On the Ancient HELLENES. 147 
ry one verfed in etymological enquiries will, I am _perfuaded, 
admit them as probable, if not abfolutely certain. Perhaps the 
Pheenicians conftituted the more numerous part of the colony, 
and of courfe, though the leaders were Egyptians, the lan- 
guage of the majority, as is ufual in fuch cafes, might become 
the prevailing dialect. This too muft have been mingled with 
the Pelafgic, which was probably a branch of the old Pheeni- 
cian, or, at the moft, very little different from that language. 
At the fame time, it is generally allowed, that the Egyptian and 
Phoenician were no more than different modifications of the 
fame tongue. Thus, it appears, that moft of the names of 
places and perfons connected with the temple of Dodona, as 
well as that of the temple itfelf, were of a Phoenician or E- 
gyptian original; a circumftance which, in my opinion, ought 
to give additional weight to the arguments above adduced in 
confirmation of my pofition.—I fhall now endeavour to point 
out the means by which the Hellenes of Theflaly grew fo con- 
fiderable as to communicate their name to all the other tribes 
of Greece. 
Tue Hellenes, when they arrived in Greece, brought along 
- with them a large fhare of the culture and civilization both of 
Egypt and Pheenicia, at that time the two moft polifhed coun- 
tries upon earth. The emigrants from Dodona to Phthiotis 
no doubt carried along with them all the improvements of the 
parent colony. The inhabitants of Theflaly were at that time 
a race of barbarians. This affertion ftands in no need of be- 
ing authenticated by quotations. It is confirmed by the una- 
nimous confent of antiquity. It is no hard matter to conceive 
how quickly a race of people, prodigioufly fuperior both in 
arts and arms, muft gain the afcendant among a rout of uncul- 
tivated, vagabond favages. Their mianners, their dexterity, 
their fkill in the mechanical arts, their policy, perhaps their 
fuperior courage and difcipline, would naturally enough excite 
the admiration, and conciliate the affections, of all the tribes of 
P2 : barbarians 
