JOSIAH, King of Judah, was the son of Anion, and succeeded his father in mc. 639, when only eight years old. After a minority of eight years, during which he was educated, and the affairs of the state were administered, by the high-priest, he began to purge the land of its idolatries, to restore the true worship, and, supported by the friend ship of the king of Assyria, be even extended his reforms into the kingdom of Israel. In the eighteenth year of his reign he commenced the restoration of the Temple, and during its progress Hilkish dis covered the Book of the Law. On hearing the predictions against the Jews he rent his clothes, and sent for Huldab the prophetess, who confirmed the prediction, but added, as Josiah had not consented to these sins, he should not see the calamities. Josiah continued his religious reforms vigorously, and celebrated a solemn passover. Soon afterwards Necho, king of Egypt, who had invaded Assyria, arrived at Carchemish, when Josiah advanced against him, prompted probably by his friendship for the king of Assyria. Necho sent ambassadors to Elm, saying, "I come not against thee, but against the house where with I have war, for God commanded me to make haste. Forbear thee from meddling with God, who is with me, that he destroy thee not." Josiah however persisted, a battle took place at Megiddo, in which he was slain, after reigning thirty-one years. During his reign lived the prophet Jeremiah, who, it is stated, lamented for Josiah and Zephaniah. Jehoabaz. his son, succeeded Josiah.
* JoS1KA, MIKLOS, or NICHOLAS, an eminent Hungarian novelist, was born at Torda, in Transylvania, on the 28th of April 1796, and belongs to one of the first families of the country. He bears the title of Baron, and has often been confounded by German and other writers with another Baron Jaika, of the name of Samuel, who took a distinguished part in the transactions of the Transylvanian Diet. Nicholas Jdsika entered the Austrian army in 1811, and served in the campaigns of 1814 and 1815, but retired in 1818, after the peace, with the rank of captain; married an heiress, and for some time resided on his estates in Transylvania, and at a town-house in Perth, giving his chief attention to literary pursuits. In 1836 he published a national and historical tale, AbaS; founded on the history of the Transylvanian prince of that name in the 17th century. Its popularity was great and instantaneous. The reviewer in the 'Figyelmezo; the most influential critical journal, began his criticism with the words "Uraim ! is a kalapokkal" (" Gentlemen, off with your hats "). In the course
of the ensuing twelve years, up to the revolution of 1848, Josika's pen was in such constant activity that his romances amounted to about sixty volumes. As in the case of other prolific writers, there was a decided falling-off in his later productions, nor did he ever produce a novel which could compete with the Village Notary' of Eotvos [Eorvos], but he continued, and still continues, a favourite with the Hungarian public. His chief romances are—' Abafi,' his first and best ; 'Az utols6 Bdtori ' (' The last Baton '); A' Csehek MagyarerszAgbau' (' The Bohemians in Hungary ') ; 'Zrinyi a' ' (' Zrinyi the Poet '), founded on the adventures of the poet, who was descended from the famous Zrinyi, the defender of Sigeth ; and ‘J6sika Istviln' (' Stephen J6aika '), in which the hero was one of his own ancestors. His attempts as a dramatic poet, which were repeated three or four times, met with little success. As a parliamentary speaker in the upper house of nobles he was also considered to have failed, owing, in some mesaure, to a shyness which be could never shake off in public. He took how ever a bold and decided part in the revolution in support of the measures of Kossuth, was named a member of the committee for tiro defence of the country, and followed the government to Debreczin and Arad. After the catastrophe at Vilagos he succeeded in making his way over the frontier, but was condemned to death for contumacy, and in September 1851 was hanged in effigy with Kossuth, and thirty five others at Peath. Since 1850 he has lived at Brussels, where his death in law has not prevented him from being the acknowledged foreign correspondent of 'A' Magyar Hirlap,' an Hungarian newspaper. In 1851 a romance from his pen at Brunswick, entitled Egy Magyar Csalad a Forradalom alatt ' (' A Magyar Family during the Revolution '). None of his works have yet appeared in English, though many have been translated into other languages, and the whole into German, partly by Klein and partly by his second wife, Julia Josika, born Baroness Podmaniczky, one of the most gifted ladies in Hungary, whom he married in 1847. Josika is himself the translator into Hungarian of the English novel by the author of Trevelyan," A Marriage in High Life,' which is a favourite in several foreign languages.