C 8o 4 ) 
"fephus, ^nd Diodms Skulus, who affirm the Greeks moft eminent for this 
Learning. As Orpk-us, Thales, Pherecides, Pythagoras, Solon, Plate, £«- 
doxus, all fctcht it cither frorto the Egyptians or Phoenicians. Nay, the very 
knowledge of Lerters was firft brought into Greice by Cadmivs not long be- 
fore the Trojan War. Whereas Learning flourifrTd in AJfyria, Egypt, Pte- 
nicia, Arabia, Ethiopia, India, and among the Celri long before that time. 
There were two ftates of Grecian Philofophy. The firft, which was the 
oldeft, moft of which was wrote in Verfe, treated of the Cofmogonia, or Origi- 
nation of things, by Tbamjras, Linm, Orpheus, Mujeus, Heft$d. Alfo Thales, 
■ Zenopbams, Empedoclts, Parmnidts , and fome others, whofe Fragments 
are collected by Steevins in his Poejis Philofophica: All which Poetick Wri- 
ters did mythologize the Cofmogonia, Hmer only excepted. This the Au- 
thor proves by feveral Teftimonies ; and adds, That Orpheus was the firft 
that brought Learning into Greece ; that atferred the Oval Korm of the Earth, 
the Form the Author affigm to h:s Antidiluvian Earth : That he lived not 
long after the time of Mofes, and was the Founder of the Grecian Theologv, 
as Mofes of the Hebrew; and that both accommodated the Ceremonies to 
the Capacity of their re fpe ft ivc People. That is, OrphtM inftituted fuch a Re- 
ligion as he could, not what he would, wanting the D vine Alftftancc of Mi- 
racles which Mofes had. He was feign to make ufc of Mufrk and pleafmg 
Mythologick Stories to allure his People from Barbarity to Government and 
• Society. For which purpofe it was of very great benefit , and generally 
made ufeof not only by Poers, but Legiflitors and Phyfiologers. Orpheus ex- 
celled in all thefe, and firft taught the Grecians Religion, and the Regards 
•and Punifhments of another Life, which he proves by Heathen and Chriflian 
Teftimonies. But among thefe muft be diftinguiflried what he taught :hc 
" Vulgar from what was his Secret Doctrine, for that he had both the A^amAi 
d^o^nrov Suidas fays, he held the Heavens ro be formed of the JEtbtr, 
^nd the Earth out of the Chaos, before which he placed Time as themeafore, 
but he makes them both coeval ; whereas others of ihe Ancients fc pa rare them 
by a multitude of Ages. Emptdtcles makes all the Stars to be Fires, but Orpheus 
to be Worlds i the Author fuppofes the Planets were meant. As the Moon 
was therefore called ctnr^iW, which Orpnem firft aflerted Habitable, proved 
by Vroclus, as alfo that the Oval Earth was to bedcflroyed by Fire, and then 
to be renewed. Before he leaves this Head, he anfwers the Objections of 
- Cicero, and more efpecially Gerzrd Voffius, who would perfwade that there 
never was any fuch Men as Orpheus, Mufius or Linus, whofe Arguments the 
Author thinks no ways cogent or ro be regarded, fince there are fo many 
pofitivc Proofs to the contrary both in Heathen -and Chriftran Writers. 
In the Tenth Chapter he enquires among the GreeJ^ Philofophers that fuc- 
ceeded Orpheus- : And firft amongft the Ionic^s. Thefe are the Second kind 
of Phyfiologers, who wrote exprefly and in Profe, not in Verfe and Mytho- 
logy, as the former. Thefe were Thales and his 'Ionicks, Pherecydes, Pytha- 
goras, ZtnopbaneSiParmenides, Leucippus, Democrittts, Empedul.es, ?lato* and 
others, to Epicurus and Ariftotle* in whom ended Phiiofophxk Antiquity $ 
except fome Fragments among the Stoic^s. Thales was a?kxnician, but re- 
ceived his Knowledge from Egypt, and was famous for Geometry, Ajlronomy 
and ?byfict>, and afTcrted the Immortality of the Soul j and firft writ a Dif- 
^eourfeof Fhyfkks, without Mythology or Theology. Nothing of his Af- 
fertioa 
