each of them well known in Egypt. Alaparus seems to be the same as Al-Porus, the God of fire. Amillarus is a compound of Ham-El-Arez, all names of Ham and the sun. Some of the persons are said to be of Laracha, which Syncellus expresses wrongly Larancha. Laracha is for AlAracha, the Aracca of Ptolemy, one of the cities built by "Nimrod; others are said to be of Pantibibla or Pantibiblon, whom I take to have been Ponti-Babilon, or priests of Babel or Babylon. Panti, Ponti, and Phonti in the Amonian language signified a " priest. Argeiphontes in Greece was an Arkite priest, or minister of Argus; but the Grecians supposed that Phontes denoted slaughter, from a word in their own language; and in consequence of it bestowed the name on Hermes, whom they made the murderer of Argus. Pontifex and Pontifices among the Romans were 52 5* He built Babel, and ERECH, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. Gen. c. 10. v, 10. 52 Hence 'Iegoparns, a sacred priest, or priest of Orus; Kabxροφαντης; Hermophontes; Ceresphontes; Λευκοφόντης from Λευκός, Sol. See Jablonsky Prolegom. p. 90. Phantasia of Memphis was properly Phant-Asis, a priestess of Asis or Isis. Amillarus, Megalorus, Adorescus, Alaparus, D the Shepherd, are all said to have been of Pantibiblon. Thuvas not a place, but an office; and it signified that they were p of Babel. titles of the priests of fire. I imagine that the original list, which has been supposed to have been a dynasty of antediluvian kings, was the genealogy of Nimrod, the first king of the country, in which were contained four persons; Sisuthrus, or the Patriarch: next, under the character of 52 Amenon, Amelon, Amilarus, is Ham: Eudoreschus (Euc-Ad-Arez-Chus) is his son Chus; and, lastly, Alorus and Daonus the Shepherd was Nimrod; for it is expressly said of him that he took the title of " Shepherd. The rest are foreign to the catalogue; and through ignorance have been inserted. 53 It is said that both Oannes and Sisuthrus instructed men in the knowledge of letters, and committed many things to writing. And it is the opinion of many learned men that letters were not unknown to the people of the antediluvian world. Pliny says, Literas semper arbitror Assyria fuisse. But this was only matter of opinion; and as he, a professed geographer, makes no distinction be 52 Amenon may be Menon ill expressed, the same as Men or Menes. This was one of the most antient of the sacred titles. Anticlides in Ægypto invenisse quendam nomine Menona tradit, quindecim annos ante Phoroneum antiquissimum Græciæ regem: idque monumentis adprobare conatur. Plinii Nat. Hist. 1. 7. c. 56. 53 Abydenus above quoted. tween the Assyrians and Babylonians, who were two very different people, but introduces the former by mistake for the latter: we cannot pay much regard to his notions in chronology. If the people of the first ages had been possessed of so valuable a secret as that of writing, they would never have afterwards descended to means less perfect for the explanation of their ideas. And it is to be observed, that the invention of hieroglyphics was certainly a discovery of the Chaldeans; and made use of in the first ages by the Egyptians ; the very nations, who are supposed to have been possessed of the superior and more perfect art. They might retain the former, when they became possessed of the latter; because their antient records were. entrusted to hieroglyphics: but, had they been possessed of letters originally, they would never have deviated into the use of symbols: at least, for things, which were to be published to the world, and which were to be commemorated for ages. Of their hieroglyphics we have samples without end in Egypt; both on obelisks, and in their syringes as also upon their portals, and other buildings. Every mummy almost abounds with them. How comes it, if they had writing so early, that scarely one specimen is come down to us; but that every example should be in the least perfect character? For my part, I believe that there was no writing antecedent to the law at Mount Sina. Here the divine art was promul gated; of which other nations partook the Tyrians and Sidonians first, as they were the nearest to the fountain-head. And when this discovery became more known; even then I imagine, that its progress was very slow: that in many countries, whither it was carried, it was but partially received, and made use of to no purpose of consequence. The Romans carried their pretensions to letters pretty high; and the Helladian Greeks still higher; yet the former marked their years by a nail driven into a post: and the utmost effort of Grecian literature for some ages was simply to write down the names of the Olympic victors from Coræbus; and to register the priestesses of Argos. Why letters, when introduced, were so partially received, and employed to so little purpose, a twofold reason may be given. First, the want of antecedent writings, to encourage people to proceed in the same track. Where science is introduced together with letters; the latter are more generally received, and more abundantly used. For the practice of writing, or, in other words, composing, depends upon previous reading, and example. But the Cadmians, who brought letters to Greece, brought those elements only; and those much later, I believe, than is generally imagined. Nor had the Helladians any tendency to learning, till they were awakened by the Asiatic Greeks, and the islanders, who had been sooner initiated in science. They had made a great progress; while their brethren in the west were involved in darkness. And this early knowledge was not owing to any superiority of parts; but to their acquaintance with the people of the east, and with the writings of those countries; by which they were benefited greatly. Composition depends upon science: it was introduced in Hellas together with philosophy. Anaxagoras of Clazomena brought the learning of the Iönic school to Athens: he was Succeeded by Archelaus, of whom Socrates was a follower. Writing, I am sensible, was antecedent but at this time it became general. About this period, Theognis, Eschylus, and Pindar shone forth in poetry; and the antient comedy was first exhibited. After which, wonderful specimens of genius were in every kind displayed. Another reason for this deficiency seems to have been the want of such materials as are necessary for expeditious and free writing. The rind and leaves of trees, and shells from the sea, can lend but small assistance towards literature: and stones and slabs are not calculated to promote it much further. Yet these seem to have been the best means, they could in early times procure, to mark down their thoughts, or commemorate an event. The Chaldeans and Babylonians are greatly cele |