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majesty, and in numberlefs fuch inftances; where the picture was not drawn to express merely the thing itfelf, but fomething else, which was, or was conceived to be, analogous to it. This more complex and ingenious form of picture-writing was much practised by the Egyptians, and is that which we know by the name of HIERO

GLYPHICS.

Indeed, thefe Symbolic characters were likely, in a course of fucceffive refinements, to pass into characters by inftitution: and have, in fact, undergone that change among the Chinese and it might be expected that both would be laid afide by any people that fhould come to be acquainted with the far more convenient and expeditious method of alphabetic writing. But the event, in fome inftances, hath been different. The Chinese adhere to their characters, though from their late intercourfe with the European nations, one cannot but fuppofe, that the knowledge of letters has been conveyed to them: and the Egyptians, through all

the

the extent of their long fubfifting and highly polished empire, retained their bieroglyphics, notwithstanding their invention and ufe of an alphabet.

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Their inducement to this practice might be, the pleasure they took in a mode of writing, which gratified their inventive curiofity in looking into the natures and analogies of things; or, it might be a ftrain of policy in them to fecrete by this means, their more important discoveries from the vulgar; or, vanity might put them on raising the value of their knowledge by wrapping it up in a vehicle, fo amufing at the fame time, and mysterious.

What account foever be given of it, the fact is, that the Egyptians cultivated the hieroglyphic fpecies of writing, with peculiar diligence; while the antiquity, the fplendor, the fame of that mighty kingdom excited a veneration for it, in the reft of the world. Hence it came to pass, that the learning of thofe times, which was

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fpread from Egypt, as from its center, took a strong tincture of the hieroglyphic fpirit. The Eaft was wholly infected by it; fo that it became the pride of its wife: men to try the reach of each other's capacity by queftions conceived and propofed in this form. Even the Greeks, in much later ages, caught the manner of fymbolizing their conceptions from Egypt; and either drew their mythology from that quarter, or dreffed it out in the old Egypti an garb. But the Ifraelites, especially, who had their breeding in that country, at the time when the hieroglyphic learning was at its height, carried this treasure with them, among their other poils, into the land of Canaan. And, though it be credible that their great Law-giver interdicted the use of hieroglyphic characters, yet the ideas of them were deeply imprinted on their minds, and came out, on every occafion, in thofe fymbols and emblems, with which, under the names of riddles,

~parables,

parables, and dark fayings, their writings are fo curioufly variegated and imboffed.

This then is the true and proper account of that peculiar ftyle, which looks fo ftrangely, and, to thofe who do not advert to this original of it, perhaps fo fantaftically, in the writings of the prophets. And what more natural, than that a mode of expreffion, which was fo well known, fo commonly practifed, and fo much revered; which was affected by the wittieft, nay, by the wifeft men of thofe times; which was employed in the theology of the eastern world, in its poetry, its philofophy, and all the sublimer forms of compofition; What wonder, I fay, that this cuftomary, this authorized, this admired ftrain of language fhould be that in which the facred writers, conveyed their highest and most important revelations to mankind?

Nor let any man take offence at the condefcenfion of the divine Infpirer, as though he degraded himself, by this compliance with

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with the humours and fancies of thofe to whom his inspirations were addreffed. For let him reflect, that in what form of words. foever it shall please God to communicate himself to man, it must ftill be in a way, that implies the utmost, indeed the fame, condefcenfion to our weakneffes and infirmities; nay, that immediate inspiration itself, though coming through no medium of language, is of neceffity to be accommodated to our methods of perceiving and understanding, how imperfect foever they

are.

Befides, if external revelation be poffible, it must be given in fome one mode of fpeech or writing, in preference to others.. And, if we confider how antient, how general, how widely diffufed, this fymbolic ftyle has been, and still is, in the world; how neceffary it is to rude nations, and how taking with the moft refined; how large a proportion of the globe this practice had over-run before and at the time of writing the prophecies, and what vast re

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