PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. SINCE the appearing of the First Edition of this work, the author has extensively prosecuted his researches into the same subject; and the result has been a very large addition of new evidence. Somewhat of the additional evidence has already been given to the public, first through the columns of the 'British Messenger,' and then in the publication entitled 'The Moral Identity of Babylon and Rome,' issued by Mr Drummond of Stirling. In the present edition of 'The Two Babylons,' the substance of that work is also included. But the whole has now been re-written, and the mass of new matter that has been added, is so much greater than all that had previously appeared, that this may fairly be regarded as an entirely new work. The argument appears now with a completeness, which, considering the obscurity in which the subject had long been wrapped, the author himself, only a short while ago, could not have ventured to anticipate as a thing capable of attain On the principle of giving honour to whom honour is due, the author gladly acknowledges, as he has done before, his obligations to the late H. J. Jones, Esq.-to whose researches Protestantism is not a little indebted-who was the first that directed his attention to this field of inquiry. That able, and excellent, and distinguished writer, however, was called to his rest before his views were matured. His facts, in important instances, were incorrect; and the conclusions at which he ultimately arrived, were, in very vital respects, directly the reverse of those that are unfolded in these pages. Those who have read, in the Quarterly Journal of Prophecy,' his speculations in regard to the Beast from the sea, will, it is believed, readily perceive that, in regard to it, as well as other subjects, his argument is fairly set aside by the evidence here adduced. The author has also to offer his thanks to Mr. Layard, the great Assyrian discoverer, for the courtesy with which he gave his sanction to the copying of the woodcuts from his valuable work, Nineveh and Babylon,' which were necessary for the illustration of the present work, as well as to Mr. Murray, of Albemarle Street, London, the proprietor of Mr. Layard's works, who most handsomely granted his permission to make use of them. It is not only for the use of these wood-cuts from Mr. Layard, that the author is indebted to the liberality of Mr. Murray. All the Egyptian illustrations, also, are his, which he kindly put at the author's disposal, for the elucidation of his work. They are taken from the works of Sir G. Wilkinson, on ancient Egypt, the exceeding value of whose researches, as bearing upon his own investigations, he feels constrained to acknowledge, though on some points he differs from his conclusions. In the matter of illustrations, the author's thanks are also due to the Messrs. Chambers of Edinburgh, not only for granting permission to copy the figures of the Babylonian Mother and Child, and the Ephesian Diana, which are taken from Kitto's (in many respects) most valuable 'Illustrated Commentary,' now re-issued by them, but also for their spontaneous kindness in offering casts of these figures for the use of this work. In regard to the subject of the work, there are just two remarks the author would make. The first has reference to the Babylonian legends. These were all intended primarily to commemorate facts that took place in the early history of the post-diluvian world. But along with them were mixed up the momentous events in the history of our first parents. These events, as can be distinctly proved, were commemorated in the |