the Word CHRISTO into China, and it is turned in a Moment into KI-LI-SU-TO; and the like Change will be in all other Words. So that in an Instant you will not know thofe very Words which you had but just before pronounced.

All this I readily allow; yet I cannot think it comes up to the Queftion. Not one European Language that is derived from a Greek or Teutonic Stock, declines its Verbs any otherwife than according to an active or a paffive Form: Not one of them affixes poffeffive Pronouns to the Nouns, to which they belong, they all raise the Signification of their Adjectives by three Degrees of Comparison, marked by different Terminations. And all of them compound their Verbs with Prepofitions which change their Signification; which runs thro' every Mood and

Equus; upon which he produces a whimfical Epigram made upon himself.

ALFANA vient d' Equus fans doute.
Mais il faut avouer auffi,

Qu'en venant de la jufqu' icy,

Il a bien changé fur la Route.

The Author of this Epigram had Reafon to fay, that Equus was pretty much changed, before he was turned into Alfana. But in truth Alfana comes from Elefanto; and is fo rendered in fome Spanish Dictionaries. The Spaniards had heard the Moors talk much of Elephants, as the principal of ail Beafts of Carriage, and for Ufefulness in War. That led them who had feen no Elephants, to call Horfes by the fame Name a little altered; Horfes being the most useful Creatures in War, that are known in Europe.

Tenfe thro' which they can be vary'd; by which Means these Verbs thus compounded become many Times widely different from the original Verbs from which they fpring. In every of thefe Particulars we find an effential Difference in thefe Languages from thofe Eastern ones, which are related to the Hebrew.

And there is no doubt but many other grammatical Obfervations may be made, by which the different Conftruction of thefe European and thofe Afiatic Languages would appear yet more plainly, if thefe fhould not be thought fufficient.

I do not therefore think that the Affinity between many European Tongues and the Hebrew, upon which our Friend lays fo great a Strefs, even though it were much greater than it is, proves what he defigns it should. It may be very easily accounted for by those that know that the Phenicians carry'd on all the Trade of the Mediterranean for many Ages That Carthage was a Colony of Tyre: That that African Commonwealth by Degrees erected a mighty Empire, not only in Africa where they were Mafters of the greateft Part of the Coaft of Barbary; but also in Sicily, in Spain (which was once almost all their own) and in Sardinia: That the Phenicians planted great and numerous Colonies in the Ilands of the Egean Sea, in Cilicia, in Spain, and Gaul; that they traded into Britain; that they went down the Red Sea into

the

the Ocean, as far as the Iland of Taprobane (or Ofir), now Ceylon: So that in Truth the Maritime Trade of the World was in their Hands; all which Things are proved beyond Contradiction by Monf. Bochart in his Canaan. For when thefe Things are laid together, we fhall not wonder to fee large Footsteps of the Hebrew, which was their Mother Tongue in all Places where they went, especially where they planted Colonies or made Conquefts.

II. But then, fays Mr. Reland, what Reason can be affigned by thofe that believe that this Creation of new Languages was a Judgment from God in order to oblige the Workmen to difperfe, that thofe Colonies which spoke Languages that were nearly a-kin to one another, hould not have been removed at the greatest Distances, and thofe whofe Languages were entirely different placed next one another? The Chinefes for the Purpose fhould have been planted near the Chaldeans, and their nearest Neighbours removed into China. This would have done the Work to Purpose; whereas now, when the Language of the neighbouring Nations was fo near a-kin, they might be eafily tempted to begin their Work again, from which they had been fo lately scattered.

This Objection is I own a very ingenious one, and at first View feems very probable; though by the Principles already laid down, I think it may be eafily anfwered. The Ends for which God caufed that Difperfion were

feveral.

feveral. It was his Defign that the Earth fhould be univerfally peopled as soon as poffible. But then nothing hinders but he might be equally willing that Nations defcending from one common Stock, and of fuch there were three among the Children of Noah, fhould not be at once absolutely deprived of the Pleafure of living near one another, and of speaking Tongues fo little differing, that one Colony might quickly learn anothers Dialect. The Affociation of thefe Builders, confidering the Reason why they entred into it, was undoubtedly finful; yet perhaps it might not be fo finful as to deferve fo fevere a Punishment as an entire Separation of every Tribe among them from their nearest Kindred, with whom they had hitherto spent all their Time. Mr. Reland's Scheme would have produced fuch a Separation. Whereas now by Reason of the Affinity of the Dialects, Japhet's Stock kept together: So did Shem's: So did Cham's: And the Languages of them all were I doubt not fuited accordingly. There was no Danger that any of them should attempt to rebuild the Tower of Babel; and as for the City, that remained a Metropolis for Nimrod and his Family; Japhet's Family were entirely gone off, to feek new Seats. The reft, ftunned with that fudden Stroke, would quickly go off to Regions at a leffer Distance, and there make Settlements. That once done, new Interests would foon arife, and then thofe that were fo fettled

little Inclination to join

in fo fuccefslefs, as well as fo fenfelefs a Defign, as a fecond Trial to erect fuch a Tower, would certainly appear to be.

III. Mr. Reland farther objects, that it is not likely that the Canaanites, of the Pofterity of Cham, who were the most inftrumental in the Building of Babel, fhould be fuffered to retain the primitive Language, when the Pofterity of Japhet, who was particularly blefs'd with the Promife that his Territories should be very wide, (Gen. ix. 27.) and of Shem, in whofe Family God planted his Church, both loft it. And yet it is not doubted that Hebrew, or a Dialect differing from it but very little, was the Language of Canaan in Abraham's Time. Melchizedek, Kiriath-Sepher, Abimelech, Phicol, and many other Names and Words of the ancient Canaanites prove this beyond Contradiction.

To this I anfwer, 1. It is not certain that the Hebrew Language, as taken in Contradiftinction to Chaldee and the other Kindred-Dialects, was the Tongue which these Builders fpoke when they began to erect that Tower. The Language which Abraham fpake when he came out of Chaldaea, was very probably his Mother Tongue. But how know we that that was Hebrew? Laban talked Chaldee, when Jacob talked Hebrew. (Gen. xxxi. 47.) It is probable then that Abraham did fo too, whilst he lived in Mefopotamia. And no Arguments

that