BABYLONIAN LITERATURE. 11 



the composition of "The Book of Xabathrean 

 Agriculture" at an extremely early date. 

 "It is," he says, "very probable, if I am 

 not altogether mistaken, that this book was 

 written during the period which elapsed be- 

 tween the emancipation of Babylon from the 

 Median yoke, by Belesis, and the taking of 

 Babylon by Cyrus. Perhaps even one might 

 venture to fix the exact date as in the reign 

 of Nebuchadnezzar the Second. It is a very 

 natural hypothesis, that a great prince, who 

 carried his victorious arms to such remote 

 lands ; who embellished his capital by im- 

 mense works ; who ordered the construc- 

 tion of numberless canals, destined to spread 

 fertility and abundance over the most dis- 

 tant parts of his hereditary states ; should 

 wish to complete and perpetuate his work 

 by ordering the composition of a vast library, 

 which should comprise all that the experi- 

 ence of many centuries had taught, as to the 

 productions of Chalda?a, and the means of 

 developing and increasing its natural re- 



sources." 



