OF

RESEARCHES

INTO

THE ORIGIN AND PROGRESS

OF

HISTORICAL TIME,

FROM THE CREATION

TO THE ACCESSION OF C. CALIGULA:

AN

Attempt to afcertain the Dates of the more notable Events in Ancient Univerfal Hiftory by Aftronomical Calculation; the mean Quantity of Generations, proportionate to the Standard of Natural Life, in the feveral Ages of the World; Magiftracies, National Epochs, &c. ; and to connect, by an accurate Chronology, the Times of the Hebrews with thofe of the co-exiftent Pagan Empires; interfperfed with Remarks on Archbishop Ufher's Annals

of the Old and New Teftament.

Subjoined is an Appendix, containing Strictures on Sir Ifaac Newton's Chronology of Ancient Kingdoms, and on Mr. Falconer's Chronological Tables, from Solomon to the Death of Alexander the Great,

BY THE REV. ROBERT WALKER,

RECTOR OF SHINGHAM, NORFOLK.

The pureft and most fruitful Source of Ancient Hiftory is, doubtless, to be found in the Holy Bible. BIELFIELD ON UNIVERSAL ERUDITION.

LONDON:

Printed for T. CADELL jun. and W. DAVIES, (Succeffors to MR. CADELL), in the Strand.

Sold alfo by F. and C. RIVINGTON, St. Paul's Church-yard; J. PRIDDEN, Fleet-ftreet; and R. FAULDER,

то

THE REVEREND AND LEARNED,

THE PROFESSORS AND OTHER MEMBERS

BOTH THE FLOURISHING UNIVERSITIES

IN ENGLAND,

THIS SPECIMEN OF SACRED CRITICISM

IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED,

BY THEIR MOST HUMBLE SERVANT,

THE AUTHOR.

PREFACE

IT was the author's intention to publish, feveral years fince, the refult of difquifitions, begun in early life and continued amid a variety of profeffional labours, not to mention emergent avocations, and peculiar difficulties, from the myfterious nature of the subject; but most of all, from the want of a collateral history, commensurate with the Sacred Annals of the Hebrews. A record, fimilar to the Chronicles of the Kings in Judah and Ifrael, well attested, proceeding from the fame point of time, and referring to the fame perfons, events, and dates, would have been a defirable acquifition.

SUCH a separate record never did exift. For from the BEGINNING, as defined by Mofes, to that POINT in time, with which the Sacred Annals terminate, nothing is with certainty known, refpecting the Gentile Antiquities, befides the reports of the infpired writers; and whatever events they have preserved from oblivion, fo far from comprising a full hiftory of all nations, amount to no more than a few concise hints concerning a very few of the idolatrous tribes, contiguous to Babylonia and Paleftine.

ACCORDING to Archbishop Ufher, (who in the arts of computation, and hiftorical arrangement, excelled all his predecessors), the Hebrew fcriptures contain the History

a 3