σε επιπεδου και ομαλης γενομενης, ένα βιον και μιαν Η πολιτείαν ανθρωπων και μακαριων και ομογλωσσων σε απολυτων γενεσθαι.” The few fragments under the name of " ora"cular magica," as edited by Opsopæus*, do not amount in all to more than eighty lines: there is, however, some evidence of that knowledge of a future judgment, and destruction by fire, the source of which, if it be not attributed to the Scriptures, must be traced to some extraneous prophecy, elsewhere preserved. In the fragments ascribed to Zoroaster by Patricius, the following line occurs : "The spirit of the spirit is the maker of the "world (reserved for fire).” 99 σε Νου γαρ Νους εστιν ο κοσμου τεχνίτης πυρίου. As it seems probable that the sense of πυρίου is to be understood without metaphor; so also, I imagine, must the word πυρινον, in the following sentence, be equally literal in sense : “ Give up the soul (reserved for fire) to works of righteousness, you shall save the mortal body." "For That the future judgment is alluded to in these instances, will appear the more probable from comparing them with a subsequent passage: "The heavenly arch appears no longer firm, “ Ουτε γαρ ουράνιος κυπρος τοτε φαίνεται ογχος, 66 Αστερες ου λαμπουσι της μηνης φως κεκαλυπται, It is evident that these lines can only have alluded to the destruction of the material earth; and those which follow appear to have the same reference: "When without form thou seest the sacred fire 66 Resplendent, crossing eagerly the depths "Of all the world, attend thou to the sound, “ Ηνίκα μεν βλεψης μορφης ανευ ιερον πυρ 66 “ Κλυθι πυρος την φωνην.” From the evidently literal acceptation of fire, or of lightning, in these passages, it is the less likely that a metaphorical sense ought to be affixed to the word where it again occurs; and in the literal acceptation, the following line also is equally significant, although, metaphorically, it hardly appears to have any meaning: "On all sides, for the disembodied soul, “ Παντοθεν απλαστῳ ψυχῃ πυρος ηνια τεινον.” The annexed fragment, preserved by Sinesius in which is evidently implied a knowledge of future retribution, may tend to strengthen our supposition, that a literal sense may be assumed for those which have preceded it. "Descend not to that world, intensely dark, 66 Μηδε κατω νευσης εις τον μελανανγεα κοσμον, “ Ω βυθος αιεν απιστος υπεστρωται τε και Αιδης, In these last verses there is sufficient similarity to a passage of the book of Enoch, to show that one may have been the prototype of the other. At p. 68 of the translation, these words occur: "Then shall the Lord of spirits hasten to "expel them from his presence. Their faces "shall be full of confusion, and their faces shall *Notæ in Orac. Magic. Opsopæi, p. 136. 66 darkness cover. The angels shall take them. to punishment," &c. Whatever may have been their origin, it can hardly be doubted, that in the foregoing fragments is contained the knowledge of a future retribution, of an existence after death, and, as it appears, of a purification of the world by fire: and since we are entirely ignorant from whence ideas, thus consonant with prophecy, could be drawn by those who were unacquainted with it; so we have no reason to suppose, that the Scriptures, preserved by the Jews, could have been within the reach of this heathen author. It remains, therefore, that we add to the scattered evidences, already noticed in the foregoing pages, our conclusion, that since the contents of the book of Enoch are such as might have afforded the materials for these doctrines, it is the more probable, that they were drawn from that book itself, at a period long anterior to any date which can be ascribed to it, as a forgery more modern than the Christian æra. A similar conclusion may be drawn from some fragments of the ancient sybilline books; for although there can be no doubt that they have been interpolated to a great extent by the early Christians, yet portions still remain, the internal evidence of which appears to be nearly conclusive in their favour. Justin Martyr seems to have considered, that the writings attributed to Zoroaster, and those of the Erythrean or Chaldæan Sibyl, were drawn from the same sources, and related to the same subject. "The Sibyl "and Hystaspes have declared, that the destruc"tion of mortal things should happen by fire." - Σιβυλλα δε και Υψαστης γενήσεσθαι των φθαρτων σε αναλωσιν δια πυρος εφασαν *. And it seems nearly certain that the second collection of these verses, which was made after their destruction, in the time of Sylla, contained the sense of the ancient Chaldæan oracles. This Dionysius of Halicarnassus has recorded: "The Sibylline † 66 Prophecies, which we now possess, are collected "from various places; some, indeed, have been "obtained from the cities of Italy, but others "from the Erythrean regions; the priests in "Asia having given small portions, which, ac |