Morzillo, Skijastiax Fox, a Spanish philosopher, was born about 1523 at Seville; antl, after studying at the high schools of his own country, went to France, and finally finished his studies at the University of Louvain (Belgium), and applied himself with particular care to the history of the quarrels of the Platonicans and Peripatetics. At tlie early age of nineteen he pub- lished a treatise on philosophy. Philip II called him home as preceptor for his son Don Carlos, but on his voyage to enter on his charge of the infante the vessel was wrecked and he perished (15G0). Contemporary authors have bestowed on him great praise. Vossius calls him "philosophum praistantissimum et doctissi- mum." Notwithstanding his untimely death, we have several valuable works from him : In topica Ciceronis Paraphrasis et scholia f Anvers, 1550, 8vo) : — De Imi- iafione,sire d<' infunnini'li styli ratinne (ibid. 1554, 8vo) : — In Platoiii.-i Titiiiiiiiii commentariiis (Basle, 1554, fol.) : — Compemliiim ijliin s ]ihilosophiie ex Plutone, A ristotele aliisque autoribus cuUtctum (ibid. 1554, 8vo) : — De natura Philosophiw, seu de Platonis et A nstotelis con- sensione lib. v. (Louvain, 1554, 8vo; Paris, 1560, 1589, 8vo; Lyons, 16"22, 8vo), which latter work, according to Boivin, "is perhaps the best and most solid that has been written on this subject," though he adds that the subject has not been treated exhaustively: — J)e Usu et Exercitatione DiulecticcB ; De Demonstratione; De Jurentute, De Ilonore (Basle, 1556, 8vo) -.-De Pet/no et reriis Institutione lib. iii (Antwerp, 1556, 8vo) : — In Phmlonem (Basle, 1556, fol.) : — De Ilutorice Institutione (Antwerp, 1557, 1564, 8vo).— Hoefer, AoMf. Zfio^. Gene- rali; xxxvi, 703.
Mosaic (Lat. Musiimm'), ornamental work formed by inlaying small pieces, usually cubes, of glass, stone, etc. It was much used by the Romans in floors and on the walls of houses, and many specimens which have been discovered are rendered exceedingly beautiful by the introduction of different-colored materials, and are made to represent a variety of subjects with figures and animals; others arc of coarser execution, and exhibit only such patterns as frets, guilloches, foliage, etc.
In the iVIiddle Ages this kind of work continued to be used in Italy and some other parts of the Continent, and was applied to walls and vaults of churches; in England it was never extensively emplovcd, though useil in some parts of the shrine of Kdward the Con- fessor, on the tomb of Henry III, and in the paving of the choir at Westminster Abbey, and Becket's crown at Canterbur}', where curious ])at terns may be seen. Mosaic-work is still executed witli great skill by the Italians.
Mosaism, a term of late used to designate the system of religion instituted by Jehovali througli the
agency of Moses, and maintained by the subsequent theocracy of the Old Testament. Tliis, so far as its history is concerned, has been treated under the heads .JfDAisM and MosKS, and as formulated in the sacred code, it has been analyzed and summed up under Law OF MosKS. It remains to consider it as regards its essential purjwse, its interior spirit, and its practical operation. With this view we shall here briefly dis- cuss it.
I. As a Sequel to the PatHarchal Dispensation. — ^^Ve pass over the divine economy of Eden as a brief and ideal scheme, adaiJted only to a state of moral perfection no longer existing, and proved to be inadequate to re- sist even outward temptation to wrong. We likewise dismiss the antediluvian probation as having equal- ly demonstrated the incompetency of human nature to retain traditional piety, or even to preserve a tolerable degree of virtue. The race born of the germ rescued from the deluge must be trained under closer restric- tions and by a more palpable embodiment of divine authority. This was measural)ly secured by the suc- cessive heads of the Shemitic family, each in his turn acting as a representative of heaven in his twofold function of priest and medium of revelation. In the Abrahamic Church it was more fully realized by a for- mal recognition of the several patriarchs as special plenipotentiaries of God to his chosen people. Many important defects, however, still existed under that ar- rangement for religious discipline, which Mosaism was intended to supply.
1. A written constitution was required to prevent un- certainty, discrepancy, and oblivion of the princijiles of moral truth and practice. Tliis was furnished by the Pentateuch, with its historical introduction and statu- tory detail.
2. A i^rescribed form of tcorship was needed to ob- viate the casual and irregular methods hitherto prev- alent, and ever prone to recur, and especially in order to preclude all human contrivances and corrupt observ- ances. This was effected by the Levitical cultus, with its hereditary caste, imposing apparatus, and solemn fes- tivals.
3. A teri-itorial patrimony was essential to give " a local habitation and a name" to the favorites of heav- en, and to preserve their lineage from contamination and disintegration, as well as from the dissipation of migratory habits. This was attained by the perma- nent title in the Promised Land, where their Hebrew forefathers had been merely nomadic tenants. This, too, was calciUated to develop the refining influences of home, neighborhood, and clan, with all their literarj', social, and domestic amenities.
4. A living ministry was continuously p^o^•ided in the person of the prophets, to keep alive the idea of theo- cratic sovereignty, to fan the flame of national devo- tion, and to guard against the varying dangers and degeneracies to which any polity, however well devised and balanced, must be exposed in the lapse of centuries.