A New System | Page 8

Jacob Bryant
was the
grand epocha of every antient kingdom. It is to be observed, that when
colonies made anywhere a settlement, they ingrafted their antecedent
history upon the subsequent events of the place. And as in those days
they could carry up the genealogy of their princes to the very source of
all, it will be found, under whatever title he may come, that the first
king in every country was Noah. For as he was mentioned first in the
genealogy of their princes, he was in aftertimes looked upon as a real
monarch; and represented as a great traveller, a mighty conqueror, and
sovereign of the whole earth. This circumstance will appear even in the
annals of the Egyptians: and though their chronology has been
supposed to have reached beyond that of any nation, yet it coincides
very happily with the accounts given by Moses.
In the prosecution of my system I shall not amuse the Reader with
doubtful and solitary extracts; but collect all that can be obtained upon
the subject, and shew the universal scope of writers. I shall endeavour
particularly to compare sacred history with profane, and prove the
general assent of mankind to the wonderful events recorded. My
purpose is not to lay science in ruins; but instead of desolating to build
up, and to rectify what time has impaired: to divest mythology of every
foreign and unmeaning ornament, and to display the truth in its native
simplicity: to shew, that all the rites and mysteries of the Gentiles were
only so many memorials of their principal ancestors; and of the great
occurrences to which they had been witnesses. Among these memorials
the chief were the ruin of mankind by a flood; and the renewal of the
world in one family. They had symbolical representations, by which
these occurrences were commemorated: and the antient hymns in their
temples were to the same purpose. They all related to the history of the
first ages, and to the same events which are recorded by Moses.
Before I can arrive at this essential part of my inquiries, I must give an
account of the rites and customs of antient Hellas; and of those people
which I term Amonians. This I must do in order to shew, from whence
they came: and from what quarter their evidence is derived. A great

deal will be said of their religion and rites: also of their towers, temples,
and Puratheia, where their worship was performed. The mistakes
likewise of the Greeks in respect to antient terms, which they strangely
perverted, will be exhibited in many instances: and much true history
will be ascertained from a detection of this peculiar misapplication. It is
a circumstance of great consequence, to which little attention has been
paid. Great light however will accrue from examining this abuse, and
observing the particular mode of error: and the only way of obtaining
an insight must be by an etymological process, and by recurring to the
primitive language of the people, concerning whom we are treating. As
the Amonians betook themselves to regions widely separated; we shall
find in every place where they settled, the same worship and
ceremonies, and the same history of their ancestors. There will also
appear a great similitude in the names of their cities and temples: so
that we may be assured, that the whole was the operation of one and the
same people. The learned Bochart saw this; and taking for granted, that
the people were Phenicians, he attempted to interpret these names by
the Hebrew language; of which he supposed the Phenician to have been
a dialect. His design was certainly very ingenious, and carried on with a
wonderful display of learning. He failed however: and of the nature of
his failure I shall be obliged to take notice. It appears to me, as far as
my reading can afford me light, that most antient names, not only of
places, but of persons, have a manifest analogy. There is likewise a
great correspondence to be observed in terms of science; and in the
titles, which were of old bestowed upon magistrates and rulers. The
same observation may be extended even to plants, and minerals, as well
as to animals; especially to those which were esteemed at all sacred.
Their names seem to be composed of the same, or similar elements;
and bear a manifest relation to the religion in use among the Amonians,
and to the Deity which they adored. This deity was the Sun: and most
of the antient names will be found to be an assemblage of titles,
bestowed upon that luminary. Hence there will appear a manifest
correspondence between them, which circumstance is quite foreign to
the system of Bochart. His etymologies are destitute of this collateral
evidence; and have not
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