might little expect it; and by night, might little watch for, or discern it. The total number of Sennacherib's army is not mentioned: perhaps, it was three or four times the number slain; that it was very great, appears from his boastings sent to Hezekiah. If the extent of the meteor were half a mile, or a mile, in passing over a camp, it might destroy many thousands of sleepers; while those on each side of its course, escaped; and these, "rising early in the morning," discovered the slaughter of their fellows around them. The destruction of Cambyses' army of 50,000 men going for Ethiopia, is, in some respects, not unlike this destruction of the Assyrians.

V. The subsequent languor, despondence, and cowardice, attending this meteor, contribute to explain the forced return of Sennacherib home; even though his army might be very numerous, notwithstanding this diminution.

Observe, It was not before Jerusalem that this event occurred, but to the South.

VI. The Babylonish Talmud affirms, that this destruction of the Assyrians was executed by lightning; and some of the Targums are quoted for saying the same thing. Josephus says, "Sennacherib, on his return from the Egyptian war, found his army which he had left under Rabshakeh, almost entirely destroyed by a judicial pestilence, which swept away, in officers and common soldiers, the first night they sat down before the city, 185,000 men." Antiq. lib. x. cap. 1.

VII. That this meteor inflicts diseases where it is not immediately fatal, Mr. BRUCE himself is an instance; he also says, "though Syene, by its situation should be healthy, the general complaint is a weakness and soreness in the eyes; generally ending in blindness of one or both eyes; you scarce ever see a person in the street who sees with both eyes. They say it is owing to the hot wind from the desert; and this I apprehend to be true, by the violent soreness and inflammation we were troubled with in our return home, through the great Desert, to Syene." Vol. i. p. 163.

No. V. PECULIARITIES OF JERICHO.

IT is now several years since I pointed out to a friend, how greatly the account given of Jericho, 2 Kings ii. 19, might be illustrated by comparison with the relations of travellers respecting other places. The history stands thus: The men of Jericho said to Elisha, "Behold, I pray thee, (1.) the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but (2.) the water is naught, and (3.) the ground barren :”—the margin reads, "causing to miscarry." Our translators seem to have been startled at such a property in the ground; and, therefore (according to their custom), placed the true rendering in the margin. Again, v. 21, "Thus saith the Lord, I have healed these waters: there shall not be from thence any more (4.) death, or (5.) barren (land)” – rather, abortion.

The import of the root of the word here translated barren ( SHeCeLeT) is — to bereave, as of children (Isaiah xlvii. 9.):-to lose, as by abortion; to miscarry (Gen. xxxi. 38.): "thy she-goats have not cast their young.' Now, as it never had occurred to our translators, that a city, which by reason of some peculiarity in the land around it, was unfavourable to procreation, or to parturition, could possibly be inhabited, and in fact be "pleasant," it has been usual to consider this word here (and here only) as expressing a blight on the fruit trees; but if this blight occurred every year, it were a circumstance no less singular (perhaps more so) than this fatal effect on animal life: and if this blight occurred but rarely, why ask the prophet to cure that to which all countries are sometimes subject? and, indeed, this seems contrary to the text, which says, the city was evidently pleasant: for, surely, fertile trees contribute to the

pleasantness of a city's situation; besides, Jericho is noticed as the city of Palm-trees, 2 Chron. xxviii. 15.

But what shall we say, if there be actually at this time, cities in the same predicament as that in which Jericho was ? namely, where animal life of certain kinds, pines, and decays, and dies; cities where that posterity which should replace the current mortality, is either not conceived, or if conceived, is not brought to the birth, or if brought to the birth, is fatal in delivery, both to the mother and her offspring.

DON ULLOA, in his voyage to South America (vol. i. p. 93.), states some particulars very similar respecting Porto Bello:

"The inclemency of the climate of Porto Bello, is sufficiently known all over. Europe; not only strangers who come thither are affected by it, but even the natives themselves suffer in various manners. It destroys the vigour of nature, and often untimely cuts the thread of life.

