mentioned circumftances. He fays, that the Egyptians celebrated the 17th day of the 2d month as the anniversary of that in which Ofiris was forced by Typhon, or the fea, to take refuge in a boat. Alexander Polyhiftor, Abydenus, Eupolemus, relate the reunion of mankind after the deluge in the plains of Sennaar, the building of Babel, the confufion of languages, and the difperfion of men. The latter fays, that the city Babel was first built, and afterwards the celebrated tower; both which were built by fome of those people who had escaped the deluge: they were the fame who, in after times, were recorded under the character of giants. The tower was at length ruined by the hand of the deity, and thefe giants were scattered over the whole earth. Mr. Bailly informs us, that the Chinese talk of a certain Peirun, and the Swedes of a Belgemer, who faved themselves in a boat from a general inundation. The ship of Ifis was called Baris, which, according to Nicolaus Damafcenus, is the name of the mountain (the fame as Ararat) on which the ark refted. His words are-There is a large mountain in Armenia, called Baris; to this it was faid that many people betook themfelves in the time of the deluge, and were faved; and there is a tradition of one perfon in particular floating in an ark, and arriving at the fummit of the mountain. Sefoftris is faid to have dedicated a magnificent fhip, of 280 cubits in length, to Ofiris in the temple of Thebes. It is remarkable that the Hebrew name of the ark is Theba, whence probably both the Thebes derived their names. The facred Ogdoas, carried at certain times in proceffion by the Egyptian priefts, was a boat containing eight perfons, the moft antient gods of the country. The Chinese character denoting a boat, is compofed of the representation of a ship, of a mouth, and of the cypher S. Vide Bryant's Mythology. In the differtations relating to Afiatic antiquities we find, that the feventh Menu of the Hindus, furnamed Vaivafwata, was faved with feven Rifhi's and their wives from an univerfal deluge, which is the fubject of the first Putána 、d poem. In the ftory, as told in the Bhagawata, it is rey abford and marvellous circumstances, that the god Vishnu Savrata a capacious veffel miraculously formed, in which he e seven pious Rithi's and their wives, with pairs of all animals, were ved from the general flood. The god himself, in the shape of a vaft ch, fuffered the veffel to be tied with a great fea ferpent to his horn. Vithnu afterwards appointed him the feventh Menu, by the name of Vai vafiata. In the fame differtations it is afferted to appear from works of undifputed authority, that the Chinefe, as well as the Hindus, believe this earth to have been wholly covered with water juft before the appearance of Fo-hi on the mountains of Chin, but that the great inundation in the reign of Yao was confined to the low lands. From circumstances which I have already noticed, I rather think Adam to be meant by Fo-hi; that the first inundation here fpoken of is relative to the waters covering the earth on its first creation, and that the deluge is pointed out by the fecond under the reign of Yao, who probably reprefents the Noah of the fcriptures. (n) Page 20. At the time of the conqueft of South America, the inhabitants of Mechfacan, of Thlascala, and the people called Achagna, yet preserved the tradition of an univerfal deluge in punishment of the crimes of men. The first of these held, that a prieft called Tezpi was faved from it by retiring with his wife and children into a great box of wood, in which he had also gathered together a great many animals and excellent feeds of all forts; and that after the retreat of the waters he let fly a bird, called Aura, which returned not back, and fucceffively feveral others which also came not back; but that the least of these birds, that which these Indians efteemed the most, foon appeared again with the branch of a tree in its mouth. Hiftoire Générale des Voyages. A native of Cuba faid to Gabriel of Cabzera, Why doft thou abuse me, fince we are brothers? Doft not thou descend from one of the fons fons of him who built the great box to fave himself from the waters: and are not we defcended from the other? Vide Herrera. (0) Page 20. Ararat fignifies Mountain of defcent. It was alfo called Baris or Barit; Luban or Mountain of the Moon; likewife, Harmin or Har-men, or Har-minah, fignifying the fame. From thence the people round it were named Mimmi, or Minyæ; and the region, Armenia, or Armeni, from the mountain. Gogarene, a part of Armenia, fignifies The place of the ark. The principal cities of Armenia were Arene or Carina, Area Comana, Ararathia, Cucoufus, the place of Chus. See Hierocles. The mountain was likewife called Thamanim: compounded of the Hebrew words Theba, boat, and Shaman, denoting the number S. According to Ebn-Patricius, the district below the mount was called Terra Thamanim, or the Region of the eight. William de Rubruquis, who travelled in 1253, mentions a town called Cemainim, by interpretation eight; and they call the mountain near it Mafis, or the mother