depends. He tells us, that after the Sacæ had entered Cappadocia, they seemed in a manner extinct; but they appeared again under the name of Titans, and carried on their conquests under the same hero, Acmon. This, he says, is a discovery of the greatest importance, which was unknown to every antient historian, and had lain dormant for ages. And for the history of the Sacæ he appeals to Strabo; and particularly concerning their inroad into Cappadocia, from whence they are supposed to have proceeded to the conquest of all Europe. But, in the execution of this grand and pleasing scheme, he is guilty of an oversight, which ruins the whole of his operations. Carried on by a warm imagination, he has been erecting a baseless fabric which cannot subsist for a moment. The passage Strabo, upon which he founds his notions, makes intirely against him. This writer speaks thus of the Sacæ : 13 Σακαι μεντοι παραπλησίας εφοδος εποιητ σαντο τοις Κιμμέριοις. The excursions of the Saca were like those of the Cimmerians. In this description the author refers to a prior circumstance. Now the excursions of the Cimmerians were, in the reign of 14 Ardys, the son of Gyges, king of

in

13 L. 11. p. 779.

14 Herodotus. 1. 1, c. 6. 15. 16.

Lydia, long after the Trojan war, and still farther removed from Abraham, and the supposed foundation of the Assyrian empire. And in proof of this being the author's meaning, we find him. afterwards more explicitly shewing, that these excursions of the Sace were as late as the empire of the Persians. The account is so particular and precise, that I will lay it at large before the reader. 15 The inroads of the Sace were very like those of the Cimmerians and Treres, some of them being made to a great distance, and others nearer home. For they not only got possession of Media, but also seized upon the most eligible part of Armenia, which they called Sacasene, after their own name. They advanced as far as Cappadocia; especially towards that part of it which borders upon the Euxine sea, and is called the region of Pontus. Thus far all is right: but observe the sequel. Here, as they were giving themselves up to feasting and jollity from the plunder which they had taken, they were set upon in the night by some of the Persian Satrapæ, and all cut off. Pezron therefore might well say that the Sacæ, in the midst of their exploits, seem at once to have

15 L. 11. p. 779.

Επιθεμενοι δ' αυτοις πανηγυρίζεσιν απο των λαφύρων δι τοτε ταυτῇ των Περσών σρατηγοι νύκτωρ, αρδην αυτες ηφάνισαν. Ibid.

been annihilated, and their name extinct. Strabo tells us that they were totally ruined: agdnv auTES ngavicav: the Persians cut them all off to a man. Hence we may see of what great oversights this learned man was guilty in the prosecution of his scheme. First, in supposing these Sace to have been of as great antiquity as the Patriarchs, and antecedent to the foundation of Assyria, who were manifestly as late as the reign of 16 Cyrus. Secondly, in giving the character of universal conquerors to a set of banditti, who in one attack were extirpated. Lastly, in attributing the most material circumstances in the antient history of Europe to a people who were never there. Thus is this fairy vision brought to an end. The history of the Titans, the achievements of Acmon, the empire of Jupiter, the part delegated to Tal-man, are quite effaced; and much labour and ingenuity has been expended to little purpose. In short, the whole Celtic system is ruined; for the Sacæ, upon whom it depended, are stopped in their career, and no more heard of; and all this is

16 Strabo says, that, according to some historians, it was Cyrus who cut them off. 1. 11. p. 780. But it was probably an age later when the Persian empire was more established. See the passage: Οι δε, ὅτι Κυρος, κ.τ.λ. See also Diodorus Sic. 1. 2. p. 119.

manifest from the authorities to which Pezron appeals. Such too frequently are the quotations made use of by people of an eager disposition; which, as they are introduced, answer but in part; when examined, are totally repugnant. His reasoning throughout is carried on by a chain, of which not one link is fairly connected.

An ingenious writer and antiquary of our own nation has followed the steps of Pezron, and added to his system largely. He supposes, that all science centered of old in Bactria, called 7 Bochary, or the land of Books, which Pezron had supposed to have been the principal place of residence of his Sacæ. He accordingly tells us, that in these parts we must look for the origin of the Titans, Celts, and Scythæ. We are

17 See the History and Chronology of the Fabulous Ages, by Wise. p. 119. and note (1) in another treatise, he says: Pezron proves, that Uranus, Calus, Saturn, and Jupiter, were no imaginary beings, but the true names of Celtic emperors, who were more generally known by the name of Titans. Wise. Dissertation on the Language, Learning, &c. of Europe. It appears, that Uranus, Saturn, and Jupiter were powerful princes; sovereigns over a vast empire, comprehending all Europe, and a great part of Asia. Ibid. p. 55. These writers were too modest in limiting Jupiter's empire, which they might as well have extended over all the earth, especially as they might have quoted authority for it. Τον Δια (φασι) βασιλευσαι Το σύμπαντος κόσμο. Diodorus. 1. 3. p. 194.

likewise informed by another writer, that near

18

Cashmire and Thebet they speak good " Irish at this day. The learned Salmasius also deduces every thing from Scythia. 19 Nulla fere Europæ gens nec Asiæ, quin a septentrione proman verit, &c. Scythia igitur, quæ ad septentrionem, omnes fere gentes evomuit. But what are we to understand by Scythia? It is an unlimited, undefined term, under which Grecian ignorance sheltered itself. Whatever was unknown northward was called Scythian. It is certain, that vast bodies of men have at times come from the north: though Salmasius carries his notions to a degree of extravagance. But giving his opinion a full scope, What has this to do with the language and learning of Europe; which by many are so uniformly deduced from the same quarter? It is notorious, that this vast track of country called, ignorantly, Scythia, was possessed by people essentially differing from one another. Timonax, a writer of great antiquity, took notice of fifty nations of 20 Scythians. Mithridates had twentylanguages spoken within his territories

two

21

" See Parsons, in his treatise styled Japhet.

19 De Hellenisticâ. p. 366.

20

Της δε Σκυθιας εθνη πεντηκοντα Τιμώναξ αναγράφει εν πρωτῳ περι Exvwv. Scholia in Apollon. 1. 4. v. 320.

21 Mithridates duarum et viginti gentium Rex, totidem linguis