PASSAGES OF SCRIPTURE. Placing many of them in a Light altogether new; Propofing to Confideration probable Conjectures on others, different And more amply illuftrating the reft than has been yet done, by JOSEPHUS AND ST. JEROME, PLACED AFTER THE PREFACE. VOL. IV. RELATING VII. Their Books. Athana то VIII. The NATURAL, CIVIL, and MILITARY State of JUDAA. Sanctam Scripturam lucidius intuebitur, qui Judæam oculis contemplatus fit. LONDON: PRINTED FOR J. JOHNSON, N° 72, SAINT PAUL'S CHURCH-YARD. M.DCC.LXXXVII. 3-28-1932 OBSERVATIONS ΟΝ Divers Paffages of HOLY SCRIPTUre. W CHAP. VII. Concerning their Books. OBSERVATION CXXI. HATEVER materials the ancient Jews wrote upon, they were liable to be easily destroyed by the dampnefs, when hidden in the earth. It was therefore thought requifite to inclose them in something that might keep them from the damp, left they should decay and be rendered useless *. So we find our parchments are very apt to decay that are kept in moift places, as well as our modern paper. Our pictures alfo prove that moisture is very injurious to painted cloth, and must be more fo where oil is not used. Writing on filk was not then known, which fome later Eaftern writers have supposed should be made ufe of, in committing things to writing that were highly valued, according to d'Herbelot, in the article Macamat, VOL. IV. B In |