196 
Now, to conclude; the beginning of 
the Affjrian empire, according to the ac- 
counts of either Herodotus or Ctefias, may 
find its proper place in the fcale of time, 
by. counting back from the acceffion of 
Cyrus to the crown of the Medes; that 1s 
to fay, the year J. P..4165, till that year 
Aftyages was in polfeflion. ‘That term 
we may depend upon, becaufe the time 
of Cyrus is afcertained by an eclipfe which 
was obferved under Camb;/es, his fon. 
From Aréaces’sacceifion, which is the fame 
time with Sardanapulus’s fall, to Cyrus, we 
find 317 years. Deduét that fam from 
4165 Jul. P. the remainder is the year of 
the firft fubverfion of the Affyrian empire 
3848, in the time of oas king of Judah. 
Again; from Dejoces down to. Cyrus 150 
years, which being deducted frem 416s, 
we have 4ors for that eataftrophe from 
which Afpria’ never recovered. ‘Thus 
the ara of the Afyrian empire coincideth, 
according to Hercedotus, with the govern- 
ment of E/oz, one of the judges of Z/rael ; 
and, according to Ctefas, with that of 
the high prieft Hely. 
They who, with Fcfephus, contract the 
expedition of Sezzacherib within the nar- 
row limits of one year, may wonder, 
perhaps, at the ara of Dgoces being 
poitponed fo long as ten years after the 
Affrian menarch’s difafter in Judza. 
But, long before I had any thoughts of 
fettling that. era, I proved, in a differta- 
tion on that fubject, that thar expedition 
lafted about feven years. And now, I 
think three or four years are. not too many 
for the maneeuyres which placed the crown 
of Media on the head of Deyoces. 
What I faid of the inisgnificance of 
Affjrias; after Sennacberib’s flight out of 
jJudga, may appear ftrange to thofe who 
read fo much of Affaradon’s great ex- 
ploits and conquefts, ia admired modern 
hiftories and chronologies. All I can fay 
to that is, that there 1s not a fingle werd 
of all thofe mighty feats. in any ancient 
author. It muf&t be very unpleafing to 
me, to find fuch names.as that of Sir aac 
Newton among thofe from whom I differ. 
But the fame of that great man was not 
eftablifhed either upon his chronologica 
or his apocalyptica, though that fame gave 
a fort of “currency to thoie produétions of 
his.old age. 


* The writer of the preceding’ paper, was 
the author of a Philofopbical and Critical Effay 
on Ecclefafticus, publifhed in 1762, Weare 
obliged toa learned correfpondent for the eom- 
munication of the M.S. to this Work. 
Chrenology of Ctefias and Herodotus. 
[April 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR. | 
P22 NG fome time fince through a 
{mall town, about fifty miles from 
London, I made enquiry for the gaol ; 
but received for information, that it was 
an inconfiderable place, and quite ~unoc~ 
cupied by prifoners. I enquired next for 
the poor-houfe; but was anfwered, that, 
indeed, there exifted fuch a bui ding in 
the town, but there were few paupers = 
that the inhabitants refembled the honfes 
in the town: the latter wereall neat, but 
none {plendid ; and the former were per- 
fons in the middling clafs of life, none very 
rich, or very poor. 
The perfon of whom I made thefe en- 
quiries, after gratifying my curiofity in 
a variety of particulars, conduéted ‘me to 
the nighbouring city, and direéted my 
attention to an ancient caftle, now moul- 
dering in ruins. This building for many 
years pait has been converted into a gaol, 
‘* But prifoners,” faid the guide, “ are 
feldom iodged here: and itis a very for- 
tunate ctrcumfiance, for the caftle is in 
fo ruincus a condition, that it would be 
unfafe.” 
This man was a perfon of no obferva- 
tion or refleétion, as you will conclude, 
when informed, that he began to com- 
pliment his country, from the converfa- 
tion that pafled between ws, on the pu- 
rity of its morality, and the wifdom of 
its police; not recolleéting, that the coun- 
ty gaol was the recepracle for prifoners. 
This, he confefled, to be a dreadful 
place, and crowded with unhappy per 
fons. As to the poor-houfe in the little 
town above. mentioned, it was, indeed, 
but thinly renanted, but in the neighbour- 
ing villages and towns, the poor-houfes 
are faid to overflow with paupers; many 
of them too are badly managed, and fub- 
ject to grievous impofitions. 
As one train of refleétions generally 
brings on another, ‘my thovghts foon 
rambled beyond the limits of a particular 
county, and ranged through widely ex- 
tended regions. On returning to my inn, 
I contemplated that mafs cf evils, which 
generally attaches to our prifons and poor- 
houfes: I fay generally, becaufe the evils 
alluded to pervade moft parts of the coun-- 
try, and will be. found to exift, ima greater 
or lefs degree, in thefe houfes of poverty 
and difgrace. 
In the year 1792, fir, I went over the 
prifons in the metropolis, and in two 
or three neighbouring countics. I ene 
tered into familiar converfe with the 
perious 
