I WILL now proceed,

III. To recite a series of Testimonies concerning this great convulsion of the world.

These testimonies I will endeavor to arrange in the best order, which their own nature, and my circumstances will permit. My circumstances will not allow me to spend much time in this employment; and the nature of the testimonies themselves is such, as to forbid a clear and accurate arrangement.

The first class of testimonies, which I shall select, will respect the state of things, preceding the deluge.

Berosus, the Chaldean; Manetho, the Egyptian; Hieronymus, the Phoenician; Hesiod, Histiaus, Hecataus, and Hellanicus, among the Greeks; declare the life of the first men to have lasted a thousand years.

Catullus records, and describes, the prevailing belief of the general corruption of men, after the state of original innocence was past.

That men anciently existed, of a larger size than at present, JoVOL. IV. New Series.

sephus testifies generally; and declares, that their bones were found in his own time.

Gabinius declares such bones to have been found by Sertorius in Mauritania.

Phlegon declares, that such bones were found in Dalmatia, and in the Cimmerian Bospho

rus.

Pausanias declares, that such bones were shown at Pisa, and at the city of Asopus in the temple of Esculapius.

Philostratus declares many such bones to have been uncovered by the rains at Pallene.

Pliny declares, that a skeleton, or body of a man, standing, was discovered in Crete by the parting asunder of a mountain, which some thought to be Orion, and others Ætion.

Both Pliny and Solinus testify to a report, that the body of Orestes, when dug up by the command of the oracle, was found to measure seven cubits.

Stephanus writes, they say that Iconium was the city of Annacus, (Enochus,) who lived 300 years; and that the inhabitants of the

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place where he lived, asking how long he would live, were answered, that after his death they would all die. Upon which the Phrygians entered into a great mourning; whence was derived the proverb, "Annacum flere;" to weep for Annacus; applied to those, who gave themselves up to excessive lamenta tion. The deluge under Deucalion, having come, they all perished.

A very ancient author, a fragment of whom is preserved by Suidas, says, that Annacus was a person of great antiquity, prior to the time of Ducalion. He is said to have been a king; who, foreseeing the approaching deluge, collected all people together, i. e. all the people of the vicinity; and led them to a temple, where he offered up his prayers for them, accompanied by many

tears.

Hermogenes, writing concern ing the Phrygians, says, that Cannacas foresaw the flood; and earnestly prayed the Gods to a vert the calamity.

The second class of testimonies, which I shall allege, will immediately respect the Deluge itself.

Bochart observes, that the story of the deluge has spread through all nations.

Howard observes, that all men have retained a memory of the deluge; and the Tatars and Arabians have preserved the names of those, who escaped from it, and of several of their posterity. These two nations were never conquered, nor mixed; and like the Jews, have kept their original manners, and extensively preserved genealogies. Their accounts were totally in

dependent of the Jewish history.

Again, that Noah was preserved from the deluge in an ark, or ship, and even his very name, as in the Hebrew, was known and repeated, by all the nations from China to the Mediterranean, and the Baltic. In all these traditions we find some, and by comparing them may collect all, the articles of the Mosaic

account of the deluge. These traditions are independent, because they are applied to fables, belonging to each nation.

Again, the precise number of ten generations, as asserted by Moses, is repeated by nations the most distant; the Chinese; the Persians; by Sanchoniathon a Phenician; by Berosus, a Chaldaan, by the Egyptians; the Tatars; and the Arabians. The two last give to most of the antediluvian patriarchs the same names, which are given to them in Genesis.

Sir William Jones observes, that the Persians believe in a universal deluge; that the first Purana of the Hindoos, contains an account of the deluge; and that the Chinese declare the world to have been overflowed by a deluge, which covered the whole earth; then subsided, and separated the higher age of the world from the lower.

Josephus says, that the history of the deluge was to be met with in the writings of all nations, who treated of the first ages. He expressly particularizes Berosus, Hieronymus of Egypt, Mnaseas, Abydenus, Melo, and Nicolaus Damascenus; and declares, that it was recorded by many others.

The account of Abydenus, taken from the archives of the

Medes and Babylonians, and preserved by Eusebius in his Præparatio Evang. is as follows.

"Kronus premonished, or presignified, that there would be a multitude of rains on the 15th day of the month Desius and commanded Sisithrus to conceal every thing, which happened, in letters, in Hierapolis, among the Sipparians. Sisithrus, having done as commanded, sailed immediately to Armenia. The third day after he arrived, he made an experiment by sending out birds, that they might discover whether the earth was dry: (or whether the water had uncovered the earth.) The birds, finding no resting place, came back to Sisithrus; and, after them, others likewise. This being done thrice, the birds returned with their feet stained with soil. Upon this he quitted the ark, and was seen no more of men: being taken away by the Gods from earth. The ark lodged in Armenia; and became an alexipharmic to the neighbor ing inhabitants."

