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1. A Differtation on the newly-discovered Babylonian Infeription*. By Jofeph Ha# ger, D.D.

IT

[T was referved for father Emmanuel, a Carmelite frier, who refided fome time at Bagdad, to difcover that the bricks of which the walls of Babylon were conftructed were impreffed with characters. Nicubuhr and Beauchamp agreed with him in their relations; and, from bricks fent by the latter to Paris, copies of thefe inferiptions were tranfinitted to M. Heider at Weimar, and to profeffor Munter at Copenhagen. In the mean time the English Eaft India Company ordered their governor at Bombay to procure them by the refident at Bafforah. "Thus were we gratified at the commencement of the prefent year and century at London with the firft view of inferiptions, which, comparing them with the Perfepolitan characters,, as given by Le Bruyn, Chardin, Niebuhr, and other travellers, appear to be of the fame brigin, being only more complex, and connected by long lines forming whole and half fquares, ftars, triangles, &c. fo that they prove to be a different combination, though formed of nearly the fame elements, and nail-headed ftrokes."-By the Babylonian bricks here exhibited the whofe difficulty, in regard to the origin of thefe characters, is removed, as it is crident that Babylon, in point of cultivation, was much earlier than Perfepolis; and that the Chaldeans were a celebrated people when the name of the Perfians was fcarcely known. "To confirm this opinion, and by it to prove that the Perfepolitan characters were derived from the Babylonian, I have thought it neceffary to begin this work by a brief examination of the antiquity, et tent, and feiences of the Babylonians; and, through feantinefs of original monuments, to prove by afronomy, architecture, and languages, their wellfounded claim to antiquity; to fhew that not only the Perhans, but the Indians, were difciples of the Chaldeans; that the Egyptians themselves probably derived their pyramids and obetifles from Babylon; and that the Bubylonian inferiptions refemble that celebrated alphabet, which the Indians eall divine and celestial (deva nagari),

* Of thefe bricks fee vol. LXXI. pp. 599 and 708.

GEST. MAG. January, 1802.

because they believe it was communi-. cated by the Deity himfelf in a voice from heaven; and I have tried to prove that they were not derived from heaven, but from our earth, and from the borders of the Ephrates. I have confrined my affertion by means of the Tibetan characters, thofe acknowledged defcendants of the Indian ones; and thus endeavoured to invalidate the opinion of their great antiquity and boatted originality of the Bramins." (Pref. xvi.-xix.) "As the Babylonians were of high antiquity, their einpire alfo acquired great extent, comprehending Sya ria or Affyria and Perfia; the antient Perfic language or Pelilevi was found by Sir Willian Jones to be a dialect of the Chaldean. The Chaldeans introduced themfelves at all foreign courts by their knowledge of astrology. Cyrus introduced the Magi into Perfia; and we have the authority of our countryman, Mr. Wilford, that the names of moft of the Babylonian deities are to be found in the antient Sanfcrit books, and are to this day worfhiped in India." The Doctor thinks feveral veftiges of Affyrian literature and arts might be found farther Eaft beyond the Ganges and the Imaus, and the Arabic, now fo far fpread, is a daughter of the Chaldaic language; but he declines this refearch, and con tents himself with obferving, "that the clearett proof of the influence which the Chaldaic literature had in Arabia appears in their numbers, for which, like the Greeks, they often ufe alphabetic letters inftead of cyphers; and alfo by the names of the days of the week, which were fed among the antient Arabians, called Hourites. Both fhew their Affyric origin, being exactly equal in number, and having the fate order as the Syriac alphabet, which proves that they were not only acquainted with it, but ufed it. The fame order of the alphabet is ftill common among the Arabians of Morocco, at the Weflern extremity of Africa, who, being now fo far feparated from their brethren the Oriental Arabians, and from their antient neighbours the Chaldeans, mui have been in poffeflion of this alphabet at a very early period.

