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ON THE ORIGIN OF THE MORSE. 
In 2 Chronicles , chap, ix, we find the following verse ; the 
one, we believe, on which the author decides that Solomon ob¬ 
tained his horses from Egypt alone :— 
And they brought unto Solomon horses out of Egypt, and out of all 
lands.” 
It requires very little sagacity to interpret this text. It cannot 
be understood to mean what the author wishes to infer, but 
plainly shews that this was thought an uncommon occurrence, 
whicli is the reason why Egypt was particularized in preference 
to other lands . Until Solomon’s reign, the Hebrews had been 
continually at war, and were thereby prevented from cultivat¬ 
ing foreign connections; but, by Solomon’s alliance with an 
Egyptian princess, a free intercourse with Egypt was formed. 
Egyptian luxuries were then introduced :— 
u And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels 
of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty*.” 
The sacred historian appears to take particular notice of this, as 
an extraordinary circumstance, and as an extraordinary price for 
a chariot and a horse, at that time. 
Chariots were made undoubtedly by the Jews, and their neigh¬ 
bours the Philistines; but those from Egypt were of a more 
magnificent appearance, and the horses probably of a larger size 
than were found either in Palestine or in Arabia; and thereby 
more calculated for drawing those costly and superb chariots, 
which were only used by Solomon, and the kings of the Hittites 
and of Syria. 
It is most natural to suppose, that the Hebrews were supplied, 
in Solomon’s reign, with a part of their horses from their neigh¬ 
bours the Philistines, who possessed horses and chariots in great 
numbers; and we also consider that Arabia had some claims to 
have made one among the many lands which supplied them with 
those useful animals. 
The Arabs are the most ancient people in the world, having 
inhabited the country they at present possess from the deluge. 
The little that can be gathered respecting the history of the ear¬ 
liest periods of Arabia, shews her to have been a rich and power¬ 
ful country, particularly in the time of the ancient Egyptians; 
and many circumstances concur to prove, that, in remote times, 
the Arabs acted an important pail on the theatre of human 
affairs. “ There can be no doubt of their having conquered 
Egypt at a time previous to the Grecian history: what the 
Greek writers say of the shepherd kings of Egypt, can be referred 
* 1 Kings, chap. x. 
