m, 4im the hrders of hrgkrs, {if it may he credited'-, ) J^d 
hy the Iielathp7s of others in their cajkd Excurjions elfewhere^ 
And certainly Pliny was a perfon of great Indufiry and Knoxo^ 
ledge ; and might fo met imes (and perhaps too often) receive 
Incredibilities, becaufe he was at other times convinced of ma- 
improbable and{!iX2.w^^ Truths^ which at firfljight feemed 
equally incredible. And as much perhaps may be j aid for He- 
rodotuSj who was rightly inform d of fo many Oiientis Mira- 
bilia \as Q. Curtius calls them) that he might be reafonably 
iewptedto deliver otherftupendioHs Relations : Andfomeof 
iheftrangeftofthefe mayfeem to be fomewhat confirm d or par 
ralletd in our dayes, by the Remains of the Eaji in China; and 
by the Prodigies {as I may call them) of ]apzn. 
'Xhe Firfi Man lived a long age^and could not he fo long idle 
as not to relate to his Pojierity the Uiprk^s of God or, his Angels 
(at kafifor Gardens^ Plantations of Vegetable s^F/owry fVal^s^^ 
ProJpeBs-y Lands-capes^ Arbors^ Rockj^ Mountains ^Fountainr^ 
Channels of Rivers^ and rich Materials) which hehadfeenin 
his loji Paradije. The Authentic^ Monuments 
Cen.^2. 1 ^ remotefl Antiquities do make early mentron^ 
Gold, ^Ae Onyx-ftone and Bdellium^ and the 
TimberGofhGT, {which fomeguejje to be the befi CypreflTeO^»^ 
thefe were fome of the long-lading Materials for the Mechanical 
Arts of ArchiteUure^ Scu^pture^ and other Ornaments. And 
thefe Long lived Men had need to k^ow lajiing Materials^ and 
folid work^, if they intended to build for their own fafety^ or to 
U)Lve Monuments for their Pofierity. And^ if compared with 
their Longevity, it w^s not long after the Deluge ^/Noah^ that. 
Babylon and^ivixvt bore good tejiimonies to the early growth 
of Arts. 
And hence we wijh an exaU fcrutlny into Old 'Authors^ to 
give m an accurate Accompt of the Temple (T/^Belus, the Gar* 
dens ^Semiramis, the Bridge over Euphrates, the IValis and 
Topers in Babylon and Nu:;iye, avd the Obeliskes and 4>ther 
Wonders of the Aflytiaa Monarchy • Of the Perfan C^xm his 
Palace, and the Gro7je yOrchards., and fpacious Am£nities of 
the Mcdes andV^i,ijmst -Oj^M^e Pharos ^Alexandrixi 5 the 
f^ufulaStit 3^^^f . the Image of Gjympick 