What farther proves the influence of the Chaldaic literature in Arabia is the Cufic writing, the mot antient of all the kinds exifling, and of which few written monuments remain. Few

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braries in Europe contain fuch Cufic fragments as the Bodleian. The alphabet of the Homerites was probably derived from Affyria, their moft antient characters being called Suri or Syriac in an Arabic treatife on them in the Imperial library at Vienna. Paleftine and Phoenicia are proved by antient authors to have antiently belonged to Affyria; and their language clearly proves its Babylonic origin, being merely a dialect of the more antient Affyrian. The Samaritan is the fame as the Phoenician.

Such was the extenfive and moft antient original learning of the Chaldeans and Babylonians, ot borrowed from the Perfians or Egyptians, that in dictionaries Chuldean was fynonymous with a learned man. From the Square temple of Bel at Babylon was borrowed the form of the Sicilian temples, that of the Sun at Palinyra, that of Solomon, and that which fucceeded it. The Tower of Babel, which does not appear to have been deftroyed or rebuilt, was in the centre of Babylon, fquare, with feven or eight towers rifing above each other, narrowing in proportion to the height; had a pyramidal appearance, and is called by Strabo, xvi. Ilugs Telpaywvos. Every Indian pagoda on both fides of the Ganges is of a pyramidal form. Thofe of Deogur, which exhibit the earliest ftage of Hindoo architecture, are fimple pyramids without any light whatever within. The Shoomadoo, or great temple of Pegu, is pyramidal, compofed of brick, and without excavation or aperture of any fort. The fame form is obfervable in the Egyptian pyramids, which were fepulchres, as that of Bel. Confidering the Chaldeans were inventors of aftrology, which is the principal ftudy both of Indians and Chinefe, and other adfcititious circumstances, we are led to refer this form and name to Chaldea, in whofe language, as well as in Hebrew, amud fignifies a column; and, as it imitated fire, the Greeks made it pyr-amis, after the Greek pyramid, as Bel was the Sun. Babylon in Egypt was a colony of that in Chaldea, and the pyramids and obelifks stood quite near to it.

Chap. IV. on "Writing" brings the matter to iflue, when to our great mortification we find, that Democritus compofed a book, Hp Twe Baby

ngar yapmalar, On the fucred letters

fed at Babylon, which book is LOST in the wreck of time, "and no antient author has left us any information refpecting the nature, form, and shape of thefe letters:" the more fcope, therefore, for the fagacity and penetration of an indefatigable linguift. "But a writing has at length been found different from the fquare Chaldaic, ftill ufed among the Jews, and found at Palmyra from the Cuthean or Samaritan, the Etranglielo or antient Syriac, alfo called Chaldaic, and the Sabean, otherwife called Mendæan or Nabathao-Chaldaic; in fhape refembling none of the characters hitherto difcovered, excepting thofe feen in the celebrated ruins of Chehilminar. And though the Babylonian feem to have at top a fhape fomewhat different from the Perfepolitan, this is to be ascribed only to the different workmanship, or different fiyle of writing, as is the cafe in different countries and at different periods. Thus we may fee the fame Perfian character as reprefented 100 years ago by Herbert, who had no knowledge of our Babylonic ones, exactly nail-headed like them; and antient gems and cylinders found in Perfia exhibit nail-headed characters exacily of the fame kind. The reason why the Affyrians ufed characters shaped like nails may have been arbitrary. The Romans and Etrurians ufed to drive a nail annually into their temples. Moft of the Roman characters feem to be a mere compound of nails; and, though fome of them appear to have a rounder fhape, we find, that the Greek and Etrufcan alphabets whence they were derived, and which exhibit a more jutt and original form, were all pointed, and acquired roundnefs only in the courfe of time." (37-40.) "That the moft antient characters of Perfia refembled nails has been already feen; and that they were derived from Babylon is proved, not only by the greater antiquity and culture of the Chaldeans, but alfo by the teftimony of Themistocles, noticed by profeflors Tychten and Munter in their recent diflertation on the Perfepolitan inferiptions, and before then by Nicbubr in his defcription of the ruins of Chehilminar, where this traveller very judiciously remarks, that the nail-headed characters to be met with in Perfia are perhaps the more antient Allyrian letiers of which Themiftccles fpeaks. Or if the authen

quate information on the fubject of revealed truth. Dr. R. who was himfelf educated in public feminaries, does not want to be informed by Dr, V. that religious forms and ordinances are obferved in fuch places. He has feen enough to know that they may or may not be attended with religious edification. He is not an advocate for forms, but for realities.

