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Origin of the Cuftoms of the Corybantes , &c. fays, 
that a ‘Phrygian Youth with whom the Goddefs 
Cybele was in Love, and to whom he proved faithlefs, 
for a Punishment * to himfelf, cut himfelf ail over 
with a Sharp Stone ; I lie etiam faxo corpus laniavit 
acuto, &c. [Ovid. Fajl. 4.). 
It is manifeft, indeed, that the Ufe of Iron was 
found out in Egypt before the Time of Jojhua and 
Mofes , both of whom mention it as made ufe of not 
only tor cutting of foft things f, but alfo for chizel- 
ing of Stones, ( T>eut . xxvii. 5. Jofh. viii. 31.) But I 
apprehend it muft have been very rare, and that the 
Art of reducing of Iron to the Hardnefs and Confift- 
ency of Steel, was not yet difeovered ; becaufe, when 
God orders JoJhua to write the Words of the Law 
upon Stones, as toon as he had palled over ‘'Jordan, 
the way he is ordered to do it is this 5 to plafter the 
Stones over with Plafter firft, and then to grave in this 
Plafter the Words of the Law ( c Deut . xxvii. 2, 3.). 
And yet this is called both by Mofes and Jofhua , 
writing upon the Stones {’Dent, xxvii. 8.). 
It is certain, that the Art of polifhing of Jewels, and 
of cutting one hard Sione with another that was 
harder, was invented and pra&ifed in Egypt before 
the Time of Mofes ; for he fpeaks of graving the 
Names of the Children of Ifrael in Two Onyx hones, 
which, being harder than Iron, even than Steel, are 
not to be wrought upon therewith ; but muft be cut 
by fome Stone which is harder than themfelves. 
* Of the Antiquity of this Practice, fee Lev. xix. 28. 
t J°f e ph.i when he was fent for by Pharoah,Jhaved himfelf, Gen. 
vdi. i+- 
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