As it is a very ordinary case for fiction to be imposed on the world for truth, so it sometimes happens that truth hath such extraordinary circumstances attending it, as well nigh bring it to pass for fiction.  The adventures of this unhappy man, who was a Hebrew by nation, have something in them strange, and which excite pity; for a man must be wanting in humanity who can look upon a young person endowed with the natural advantage of a good genius, lightened by the acquired accomplishments of learning, fall of a sudden from an honest and reputable behaviour into debauchery, wickedness and rapine, methods that lead to certain destruction, and as it were to drag men to violent and shameful deaths.

This unfortunate person, Abraham Israel, was born of parents of the Hebrew nation, of good character and in good circumstances, at Presburg, in the kingdom of Hungary.  They were exceedingly desirous of giving their son a good education, and therefore sent him to study in the Jewish College at Prague, in Bohemia, where they allowed him about two hundred pounds Stirling a year.  He improved under the tuition of the rabbis there to a great degree, insomuch that he was admired by them as a prodigy of learning.  His behaviour in every other way being unblamable, and therefore not spending above half what his father sent him, he distributed the rest among the indigent scholars there, of all nations and religions.  As a mark of his early and polite genius, we have thought proper to entertain our readers with a short description of the city of Prague, which he wrote in the German tongue, and which on this occasion we have ventured to translate into English.

Prague is the capital of the Kingdom of Bohemia, which, as if protected by nature, is encompassed round with high mountains.  Throughout all Europe there is no soil in general more fertile or better adapted to the plough.  The fruits there are excellent and great quantities of fowl are plentiful almost to excess, the cattle are large and excellent.  In fine nothing is poor, wretched or miserable there except the people, who are slaves to their lords, and never enjoy even the fruits of their own hard labour.  But to return to Prague, it is a city situated on a hill, part of it stretching down the plain, having the river Muldau running through it.  The buildings are of so large extent that this city is divided into three, and by some into four cities.  The old city lies on the east of the river, is exceedingly populous, and houses in that quarter fair, but old-fashioned.  Here is the quarter assigned unto our nation (i.e., the Jews) where we enjoy greater privileges and are treated with more lenity than in any other part of Germany.  The heads of our people deal to very great advantage in jewels and precious stones dug out of the Bohemian mines.  The lesser town on the other side of the river is more beautiful in its building than the old town, has fine gardens and stately palaces, among which