gi PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [anNO 1725. 



earlier than 1 do. Let liim rectify liis mistake, and the Argonautic expedition 

 will be where I place it. 



As for the length of generations, the Observator says, that I reckon them 

 one with another at 18 or 20 years a piece (p. 52, 55), which is another 

 mistake. I agree with the antients in reckoning 3 generations, at about 100 

 years. But the reigns of kings I do not equal to generations, as the antient 

 Greeks and Egyptians did; but I reckon them only at about 18 or 20 years a 

 piece one with another, when 10 or 12 kings, or more, are taken in continual 

 succession. So the first 24 kings of France (Pharamond, &c.) reigned 458 

 years, which is one wit!) another 1 9 years a piece. The next 24 kings of 

 France (Ludovicus Balbus, &c.) reigned 451 years, which is one with another 

 18i years a piece. The next 15 kings (Philippus Valesius, &c.) reigned 315 

 years, which is one with another 21 years a piece. And all the 63 kings of 

 France reigned 1224 years, which is IQJ- years a piece. And, if the long 

 reign of Lewis XIV. be added, the 64 kings of France will reign but 20 years 

 a piece. And they, that examine the matter, will find it so in other kingdoms: 

 and I shorten the duration of the antient kingdoms of Greece, in the same 

 proportion that I shorten the reigns of their kings, and thereby place the 

 Argonautic expedition about 44 years, and the taking of Troy about 76 years, 

 after the death of Solomon, and find Sesostris contemporary to Sesac. 



So then the Observator has mistaken my meaning, in the two main argu- 

 ments on which the whole is founded, and has undertaken to translate and to 

 confute a paper which he did not understand, and been zealous to print it 

 without my consent; though he thought it good for nothing, but to get him- 

 self a little credit, by translating it to be confuted, and confuting his own 

 translation. 



The Observator says, that I suppose that the Egyptians began, about QOO 

 years before Christ, to form their religion, and deify men for their inventing 

 of arts, notwithstanding that it appears by the scriptures, that their idolatry 

 and arts were as old as the days of Moses and Jacob, p. 82, 83. But he is 

 again mistaken. I deny not that the kingdom of the Lower Egypt, called Miz- 

 raim, had a religion of their own, till they were invaded and subdued by the 

 shepherds, who were of another religion : but I say that, when the Thebans 

 expelled the shepherds, they set up the worship of their ov.-n kings and princes. 

 I say also, that arts were brought into Europe principally by the Phoenicians 

 and Curetes, in the time of Cadmus and David, about 1041 years before 

 Christ; and do not deny that they were in Phoenicia, Egypt, and Idumea, 

 before they came into Europe. 



