CHAP. in. PRECIOUS METALS. 



circumstance of the trade ceasing with the reign 

 of him who began it, and that long before his 

 death, we shall perhaps conclude that it was not 

 found beneficial, or in so small a degree as not 

 to induce the continuance of it. It was never 

 resumed, though one attempt at it was planned 

 about a hundred years later, in the reign of 

 Jehoshaphat 1 , who built the ships for it at the 

 same port of Ezion-geber ; though, from causes 

 which do not appear, the voyages were never 

 undertaken, but the ships that had been built 

 were broken up. 



This extended discussion on the stores of 

 metallic wealth in Judea can scarcely appear 

 improper, though it has perhaps exceeded the 

 limits which the importance of the Hebrew na- 

 tion might entitle it to receive. It was, how- 

 ever, desirable to remove any doubts on the 

 general credibility of the most ancient of records ; 

 and it seemed to form a point from whence the 

 probability of the veracity of the profane au- 

 thors upon the subject of ancient accumula- 

 tions of gold and silver might be advantageously 

 surveyed. 



If we look at the state of society during the 

 five centuries which passed between the reign 

 of Solomon in Jerusalem and that of Darius 

 Hystaspes in Babylon, we shall find that the 



1 2 Chronicles, cap, xx. v. 36 and 37. 