The above errors into which Dr. V. has fallen, having given occafion to a large portion of irrelevant argument in his pamphlet, it is neceflary that they fhould be pointed out; that the readers of it, while they admire the interefting manner and animated ftyle of the author, may not (to adopt his own exprellion) mifiake rhetoric for argument, and affertion for truth." O. Y.

Mr. URBAN,

Jan. 23.

PERMIT me, as no abler perfon has undertaken the talk, to furnish you with fome further account of the late Admiral Blankett*, whose eminent fervices to his country, though not of the brilliant kind to attract univerfal attention, yet were fo meritorious that they fhould not be paffed over in filence.

The Admiral's firft introduction to the Royal Navy was very early, through Captain Hughes (afterwards Sir Edward) in the Somerfet, in the war of 1759. As a midfhipman, after ferving the ufual period of fix years, he was made lieutenant into the Alarm, and cruised for five or fix weeks in a certain latitude, for the celebrated Spanish prize Hermione, but the fhip was unfortunately for her officers recalled; and a fucceeding frigate captured her, by which each of the lieutenants gained upwards of 18,000l. and the captain a noble fortune. Admiral Blankett ferved as a lieutenant more than 20 years, was at the taking of Quebec, Montreal, Louifburg, and Cherberg, in And by his knowledge of the French language, of which, and Italian, he was perfect mnafter, as well as Portuguese, he obtained material information from the French officers who were prifoners at Montreal, of the interior fiate of that country, and the probability of a North-Weft paflage through America to the Pacific Ocean, and made many charts with notes upon this fubject; and, his opinion being ftrongly confirmed, that an opening might be traced in the Southern Ocean,

that war.

*See vol. LXXI. p. 1153;

and the paffage from thence to Hudfon's Bay traced, he laid his papers before the Earl of Sandwich firft Lord of the Admiralty at that time, (foon after the peace of 1763,) and was encouraged to proceed to Ruffia, to profecute his enquiries into the Ruflian difcoveries; he remained at the Emprefs's court a confiderable time, and was much noticed there. On his return, Lord Sandwich faid, no voyage of difcovery was then in contempla tion, but that if any thing of the fort took place, he fhould be employed. Not long after, Captains Cook and King were fent on an expedition round the world; and I have good reaton to believe Lord S. furnished thofe, able navigators with Admiral Blankett's charts and obfervations, but without employing the author of them, in his favourite purfuit. In 1770, he was appointed a lieutenant in the Albion, with Captain Barrington, upon the Spanish disturbance, relating to Falkland itland, and was firft lieutenant with Lord Keppel in the victory in the action with the French fleet, and from her promoted to be mafter and commander of the Nymph floop; went to India with the fquadron of his old friend Sir Edward Hughes; and was made a polt captain, by Sir Edward, into the Rippon, a fhip which required repairs, and was fent to England for that purpose, and confirmed Captain Blankett's poft commiffion. On the peace of 1788, he was appointed to command the Thetis frigate, upon the Mediteranean fation, where there were firong fymptoms of a fimilar mutiny at Spithead, to the laft at Bantry Bay; the men infifing to be paid off there instead of going round to the ports where the hips are ufually paid off; and the Thetis was the only fhip that got up her ancor and proceeded to fea. In the Mediterranean he was honoured with the friendship of the king of Naples, who frequently cruized with him, and twice prefented him with his picture elegantly fet with diamonds. On his return he was fent out with a broad pendant, to convoy a Blect to China, and went from thence to India, and brought a convoy home from thence. Soon after his arrival, Lord Spencer fent him with a fmall fquadron to the Cape of Good Hope; and was followed afterwards by another, fquadron under Lord Keith, who in conjunction reduced that colony to

