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brew Grammarians call their primitive words, Ra. dixes, or Roots, as being thofe from which the derivative words do as it were fpring or arife. Hence fuch letters as go to make up the radix or primitive word are called in refpect thereof Radical letters. But fuch other letters as, being added to the radix, ferve to form any derivative word from it, are thence called Servile letters. Now the letters, which most usually serve to this purpose, are contained in this word 'n Heemanti, whence they are called

the Heemantic letters.

What has been here laid before the reader will enable him to have a competent understanding of whatever (if I remember aright) is said in the following Treatife, with reference to the Hebrew tongue, and will particularly be of great ufe in understanding how to trace out the etymology or derivation of names, and thereby the original of nations. For from what has been obferved, it is evident, that in the etymology of names from the Hebrew tongue, the letters of the radix are chiefly, if not folely, to be regarded.

As to, what particularly concerns the firft Part of my Geography of the Old Teftament, it is requifite only to obferve to the reader, that, in the account of the fituation of the Garden of Eden, I have taken a great deal from the learned Huet, Bishop of Soiffons in France, as having, I think, wrote beft on that fubject. In the account of the original plantations of mankind after the flood, I had

received

received great help from our learned countryman, Mr. Mede, and the learned Frenchman, Monfieur Bochart. As to the defcription of Noah's ark, it is taken from the famous mathematician, Bishop Wilkins's tract, inferted by Mr. Pole into his Synopfis Criticorum.

As the first Part of my Geography of the Old Teftament contains the geography of Genefis, fo the fecond Part contains the geography of the remaining books of Mofes, as alfo of the three following books, Jofhua, Judges, and Ruth, and confequently completes the geography of the Octateuch. For under this fingle name are ufually comprehended the eight firft books of the Old Teftament, as the five firft books are compre hended under the like name of the Pentateuch.

The method, as well as defign, of the fecond Part being in the main the fame with that of the first, I need here take notice but of the following particulars.

In drawing up the fecond Part, I judged it proper to take notice therein, folely, or principally, of fuch places, as conduce to the better understanding of the facred hiftory. For this reafon I have not troubled the reader with fuch cities, or towns, as

are

are mentioned only in Joshua, in reference to the feveral tribes they belonged to, but no where else in reference to any historical tranfaction or occurrence. There being alfo feveral others places, which are but once or twice mentioned in the facred hiftory, and that but barely, fo as no light is afforded thereby (or from any other authors) as to their fituation, I have likewife judged it better to pass most of them quite over in filence, than to name them only to tell the reader, that no tolerable account could be given of them. For the fame reafon I have not crowded the map of the Holy Land with multitude of places of no ufe to be known, but have inferted therein only fuch as are remarkable in reference to the facred hiftory.

To take off the drynefs of bare Geography, I have ftudiously laid hold of fuch opportunities as came in my way, to take notice of any curiofity, either natural or artificial. And I have ventured to enlarge upon the Pyramids, as being fome of the nobleft pieces of human art and labour, either ancient or modern.

There remains only to obferve, that, in order to adjust the geography of these sacred books, I have, upon confulting the Samaritan or old Hebrew Pentateuch, learnt the true original reading of feveral texts, particularly of Deut. x. 6, 7. whereby the contrariety of the prefent reading of the faid text (in the common Hebrew and our English Bible) to Numb. xxxiii. 30. is quite taken away, as is fhewn

fhewn pages 264, 268, 269, of this volume; and in

like manner, the present corrupt reading of Exod.

xii. 40. in the common Hebrew and our English

Bible, is corrected from the Samaritan Pentateuch,
as it is fhewn in the Chronological Account hereto
belonging.

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