148 THEORY OF THE EARTH. 



to all the nations, was preserved among each of 

 the tribes ; and, when it was afterwards attempted 

 to reduce these various traditions to a common 

 chronology, different events were imagined to 

 have been recorded, from the circumstance that 

 dates, in reality uncertain, or perhaps altogether 

 false, although considered as authentic in the 

 countries where they originated, were not found 

 to agree with each other. Thus, in the same 

 manner that the Hellenes had a deluge of Deu- 

 calion, because they regarded him as the founder 

 of their nation, the Autochtones of Attica had 

 one of Ogyges, because it was with him that their 

 history commenced. The Pelasgi of Arcadia 

 had that which, according to later authors, com- 

 pelled Dardauus to retire towards the Helles- 

 pont.* The island of Samothracia, one of those 

 in which a succession of priests had been more 

 anciently established, together with a regular 

 worship and connected traditions, had also a de- 



the mere natural inclination necessary for the flowing of 

 the waters, would have reduced to nothing their excess of 

 height above the shores of Attica. 



See further on this subject the note that I have published 

 at the head of the third volume of Ovid, of M. Lemaire's 

 collection. 



* Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Antiq. Rom. lib. i. cap. 

 Ixi, 