Britifa

British fubjection. After returning to England at a very fhort notice, he was again ordered upon a moft arduous fervice, in his old flip the Leopard, accompanied by a frigate and a floop, and left England with a foul wind, which continued the whole voyage out to the Red Sea, which paffage he was 11 months eflecting; fuffering the feveret trials from ficknefs and want of provifions and water; at one period the allowance was only half a pint of water, and half a bifcuit per man per diem; and they muft inevitably have perifhed, had not a frigate hove in fight with a fupply. A body of troops were embarked in this fquadron, which were unfuccessful the first time in their attack upon Suez; on returning to Bombay a fecond expedition was ordered, and a larger number of troops embarked in the fhips of the Admiral's fquadron, which arrived in time to Join General Hutchinfon's army, for the capture of Carp. After the capitulation in Egypt, the fquadron were returning to Bombay, when the limate put a period on the 14th of July laft to the Admiral's life, before he received the highest honour that a Britith officer can receive, the thanks of his country, through the medium of its Parliament. The Turkish order of the Crefcent was alfo conferred upon him by the Grand Signior, as a ichimony of acknowledgement of his fervice. Thus died a man whofe memory will be revered by men who beft know how to appreciate, the character of a British feamau, an officer equalled by few, and furpified by none; and in fpite of a degree of irritability of temper, from a gouty habit, a man univerfally efteemed as a scholar, gentleman, and invaluable private friend, whofe lofs will be long and feverely felt by many, and by none more than the writer of this, who has known him more than 30 years.

Mr. URBAN,

AN OFFICER.

Jan. 5.

and on the South fide of the North fide of the road to Maddingley. The other coat in the fpandril of the Weft door of Grantchefter church is that of John Fordham, bishop of Ely 1388—1426, who probably repaired or rebuilt it or the church. The advowfon and the manor of Barton were purchated by the alderman and brethren of the guild of Corpus Chrifti at Cambridge, which gave rife to the prefent college of that name, who are patrons of the rectory. In the chancel windows Mr. Bloinefield (Collect. Cantab. p. 280) faw,

GRANTCHESTER, Vol. LXXI. p. 1073, is faid to have been the Camberdum of Antonine's Itinerary. In Bede's time it was a little but deloJate city, out of which, it is believed, the University of Cambridge had its origin; but that Grantaceafter was more probably among the earth-works at the North-welt corner of Cambridge, at the extremity of the principal street,

Per pale, Ar. and Az. chief indented V.

A chevron between three owls Ar. The chief indented V. inipaling G. on a fefs... between two annulets Ar. Vere, earl of Oxford, impaling a boat.

On the South fide of the chancel, under an arch, an old altar-tomb robbed of its figures and brafies; and in a window, G. a bend Az. Other later monuments may be feen in the above book. D. H.

Mr. URBAN,

Jan. 18.

KNOW not to whom I can apply

with fo much propriety as yourself, for information or a fubject which few perfons now living can probably explain. In future ages perhaps the works of Fielding and of Richardfon will be published cum notis variorum, with the commentaries and elucidations of fcholiafts yet anborn; and even at this day we occafionally fiand in need of an interpreter,

In the animated addrefs of Clariffa to Lovelace, vol. V. letter 18, p. 175, fhe favs, "fiich mean devices, fuch artful, fuck worse than WALTHAM difquifes, fuch bold, fuch fhocking untruths!"

Some of your friends and correfpondents, to whom it has pleafed Divine Providence to grant a lengthened exiftence, may perhaps be able, from perfonal recollection, to explain the pañage printed in italics, which is to he totally inexplicable. Or others may have foune traditional record on the ful ect; or perhaps an account of the Waltham difguifes may appear in foine of the fugitive prints of the day, and may be familiar to thofe who are in pofleftion of mifcellaneous .collections of that kind. In any or all of thefe cafes, information through the channel of the Gentleman's Magazine

will highly oblige one of its molt fincere friends and admirers.

Mr. URBAN,

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R. H.