of the world. Mofes Choronenfis fays, that the true name of the town of Naxuan (the Naxuana of Ptolemy) is Nachidshevan, by which is fignified the place of the descent of the eight. (p) Page 22. Mr. Bailly was not only an aftronomer of great celebrity, but a very elegant writer. He was the diftinguished difciple of Mr. de Buffon, who in conjunction with Voltaire, D'Alembert, Condorcet, and others, was at the head of the whole philofophic fect and men of wit in France, by whom a real plot had been formed, and was carried on for forty years, to root out Christianity. Religion of any kind, it feems, fhackled both their inclinations and their genius. Each agreed in his separate department to contribute to the glorious work. For many years, in France, to be a man of science or of letters was a distinct profeffion and a distinguished title, which introduced the affumer to the fashionable circles of profligate nobility, and to the tables of ignorant and ftill more profligate publicans, fattened on the fpoils R Purána or facred poem. In the ftory, as told in the Bhagawata, it is related with many abfurd and marvellous circumftances, that the god Vishnu fent to Satyavrata a capacious veffel miraculously formed, in which he with the feven pious Rifhi's and their wives, with pairs of all animals, were preferved from the general flood. The god himself, in the shape of a vast fish, suffered the veffel to be tied with a great fea ferpent to his horn. Vishnu afterwards appointed him the feventh Menu, by the name of Vai vafwata. In the fame differtations it is afferted to appear from works of undifputed authority, that the Chinefe, as well as the Hindus, believe this earth to have been wholly covered with water juft before the appearance of Fo-hi on the mountains of Chin, but that the great inundation in the reign of Yao was confined to the low lands. From circumftances which I have already noticed, I rather think Adam to be meant by Fo-hi; that the first inundation here fpoken of is relative to the waters covering the earth on its first creation, and that the deluge is pointed out by the fecond under the reign of Yao, who probably reprefents the Noah of the fcriptures. (n) Page 20. At the time of the conqueft of South America, the inhabitants of Mechfacan, of Thlascala, and the people called Achagna, yet preferved the tradition of an univerfal deluge in punishment of the crimes of men. The first of these held, that a priest called Tezpi was faved from it by retiring with his wife and children into a great box of wood, in which he had alfo gathered together a great many animals and excellent feeds of all forts; and that after the retreat of the waters he let fly a bird, called Aura, which returned not back, and fucceffively feveral others which alfo came not back; but that the least of these birds, that which these Indians esteemed the moft, foon appeared again with the branch of a tree in its mouth. Hiftoire Générale des Voyages. A native of Cuba faid to Gabriel of Cabzera, Why doft thou abufe me, fince we are brothers? Doft not thou defcend from one of the fons fons of him who built the great box to fave himself from the waters: and are not we defcended from the other? Vide Herrera. (0) Page 20. Ararat fignifies Mountain of descent. It was alfo called Baris or Barit; Luban or Mountain of the Moon; likewife, Harmin or Har-men, or Har-minah, fignifying the fame. From thence the people round it were named Mimmi, or Minyæ; and the region, Armenia, or Armeni, from the mountain. Gogarene, a part of Armenia, fignifies The place of the ark. The principal cities of Armenia were Arene or Carina, Area Comana, Ararathia, Cucoufus, the place of Chus. See Hierocles. The mountain was likewife called Thamanim: compounded of the Hebrew words Theba, boat, and Shaman, denoting the number 8. According to Ebn-Patricius, the district below the mount was called Terra Thamanim, or the Region of the eight. William de Rubruquis, who travelled in 1253, mentions a town called Cemainim, by interpretation eight; and they call the mountain near it Mafis, or the mother of the world. Mofes Choronenfis fays, that the true name of the town of Naxuan (the Naxuana of Ptolemy) is Nachidfhevan, by which is fignified the place of the defcent of the eight. (p) Page 22. Mr. Bailly was not only an astronomer of great celebrity, but a very elegant writer. He was the diftinguished difciple of Mr. de Buffon, who in conjunction with Voltaire, D'Alembert, Condorcet, and others, was at the head of the whole philofophic fect and men of wit in France, by whom a real plot had been formed, and was carried on for forty years, to root out Christianity. Religion of any kind, it feems, fhackled both their inclinations and their genius. Each agreed in his separate department to contribute to the glorious work. For many years, in France, to be a man of science or of letters was a diftinct profeffion and a diftinguished title, which introduced the affumer to the fashionable circles of profligate nobility, and to the tables of ignorant and still more profligate publicans, fattened on the fpoils R |