C 797 3 
much the fame Nation concerning the beginning of 
things with that delivered by Mofes m the beginning of 
-his Writings, with which, he conceives, alfo that his alrea- 
dy publiflVd Theory is confonant. It washisDe/ign alfo 
to have written a general Body of Philofophy, but the 
fenfe of his Age and approaching Death feenis to have 
made him defift, and to fatisfie himfelf with what he 
hath hitherto performed in the preceding Books, and in 
this which hefeems to make the Seal and Conlummation 
-of the former. 
. He divides the whole Difcourfe into two Books. In 
the firft he endeavours to difcover what were the moft 
antient Do&rines of all Nations concerning the beginnings 
of things, in general. But in the Second heendeavour'd to 
collect all fuch Paffages amongft them as fcemed mod 
confonant to,and confirming of the Dodrines delivered in 
the firft part of his Theory where he had omitted taking 
notice of them, though in the Second Part he hath inter- 
mixed them with the Theory throughout, which there- 
fore did not need any fuch a Supplement. 
In the Firft Chapter he enquires whence this Knowledge 
is to be fetcht, which he conceives to be all from the 
Poftdiluvian Records, which were all conveyed by Noab 
from the Antidiluvian, and difperfed amongft his Pofteri- 
ty. Next he enquires where any Footfteps are to be found 
of it among theie. And fince he finds the Ancients di- 
vided the Nations of the World inr.o Four Heads, com- 
prehending the whole Race of Mankind, to wit, the Scy- 
thians towards the North, the Celti towards the Weft, 
the ^/Ethiopians towards the South, and the Indians to- 
wards the Eaft. He follows the fame Order in his En- 
quiry. And amongft the firft he finds no ancient Foot- 
fteps of their Philolbphy, and doubts whether ever they 
had any : Tho' Aharis is faid by Suidas to have written 
zTheogonia; and a Septentrional Mythology hath been 
of late publiflied^ favouring much of Antiquity. 
K k Amongft 
