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each, and the second Cainan being interpolated or Other differences are probably the result

left out.

of mistakes by copyists.

These results, deducible from the sacred history alone, receive some remarkable confirmations from early heathen writers, which may properly be exhibited in this place.

1. We have a fragment of a work on India, written by Megasthenes, a Greek historian contemporaneous with Alexander the Great, about B. C. 323, in which he gives an account of the institutions and customs of the people of that country. He says, "The Hindus and the Jews are the only people who had a just conception of the creation of the world. and the beginnings of things." And he adds, "The Hindus did not carry back their history and antiquities above five thousand and forty-two [some manuscripts read six thousand and forty-two] years and three months from Alexander's invasion of India,”*

viz., 327 B. C. This would place the creation at B. C. 5369, differing less than two hundred years from the date now given.

2. In an Arabic work, attributed to Abu-Mâshar, in the conjunction of the planets, the author remarks that the Indians reckoned three thousand seven hundred and twenty-five years (Persian) and

* Hales' Chronology, vol. i. p. 195.

three hundred and forty-eight days between the deluge and the Hegira (A. D. 622), which would bring the date of the former at B. C. 3102. This is the date of the commencement of the celebrated Kali-Yug, an historico-astronomical epoch of the Hindus, which doubtless had its origin in that great event, the Flood, of Noah.

3. Demetrius Phalereus, a Greek writer, born B. C. 345, is quoted by Alexander Polyhistor, another Greek author, as making the period before the flood to be two thousand two hundred and sixty-two years, and from thence to the birth of Abraham, one thousand and seventy-two years.

4. Another heathen writer, named Eupolemus, said to have flourished about B. C. 160, who wrote several works on the history of the Jews, has a paragraph to this effect: "That from Adam to the fifth year of Demetrius, and the twelfth of Ptolemy, king of Egypt, are five thousand one hundred and fortynine years." Reference must here be made to Demetrius Soter, king of Syria, who began to reign about B. C. 163, and Ptolemy Physcon, who began B. C. 170. The fifth of the former and the twelfth of the latter concur in B. C. 158, which makes the date of the creation, according to this writer, to be B. C. 5307. The numbers given, both by him and Demetrius, were evidently originally derived from

the Mosaic records, and can not, therefore, be regarded as independent testimony in support of those records. Their testimony, nevertheless, is valuable, as showing how the Jewish chronology had found its way into heathen writings many years before the Christian era.*

* Demetrius and Eupolemus are both mentioned by Josephus (Cont. Apion, i. 23) as foreign writers who had “not greatly missed the truth about our affairs; whose lesser mistakes ought, therefore, to be forgiven them, for it was not in their power to understand our writings with the utmost accuracy."

CHAPTER II.

THE ARGUMENT FROM HISTORY.

I. EGYPT.

Source of our Knowledge of Egyptian Antiquities.

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Temples and Monuments. - Afford little Help in this Inquiry. No monumental Date earlier than B. C. 2500. II. Literary Remains. - Art of Writing early known. - Number of Egyptian Books. - These contain no Chronology.

III.

Greek Historians. Their Study of Egyptian Antiquities. Divided into two Classes. - Testimonies relating to PREHISTORIC TIMES. - Diogenes Laertius. Diodorus Siculus.

- Eusebius.

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- Herodotus. Pomponius Mela. - The "Old Chronicle." Julius Africanus. - Castor. - These Accounts not to be taken literally. — Discrepancies between them.. Months reckoned as Years. — Were

ancient Annals forged?

Story of the Zodiac of

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— Supposed astronomical Evidence. Dendera. Of the wooden Tablets. Egyptian Chronology without Dates. - Manetho, his History and Character. His Lists of the Egyptian Dynasties.

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- These Lists examined. —I, Their Sources unknown. — II. Have been corrupted. — III. Intrinsic Evidence of their Untrustworthiness. — IV. Contradicted by the " Old Chronicle.” -By Eratosthenes. - By Josephus.-V. Not sustained by Conclusion as to their Value.

the Monuments.

WE propose to inquire, in the first place, of HisTORY, whether she has any evidence to afford us of

the alleged remote antiquity of man on earth. And we will begin with what is confessedly one of the oldest of known nations - ancient Egypt.

Our knowledge of the antiquities of Egypt is derived partly from its temples and monuments, partly from the papyrus rolls and other literary remains still extant, and partly from the writings of historians and scholars of other lands, who have transmitted to us the facts and traditions known in their day, but which have otherwise been lost.

The first of these sources of information affords little help in determining the question before us. The work of deciphering the monumental inscriptions, since the discovery of the key to the system of hieroglyphics, as furnished by the Rosetta Stone, has been one of great interest, and some important results have been reached. Still it admits of a question whether, in the hands of those who but imperfectly understand them, they have not introduced much confusion into Egyptian history. However that may be, the data they furnish are too recent to be of much weight in the inquiry under consideration. It is the general admission of Egyptologers, that no. monumental record can be dated back anterior to about B. C. 2500. Says Mr. Poole,* " The earliest record which all Egyptologers are agreed to regard

* Smith's Dictionary of the Bible, Art. Egypt.

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