"It is a current opinion, that formerly, and even not above twenty years since, parturition was here so dangerous, that it was seldom any woman did not die in child-bed. As soon, therefore, as they had advanced three or four months in their pregnancy, they were sent to Panama, where they continued till the danger of delivery was past. A few, indeed, had the firmness to wait their destiny in their own houses; but much the <greater number thought it more advisable to undertake the journey, than to run so great a hazard of their lives.

"The excessive love which a lady had for her husband, blended with the dread that he would forget her during her absence, his employment not permitting him to accompany her to Panama, determined her to set the first example of acting contrary to their general custom. The reasons for her fear were sufficient to justify her resolution to run the risk of a probable danger, in order to avoid an evil which she knew to be certain, and must have embittered the whole remainder of her life. The event was happy; she was delivered, and recovered her former health; and the example of a lady of her rank, did not fail of inspiring others with the like courage, though not founded on the same reasons; till, by degrees, the dread which former melancholy cases had impressed on the mind, and gave occasion to this climate's being [reported] fatal to pregnant women, was entirely dispersed.

"Another opinion, equally strange, is, that the animals from other climates, on their being brought to Porto Bello, cease to procreate. The inhabitants bring instances of hens, brought from Panama or Carthagena, which, immediately on their arrival, grew barren, and laid no more eggs; and even at this time the horned cattle sent from Panama, after they have been here a small time, lose their flesh in such a manner as not to be eatable, though they do not want for plenty of good pasture. It is certain, that there are no horses or asses bred here; which tends to confirm the opinion, that this climate checks the generation of creatures produced in a more benign, or less noxious air. However, not to rely on the common opinion, we enquired of some intelligent persons, who differed but very little from the vulgar; and even confirmed what they asserted, by many known facts and experiments, performed by themselves."

This seems to be a clear instance of a circumstance very similar to the genuine import of the Hebrew word, "causing to miscarry," and of the circumstances attending it, confirmed by actual observation of the author, and by experiments performed by "intelligent persons." How far the situation of Porto Bello and of Jericho might be similar, we shall not enquire; nor whether DoN ULLOA be correct in regarding the air as the cause of this peculiarity.

A second extract is from Mr. BRUCE's Travels, vol. iv. pp. 469, 471, 472 :——————

"No horse, mule, ass, or any beast of burden, will breed, or even live, at Sennaar, or many miles about it. Poultry does not live there; neither dog nor cat, sheep nor bullock, can be preserved a season there. They must go, every half year, to the sands; though all possible care be taken of them, they die in every place where the fat earth is about the town, during the first season of the rains. Two greyhounds which I brought from Atbara, and the mules which I brought from Abyssinia, lived only a few weeks after I arrived. They seemed to have an inward complaint, for nothing appeared outwardly; the dogs had abundance of water, but I killed one of them from apprehension of madness. Several kings have tried to keep lions; but no care could prolong their lives beyond the first rains. Shekh Adelan had two, which were in great health, being kept with his horses at grass in the sands, but three miles from Sennaar. Neither rose, nor any species of jessamine, grow here; no tree, but the lemon, flowers near the city, that I ever saw: the rose has been often tried, but in vain.

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The soil of Sennaar, as I have already said, is very unfavourable both to man and beast, and particularly adverse to their propagation. This seems to me to be owing to some noxious quality of the fat earth with which it is every way surrounded, and nothing may be depended upon more surely than the fact already mentioned, that no mare, or other beast of burden, ever foaled in the town, or in any village within several miles round it. This remarkable quality ceases upon removing from the fertile country to the sands. Aira, between three and four miles off Sennaar, with no water near it but the Nile, surrounded with white barren sand, agrees perfectly with all animals, and here are the quarters where I saw Shekh Adelan the minister's horse (as I suppose for their numbers), by far the finest in the world; where in safety he watched the motions of his sovereign, who, shut up in his capital of Sennaar, could not there maintain one horse to oppose him."

