Manual which contains the very firft Inftitutions of all religious and civil Policy.

As to the Chronology, he has, he says, endeavour'd to make it correct; and herein fixed upon the Era of the World, as the more eafy Computation for common Capacities; for whofe further Information he has, in his Preface, explained what is meant by Chronology, and by most of thofe different ra's and Epocha's which were made use of in the World thro' the Series of this Hiftory.

This Volume confifts of three Books. The first is divided into fix Chapters. In the first of thefe our Author treats of the antideluvian World, its Situation, the Number of its Inhabitants, their Longevity and Religion: He fettles the Chronology of it, points out the Crimes which were the Caufes of its Destruction, and relates the Opinions of Heathen Writers concerning that primitive Conftitution of this Globe.

In the fecond, he fpeaks of Noah and his Defcendants, the Building of Babel, the Confufion of Languages,the Difperfion of Mankind, their original Settlements, the firft Kings of Babylon and Egypt, the Walls of Babylon, the Founding of the Affyrian Empire, and Abraham's Travels into Egypt.

In the third, we have an Account of the Lives of Abraham, Ifaac and Jacob; of the firft Payment of Tythes, of the Inftitution of Circumcifion, and the Introduction of Idolatry by Syphis, King of Egypt: We have likewife Memoirs of Job and his Writings, the Story of Jofeph's being fold into Egypt, of the Subverfion of that Government, and of the Children of Ifrael's Bondage.

In the fourth, we have the political Settlement of Greece; as alfo a View of their religious Rites, which they received of the Egyptians: We have the Fable of Ifis: We have, befides, the History of the Birth of Mofes, of his Advancement, of his

D 3

writing

writing the Book of Genefis, of his being made Captain over the Children of Ifrael; of their Exit out of Egypt, &c.

In the fifth and fixth Chapters are related the Journeyings of that People under the Conduct of Mofes, with many Particulars of a different Nature, but co-incident therewith, wherein they were concerned. Here we find fome Traces of what the Heathen Writers have delivered, with reference to Lelex, the firft King of Laconia, Cadmus, Damaus, Ouranus, Saturn, Jupiter, and the golden, filver, brazen, and iron Ages. We have, lastly, a compendious View of the Erection of the Jewish Tabernacle in the Wilderness, of Balaam's Tranfaction with Balak, of the Demife of Mofes, of the fubfequent Conqueft of Canaan, the Settlement of the Tribes in their refpective Allotments of that Country, and of the Death of its great Conqueror Joshua..

The fecond Book is divided into thirteen Chapters: Wherein, befides the Hiftory of the Affairs of the Ifraelites, during the Administration both of the Judges and Kings, we have a fuccinct Account of the contemporary Grecian Heroes, of the Argonautick Expedition, the Trojan War, the Building of Solomon's Temple, the Rife of the Eaft-India Trade, the Foundation of Rome, the Diffolution of the Affyrian Empire, the Deftruction of Jerufalem, the Demolition of Tyre, the Taking of Babylon by Cyrus, the Advancement of Daniel, the Subverfion of the Athenian State, the famous Retreat of the Greeks under the Conduct of Xenophon, the moft remarkable Battles and Victories of that People, the Conquefts of Alexander, the Origin of the Roman Grandeur, and many other remarkable Exploits and Events, which, for Brevity fake, I forbear to mention. Here, likewife, we have Defcriptions of the Coloffus at Rhodes, of the Temple of Belus, the

Walls

Walls of Babylon, the Palace of Nebuchadnezzar, with the hanging Gardens, the artificial Lake and Canal, and other Works of that proud and vainglorious Emperor. I might here also take Notice of. what occurs in this Book about the Burning of Per-. Sepolis, the Murder of Darius, and the Fate of his Family; of the Transportation of the God Serapis from Sinope into Egypt; of the Septuagint Version of the Scriptures; of the Invention of Arts and useful Things; of the Inftitution of Era's; of the immenfe Riches, magnificent Buildings, and Library of Ptolemy Philadelphus.

