An ornamental woodcut headpiece featuring two cherubs (putti) flanking a central foliate urn-like element, surrounded by symmetrical floral and vine-like scrollwork within a rectangular border.

PREFACE.

I.
Decorative woodcut initial 'T' depicting a classical landscape scene with one figure standing and another seated near a tree, set within a floral border.

THE title pages of the following Dissertations original: "Dissertations" — here referring to formal, written treatments of a subject. clearly enough indicate their various subjects. However, the intent behind the writing and the reason for publishing each one require me to provide some necessary information to the reader before they begin to read them.

After acquainting myself as best as I could with the various origins and unique constitutions of the Greek and Roman Republics—not forgetting the Persian and other monarchies—I judged that my efforts might be just as pleasantly rewarded if I used the same methods to gain as clear an understanding as possible of the MOSAIC Theocracy The government of the Israelites as established by Moses, characterized by the belief in the direct rule of God., or the government of the Israelites. The curiosity that is natural to man, which makes him so ambitious to be characterized as one

strongly urged me to look carefully into such remote antiquities. Furthermore, my duty—since the religion I professed was founded on the MOSAIC Institution The system of laws and religious practices established by Moses.—inspired me with even greater passion in my research.

But as the political structure of the Jews could not be learned without their history (as both are contained in the same books and interwoven in the same narrative), I constantly made discoveries in them despite the almost impenetrable obscurity of which those books are accused. These discoveries related to matters that were either different from what was taught by my guides, or that were not taught by anyone at all. These findings proved