344 Description of the Thunder-storm Alarum. 
Whatever use Moses might make of the Egyptian documents in 
composing his Cosmogony, he certainly had a purer source from 
whence to draw his information.» The Hebrews and their an- 
cestors were worshippers of the true God; therefore the history 
of the origin of the world is more likely to have been preserved 
pure by them than among the idolatrous Egyptians. Supersti- 
tion never was favourable to truth. Traditional facts are also 
more safe with a nomadic than.a civic people. They have fewer 
subjects to burthen the memory, and less temptation to corrupt 
them. 
The perseverance of Dr. Prichard in his original intention of 
proving the Mosaic Cosmogony “ capable of a rational and phi- 
losophical interpretation” is laudable ; and the near approaches 
he has made to this, particularly in p. 262, 263 of your last num- 
ber, are important results from the repeated attacks of his op- 
ponent. But having assumed an untenable position respecting 
the term day, he is forced, p. 260, to advance some unwarrantable 
opinions in order to support it. The supposition that the He- 
brews were anthropomorphites must rest upon evidence from 
their writings. Now if we are to determine the national belief 
from their religious institutes and theology of their other scrip- 
tures, they were, as a nation, the furthest of all others from an- 
thropomorphism. All other nations were idolaters, and, in ge- 
neral, conceived the most perfect image of the Deity must he 
the likeness of man. The Hebrew writers are unequalled in 
speaking of the spirituality of God; and where they speak of the 
eyes, arms, &c. of Jehovah, these expressions, in the connexion 
in which they stand, no more favour anthropomorphism than 
the term father itself, as applied to the Author of life. With 
respect to the expression ‘* God rested ;” it would be more 
agreeable to the spirit of the original, to render it ceased;— 
“God ceased from all his work, which he created, mwy> to 
operate,” as ver. 3, chap. ii. of the Genesis, ought to be ren- 
dered. 
I am, sir, 
; Your very obedient servant, 
Wycombe, May 8, 1816. ANDREW Horn. 
’ 
LXVIII. Description of an electrical Instrument called “ The 
Thunder-storm Alarum.” By B. M. Forsrer, Esq. 
To Mr. Tilloch. 
Siz, — ] HEREWITH hand you a description and figure of an 
*clectrical instrument, which may I] think with propriety be sip 
e 
