Diodorus Siculus mentions a statue of gold in the temple of Babylon, which was forty feet high; if thenwe suppose this to be the image which Nebuchadnezzar set up, it will bring the proportion of the height of the image to its breadth as forty is to nine, a proportion nearly equal to that which holds generally in the human form.

But though this image was so large, yet it was much less than either the colossus at Rhodes, or the statue erected by Nero of himself: the former was one hundred and five feet high; P and the latter a hundred and twenty. But however one may admire the size or the workmanship of these statues, yet one must regret, that princes often expend sums in useless undertakings, which might be employed in works that would be publicly advantageous. Useful public works, are honourable to the prince who erects them, as well as beneficial to his people. And were princes more anxious to promote the peace and prosperity of their subjects then their own personal feelings of ambition or revenge, they would be the means of diffusing a much greater sum of human happiness than they generally are.

As Nebuchadnezzar wished to make the dedication of the image as imposing as possible, he collected from the provinces of his mighty empire, all his chief men ; for (v. 2..) "the king sent to gather together, the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up." The dedication of this image was to be perfectly nationa!. Men of the greatest power and rank attended from all

P Prid. An. 222.

4 Crevier's Nero. P. 210.

quarters in obedience to the king's command, that they might give weight and consequence to the ceremony. The Babylonian, like every well regulated empire, was divided into certain provinces; over which governors were appointed by the king. Indeed order, unity, and regularity, are the very life and strength of an empire; an order, which enables the prince to ascertain all the leading and important transactions which take place, and an unity and regularity in giving commands and receiving information. The great defect in the ancient empires was the too great independence of the provinces; and their civil and military power being often so united in the same person as to make him nearly independent of his prince. From these two causes the greatest empires were often overthrown; and still more frequently endangered. The too great independence of the American states of each other contains the seeds of their dissolution. At present, perhaps, they have the power of giving as great stability to their government, as human governments are capable of, by strengthening the executive power, and making every state entirely dependent upon a central legislature. If they neglect to do this soon, a dissolution of their union will most probably in future prevent its accomplishment.

It is not easy, nor perhaps possible, to give a precise idea of the nature and offices of the different ranks and governors, who were summoned to attend the dedication of the image. In all nations there must be a general resemblance in the offices of the great ministers of state; while there may be many shades of difference, which, as they subsisted among ancient nations, cannot be determined, and hence we cannot have an exact idea of them. But, however, the Ba

G

bylonian government was under a generally well arranged system; for its "potentates administered their government by officers of several sorts, civil and military; and accordingly we find them divided into three classes, aud supposed to be chosen from among the gravest and most noble personages of the empire: the first had the charge of virgins, and their disposal in marriage; and were to judge in matters of adultery and the like: the second took cognizance of thefts; and the third of all other crimes. We find the subordinate powers under this mighty emperor (Nebuchadnezzar) divided into princes, governors, captains, judges, treasurers and counsellors; so that it is plain nothing was wanting to keep peace and good order in the empire, and that the civil and military œconomy was under severe regulation." r

r An. Un. Hist. v. 4. P. 344. 1. The "Princes" mentioned in verse 2nd, were, most probably the Chief Nobility: the word which we translate Princes, is, by Castell and Buxtorf translated, Satraps; and by others, next to the king. It seems agreed by all, that they were of the highest rank of Nobility, 2. The word, "Governors, " is translated by Wintle, Senators; and Castell speaks of them as holding the chief ecclesiastical and military offices. Parkhurst ŝays, "It seems a foreign word, for it occurs not in Scripture till the time of Isaiah and Jeremiah; and in the Books written before the Captivity always means a Prince, or Noble, among the Assyrians or Chaldeans. I suspect the word to be a derivation from the Chaldee word-Shegeor Shega to be great." 3. The "Captains, were Governors or, viceroys. The word is common, says Parkhurst, to the Chaldeans, Arabians, Syrians, Assyrians, and Persians, and is perhaps a derivative from the Hebrew Phe-to extend-on account of governing a certain extent or district of country. 4. The "Judges, " says Wintle, seem to have been a kind of Guardians or Directors of the Statute law, or decrees of the Monarch. But the Adargezrea, translated Judges, appear rather to mean the Chief Soothsayers, or Augurers, who judged of future events by cutting up and inspecting the entrails of beasts; and the word seems to be derived from-adar-to be glorious, or taken substantively, to signify the rich robe worn by them, and also from-Gezer-to cut: And hence Gezrea, Soothsayers,