Melo in a fragment, preserved also by Eusebius, has the following declaration. "They say, that, after the deluge, the man, who was preserved, went from Armenia with his sons. Being driven out of his place of residence by his own countrymen, or domestics, he passed over the intermediate country, and came to the mountainous parts of Syria, at that time a desert."

Stephanus Byzant. says, "The deluge of Deucalion having come, all men perished. The earth being dried again, Jupiter commanded Prometheus to form images of clay; which being finished he summoned the winds

to breathe on them all, and thus make them living beings."

Diodorus Siculus says, "In the deluge, which happened in the time of Deucalion, most of mankind were destroyed."

Lucian, in his book de Dea Syra, has the following passage concerning an ancient temple in Hierapolis.

"Most persons say, that this temple was built by Deucalion: viz. that Deucalion, in whose time there was a general deluge. I have heard, in Greece, what the Greeks relate concerning this Deucalion. The story is this.

"The present race of men is not the original one. All that race perished. The men, who are now, are of a second race, which sprang from Deucalion; and have increased to an incredi ble multitude. Of the original race these things are related: that, waxing proud, they perpe, trated wicked deeds: for they neither kept their oaths; nor received strangers; nor regarded suppliants. For these things a most dreadful calamity came up, on them. A flood of water burst out of the earth; and excessive rains came from heaven. The rivers overflowed their bounds; and the sea overspread the land, so that all places were covered with water; and all men perished. Deucalion alone was left, to be the founder of a second race, on account of his prudence and piety.

"He put his women and children into a great ark, (λapvana;) and entered into it himself. When he had done this, the swine, horses, lions, serpents, and all other creatures feeding on the face of the earth, came, two of each; which he received

to himself. These animals were all harmless, because a peaceful, friendly, disposition was sent up on them from God; and they all sailed together in the ark, so long as the water was upon the earth.' These are the things, which the Greeks say of Deucalion.

"Concerning the things, which afterward took place, a wonderful story is told by the people of Hierapolis: viz. that in their country, the earth parted asunder, and swallowed up the flood of waters; and, on the very place of this rupture, altars, and a temple of Juno, were erected by Deucalion. I saw the rupture of the earth myself. It was directly under the temple, and very small. Whether it was formerly greater, and has been lessened by time, I know not. This I know; that, when I saw it, it was very small. As a memorial, and a proof, of this story, they have this custom. Twice in a year water is brought from the sea to this temple; and not only the priests, but all Syria and Arabia, and even from the Euphrates men go to the sea; and all bring water thence, and pour it out in the temple. The water runs down into the rupture; and, though small, it receives an immense quantity of water. At the same time they say, that this rite was instituted by Deucalion, as a memorial of the deluge, and of his deliverance. Such is the ancient tradition concerning this temple." Alexander Polyhistor says, that "Otiartes being dead, Xisuthrus, his son, reigned 18 years; which they call Saros. In his time, they say, there was a great deluge. Xisuthrus was preserved;

Saturn himself premonishing him of what was to take place, and directing him to build an ark, and to sail in it, together with birds, beasts, and reptiles."

The substance of the account, given by Berosus, concerning the 'Deluge, is as follows.

In the time of Xisuthrus happened the Deluge. Kronus appeared to him in a vision, and informed him, that on the 15th day of the month Dasius there would be a flood, by which mankind would be destroyed. He then ordered Xisuthrus to build a vessel; to take into it his friends and relations with him; and to commit himself to the deep. Xisuthrus obeyed; and, having taken on board every thing necessary to sustain life, took in also all kinds of animals, that walk or fly. Having asked whither he was to go, he was answered "to the GoDs." Upon which he offered up a prayer for the good of mankind. The vessel was five stadia in length, and two in breadth. Into this he put his wife, children, and friends, and every thing, which he had prepared. After the flood had been sometime upon the earth, and was somewhat abated, Xisuthrus sent some birds out of the vessel; which, not finding any food, nor any place to rest their feet, returned to him again. After some days he sent some birds forth a second time; which returned to him, having their feet stained with mud. He made the experiment the third time; when the birds returned no more. Concluding from this fact that the waters had left the surface of the ground dry, he made an opening in the vessel; and looking out, found, that the vessel