Subject: Philology

Pamphlet by Rev. Ebenezer Grant Marsh, arguing that Hebrew was the first language of mankind. First edition, published December 5, 1798. The pamphlet explores the historical development of Greek, Hebrew, and Latin, asserting the primacy of Hebrew.

Manuscript study note on the translation of Aramean. The note measures 8" x 5" and contains several complete sentences on the verso, written in a very small script. It begins: "The Chaldaic dialect has a (?) close to the Syriac; hence they are both frequently referred to under the common name Aramean." The note includes tables comparing script and further commentary. It is not in the handwriting of Isaac Leeser; it may be an insert from a letter to Leeser on the subject. Found with other Leeser papers. This document has been reviewed and verified at the Katz Center of the University of Pennsylvania by Dr. Arthur Kiron, the Schottenstein-Jesselson Curator of Judaica Collections, and Bruce Nielsen, Judaica Public Services Librarian and Archivist, who is a trained paleographer.

This trade card advertises the services of Henry Phillips, Jr., an archeologist and numismatist. The front of the card displays his address: No. 524 Walnut Street, Room No. 20, Philadelphia. The back of the card is blank. [Henry Phillips Jr. was born in Philadelphia on September 6, 1838, and died in June 1895. He was the son of Jonas Altamont Phillips and was renowned for his expertise in folklore, philology, and numismatics, both in the United States and Europe. His contributions to the study of American paper currency are particularly noteworthy, with his work cited by the United States Supreme Court. His publications include "History of American Colonial Paper Currency" (1865), "History of American Continental Paper Money" (1866), and others.]