MERCHANT
109
MERCIER
2 ; xxvii, 17. The kingdom of Israel was probably more Vavored in this latter particular than that of Jiidah, as the principal thoroughfares of trade passed through its bounds. Commercial relations subsisted between Tyre and Judaea after the exile (Neh. xiii, IG), and even in New-Testament tirhes (Acts xii, 20). I'rom the Phoe- nicians the Hebrews imported, besides timber for edi- fices (1 Kings v; 1 Chron. xiv, 1), and sea-fish (Neh. xiii, 10), a great many foreign necessaries, and even lux- uries (such as variegated stuffs, unguents, and peltries, purple garments, etc.), which for the most part came from Arabia, Babylonia, and India (comp. Ezek. xxvii), and sold in exchange wheat (comp. Acts xii, 20), oil (1 Kings V, 11), honey, dates, balsam (Hos. xii, 2 ; see Ezek. xxvii, 17), and also a fine species of fancy fabric, whicli the diligent hands of the women had prepared (Prov. xxxi, 2-1). Respecting the balance of trade we have no certain means of judging, and it is the more difficult to ascertain how this was adjusted, inasmuch as Palestine must have derived its supply of the metals likewise from foreigners. Yet we nowhere find any indication that the national wealth had sensibly diminished; on the contrary, the Israelites were able to endure an almost unbroken series of hostile attacks, often resulting in pil- lage, and always very exhaustive of money (1 Kings xiv, 26; XV, 18; 2 Kings xii, 18; xiv, 14; xvi, 18, etc.), while certain periods (Isa. ii, 7), and even individual tribes (Hos. xii, 9), were distinguished for opulence and luxury ; perhaps the revenue was derived through the surrounding districts of Edom, ]\Ioab, and Phoenicia (see T. C Tychsen, De commerciis et navi(jaiionibus Ilebrmor. ante exil. Bah., in the Comment. Gott. vol. xvi ; Class. Hist. p. 150 sq. ; Hartmann, Ueh. Pentat. p. 751 sq.). After the exile the Hebrew commerce had a wider range, es- pecially as many Jews had become scattered in foreign countries where they experienced many favors, so that the nation took a greater relish in this avocation and in its safe emoluments. Prince Simon invited com- mercial intercourse by the improvement of the harbor of Joppa; the Palestinian Jews, however, being still re- strained by the discouragement of their law and their early mercantile prejudices, appear not to have risen to any great degree of activity in trade; and Herod's im- proved port at Cassarea (Josephus, Ant. xv, 9, G) was mostly occupied by foreigners, while under the Koman
Shop of an Eastern Clothes-dealer.
dominion traffic was encumbered by tolls and imposts, many commodities being even included in the list of government monopolies. Still Jewish love of gain pre- vailed wherever a favorable opportunity offered (Jose- phus, Life, p. 13), and laid claim to trading privileges (Josephus, War, ii, 21, 2). Internal, especially retail trade (enactments relative to which are contained in Lev. xix, 3G ; Deut. xxv, 13 sq. ; comp. Hos. xii, 8), was particularly promoted by the high festivals, to which every adult Israelite resorted in pursuance of the na- tional religion. In the cities open spaces at the gates were designated for the exposure of wares, and even Tyrian merchants frequented the market at Jerusalem (Neh. xiii, 16 ; see Hartman, ad loc. ; comp. Zeph. i, 10 ; Zech. xiv, 2 ; and see Movers, Phonic, i, 50) ; a mart for sacrificial victims and sacred shekels being established in the outer court of the Temple itself (John ii, 14 sq. ; JIatt. xxi, 12). The Mishna contains notices of the earh^ practice of beating down in price {Nedar. iii, 1), and of shop-keepers {Maasetvtk, ii, 3). For the com- merce of the Phoenicians, Egyptians (Isa. xiv, 14), Bab- ylonians (Nah. iii, 16), and Arabians, see those articles respectively. — Winer, i, 458. See Comjiehce. In mod- ern Oriental cities the retail trade is chiefly carried on in small shops, usually gathered together in a particular quarter or street, like the stalls iu an Occidental market. See Bazaar.
Merchants' Lecture, a lecture originally set up at Pinner's Hall in 1672 by the Presbyterians and Inde- pendents to defend the doctrines of the lieformation against popery and Socinianism. Some misunderstand- ing occurring, the Presbyterians removed to Salter's Hall. — Eadie, Eccles. Diet. s. v. See Lecture.
Mercier, Barthelemi, a learned French ecclesi- astic and biblidgraphcr, was born at Lyons April 4,1734. At the age of fifteen he became a novice among the reg- ular prebendaries of the collegiate church of Saint-Gen- evieve, in Paris, and after one year of probation he was allowed to take the vow. Immediately thereafter he was sent to the Abbey of Chatrices, in Champagne, and there studied rhetoric and philosophy. In 1754 he was made assistant to the learned Perigre, librariaii of Saint-Genevieve, and in 1760 was appointed his suc- cessor. Four years later Mercier was invested with the ahbotship of Saint-Leger, which was then vacant, at Soissons. In 1772, in consequence of some trouble which lie had with his associates, he resigned his functions as au abbot. Being thus liberated from official duties, he travelled through Holland and the Netherlands, where lie was in hopes of collecting the materials necessarj' for the compilation of certain works on which he was en- gaged. Although he had yet published only the Sup- plement to the history of printing by jMarchand, he was warmly greeted wherever he went. In 1792 he was appointed a member of the so-called Monument Com- mission. In this capacity he exerted himself to rescue from destruction all private and public collections of art and literature. He also drew up for the use of librari- iiis minute instructions touching the books intrusted to their custody, and a method for classifying them. To- w ards the latter part of his life, Francois de Neufcha- teaii, a clergyman and a fosterer of letters, granted him 1 pension of 2400 francs, the first annual instalment of M hich was paid to him in 1798. This assistance ena- bled Mercier to decline the generous offer of La Serna Santander, who had proposed to relinquish in favor of "Mercier his own office of librarian at Brussels. He died in 1799. His writings are characterized by an evidence I profound erudition, together with system and perspicu- y in all his researches. He published a large number I works, among which we may cite. Lettres siir la Bib- I of/raphie instructive lie M. Debure (Paris, 1763, 8vo) : — I. litre sur le veritable auteur du Testament politique du Cardinal de Richelieu (Paris, 1765, 8vo ; all of which 1 were extracted from the Memoires de Treveux) : — Con- sultation sur la question de savoir si les religieux de