spect to the place of passage. If it were a more short and shallow way, such as is now to be found just below Suez, where he places it, then he sees no absurdity in supposing that the Egyptians might follow the Israelites. But if we place it at Bedea (the true Clysma of the ancients) then, he thinks, it must have been too wide and deep for Pharoah to have pursued. Tous les Egyptiens auroient été depourvus du bon s'ils avoient voulu pour

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sens, suivre les Israelites en travers du tel mer. He does not consider, that what he makes a supposition was the real fact. The Egyptians were blinded, and acted throughout contrary to reason and good sense, being under a judicial infatuation, by which they were led to

'Arabie, p. 355.

* In respect to Suez at this day he says, that there are some difficulties in passing the ford, and it must have required a miracle for Moses to have led the people over even as it is now.La chose eut-eté naturellement bien plus difficile aux Israelites il y a quelques milliers d' annees, le golfe etant probablement plus large, plus profond, plus étendu vers le nord. p. 354. But does not this limit the extent and efficacy of a miracle too much? He seems to allow that the Deity could conduct his people through a bed of waters for a mile and a half, though difficult; but thinks that this could not be effected through larger arm of the seabe o w, of two or three leagues in breadth.

their confusion. We must allow this, or give up the history.

A Recapitulation of the Whole.

In this manner was the mighty operation carried on, and the Israelites were conducted from the Nile and Rameses to Succoth, journeying all the way near the bottom of the Arabian mountain. From thence they went to the edge of that desert which was inhabited by the Arabians called in after times 'Autæi. In performing this they passed pretty high north, and were approaching towards the confines of the promised land. For there are strong evidences, as I have before mentioned, that the Sinus Heroopolites extended much higher than it does at this day; to which Bishop Pocock bears witness, p. 133. Mr Niebuhr is of the same opinion. Il y a donc quelques milliers d'années, que le golfe d' Arabie étoit plus large, et s' entendoit plus vers le nord: surtout le bras près de Suès. Car le rivage de cette extremite du golfe est tres bas.

?

In the time of the Ptolemies Heroum was supposed to bound the northern point. But in times of high antiquity the bay is supposed to have reached upwards beyond it'; so that the Israelites, being out of reach of their enemies, were in a fair way for Canaan. But they were ordered to alter their course, and to journey southward, and they obeyed. Having thus marched sixty or seventy miles in a contrary direction, they afforded an opportunity for the Egyptians at last to approach them. They had advanced in the defile of the present Mount Attakah for some time, when they perceived the host of Pharaoh approaching in their rear, and were stopped by the waters of Clysma in their front, which filled up the valley of Hiroth. The place of this inundation, as we have before seen, is now called by the natives Bede, or, as → Neibuhr express it, Bedea. The valley is now, I believe, by the soil and rubbish brought down from the mountains on each side, become dry. But it still retains all the marks of its original state, as Monconys has before informed us, and has still the appearance of a large canal. Indeed we may be assured from 2P, 349.

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Mr Shaw and

'P. 344.

Κλυσμα,

T

its name, Kavopa, Clysma, that it was once. an inlet from the sea. Mr Shaw thinks that the name is derived from the Arabic, and has a relation to the miracle which was there displayed. But it is manifestly a Greek word, and relates to an effusion of waters; in which signification it bears some analogy with the other name Bedea. For Bedu, Badu, or Bad, are to be found in the composition of many names of places which are noted for water. It was a Greek word, but almost antiquated; and wherever it is seen, it occurs in this sense. It is said also to have been a Phrygian term, and also a Thracian, as it is to be found in Orpheus

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3 Και βεδυ Νυμφαων καταλείβεται αγλαόν ύδως. In this line the word Bedu is used as the

pure

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1 Badon, Baden, Buda-are places denominated from their baths. The city of Bath was of old called Badon, and Bathon from whence the modern term is derived. Lambarde accordingly stiles it Baddanbyrig, Caer-badun, Badonicus Mons, and in the Saxon Chronicle it is stiled simply Badon. 2 Βεδυ μεν γας της Φρυγάς το ὕδωρ φησι (Δίδυμος ὁ Γραμματικος) Clemens, Strom. 1. 5. p. 673.

καλειν.

See Clemens above--and Orphic. Fragmenta, xix. p. 384. Gesner. It was preserved in some ancient invocations at Miletus. Βεδυ, Ζαψ, Χίων, πληκρον, Ζφιγξη και το λο Clemens, ibid. See Bentley's learned Epistle to Mills, Appendix to J. Malala, p. 48.

element of water. And another ancient writer, whom he stiles Dion Thutes, introduces the word, when he mentions the pouring of water upon his hands--και Βεδυ λαβων κατα χειρων καταχεου. Another writer says---' Ελκειν το Βεδυ σωτήριον προσευχομαι. I long to quaff the salutary stream. The word often relates to warm and medicinal fountains, with which

' L. 5. p. 673.

Clemens says, that in this place it signifies τον αέρα, the air; which I know not how to believe; for it is not probable that the same word should betoken two different elements. The line is taken from a passage in the comic writer Philydeus; the whole of which is as follows:

Ελκειν το Βεδυ σωτηριον προσευχομαι,
Οπες μεγιςον εςιν ὑγιειας μερος,

Το τον αερ' ἑλκειν καθαρον, 8 τεθολωμένον.

To me the last line seems to have been not accurately quoted: and the terms in the former line and To TOV in the latter do not quite correspond, nor form a true grammatical connection. I should therefore read in the last instance for το τον—ταντ’. The person, who speaks, seems to be wishing for two things, which are essential to health,—and accordingly says

Ελκειν το Β:δυ σωτηριον προσευχομαι,

Όπερ μέγισον εσιν ὑγιειας μερος·

Τοντ' αερ ̓ ἕλκειν καθαρού 8 τεθολωμένον.

My prayer is, that I may drink of wholesome water, which has the greatest share in the preservation of man's health; and to breathe the pure air, free from all noxious mixture. Clemens above.