‘ THE 
AMERICAN 
JOURNAL OF SCIENCE, &c. 
Art. 1.—Remarks on the Idolatry and Philosophy of the Zali- 
ans; by Joun W. Draper, of Christiansville, Mecklenburg 
Co., Va. 
THERE are several questions of chronological and_ philosophical 
importance, which would receive much light from a thorough de- 
velopment of the religion and philosophy of some eastern nations. 
Any one who is acquainted with Asiatic literature, cannot have fail- 
ed to observe, that although a claim to extravagant antiquity can- 
not fairly be supported, yet we may safely allow to many others, as 
well as to the Chaldee priests, considerable acquaintance with science. 
To deduce some of their philosophical opinions, from such frag- 
ments as remain of their idolatry and religion, is the object of this 
paper. 
From the discourses of Sir W. Jones, the united testimony of the 
ancients, and from recent writings of oriental scholars, we may safe- 
ly conclude, that the Iranians were the first idolaters of Asia, who 
forgetting the pure religion of their forefathers, indulged in the my- 
thic reveries of astronomy, and joined them to the simple maxims of 
life. ‘The Alexandrine Chronicle states, that Ninus first taught the 
Assyrians idolatrous worship.* The name under which these first 
aposta es went, was Tsabians, Zabians, or Sabeans.t The Zabians 
were the first corruptors of the true religion, and long before the 
time when the Jewish historians placed the birth of their ancestor 
Abraham, the Chaldeans had multiplied the invisible Deity, into 
Lords many, and Gods many.{ That Zabianism was the first spe- 
* Cl ron. Alex. p. 64. 
+ Pr.deaux Conn. Vol. I. p. 178. Maimonides Moreh Nevochim. 
+ Shuckford’s Conn. Vol. I. Ch. 5. 
Vor. XX VIII.—No. 2. 26 
