246 AECH-EOLOGY AND MODEEX BIBLICAL SCHOLAESHIP. 



p. 221, And with regard to the Xew Testament branch of the 

 subject that will be dealt with in the forthcoming Gimning prize 

 essay. 



To the Rev. Chancellor Lias my thanks are due for a very 

 suggestive and helpful supplement to the contents of my paper. 



As to Mr. Maimder's remarks concerning the Babylonian seal, if 

 the supposed serpent be only a dividing Hne then that disposes of 

 his suggestion that because it is in the form of a cylinder the en- 

 graver intended his design to be " without beginning or end." 

 Moreover, viewed in this position the two figures are back to back — 

 a relationship which was certainly not an integral part of the design. 

 It is quite true that the Babylonians of the same period made profuse 

 use of dividing lines in their inscriptions, separating sentences and 

 even words by them, but they invariably rtiled them straight. I do 

 not remember ever to have seen a wavy dividing line like this one. I 

 do not know whether Mr. Maunder can give us another instance. 

 Moreover, the formation at one end of the line diflers from that at 

 the other and might quite easily have been meant to represent the 

 head of the serpent. Then as to the difference of sex in the two 

 fi£jiu*es that is indicated bv the head-dresses. One is adorned with 

 horns, the emblems of authority, which may be taken to represent the 

 authority given by the Genesis narrative to man over woman at 

 " The Fall.'' The other figure has no doubt what was intended to 

 be a female's head-dress. The deviation in other particulars from 

 the Genesis narrative is quite in accordance with the analogy of the 

 Creation and Deluge stories as Professor Orchard has pointed out. I 

 am afraid, therefore, I must still retain my own opinion on this 

 subject. 



Mr. Schwartz's somewhat digressive criticism was sufficiently 

 and very aptly answered by Rev. W. R. Whately, so that I need not 

 occupy your time by any fiu-ther remarks on the matters referred to 

 by him. 



In reply to Mr. Oke's enquiry I may say that by the kind 

 permission of the Coimcil I hope to have this paper pubKshed in 

 pamphlet form. Again let me thank you, ladies and gentlemen, 

 for the patient and sympathetic hearing you have given me. 



