56 Did Science originate in India f 



chitectare of stones, and cities described as walled up to heaven. 

 (Numb. xiv. 40. Deut. i. 28). In the time of Samson we find 

 columnar forms among the Philistines at Gaza. (Judges xvi. 25.) 

 Above all, just at the period of the commencement of the Egyp- 

 tian buildings, we find the Tyrians in possession of columnar 

 forms, assimilated in their proportions to those of Egypt, and 

 skilful enough to cast them in the costly material of brass. 

 Hiram, the Tyrian, employed by Solomon in the construction 

 of his temple, cast two noble columns of brass, having high- 

 ly ornamented capitals, in the style common among the na- 

 tions to whose architecture the Baron refers. (1 Kings vii. 15.) 



We find Lucian also stating that the Phenician and Egyptian 

 architectures resembled each other ; and would it not then be 

 wrong in point, not only of probability, but even of strict argu- 

 ment, after this clearly determined source for it, to search for 

 the origin of the latter in Meroe. We shall find little difficulty 

 in accounting for the appearance of the same forms in Chaldea, 

 when we reflect that Nebuchadnezzar carried the inhabitants of 

 Palestine to Babylon ; little, too, for their being found at Perse- 

 polis and in India, when we further reflect that the Persians 

 had such constant rule in Palestine, from the beginning of their 

 monarchy ; and that the Seleucidae appear to have possessed for 

 some time the Indian conquests of Alexander. After all, the 

 fact with regard to the columnar forms may be, that those in 

 diff*erent nations are not of one single origin, but were naturally 

 derived in more nations than one, according to the opinion of 

 eminent architects, from the wooden posts of the habitations 

 which men first constructed. 



The division into casts, which we find in ancient Egypt, and 

 again in India, ceases to be a proof of common origin, and indi- 

 cates even the contrary, when we find that these casts do not 

 correspond with each other in the two countries. We find only 

 four casts in India ; and, according to Herodotus, there were 

 seven in Egypt, three only of which are known in India. 



After all, the languages of nations are the monuments which 

 most certainly demonstrate either their diversity or community of 

 origin. We readily allow, not that in the Sanscrit are to be found 

 the roots of the European languages, but that a great number 



