486 On the Origin and 



while the former branch, the moft powerful and adventurous of whom were 

 the progeny of Cush, Misr, and Rama, (names remaining unchanged in 

 .Sanfcrit, and highly revered by the Hindus) were, in all probability, the 

 race, which I called Indian, and to which we may now give any other name, 

 that, may feem more proper and compreheniive. 



The general introduction to the Jewijh hiftory clofes with a very concife 

 and obfeure account of a prefumptuous and mad attempt, by a particular 

 colony, to build a fplendid city and raife a fabrick of immenfe height, inde- 

 pendently of the divine aid, and, it mould feem, in defiance of the divine 

 power j a project, which was baffled by means appearing at firft view inade- 

 quate to the purpofe, but ending in violent diffenfion among the projectors 

 and in the ultimate feparation of them : this event alfo feems to be recorded 

 by the ancient Hindus in two of their Pur anas ; and it will be proved, I 

 truft, on fome future occafion, that the lion bur/ling from a pillar to deftroy a 

 Mafphsming giant, and the dwarf, who beguiled and held in derifon the magni- 

 .ficent Beli, are one and the fame ftory related in a fymbolical flyle. 



'Now thefe primeval events are defcribed as having happened between 

 ihe.Qx'us and .Euphrates, the mountains of Caucafus and the borders of India ', 

 that is, within the limits of Iran ; for, though moil of the Mofaick names 

 have been confiderably altered, yet numbers of them remain unchanged : 

 we ftill find Harrdnin Mefopotamia, and travellers appear unanimous in fix- 

 ing thefite of ancient Babel. 



Thus, on the preceding fuppolition, that the firll eleven chapters of the 

 book, which it is thought proper to call Genejts, are merely a preface to the 

 oldeft civil hiftory now extant, we fee the truth of them confirmed by ante- 



