Sefoftris. The hiftories of Hercules, and Perfeus, are equally void of truth. I am convinced, and hope I fhall fatisfactorily prove, that Cadmus never brought letters to Greece: and that no fuch perfon exifted as the Grecians have.defcribed. What I have faid about Sefoftris and Ofiris, will be repeated about Ninus, and Semiramis, two perfonages, as ideal as the former. There never were fuch expeditions undertaken, nor conquets made, as are attributed to thefe princes: nor were any fuch empires conftituted, as are fuppofed to have been established by them. I make as little account of the hiftories of Saturn, Janus, Pelops, Atlas, Dardanus; Minos of Crete, and Zoroafter of Bactria. Yet fomething myfterious, and of moment, is concealed under these various characters: and the investigation of this latent truth will be the

principal part of my inquiry. In refpect to Greece, I can afford credence to very few events, which were antecedent to the Olympiads. I cannot give the leaft affent to the ftory of Phryxus, and the golden fleece. It feems to me plain beyond doubt, that there were no fuch perfons as the Grecian Argonauts and that the expedition of Jafon to Colchis was a fable.

After having cleared my way, I fhall proceed to the fources, from whence the Grecians drew. I fhall give an account of the Titans, and Titanic war, with the hiftory of the Cuthites and ancient Babylonians. This will be accompanied with the Gentile hiftory of the Deluge, the migration of mankind

from Shinar, and the difperfion from Babel. The whole will be crowned with an account of ancient Egypt; wherein many circumftances of high confequence in chronology will be ftated. In the execution of the whole there will be brought many furprizing proofs in confirmation of the Mofaic ac count: and it will be found from repeated evidence, that every thing which the divine historian has tranf mitted, is moft affuredly true. And though the nations, who preferved memorials of the Deluge, have not perhaps ftated accurately the time of that event; yet it will be found the grand epocha, to which they referred; the highest point, to which they could afcend. This was esteemed the renewal of the world; the new birth of mankind; and the Ultimate of Gentile hiftory. ftory. Some traces may perhaps be difcernible in their rites and myfteries of the antediluvian fyftem; but thofe very few, and hardly perceptible. It has been thought that the Chaldaic, and Egyptian accounts exceed not only the times of the Deluge, but the era of the world; and Scaliger has accordingly carried the chronology of the latter beyond the term of his artificial period. But upon enquiry we fhall find the chronology of this people very different from the reprefentations, which have been given. This will be fhewn by a plain and precife account, exhibited by the Egyptians themfelves: yet overlooked and contradicted by the perfons, through whofe hands we receive it. Something of the fame nature will be attempted in

refpect

refpect to Berofus; as well as to Abydenus, Polyhistor, and Apollodorus, who borrowed from him. Their hiftories contained matter of great moment; and will afford fome wonderful discoveries. From their evidence, and from that which has preceded, we fhall find, that the Deluge was the grand epocha of every ancient kingdom. It is to be observed, that when colonies made any where a fettlement, they ingrafted their antecedent history upon the fubfequent events of the place. And as in those days they could carry up the genealogy of their princes to the very fource of all; it will be found, under whatever title he may come, that the first king in every country was Noah. For as he was mentioned first in the genealogy of their princes, he was in aftertimes looked upon as a real monarch; and reprefented as a great traveller, a mighty conqueror, and fovereign of the whole earth. This circum. ftance will appear even in the annals of the Egyptians: and though their chronology has been fuppofed to have reached beyond that of any nation, yet it coincides very happily with the accounts given by Moses.

mythology of every foreign and unmeaning ornament; and to difplay the truth in its native fimplicity: to fhew, that all the rites and myfteries of the Gentiles were only fo many memorials of their principal ancestors; and of the great occurrences, to which they had been witneffes. Among these memorials the chief were the ruin of mankind by a flood; and the renewal of the world in one family. They had fymbolical reprefentations, by which thefe occurrences were commemorated: and the ancient hymns in their temples were to the fame purpofe. They all related to the history of the firft ages; and to the fame events, which are recorded by Moses.

