l66 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



*' prefs edifls, furniflied all the libraries in the 

 " World with them *." 



In our own days, do we not fee how every party 

 exerts itfelf to run down the reputation, and the 

 opinions of the party which oppofes it ? Mankind 

 is, in the hands of religion and philofophy, like 

 the old man in the fable, between two dames of 

 different ages. They had both a mind to trim 

 his locks, each in her own way. The younger 

 picked carefully out all the white hairs, which (he 

 could not bear ; the old one, for an oppofite rea- 

 fon, as carefully removed the black : the confe- 

 quence was, his head was fpeedily reduced to 

 complete baldnefs. 



It is impoffible to adduce a more fatisfa(flory 

 deraonftration of this ancient infidelity of the two 

 parties, than an interpolation to be found in the 

 Writings of Flavins Jofepbus, who was contempo- 

 rary with Pliny. He is made to fay, in fo many 

 words, that the MeflTiah was juft born y and he 

 continues his narration, without referring, fo 

 much as once, to this wonderful event, to the end 

 of a voluminous hiftory. How can it be believed 

 that Jofephns, who frequently indulges himfelf in 



* Eflays, book ii. chap. xix. 



a tedious 