Jan. 7. OOKING over, a few days ago, the "Lift of Irish Archbishops and Bishops, from the year 1600 to the year 1783," inserted in the 2nd volume of Mr. Cooke's ufetal and improved edition of Lettone's Preacher's Affiliant," (2 vols. 8vo. Oxford, 1783.), I obferved, in the diocefe of Ferns * and Leighin, the name of "Thomas Salmont," with the date of his promotion to that fee annexed-"1758, June 3." An account of the life and family of this prelate, by any of your biographical correfpondents, who may happen to poffets any authentic particulars refpecting him, and who will have the goodness to communicate them through the medium of your invaluable Mifcellany, would be very acceptable to an old and conftant

READER AND ADMIRER.

Mr. URBAN, Canterbury, Dec. 18.

When we confider, that many poor curates went away in great diftrefs, unfuccefsful applicants for the bounty, and how very many in family of thole who fucceeded were aflified by it, I can hardly conceive how thofe in affluent circunftances can difpofe of their fitperfluities in a manner more for the honour of religion and humanity, and where their liberality will be lefs likely to be abuted than in fecouding the benevolent idea of Mr. Stock. Whe ther this would be better done by increafing the fum of ten pounds to the fuccefsful curates, or (which I fhould think preferable) establishing another like fund for five or ten others of the fame defeription, who fhall not have fucceeded in their application for Mr. Stock's bounty, I leave to better judgements to determine. But I am inclined to think, that in this country, where fo much is diftributed for benevolent purpofes, and where is fill fo much affluence and fplendour (perhaps in confequence of it), a fubfcription of this fort, if well recommend

ed, would be readily attended to, which would give great pleaiure to

LAICUS DUROVERNIENSIS.

ON reading the account of the difpofal of Mr. Stock's annual bounty to ten poor Curates, I must confefs I thought it affecting, and as it may not be generally known, perhaps it may not be unacceptable to fonic of your AUBREY'S Surrey is become fo

readers.

The bounty is ten pounds each to tem fuch as fhall be thought moft proper objects, and it was petitioned for by many in very great diftrefs. The ten felected for relief had, exclufive of their wives, no lefs than feventy-feven children, and all their incomes united did not amount to more than two hundred and fixty four pounds per annum. When they had received Mr. Stock's donation, there were not fewer perhaps than ninety-feven perfons, great and Imall, fubfifting upon 364 1. for the year; fo that, after receiving the charity, ninety-feven perfons were full compelled to live upon fonewhat less than twenty fhillings per day !

Mr. URBAN,

Jan. 14.

that I have fometimes thought a corrected edition, with the monumental inferiptions brought down to the prefent time, might not be unacceptable to the publick. I have vifited a very confiderable number of the churches, at fome few of which I have heard that a gentleman had lately been copying. If any one fhould have formed this defign, I fhould be glad to give or receive communication; and if any fuch gentleman will favour me with a notice through your publication, I fhall be thankful for it.

This would not interfere with the publication of Mr. Manning's elaborate Hiftory, fo long expected, and now hoped for. Yours, &c. X. Y.

* Feras is placed by Mr. Cooke, or rather, perhaps, by Mr. Letion, the original compiler of the "Preacher's Alliitant," (efore Leigblin: for what reafon I cannot fay. Leighlin, if I have been rightly informed, is the refidence of the Bishop; and therefore feems entitled to procedence, the honour of which it has now generally given to it.

In the "Regifter of Authors, &c." in the fame volume, itands Salmon, Thomas, LL.D," as author of four Sermons, in 4to; two on John i. 14, on "the perforal Union of the Divine and Human Nature in Jefus Chrift;” and two more, on Job xxvii. 5, 6, on "the Comforts of a good Confcience, and Torments of an evil one," ali pubthed in the year 1753. Quere, was not this author afterwards the above-mentioned Bhop-In the fame page, we find another water of the fame name, and probably of the fame family, M.A. Rector of Mepíal, Bedfordshire, author of a fermon "upon Baptifm," on Murk x. 14, published in 4'0. in the year 1701.

Mr.

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