317 



Bath and West uf England Agricultural Journal among the 

 number. 



The only work of Mr. Townsend which we have hero to notice is 

 that published in 2 vols., 1812-1815, under the title of "The 

 character of Moses established for veracity as a historian by 

 recorded events subsequent to the Deluge." It consisted of two 

 distinct parts — Geological and Mincralogical Researches, and 

 Etymological Researches. The geological plates, 21 iu number, 

 are all drawings of fossils ; there are no sections nor maps given. 

 Each plate is dated July 1, 1812, and bears " Rev. Jos. Townsend, 

 dolin." " Bartw. Hewlett, sculp." These two parts were sub- 

 sequently published separately with different titles. The one — 



" Etymological Eesearches, * wherein numerous languages apparently dis- 

 cordant have either their affinity traced and their resemhlance so manifested 

 as to lead to the conclusion that all languages are radically one. Those chiefly 

 considered and compared are English, "Welsh, Galic, Manx, Gothic, Persian, 

 Slavonian, Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Chaldec, Arabic, Laponic, Ethiopic, Coptic, 

 Turkish, Persian, Sanscrit, and the languages of India. One volume, quarto, 

 £1 Is., boards." 



The other part appeared with this title-page : — 



" Geological and Mincralogical Eesearches during a period of more than fifty 

 years in England, Scotland, Ireland, Switzerland, Holland, France, Flanders, 

 and Spain ; wherein the efiects of the deluge arc traced, and the veracity of 

 the Mosaic account is established. With 21 Illustrative Plates." 



Gye and Son, of Market Place, Bath, were the printers, and 

 Bagster's name also appears on the title-page as publisher, 1824. 



This book is very little known. To indicate its scope I transcribe 

 the headings of the different chapters. After an introduction he 

 begins with the consideration of Moses as a historian. 



Chapter 1 is on the genuineuess of the Pentateuch. 



Chapter 2 is on the credibility of the Mosaic history. 



Section 1. — The credibility proved by internal evidence. 



Section 2. — The credibility proved by external evidence. This 

 section is divided into six subjects. 



The first subject is the Creation. In this he quotes from early 

 classical writers of Greece and Rome, from Persian writers, the 

 sacred books of Hindustan and China, from travellers' accounts of 



• This is reviewed in the " Quarterly," vol. 14, pages 96-112. 



