I 278 ] 
fhian tatte or genius in the coins I have been en- 
deavouring to throw fome light upon. They may 
tell us that fuch pieces Teem much more to refera- 
ble the medals of Syria and Phoenicia than the Par- 
thian coins. To which I would only beg leave to 
reply, that I confider them rather as pieces ftruck 
at Tarfus by a Greek or Phoenician artift, in fome 
part of the fmall fpace of time that the Parthians 
were matters of Cilicia, than as proper Parthian 
coins. This appears to me, I own, extremely pro- 
bable j but that it was an abfolute fadt, I mutt: not 
take upon me to affirm. 
Thus have I endeavoured to render it probable, 
from a furprizing concurrence of circumttances, 
and a wonderful coincidence of fadfs, that your 
Lordfhip’s Phoenician coin was ttruck at Tarfus, 
the capital of Cilicia, when the Parthians were 
matters of that country, about forty years before 
the birth of Christ. Whether or no the credi- 
bility of fuch a notion has been here fully evinced, 
your Lordfhip, whofe profound erudition, as well 
as ttngular humanity, is fo well known to the 
whole learned world, with your ufual candour and 
impartiality, will decide. Be this, however, as it 
will, I fhall offer no other apology for any miftakes 
or omiflions that may be difcovered in this paper, than 
that I have been obliged to tread unbeaten paths 
through the whole courfe of it ; an explication of the 
medal in quettion having, as I apprehend, been hitherto 
unattempted by any confiderable writer. I might have 
expatiated more largely upon the prefent fubjedt, but 
am afraid your Lordfhip will think me already too 
prolix. 
