unqualified statement, 'It is admitted that there was no
such place as Sychar,' is or is not misleading. He will form his own
opinion whether a writer, who deliberately ignores these facts, because
they are brought forward by 'apologists who never admit anything,' is
likely to form an impartial judgment.

The identification of Sychar with Askar, to which recent opinion has
been tending, is a question of less importance. Notwithstanding the
difficulty respecting the initial _Ain_ in the latter word, an
identification which has commended itself to Oriental scholars like
Ewald and Delitzsch and Neubauer can hardly be pronounced impossible. I
venture to suggest that the initial Ain of 'Askar' may be explained by
supposing the word to be a contraction for _Ayin-Sychar_, the 'Well of
Sychar.' This corruption of the original name into a genuine Arabic word
would furnish another example of a process which is common where one
language is superposed upon another, _e.g._, Charter-house for
Chartreuse.

3. The third point to which I called attention [137:1] was the author's
practice of charging those from whom he disagreed with dishonesty. This
seemed to me to be a very grave offence, which deserved to be condemned
by all men alike, whatever their opinions might be. And in the present
instance I considered that the author was especially bound to abstain
from such charges, because he had thought fit to shelter himself (as he
was otherwise justified in doing) under an anonyme. Moreover, the
offence was aggravated by the fact that one of the writers whom he had
especially selected for this mode of attack was distinguished for his
moderation of tone, and for his generous appreciation of the position
and arguments of his adversaries.

This is our author's reply--

Dr Lightfoot says, and says rightly, that 'Dr Westcott's honour may
safely be left to take care of itself.' It would have been much
better to have left it to take care of itself, indeed, than trouble
it by such ad