[Footnote 2:  Leyde, Noothoven van Goor, 1862.  Paris, Cherbuliez.  A work crowned by the Society of The Hague for the defence of the Christian religion.]

[Footnote 3:  Strasbourg, Treuttel and Wurtz. 2nd edition. 1860.  Paris, Cherbuliez.]

[Footnote 4:  Paris, Michel Levy freres, 1860.]

[Footnote 5:  Paris, Ladrange. 2nd edition, 1856.]

[Footnote 6:  Strasbourg, Treuttel and Wurtz.  Paris, Cherbuliez.]

The criticism of the details of the Gospel texts especially, has been done by Strauss in a manner which leaves little to be desired.  Although Strauss may be mistaken in his theory of the compilation of the Gospels;[1] and although his book has, in my opinion, the fault of taking up the theological ground too much, and the historical ground too little,[2] it will be necessary, in order to understand the motives which have guided me amidst a crowd of minutiae, to study the always judicious, though sometimes rather subtle argument, of the book, so well translated by my learned friend, M. Littre.

[Footnote 1:  The great results obtained on this point have only been acquired since the first edition of Strauss’s work.  The learned critic has, besides, done justice to them with much candor in his after editions.]

[Footnote 2:  It is scarcely necessary to repeat that not a word in Strauss’s work justifies the strange and absurd calumny by which it has been attempted to bring into disrepute with superficial persons, a work so agreeable, accurate, thoughtful, and conscientious, though spoiled in its general parts by an exclusive system.  Not only has Strauss never denied the existence of Jesus, but each page of his book implies this existence.  The truth is, Strauss supposes the individual character of Jesus less distinct for us than it perhaps is in reality.]

I do not believe I have neglected any source of information as to ancient evidences.  Without speaking of a crowd of other scattered data, there remain, respecting Jesus, and the time in which he lived, five great collections of writings—­1st, The Gospels, and the writings of the New Testament in general; 2d, The compositions called the “Apocrypha of the Old Testament;” 3d, The works of Philo; 4th, Those of Josephus; 5th, The Talmud.  The writings of Philo have the priceless advantage of showing us the thoughts which, in the time of Jesus, fermented in minds occupied with great religious questions.  Philo lived, it is true, in quite a different province of Judaism to Jesus, but, like him, he was very free from the littlenesses which reigned at Jerusalem; Philo is truly the elder brother of Jesus.  He was sixty-two years old when the Prophet of Nazareth was at the height of his activity, and he survived him at least ten years.  What a pity that the chances of life did not conduct him into Galilee!  What would he not have taught us!