RECENT ORIENTAL DISCOV^ERIES ON OLD TESTAMENT HISTORY. 181 



wrote the history of the Flood similarly ; and no doubt Moses 

 edited the book to which reference is made, when God tells him to 

 write in 'Hhe book" the fact that The Lord would have perpetual 

 warfare with Amalek because of his wickedness. There can be no 

 doubt that from the very beginning of human history there was a 

 Divine record. 



I was very much struck with the remark by the Chairman that 

 these Higher Critics' conclusions which are here exposed and 

 refuted, that these theories are mere pictures of the imagination. 

 The ablest representative of the Higher Critics is probably Dr. 

 Driver, and Dr. Driver seems to have the idea that if you can prove 

 they are credible on some points, other points are not important. 

 It is a most absurd proposition. Dr. Driver prefers, and his Higher 

 Critics prefer, to paint pictures of the imagination, rather than 

 investigate facts ; and if the pictures do not agree with the facts, 

 then, of course, that shows that we are in some way or other 

 unacquainted with the facts. Professor Sayce's description of the 

 critical theory as " a philological mirage " appears to be apposite. 

 The Higher Critics profess to investigate facts and reasons in 

 support of the pictures of imagination which they present to their 

 readers, but they do nothing whatever to allay the thirst of the 

 human spirit for truth and reality. If I may correct a quotation 

 from Dr. Driver by the author, I would say, the attempt to refute 

 the conclusions of archseology by means of Higher Criticism has 

 signally failed. 



The Chairman. — I propose a vote of thanks to the author of this 

 paper — which the Secretary vdW forward to him — for his most 

 interesting paper and the valuable discussion. 



The Secretary. — I second the motion. It will give me the 

 greatest pleasure to convey the thanks of the Institute to the author 

 of this paper. 



