V1H PREFACE. 



the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout 

 all the land of Egypt. And they did so, for Aaron stretched 

 out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, 

 and it became lice in man and in beast, all the dust of the 

 land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt."* Not- 

 withstanding the apparent simplicity of this passage, it has 

 been the subject of much controversy between several 

 learned commentators, some supposing Flies or Gnats, 

 and others Ticks were intended by the sacred historian. 

 From being totally ignorant of the Hebrew language 1 

 cannot of course presume to decide the question as to its 

 philological accuracy. But taking it in another point of 

 view, it appears to me at least to be very evident, that the 

 animals referred to by Moses, were identical with what we 

 now know to infest man and beast, and designate Lice, for 

 were Flies or Gnats intended to be understood by the term 

 employed, the habits of the Insects would not be in accord- 

 ance with what we know to be usual. And I do not think 

 we are justified in supposing that the natural habits of the 

 animals employed as plagues were at all altered. The only 

 circumstance which rendered them so great a calamity was 

 the surprising increase in their numbers, and the miraculous 

 manner in which that increase was effected. The Locusts 

 differed in no wise, in their general economy, from locusts 

 of the present day. The Frogs again only became annoying 

 from their extraordinary multitudes, which caused them to 

 spread over the land, and enter the houses of the Egyp- 

 tians. The Flies, in like manner, from their countless 

 swarms, filled their habitations, and tormented both man 

 and beast. But supposing we grant, for the sake of argu- 

 ment, that they were of the genera Chrysops Htzmatopota, 

 Stomoxys, (Estrus, and Culex, or of the family Hippobos- 

 cidce. This would have rendered nugatory the plague 

 which immediately succeeded it, and is expressly stated to 



* Exodus viii. 15, 17. 



