varies but in a small degree from the mean interval of defcents. Thus are the computations in the two columns fubfervient to reciprocal confirmation. It is to be remarked, that four of the young princes were minors.

Of the numbers in this column marked with afterisks, the use is now to be explained. The number of reigns thus diftinguished is 12. In fome cafes the notations of age are altogether omitted; for example, Solomon, Abijah, Asa: in others the notation is partial" Saul," as the text is now read, " was the son of one year In certain texts the numbers are impair

THESE mistakes, proceeding from various sources, and promifcuously dispersed in records framed with the utmost precifion for defining the parts of time, in a continuous

series of years and generations, are fufficient to spread a gloom of obfcurity over the history of 4000 years. It is one character of pre-eminent excellence in the facred writings, that they comprehend in themselves the means of rectifying fuch overfights as disfigure their furface, through the unavoidable imperfection of fallible men. The Bible has furmounted a multiplicity of trials. It has flood the teft of criticifm. Let the fame experiment be applied to the dynasties of Egypt; the immensely amplified chronology of the Chaldeans, Chinese, Gentoos, Hindoos, &c.; the operator will find, that the farther he proceeds, the greater will be his distance from light and truth, from coherence, order, and certainty.

Column iii. Length of Reigns.

"IN the later ages, fince chronology hath been exact, scarce is an inftance to be found, of ten kings reigning any where in continual fucceffion, above 260 years; that is, 26 years apiece.

WHISTON has evinced the fallacy of this position by referring to the testimony of authentic history, (in times much later than the era to which Sir Ifaac alludes), where it is fhewn that 12 kings in England, from William the Conqueror to Richard III. reigned in continual fucceffion 27 years each:—that 12 kings in France, from Rupert to Philip IV. reigned in continual fucceffion 32 years apiece t."

Newton's Chronology.

† Confutation of Sir Ifaac Newton's Chronology, 1728.

Ir

IT merits serious obfervation, that in an age before chronology was exact, a certain class of men, the Hebrew prophets and hiftorians, wrote according to nature and truth, the transactions of 21 reigns in continual fucceffion, almoft equal to twice 260 years. The number at the bottom of column iii. is 510. Divide this fum by 21, the mean quantity of reigns is 24 years 3 months. This great man meant nothing less than to invalidate the authority of the facred records. But his zeal to explode the incredible antiquity of the pagan establishments induced him to abbreviate the measures in computation; and in many inftances, especially his arrangement for the age of Sefoftris, he has affigned too late a period for the rife of the Egyptian monarchy; and likewise for several notable epochs fubfequent to the introduction of an accurate chronology; particularly the origin of Rome, which he brings too low by 126 years.

Column iv. Duration of Lives,

OUR British bills of mortality, if the facts be reported with precision, are of fignal use for ascertaining the advance or decay of population, the yearly refult of national maladies, and the more critical feasons of life, with respect to the probable chances of longevity. From fuch documents has it been found, that the one half of the human race scarcely survives the age of five years. Whatever light political arithmetic, or medical practice, may derive from authentic records of this kind, they have not yet been applied to a discovery of

great importance for evincing the utility of genealogy in chronological difquifitions. Much is it regretted, that so very few ingenious men, enriched with the treasures of erudition, and qualified by a penetrating faculty of OBSERVATION, have attempted to fix that intermediate point of time, which is at nearly an equal diftance from the birth of a family fucceffor, and the ultimate term of life, in the times subsequent to its abbreviation for example; fuppose the line of descent be continued, fo as that every 34th year fhould be the first of a new generation; and that 70 years are, with a very few exceptions, the ultimate period of natural life-in what year of the current generation, (thus computed), does the father usually die?

THIS query has escaped the fagacity of Sir Ifaac Newton, of Trapp, Yardley, and others, whose profeffed fubject is our Lord's genealogy. Its folution, however, seems to be momentous.

MOSES tells us, that Adam lived 130 years and begat Seth; that Adam lived after he begat Seth 800 years, and died at the age of 930. With all these fpecifications of time is the genealogy of the patriarchs continued down to Ifaac. With Jacob the notation of births, by the current year of each father, ends, and the chronology is expressed by fixed periods, but not without a specific reference to the genealogy. For inftance, the 430 years of fojourning are divided into two equal parts. The former computed from the 75th of Abraham exclusively to the 130th of Jacob, fills up 215 years, and four generations born in Canaan, Ifaac,

Jacob, Judah, and Pharez: the latter, from the 130th of Jacob to the 80th of Mofes, comprehends the fame quantity of time, measured likewise by four generations, born in Egypt; Hezron, Aram, Amminadab, Nahshon. "Afterward they” (the Ifraelites)" fhall come out in the FOURTH GENERATION, with

ftance *."

great fub

THE next period of 480 extends from the egrefs to the foundation of the firft temple, and includes a part of fix generations from Nahfhon to Solomon. With David commenced a two-fold mode of afcertaining chronology;-by generations and reigns. But the facred hiftorians judging it improper to mention the feveral kings, prior to their inveftiture with fovereignty, generally mark with cardinal numbers the complete years, paft at the date of their acceffion; and it is remarkable, that though the age of the patriarchs born after the egrefs, is not defined; yet that of all the kings pofterior to Saul is virtually recorded; because the years of their feveral reigns, added to thofe before their acceffion, are the fum of their years at the time of their demife.

IT is ftill more remarkable, that thofe perfonages only, who were not in the line of the genealogy, are excepted. The age of Athaliah when the afcended her fon's throne is omitted, becaufe fhe was an ufurper and a female: yet the length of her ufurpation is defined, to prevent a blank in the computation by reigns,

* Gen. xv. 14. 16.