2* OF THE ORIGIN OF CHEMISTRY. 



in Syria, is thought, not improperly, to have a* 

 plied to Seth the above-mentioned account of 

 Hermes, by Manethus. Sanchuniaton calls 

 Hermes a Phoenician, which agrees with the o- 

 pinion entertained of Abraham. 



Many of the moderns * difcovcr another Her- 

 mes in Jofeph the fon of Jacob, from the autho- 

 rity of antient monuments; from which it ap- 

 pears, that Faimus (Hermes) was infidioufly be- 

 trayed by his brethren to the children of Cham ; 

 among whom he was highly honoured, clothed 

 in garments of gold, and worshipped as a god, 

 from his knowledge of future events |-. 



In the f cries of Theban kings, extracted with 

 fuch fingular induflry, under Ptolemy the Third, 

 from the facred books by Erutofthencs, the firlt 

 is Menes, perhaps Mifraim the fon of Chum, cal- 

 led elfewhere Oiiris. Then follow the brothers 

 Athotis I. and II. of which the latter, the To- 

 forthrusof Manethus, was /killed in letters, and 

 various arts. Here, urlcf. I am deceived, we 

 find the firft Hermes. Siphoas, or Memnon, 

 the thirty-fifth in order, is diftinguUhed cxprefs. 

 ly by the firname of Hermes. This is the Pro- 

 teus of Herodotus and Diodorus, thcAmentph- 

 thes of Manethus, and probably, the Agamem- 

 non of Homer, as he \\as not left remarkable 

 for perfona! ftrength, than for his extraordinary 



inventions. 



* F. J. V. Schroder* Bibl. fur die ho here Katu^-ifT. t. I- 

 f Ccdrtni Hifl. It Chr. Alex. Conf. Gen. xxxis-xli. 



