and
maidens, the especial model of Israelitish poetesses and writers.

The student of Jewish literature is like an astronomer. While the casual
observer faintly discerns single stars dotted in the expanse of blue
overhead, he takes in the whole sweep of the heavens, readily following
the movements of the stars of every magnitude. The history of the Jewish
race, its mere preservation during the long drawn out period of
suffering--sad days of national dissolution and sombre middle age
centuries--is a perplexing puzzle, unless regarded with the eye of
faith. But that this race, cuffed, crushed, pursued, hounded from spot
to spot, should have given birth to men, yea, even women ranking high in
the realm of letters, is wholly inexplicable, unless the explanation of
the unique phenomenon is sought in the wondrous gift of inspiration
operative in Israel even after the last seer ceased to speak.

Judaism has preserved the Jews! Judaism, that is, the Law with its
development and ramifications of a great religious thought, was the
sustaining power of the Jewish people under its burden of misery,
suffering, torture, and oppression, enabling it to survive its
tormentors. The Jews were the nation of hope. Like hope this people is
eternal. The storms of fanaticism and race hatred may rage and roar, the
race cannot be destroyed. Precisely in the days of its abject
degradation, when its suffering was dire, how marvellous the conduct of
this people! The conquered were greater than their conquerors. From
their spiritual height they looked down compassionately on their
victorious but ignorant adversaries, who, feeling the condescension of
the victims, drove their irons deeper. The little nation grew only the
stronger, and its religion, the flower of hope and trust, developed the
more sturdily for its icy covering. Jews were mowed down by fire and
sword, but Judaism continued to live. From the ashes of every pyre
sprang the Jewish Law in unfading youth--that indestructible,
ineradicable mentality and hope, which opponents are wont to call
unconquerable Jewish defiance.

The men of this great little race were preserved by the Law, the spirit,
and the influences and effects of this same Law transformed weak women
into God-inspired martyrs, dowered the daughters of Israel with courage
to sacrifice life for the glory of the God-idea confessed by their
ancestors during thousands of years. Purity of morals, confiding
domesticity, were the saf