As images formed a material part of idolatry, so their dedication was considered of great importance. They were consecrated with various rites and ceremonies, to give them sanctity and reverence. "Sometimes a woman dressed in a garment of divers colours, brought upon her head a pot of sodden pulse, as beans, pease, or the like, which they gratefully offered to the Gods, in remembrance of their ancient diet.-Sometimes they took a new vessel with two ears, upon each of which they bound a chaplet of white wool, and another of yellow upon the fore part of it, and covered the vessel; then they poured out before it a libation called ambrosia, which was a mixture of water, honey, and all sorts of fruits.-But the most usual manner of consecration was performed by putting a crown upon them, anointing them with oil, and then offering prayers and oblations to them."s It was also customary to have feasting, and dancing, or a kind of march round the idol, and to offer up many sacrifices when they dedicated an image; for (Exodus, xxxii. 6, 18, 19) we find that when Aaron set up the golden calf, its dedication was attended with all those circumstances. Music, it is plain from the dedication of Nebuchadnezzar's image, formed also a part of the ceremony; for (v. 5)" the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music

who cut the entrails of Beasts, and decided, or judged of future events by this method of Divination (See Parkhurst.)

5. The Treasurers" were those who presided over the revenue, and managed the receiving and paying of money. 6. The "Counsellors" were skilled in the law, aud their business seems to have been to declare and explain it; 7. The " Sheriffs" are supposed by some to be Janitores, i. e. these who attended particularly about the King's person and palace.

s Pott. An. of Gr. B. 2. P. 194-5.

were to strike up, when the people were to fall down and worship the statue. The precise nature and

1. Qurna, translated Cornet, a musical instrument, says Parkhurst, made of horn; aud most probably of the trumpet kind. 2. Mesruqueta, the Flute, is from Serug, to kiss or whistle; and was, therefore, a wind instrument, and may be trans ated flute, pipe, or flagelet. (Castell. Parkhurst.) 3. Quetresh, Harp, was an instrument of the stringed kind, as a Lyre or Harp. It seems to receive its name from the citron tree of which it was made, and which grew in Armenia, Media and Persia. From this word comes the Greek Kithara; the Latin, Cithera; and the English, Guitar. (Bp. Chandler. Parkhurst). 4. Sabbecha, Sackbut, from whence comes the Greek, Sambuca, by changing the first b into m. It was a very ancient instrument, and strung with many chords; and comes from Sabbach, which signifies to twist or plat. This word, also, signifies an Elder tree, because of its intertwining branches; and of the wood of this tree was the Sabbecha made. "However it may be noted, in passing, that Samma and Buc are Indian or Persian words for certain instruments of Music; and anciently those tongues were the same which also were spoken by the Medes and Persians" (Bp. Chandler). Athenæus says (Pole in loc.) that it was an instrument of four strings; and others, that it was a triangular instrument in use among the Syrian Women. Bochart says ( Wintle in loc. ) that it was called LyroPhoenix, or Phoenician Lyre, because invented by the Phoenicians. From this account, then, it appears, that the word, Sackbut, by no means conveys a true idea of the Sabbecha: for the Sackbut is a wind instrument, the Sabbecha, a stringed one. 5. Psanterin, Psaltery, was a many stringed Instrument, and in form like a triangle. The Greeks acknowledge that it was not of their invention, and that it came from the Barbarians; a term which they applied particularly to the Eastern nations. ( Bp. Chandler.) 6 Symphouea Dulcimer, Symphonea does not signify an union of voices or instruments, as the Greek Symphonia does: And, therefore, it is very fallacious to derive the former from the latter because of similarity of sound. Bp. Chandler derives Symphonea from Shaphaph which gives the idea of cavity to all its derivatives. Hence, then, He says, a kind of drum used by the Moors in Afrca, a pipe perforated with many holes, and a bladder with many pipes inserted in it, a kind of Musical instrument left by the Moors in Spain, were all called by the name of Symphony. Others suppose it was a kind of Organ: and others that it might be an instrument, like a dulcimer, with brass strings. Music and many of its instruments were invented by and known to the people of the East long before the flood; for Jubal ( Gen. iv. 21) "was the Father of