Before I can arrive at this effential part of my enquiries, I must give an account of the rites and cuftoms of ancient Hellas: and of thofe people, which I term Amonians. This I must do in order to fhew, from whence they came: and from what quarter their evidence is derived. A great deal will be faid of their religion and rites, alfo of their towers, temples, and Puratheia, where their worship was performed. The miftakes likewife of the Greeks in respect to ancient terms, which they strangely perverted, will be exhibited in many inftances: and much true hiftory will be ascertained from a detection of this peculiar mifapplication. It is a circumftance of great confequence, to which little attention has been paid. Great light however will accrue from examining this abufe, and obferving the particular mode of error: and the only way of obtaining an infight must be by an etymological procefs, and by referring to the

primitive

primitive language of the people, concerning whom we are treating. As the Amonians betook themselves to regions widely feparated; we fhall find in every place, where they fettled, the fame worship and ceremonies, and the same history of their ancestors. There will alfo appear a great fimilitude in the names of their cities and temples: fo that we may be affured, that the whole was the operation of one and the fame people. The learned Bochart faw this; and taking for granted, that the people were Phenicians, he attempted to interpret these names by the Hebrew language; of which he fuppofed the Phenician to have been a dialect. His defign was certainly very ingenious; and carried on with a wonderful difplay of learning. He failed however: and of the nature of his failure I fhall

be obliged to take notice. It appears to me, as far as my reading can afford me light, that moft ancient names, not only of places, but of perfons, have a manifeft analogy. There is likewise a great correspondence to be obferved in terms of science; and in the titles, which were of old beftowed upon magiftrates and rulers. The fame. obfervation may be extended even to plants, and minerals, as well as to animals; efpecially to thofe, which were efteemed at all facred. Their names feem to be compofed of the fame, or fimilar, elements; and bear a manifeft relation to the religion in ufe among the Amonians, and to the Deity, which they adored. This Deity was the Sun: and most of the ancient names will be found to be an affemblage of titles, bestowed upon that luminary. Hence there will appear a manifeft correfpondence between them: which circumftance is quite

foreign to the system of Bochart. His etymologies are deftitute of this collateral evidence: and have not the leaft analogy to support them.

In confequence of this I have ventured to give a list of some Amonian terms, which occur in the mythology of Greece; and in the hiftories of other nations. Moft ancient names feem to have been compofed out of these elements : and into the fame principles they may be again refolved by an eafy, and fair evolution. I fubjoin to these a short interpretation: and at the fame time produce different examples of names, and titles, which are thus compounded. From hence the reader will fee plainly my method of analyfis; and the bafis of my etymological enquiries.

As my researches are upon fub. jects very remote, and the histories to which I appeal, various; and as the truth is in great measure to be obtained by deduction, I have been obliged to bring my authorities immediately under the eye of the reader. He may from thence be a witnefs of the propriety of my appeal; and fee that my inferences are true. This however will render my quotations very numerous, and may afford fome matter of discouragement, as they are principally from the Greek authors. I have however in moft places of confequence endeavoured to remedy this inconvenience, either by exhibiting previously the fubftance of what is quoted; or giving a fubfequent tranflation. Better days may perhaps come; when the Greek language will be in greater repute, and its beauties more admired. As I am principally indebted to the Grecians for intelligence, I have in fome respects adhered to

their orthography, and have rendered ancient terms, as they were expreffed by them. Indeed I do not fee, why we should not render all names of Grecian original, as they were exhibited by that people, inftead of taking our mode of pronunciation from the Romans. I fcarce know any thing, which has been of greater detriment to ancient hiftory, than the capricioufnefs of writers in never expreffing foreign terms, as they were rendered by the natives. I fhall be found however to have not acted up uniformly to my principles; as I have only in fome inftances copied the Grecian orthography. I have ventured to abide by it merely in fome particular terms, where I judged, that etymology would be concerned. For I was afraid, however juft this method might appear, and warrantable, that it would feem too novel to be univerfally put in practice.