The third and laft Book of our Rudiments of Ancient Hiftory (containing fix Chapters) opens with. the Acceffion of Antiochus Epiphanes to the Throne of Syria. Then follows his Wars with the Jewish State, his Taking of Jerufalem, his plundering and prophaning the Temple of God in that City, his Invafions of Egypt, the Stop put to his Design of adding that Kingdom to his Dominions by the Roman Senate, his Revenging this Difappointment upon the Jews, the Opposition he met with from the Maccabees, with the Battles and renowned Enterprizes of thofe illuftrious Afferters of the Rights of their injur'd Nation. These are the Subjects of the first Chapter, which ends with the Death of the Tyrant.

The fecond Chapter continues the Wars between the Maccabees and the Succeffor of Antiochus, and gives us alfo a Detail of thofe between Ptolemy Phyfcon and Ptolemy Philometer in Egypt; we fee these last appeased by the Interpofition of the Roman Senate. We have next the Hiftory of the Depofition of Antiochus the Second, by Demetrius; of Holophernes; of Heraclides; of Balas, the Impoftor; of Jonathan; and of Hipparchus. Within the Period of this Chapter falls the third Punic War; the Destruction of Carthage, by Scipio; and of Corinth,

by Mummius; as likewife, the History of the Eftablishment of the Parthian Empire.

The third Chapter commences with the War of Numantium, we have therein a Representation of the Ruin of the Pergamenian Kingdom, of the Wars in Syria, of the Reduction of Samaria by Hyrcanus, of the Demolition of the Samaritan Temple, of the Mithridatic War and Expedition of Lucullus, of the Taking of Jerufalem by Pompey, aud his Defiling the Temple.

The fourth, fifth and fixth Chapters are an Epitome of the Roman Story from the firft Triumvirate to the Death of Herod the Great; intermix'd with the Jewish, the Egyptian, and Syrian Affairs.

I fhall only add, that the Conclufion of the fourth Chapter is of a chronological Stamp, inftructing us in the Nature and Form of the Julian, the Gre-. gorian, and Leap Year; as alfo, in the Reafon of the Diftinction between the New and Old Style.

ARTICLE IV.

A Courfe of Lectures in Natural Philofophy. By the late Richard Helfham, M. D. Profellor thereof, and of Phyfick, in the Univer fity of Dublin. Publifhed by Bryan Robinfon, M. D. London: Printed for John Nourfe, at the Lamb without Temple-Bar. 1739. Octavo. Pages 404. Plates 11.

TH

HESE Difcourfes are in Number twentythree. The Subjects treated of in them are, Attraction, Repulfion, and central Forces, the Compofition and Refolution of Motion, the Collifion of elaftick Bodies, the Centre of Gravity, the Balance

and

and Lever, the Pulley, compound Engines, Friction, the Motion of Bodies down inclined Planes, the Motion of Projects, Hydroftaticks, Pneumaticks, Sounds, the Motion of Sounds, Light, Colours, Dioptricks, Vifion, Catoptricks.

In an Appendix our learned and diligent Author has demonstrated the Laws of the Collifion of nonelaftick and elaftick Bodies; of the Motion of a Globe in a fluid Medium; of the Motion of Wheels over Obstacles, and of the Motion of Water through Orifices and Pipes. He has alfo, at the Close of all, refolved a Problem relating to the Foci of Optick-Glaffes.

This Course of Experiments, according to the Division he himself has made of it, confifts of four Parts. In the first are confidered folid Bodies and their Properties: In the fecond, Water and watry Fluids: In the third, the elaftick Fluid of Air: And, in the laft, the fubtil Fluid of Light. As to the Manner in which Dr. Helfham has handled thefe feveral Points, the worthy Editor affures us, it is ftrictly conformable to the genuine Method and Rules of philofophifing delivered by Sir Ifaac Newton. This, in our Author's Opinion, was the only Way, whereby the Laws of Nature could be inveftigated, and the Phoenomena thereof folved. For want of knowing it, the Ancients made fo little Progrefs in true Science; and to the happy Discovery of it in our Age is entirely owing the vaft Advances we have made therein above them, in fo fhort a Compafs of Years. See what he has faid to this Purpose at the Entrance of his firft Lecture. "As Natural Philofophy is a Science in its own "Nature entertaining and delightful, and withal "conducive in many Inftances to the Eafe and "Convenience of Life, it is not to be wonder'd "that there have been Men in all Ages who have laid themselves out in the Improvement and Cul

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