a AN HISTORICAL DISQUISITION

SECT, us, flouriflhed a thoufand years later. If we pufhI. our inquiries concerning any point beyond the

era where written hiftory commences, we enterupon the region of conjecture, of fable, and ofuncertainty. Upon that ground I will neither ven-ture myfelf, nor endeavour to conduct my readers.In my refearches concerning the intercourfe betweenthe Eaftern and Weftern regions of the earth , andconcerning the progrefs of that great branch oftrade, which, in every age, has contributed foconfpicuoufly towards railing the people who carriedit on, to wealth and power, I fhall confine myfelfwithin the precinCts I have marked out. Where-ever the infpired writers, intent upon higher objects,mention occafionally any circumftance that tendsto illuftrate the fubjeCt of my inquiries, I (hallattend to it with reverence. Whatever other writersrelate, I fhall examine with freedom, and endea-vour to afcertain the degree of credit to whichthey are entitled.

The original Ration allotted to man by hisCreator, was in the mild and fertile regions of theEaft. There the human race began its career ofimprovement; and from the remains of fcienceswhich were anciently cultivated, as well as of artswhich were anciently exercifed in India , we mayconclude it to be one of the firft countries inwhich men made any confiderable progrefs in thatcareer. The wifdom of the Eafl: was early cele-brated 1 , and its productions were early in requeft

* 2 Kings, iv. jo.