I. SECT. is exprefsly declared to be fymbolized under the imaginary character of a gigantic demon; which, being fevered into two parts, became the origin and principle of all things. Nearly fimilar to this is the doctrine of Mofes, excepting only that it is free from allegorical obfcurity, and expreffed in the unadorned language of profaic narration. While the chaotic mafs was yet in a state of confufion, a thick darkness diffused itself over the face of the abyss: but in due time God fevered the waters from the waters, and placed between them an expanfe denominated heaven. Thus it is manifeft, that the Pagan mythologifts were accustomed to veil the fimplicity of hiftorical truth in the gaudy drefs of allegory, and to represent the feveral parts of inanimate creation under the more poetical character of living agents. Provided this mode of interpretation be used, no fmall degree of light will be thrown upon various fables, which muft otherwife have lain involved in impenetrable obfcurity. Unless the early records of the Heathen world be divefted of their glittering exterior, and a numerous hoft of imaginary beings be chased from the fairy land of tradition; the mythology of II. of the ancients, like an enchanted foreft of CHAP. romance, will defy every attempt to penetrate within its dark receffes. But when once the spell is broken, a thousand light and fantastic forms will vanifh from our fight; the whole mysterious delusion will melt into unsubstantial air; and the naked fimplicity of truth will alone remain. II. Phenician II. The cofmogony of the Phenicians affords an additional proof of the truth of account. thefe obfervations, and is a striking instance of the propensity of the ancients to allegory and perfonification. Abstract ideas, as well as material fubftances, are elevated into the rank of deities; and the beaten track of history is quitted for the wild paths of poetical imagery. According to the Phenician system, the principle of the univerfe was a dark air, and a turbulent evening chaos; an opinion not very diffimilar to that contained in the exordium of Genefis. We there read, that the earth was without form and void; that darkness was diffused upon the furface of the abyfs; and that the Spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters. Sanchoniatho afterwards afcribes to material operation the origin of that, which may be denominated I. SECT. the will or defire of God, when in his great wisdom he thought fit to create the world out of nothing. From this perfonification of divine love a chaotic mixture was produced, and within it were comprehended the rudiments of all things. Then appeared the fun, the moon, and the radiant hoft of heaven. Afterwards the fifhes of the fea, and the whole brute creation felt the impulfe of animal life. And lastly, two mortals were formed, the progenitors of all mankind. It is remarkable, that these two are faid to have derived their origin from Colpias, and his confort Baau. The first of these terms, as Bochart juftly remarks, appears manifeftly to be a compofition of three Hebrew words, fignifying, The voice of the mouth of Jehovah; and in the latter we as naturally trace the fcriptural 1 Bahu, one of the Mofaical appellations of the chaotic mafsd. III. Perfian ac count. III. From this account of the Chaldee and Phenician cofmogonies, it will be no d Cumberland's Sanchoniatho, p. 1, and 23. Bochart indeed would here read Baaut, inftead of Baau, tranflating it night but fuch an alteration appears to be needlefs, fince the word Baau is fo eafily refolved into the Hebrew radical, BoсH. Geog. Sacr. p. 706. unna II. unnatural transition to proceed to that of CHAP. Perfia, a nation, which, in many refpects, 11. appears to have long preferved a much purer form of worship than its neighbours. According to their fyftem, God created the world, not indeed in fix days, but, what is very fimilar to it, at fix different times. Each of these times comprehended a confiderable number of days, though not an equal one; yet, in the fum total, the fix times amounted exactly to a whole year. During the period of the first, were created the heavens; during that of the fecond, the waters. The third was allotted to the production of the carth; the fourth to the formation of trees and plants; and during the fifth, the various tribes of animals received their exiftence. The fixth space of time, in exact conformity with the fixth day of the Mofaical cofmogony, was devoted folely to the creation of man. A confiderable part of the ancient Perfians believed, agreeably to the scriptural history, that Adam and Eve were the original parents of the human race, though others affigned different names to the first created pair. The coincidence however of the whole account with that of Scripture, D 4 SECT. is peculiarly accurate, from whatever fource I. it may have been derived. Should it even be afferted, that the Perfian Prophet Zerâdusht borrowed his fyftem from that of Mofes, it will ferve at least to fhew both the high antiquity of the facred documents, and the uncommon degree of veneration, in which they were held. The pride of a Persian lawgiver would not have fuffered him to borrow from any despised or obfcure original; and a great degree of previous credit could alone have fecured to the exordium of the Pentateuch the praise and the imitation of Zerâdushte. IV. Hindoo ac count. IV. Quitting the realms of Perfia, let us next advance into the wide extended empire of Hindoftan. Tradition, in this country, feems to have been early tranfmitted to writing; and it is natural therefore to expect, that it will only have fuf-. fered a partial corruption. The Institutes of Menu are fuppofed, by a great Orientalist', to have been composed no less than 1280 years before the Christian era; confequently, the Author of them must have flourished, not very long after the days of e Hyde, de Rel. Vet. Perf. p. 162, and 161. Mofes. |