EUCLASSIC. 201 



We proceed to treat of Civil History and Antiquities, under the 

 branches of Euclassic, Oriental, European, and American Chrono- 

 graphy ; extending the term Oriental to the History of the Moham- 

 edan parts of Africa ; the only parts whose history is much known ; 

 and restricting the term European, to the History of Europe in the 

 middle ages, and in modern times. 



CHAPTER I. 



EUCLASSIC CHRONOGRAPHY. 



IN the branch of Euclassic Chronography, we would treat of the 

 History and Antiquities of those nations which were known to the 

 ancient Greeks and Romans. It comprehends therefore the greater 

 part of Ancient History ; excluding only that of India and China, 

 which have so little connection with the rest, that they are reserved 

 for the branch of Oriental Chronography. The name classic, is de- 

 rived from the Latin, classis, a form, or bench in a school : and it was 

 applied to those studies which were taught in the schools of Rome, 

 in the Greek and Latin languages. But as it is now extended to the 

 best writings in the modern languages, we have here adopted the 

 term Euclassic ; adding the Greek sv, an emphatic prefix, to distinguish 

 the ancient classics from the modern. 



Jlncient History, commences of course, with the Creation of the 

 World; according to Hales, 5411 B. C.; but according to Usher, 

 4004. Of this, and of the succeeding events, down to the found- 

 ing of the ancient empires, our only record is that found in the 

 Bible ; the first books of which we may consider as introductory to 

 Secular History. The book of Genesis, written by Moses, according 

 to Hales, about 1610, or as usually stated, about 1452 B. C., (p. 141), 

 is referred to as authentic, by the earliest writers who had access to 

 it, both sacred and secular. Its statements concerning the Creation, 

 and the Deluge, are consistent with, and even corroborated by, the 

 discoveries of modern Geology ; as we shall endeavor to explain, 

 when treating of that science. The Noachian Deluge, or Noah's 

 Flood, took place, according to Hales, 3155 B. C. ; but according to 

 Usher, 2348 ; when the race of men, grown impious through 

 longevity and luxury, were all destroyed, except Noah and his 

 family, by whom the earth was repeopled. It is believed that the 

 Jews and eastern Asiatics, and probably the American Indians, are 

 descended from Shem ; the Canaanites and Africans from Ham; 

 and the Europeans, with the north-western Asiatics, from Japhet. 

 The building of the Tower of Babel, interrupted, according to 

 Hales, 2614; but according to Usher, 2247 B. C., probably gave 

 rise to the fable of the wars of the giants against the gods : and the 

 ruins of that tower are believed still to exist, in the Sirs Nimrood, 

 a vast heap or pile, on the supposed site of ancient Babylon. 



From this period we may commence the History of Nations: as 

 the earliest empires originated then, or soon after ; and possibly even 

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