C4 UNIVERSAL ERUDITION. 



intereftirg. A fable teeming \vith inftruftion 

 appears to be, in this cafe, fur preferable to a 

 barren truth. 



V. We by no means dtlpife the efforts of thofe 

 men of tranfcendent genius and indefatigable 

 application, who pafs their whole lives in mak- 

 ing judicious inferences, or ingenious conjectures, 

 in order to reconcile pafTages, difcover truths, 

 or diffufe lights over the hiftory of the firft ages 

 of the world : but we think, at the fame time, 

 that their labours are not accompanied with any 

 real certainty, or any direct utility to mankind. 

 While I was writing the above I difcovered, 

 from the window of my clofet, a large hole in 

 my garden wall ; I enquired among my domef- 

 tics, I confulted even my chaplain, concerning 

 the caufe of this hole. Each of them afilgns the 

 rcafon at a venture, and all of them fupporc 

 their opinions with warmth. An arch fellow 

 fleps up and tells us we are all in the wrong, 

 difcovers the real fact, and leaves us all fuffi- 

 ciently confounded. I imagine the inquirers into 

 the facts of ancient hiftory are frequently in the 

 fame circumftance with me and my wall. 



VI. When we duly confider the matter, we 

 find that ancient hiftory may be divided into two 

 parts. The firft contains the hiftory of the 

 Jews, or Hebrews, or of thofe who are called 

 the people of God. Independent of that religious 

 faith which this hiftory requires of Chriftians, 



feeing 