My purpose has been throughout to give a new turn to ancient hiftory; and to place it upon a furer foundation. The mythology of Greece is a vast affemblage of obfcure traditions, which have been tranfmitted from the earliest times. They were defcribed in hieroglyphics, and have been veiled in allegory and the fame history is of ten renewed under a different fyftem, and arrangement. A great part of this intelligence has been derived to us from the poets; by which means it has been rendered

but whence little can be obtained which is fatisfactory, and of fervice. We muft however make this diftinction, that in the allegorical reprefentations of Greece there was always a covert meaning, though it may have escaped our difcernment. In fhort, we must look upon ancient mythology as being yet in a chaotic ftate: where the mind of man has been wearied with roam ing over the crude confiftence without ever finding out one fpot, where it could repofe in fafety. Hence has arifen the demand, ws which has been repeated for ages. It is my hope, and my prefumption, that fuch a place of appulfe may be found: where we may take our stand; and from whence we may have a full view of the mighty expanfe before us: from whence alfo we may defcry the original defign, and order, of all thofe objects, which by length of time, and their own remotenefs, have been render. ed fo confufed and uncertain."

Letters written by the late Right Hon. Philip Dormer Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield, to his Son Philip Stanhope, Efq; late Envoy Extraordinary at the Court of Drefden : together with feveral other Pieces on various Subjects. Published by Mrs. Eugenia Stanhope, from the Originals, now in her Poffeffion. Two volumes 4to.

ro modern work has perhaps been received with fuch avidity by the public as Lord Chesterfield's Letters. The fubject, the education of a man of the world; and the author, the most accomplished gentleman of his time, naturallyengaged the public attention;

and

and the elegance of compofition has, we may fay, juftified the great expectations that were raif ed: we have not here fimply the fpeculative opinions of a theorift in his closet, but the conduct and practice of a great mafter carrying his work into execution.

Lord Chesterfield was himself undoubtedly the beff bred man of his time without enjoying the highest power, he filled the highest ftations with credit, and indeed with fplendour: he ftood, almoft unrivalled, the firft in wit and spirit of the age, and if not in the firft, yet first in the fecond clafs of eloquence: his own fon was the object of his attention, in this moft important work of education. There feemed nothing wanting to this noble author, of inducement to exert his abilities, or of abilities to perform this happy tak, that his affections had impofed upon him.

It has indeed been objected to this work, that his lordship has confined himself too much to the exterior qualification; and in anfwer to this objection it has been faid, that poffibly the young gentleman's own inattention to thofe outward accomplishments, may have led the author almost neceffarily to dwell more upon them, than he otherwife would have done: and confidering these letters as of public utility, we must beg leave to avail ourselves of the fame plea, in recommending them to the attention of the younger part of our readers. We hope that we may without grofs flattery affume, that a young Englishman has at least as much fenfe, virtue, and learning, as falls to the lot of young people. of any other country; but we cannot deny that he is apt to think too

little of all thofe exterior advan tages which ingratiate him with mankind, and as it were captivate the good-will of your company. It is impoffible to excel in any art that we despise, and the contempt our young countrymen are apt to entertain for the graces, make them too often ungracious indeed. It is not neceffary that they should facrifice one folid quality to the elegant accomplishments: there is no need of exchange; they are in the highest degree confiftent: and the one is in no fort an obftruction to the other. Lord Chefterfield's wit was not hurt by his good breeding: his good breeding did not obftruct him in the government of Ireland, or impede his fuccefs in foreign negociation; and if his very manner, helped him to outfhine Lord Macclesfield, in that Lord's own fphere of knowledge, it only proves that Lord Macclesfield fuffered for want of exterior; not that the poffeffion of the graces ob-. ftructed that knowledge. However, notwithstanding the high opinion we entertain of Lord Chefterfield's Letters and plan of education, in which we are juftified by the public voice, we must confefs that throughout there is fome appearance of a felfish principle, even in his morality. There is little or nothing of dignity of sentiment, good-nature, or generofity; a man finifhed on his plan, however perfectly, will be but too much a man of the world, in which his own intereft will always be the predominant part. This is the principal fault, and it is no fmall one in the fyftem: in every other part the work deferves the higheft commendation. We muft alfo do Lord Chesterfield the juftice to re