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more distinguished of the modern unbelievers, fhowing the fpirit with which they generally write; that for the most part their works confift of farcaftic wit, popular declamation, and vague intemperate railing at priests and prieftcraft, without any regard to hiftorical truth. This is a very different thing from calm difcuffion, and requires but fuperficial talents, and very little knowledge of human nature, or of facts.

In the Preface to the former volume of difcourfes I introduced fome curious particulars in confirmation of the Mofaic hif

tory from the third volume of Afiatic ReSearches, and having been favoured with the perufal of Sir Laurence Parfons's Obfervations on the Bequeft of Henry Flood, Efq. with a Defence of the ancient History of Ireland, I fhall here obferve, that from it, it appears to me exceedingly probable, that fome of the inhabitants of Ireland were a colony from the northern parts of Phenicia; that they first emigrated to Egypt, and settled on the borders of the Red fea at the time that the Ifraelites paffed through it, which their records fay was at Caperhiroth,

called

called by Mofes Pihahiroth, (the former fignifying the town of Hiroth, and the latter the mouth or harbour of the fame); that fome time after this they returned to their native country; that they again emigrated to fome part of Spain, and at length fettled in Ireland. For the proofs of these particulars, and many more concerning the fame people, I must refer my readers to the work itself, which is well deferving of attention. Every early tradition of this nature is certainly intitled to it both by believers and unbelievers in revelation, and I mention it with a view to engage this attention to fo curious a circumftance in hiftory,

PHILADELPHIA,

March 28, 1797.

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The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the foul. The teftimony of the Lord is fure, making wife the fimple. The flatutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlight ening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever. The judgments of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. PSALM XIX. 7, &c.

IF we cftimate the value of any thing by its tendency to promote happiness, nothing will appear to be of fo much importance to man as virtue, or the due regulation of his appetites and paffions, and confequently his moral conduct in life. The health of his body, the peace of his mind,

VOL. III.

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