china's place in ancient history: a feagment. 113 



period in whicli Newton* lived by upwards of two thousand 

 years. 



A fourth philosopher may be alluded to as pertaining to 

 this dynasty Chwang* Tseif argued that " if all laws were 

 abrogated crime would cease ; if weights and measures were 

 abolished the people would not cheat each other in the 

 exchange of commodities." His doctrines found but few 

 supporters, and speedily fell into disrepute. 



The summary of events contemporarj'- with the Chow 

 dynastyj in Chiua, recorded in history relating to other 

 civilised countries of the then known world which is now to 

 follow, must be even more brief, and it is feared, even more 

 imperfect than have been the remarks already made. 

 Suffice it to observe that the particulars to be given may 

 serve as a framework, to be filled in according to available 

 pursuits and studies of those to whom the present remarks 

 are with much respect and deference submitted. § 



1. With regard to scripture records the period under 

 consideration includes the whole history of the Israelites 

 from the date of Saul their first king ; their division into the 

 kingdoms of Israel and of Judah,|! and finally the conquest 

 (B.C. 721) of the former by Salmanasar the Assyrian ; the latter 

 with the capture of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, the Baby- 

 lonian captivity; the capture of Babylon by Cyrus. It 

 comprises the period of all the prophets, from Samuel to 

 Malachi, down to the conclusion of Old Testament history .IF 



2. Clialdea and Assyria. — The Chow dynasty was in the 

 fourth century of its existence when (B.C. 747) the second 

 Assyrian empire was established by Pul,** whether a legiti- 

 mate ruler or an adventurer matters not for the purpose 

 of this paper. In 747, Tiglath Pileser III, as Pul seems 

 also to have been called, invaded Palestine, destroyed the 

 city of Damascus, and carried its inhabitants to his own 

 states. On his death, B.C. 728, he was succeeded by his son 

 Shalmaneser, and he, about B.C. 714, by Sennacherib, the son 



* Newton, born Decembei-, 1642 ; died March, 1727. 

 t B.C. 330. Contemporary with him was Eudid, B.C. 374-300. See 

 Life of Mensius, by Professor Legge, p. 51. 



X /.e., as already stated, B.C. 1122 to B.C. 255 = 867 years. 



§ They are given in greater detail in the Appendix. 



II Israel = ten tribes ; Judah two, namely, Judah and Benjamin. 



IT See Williams, vol. ii, p. 159. 



** Assyria. Professor Sayce. Records of the Past, vol. v, 115. 



