Amphiolus-son of Neoptolemus, the reputed son of Achilles-who, we are told, took possession of the kingdom of Mysia. We find no kings of that country mentioned till many ages later, when the Attalic family reigned at Pergamus.

I will here observe, that what is related of the Phrygians and the Mysians cannot be deemed as an authentic history; still, much being entitled to credit, we are not justified in treating as altogether fabulous the accounts handed down to us of these nations by ancient writers. The more we investigate the traditions of the ancients, the more convinced we become, that what at first may appear incredible, has nevertheless often some foundation in truth.

We have seen that deciphered inscriptions on the Egyptian monuments have enabled us to carry back the history of the Egyptians to a period when, according to the notions which prevailed among Christian writers with few exceptions, anterior to the memorable discoveries of M. Champollion, mankind did not exist, or was but in its infancy. The discoveries which have within a few years been made by M. Botta and Mr. Layard, of the entombed ruins of ancient Nineveh, while proving the civilization of the Assyrians, will probably offer ample evidence of the high antiquity of that nation, and confirm and enlarge the information which Ctesias has given of its ancient kings.†

But as soon as the high antiquity of the Assyrian kingdoms shall have been established beyond a doubt, then I think that there will be few who will deny that there have existed states in Asia Minor from a much more remote time than what has hitherto been generally admitted, and who will consequently concede that there is probably much truth in those ancient traditions which we have been so much inclined to consider as mere fables. Modern investigations having the tendency to dissipate the darkness which has prevented us from penetrating into the recesses of antiquity will

* English Universal History, vol. ii.

It is very probable that much historical information is contained in the long inscriptions which are to be seen on the Assyrian monuments which Mr. Layard has brought to light, as there can now be scarcely any doubt that the Assyrians had the same custom as the Egyptians of embodying their historical records in the inscriptions that accompany every siege or battle-piece. These records, as far as they are discovered, have now been copied with the utmost care. But it must be observed that they are in a character, if known at all, as yet imperfectly known; still a hope is held out, that it will soon be deciphered by the information which Mr. Layard has given us, that this cuneiform, arrow-headed or wedgeshaped writing is very simple. But the deciphering will not satisfy our curiosity, for the language too must be discovered and interpreted. That this, however, will be done, I do not doubt, particularly as there is every probability that it is but a dialect of that great language which prevailed between the Halys and the Euphrates, and with many dialects of which we are fully acquainted. Our hopes of soon seeing the Assyrian cuneiform deciphered are greatly increased by the success which Major Rawlinson has met with in his attempt at deciphering the Persian cuneiform.

be the means, I trust, of confirming the opinion that there existed a civilized people in Western Asia even before the time of Ninus. Thus, perhaps, by degrees, history will enable us to trace man's first steps towards civilization, and ascertain the manner in which his physical and moral qualities have been developed. This would be the more interesting, as we know "that, in the beginning, when God created the heaven and the earth, when the earth was without form and void, and darkness was on the face of the deep, and the spirit of God moved on the face of the waters,' the naked rock alone rose from the abyss; that after a chaotic night of countless ages, a new period of creation began,* which kindled vegetable life, first in the lowest link of the chain, the humble moss rising in its gradual development to the nobler plants, with the lofty, ever-verdant, palm at their head; that after new successive revolutions, organic life began in its lowest link, the zoophyte, and gradually rose to the crustacea, the amphibia, and the fish; that after renewed convulsions, which raised the bed of the ocean above the clouds and cast down mountains into the abysses of the sea, those monsters of the primeval world arose, which have most happily disappeared, but whose fossil remains furnish undeniable proofs of their existence; that at a subsequent stage these were replaced by creatures of a higher kind, the mammalia; and that finally, in the last of these periods of creation, the noblest work on earth of the Creator, MAN, appeared and rejoiced at the paradise that presented itself to his enchanted eye."t

Thus science is made to supply the want of history; and thus both contribute to enlarge man's views, and to inspire him with the highest admiration and love of that Incomprehensible Being who made him the lord of the earth.

"In the figurative language of the Holy Scriptures, a day of creation."

+ The Theogony of the Hindoos, bv Count M. Bjarnstjerna, Swedish Ambassador at the Court of St. James.

INDEX TO VOLUME II.

|Doeg, (the Edomite who killed Abimelech
the High Priest), 573

Drawers of Linen used by the Hebrew Priests,
212

Ebenezer, ("the Help-Stone), 350

Chæremon's opinion of Moses and the Israel Eelauts of Persia, (the) 120

Cherim, or the vow of "the accursed thing," Ehud assassinates Eglon, 329

Daughters of Hebrew Priests punished with Ephraim, (Joseph's Son), 117

David punishes with Death the Assassins of Feiran, or Faran, (Valley of) 181

David reduces the fortress of Jebus on Mount First Fruits, 244
Zion, 396

Fundamental Law of the Hebrews, (the) 265

David removes the ark from Kirjath-Jearim to Gaal, (a Chieftain), 339, 340
Jerusalem, 397, 399

David's Design to build a Temple, 400
David extends the frontiers to the Euphrates,

Hezekiah receives letters from Merodach Be- Jerusalem destroyed by the Assyaians, 523–
ladan, 514

184

525

Jezebel (Ahab's queen), 472

Jezebel killed by the command of Jehu, 483
Joab. 388

Joab made chief of the armies of United
Israel, 396

Joab killed by the command of Solomon, 437
Joash, or Jehoash, (King of Israel), 486
Joash conquers Benhadad III., 486

Joash's Death, 477

Joash, (King of Judah), 503, 504

Jonathan conquers the Garrison of Gibeah,

360

Joseph, 79

Joseph's Dreams, 80

Joseph sold by his Brethren, 80

Joseph and Potiphar's wife, 88, 89

Joseph's Brethren arrive in Egypt, 100
Joseph's corpse, 114, 115

Joseph's Descendants, 116, 117

Josephus in regard to the Exodus, 160, 167
Joshua, 311

Joshua sends spies into Jericho, 312
Joshua's Death, 321

Josiah, (King of Judah), 515

Josiah defeated by Pharaoh-Necho, 517
Josiah mortally wounded expires, 518
Jotham, (King of Judah,) 507

Judah and Tamar, 84

Kadesh Barnea, (encampment at) 203
Kebla, 225

Keturah, 53

Korah, (the Conspiracy of) 295, 300
Laban, 64, 68

Lampsacus, (a City of Mysia), 569
Laodice, (a Phrygian City), 531

Jehovah Nissi, ("Jehovah is my banner"), Laomedon, (King of Troy), 558

Law of Retaliation, (the) 279, 280
Leah, 64

Legislative Assemblies of the Hebrews, 271
Lepers, (purification of) 255

Leprosy of Clothes, 256

Leprosy of Houses, 257

Levites, (the) 195, 207, 208, 268, 270

alliance with Levi's Sons, 208, 209

Jehoram defeats the king of Edom, 500
Jehoram's death, 501

Jehoahaz or Shallum, (king of Judah), 519

Jehoahaz, (king of Israel), 486

Jehoiakim, 519, 521

Jehoiachin, or Jeconiah, 521

Jehoiada, the high priest, 502