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the abfolute exclusive property of each individual, it is his belief; and, I 

 liope, I fhould be one of the lafl men living, who could harbour a thought 

 of obtruding my own belief on the free minds of others. I mean only to 

 afiume, what, I truft, will be readily conceded, that the firft Hebrew 

 hiftorian muft be entitled, merely as fuch, to an equal degree of credit, in 

 his account of all civil tranfaclions, with any other hiftorian of antiquity: 

 how far that moll ancient writer confirms the refult of our inquiries into the 

 genealogy of nations, I propofe to mow at our next anniverfary meeting; 

 when, after an approach to demonuration, in the flrict method of the old 

 analyfis, I mall refume the whole argument concifely and fynthetically ; 

 and mail then have condenfed in feven difcourfes amafs of evidence, which, 

 if brevity had not been my object, might have, been expanded into feven 

 large volumes with no other trouble than that of holding the pen ; but (to 

 borrow a turn of exprellion from one of our poets) " for what I have produc- 

 " ed, I claim only your indulgence ; it is for what I have fupprefled, that I 

 " am entitled to your thanks. 



