A New System; or, an Analysis of Antient Mythology | Page 2

of old, we may learn from
many passages in the sacred writings. Solomon says to his espoused,
[8]how fair and how pleasant art thou, O Love, for delights: thy stature
is like a Palm tree. And the Psalmist for an encouragement to holiness,

says, [9]that the righteous shall flourish like the Palm tree: for the
Palm was supposed to rise under a weight; and to thrive in proportion
to its being [10]depressed. There is possibly a farther allusion in this,
than may at first appear. The antients had an opinion, that the Palm was
immortal: at least, if it did die, it recovered again, and obtained a
second life by renewal. Hence the story of the bird, styled the Phoenix,
is thought to have been borrowed from this tree. Pliny, in describing the
species of Palm, styled Syagrus, says, [11]Mirum de eâ accepimus,
cum Phoenice Ave, quæ putatur ex hujus Palmæ argumento nomen
accepisse, iterum mori, et renasci ex seipsà. Hence we find it to have
been an emblem of immortality among all nations, sacred and prophane.
The blessed in heaven are represented in the Apocalypse by St. John,
[12]as standing before the throne in white robes, with branches of Palm
in their hands. The notion of this plant being an emblem of royalty
prevailed so far, that when our Saviour made his last entrance into
Jerusalem, the people took branches of Palm trees, and accosted him as
a prince, crying, [13]Hosanna--blessed is the King of Israel.
The title of Phoinic seems at first to have been given to persons of great
stature: but, in process of time, it was conferred upon people of power
and eminence, like [Greek: anax] and [Greek: anaktes] among the
Greeks. The Cuthites in Egypt were styled Royal Shepherds, [Greek:
Basileis Poimenes], and had therefore the title of Phoenices. A colony
of them went from thence to Tyre and Syria: hence it is said by many
writers that Phoenix came from Egypt to Tyre. People, not considering
this, have been led to look for the shepherd's origin in Canaan, because
they were sometimes called Phoenices. They might as well have looked
for them in Greece; for they were equally styled [14][Greek: Hellênes],
Hellenes. Phoenicia, which the Greeks called [Greek: Phoinikê], was
but a small part of Canaan. It was properly a slip of sea coast, which lay
within the jurisdiction of the Tyrians and Sidonians, and signifies Ora
Regia; or, according to the language of the country, the coast of the
Anakim. It was a lordly title, and derived from a stately and august
people. All the natives of Canaan seem to have assumed to themselves
great honour. The Philistines are spoken of as [15]Lords, and the
merchants of Tyre as Princes; whose grandeur and magnificence are
often alluded to in the Scriptures. The prophet Ezekiel calls them the

princes of the sea. [16]Then all the princes of the sea shall come down
from their thrones, and lay away their robes, and put off their
broidered garments. And Isaiah speaks to the same purpose. [17]Who
hath taken this counsel against Tyre, that crowning city, whose
merchants are princes; whose traffickers are the honourable of the
earth? The scripture term by which they are here distinguished is
[Hebrew: SHRIM], Sarim: but the title which they assumed to
themselves was Ph'anac, or Ph'oinac, the Phoenix of the Greeks and
Romans. And as it was a mere title, the sacred writers of the old
testament never make use of it to distinguish either the people or
country. This part of Canaan is never by them called Phoenicia: yet
others did call it so; and the natives were styled Phoenices before the
birth of Homer. But this was through mistake; for it was never used by
the natives as a provincial appellation. I have shewn that it was a title
of another sort, a mark of rank and pre-eminence: on this account it was
assumed by other people, and conferred upon other places. For this
reason it is never mentioned by any of the sacred writers before the
captivity, in order to avoid ambiguity. The Gentile writers made use of
it; and we see what mistakes have ensued. There were Phoenicians of
various countries. They were to be found upon the Sinus [18]Persicus,
upon the Sinus [19]Arabicus, in Egypt, in [20]Crete, in [21]Africa, in
[22]Epirus, and even in Attica. [23][Greek: Phoinikes--genos ti
Athênêisi]. There is a race of people called Phoenicians among the
[24]Athenians. In short, it was a title introduced at Sidon, and the coast
adjoining, by people from Egypt: and who the people were that brought
it may be known from several passages in antient history; but
particularly from an extract in Eusebius, [25][Greek: Phoinix kai
Kadmos, apo Thêbôn tôn Aiguptiôn exelthontes eis tên Surian, Turou
kai Sidônos ebasileuon.]