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another nature. But as the favourers of their high 
antiquity will, I queftion not, be ftartled to hear that 
their age may be brought down fo low as the year be- 
fore Chrift yqf. your lordfhip will not be difpleafed, 
I hope, if I add lomething farther in confirmation of 
this date, and fliew, that it is not fo unreafonable, or 
abfurd, to fix them at this very time, as at firft fight it 
may appear. 
I fhall not trouble your lordfhip with a variety of 
philological arguments, that, I think, I could produce 
in fupport of this affertion. That would fwell this 
letter beyond the bounds of your lordfliip’s patience : 
l fhall therefore confine myfelf to a few internal evi- 
dences alone, taken from the poets themfelves ; which, 
being of an agronomical nature, will, I flatter myfelf, 
on that account, at leaf!:, recommend themfelves to 
your lordfhip’s attention. 
The firft that fhall be offered, (hall be from the fol- 
lowing lines of the Iliad itfelf. 
'OlQV S' Ct^i^CC VKS Y.90V0V 7TCU$ ayKVXo fJLYiTeto 
H pd.v)r<Ti tspo.5, 7ie ‘Tpd'ip evgei A a&>r, 
TvSi t£ 7 toAAo) a.'zuo ar'zm v^rr.pes /Wlat. 
To; eir.tf ’ rn^ev e-ui'i y^rovoc rictAAas A Srnvn (27). 
Qualern autem Jlellam mittit Saturni filius vcrfuli > 
Aut nautis portentum , aut exercitui lato popular urn. 
Splendidam , unde mult a fcintilla emittuntur. 
Huic Jimilis , impetu ferebatur in terram Pallas 
Minerva. 
(27) Iliad, iv. v. 75. 
Some, 