"But however unfavourable this soil may be for the propagation of animals, it contributes very abundantly both to the nourishment of man and beast. It is positively said to render three hundred for one (vide Gen. xxvi. 12.), which however confidently advanced, is, I think, both from reason and appearance, a great exaggeration. It is all sown with dora or millet, the principal food of the natives. It produces also wheat and rice, but these at Sennaar are sold by the pound, even in years of plenty. The salt made use of at Sennaar, is all extracted from the earth about it, especially at Halfaia, so strongly is the soil impregnated with this useful fossil."

This instance presents a city, a royal city, in some respects very fertile, which, nevertheless, in other respects, reminds us of Jericho like that city, it was pleasant, but adverse to propagation; and this Mr. Bruce attributes to the nature of the earth, or soil around it. We find also this effect ceasing at a small distance, which deserves notice; because it is very probable, that this property of the soil was the means, in the hand of Providence to accomplish the prediction of Joshua, respecting the rebuilding of Jericho, Josh. vi. 26. Vide JERICHO in Dictionary. The scite of the ancient city (at some small distance from the later Jericho) was probably chosen, as an extremely pleasant situation, by Hiel; he being unaware of, or incredulous with respect to some property ascribed to it. Here he determined to build. In consequence of this determination, the younger part of his family, his children, being the weakest, first felt the fatal influence of the place; to which, perhaps, they were exposed freely and without fear; and they dropped off one after another, "from Abiram, his first-born, to Segub his youngest." 1 Kings xvi. 34. Their ages are not mentioned; they might be very young. We do not find blame imputed to Hiel: his loss is merely mentioned as a remarkable fulfilment of a prediction: perhaps this property of the soil was unsuspected, or forgotten, in length of time; or it might be treated as an idle rumour.

By the prophet's curing the WATERS, it should seem they had, at least, some share in producing this effect, by being drank, &c. but those inhabitants of the city, and proprietors of the adjacencies, who solicited Elisha, plainly say, "the land— causes to miscarry," ver. 19.

No. VI. ABRAHAM AND SARAH.

HeARETJ)

EUROPEANS, from the difference of their manners, think it very singular, tha a miraculous interference should be necessary to convince Pharaoh (Gen. xii. 14—20.) and Abimelech (xx. 2-18.) of their criminality in detaining the wife of Abraham: and, why Abraham could not procure her release by proper application and request? The answer is, Such is not the custom of the country. It appears, that whenever a woman is taken into the Haram of a Prince in the East, she is secluded, without possibility of coming out, at least, during the life of the prince on the throne. In fact, communication with the women in the Haram is hardly to be obtained, and only by means of the keepers (vide Esther iv. 5.); and certainly not, when any suspicion occurs to the guards, to whom is intrusted the custody of such buildings. The propriety, then, of some exertion of Providence, in behalf of Abraham, may be placed in a stronger light, than, perhaps, it has usually appeared in, by the following extract from a Review of the Travels of Peter Henry Bruce, Esq. an officer in the Russian army, under Czar Peter. "The retreat of the Russians, we are told, was productive of an unfortunate incident to Colonel Pitt, an officer in that army. Immediately on decamping from the fatal banks of the Pruth, he lost both his wife and daughter, beautiful women, by the breaking of one of their coach-wheels. By this accident, they were left so far in the rear, that the Tartars seized and carried them off. The Colonel applied to the Grand Vizier, who ordered a strict enquiry to be made, but without effect. The Colonel being afterwards informed that they were both carried to Constantinople, and presented to the Grand Signior, obtained a passport, and went thither in search of them. Getting acquainted with a Jew doctor, who was physician to the Seraglio, the doctor told him that two such ladies as he described, had lately been presented to the Sultan; but that when any of the sex were once taken into the Seraglio, they were never suffered to quit it more. The Colonel, however, tried every expedient he could devise to recover his wife, if he could not obtain both; until becoming outrageous by repeated disappointments, they shut him up in a dungeon, and it was with much difficulty he got released by the intercession of some of the ambassadors at that court. He was afterwards told by the same doctor, that both the ladies had died of the plague; with which information he was obliged to content himself, and return home." Critical Review, vol. iii. p. 332. Vide ABRAHAM, Dict: REMARKS III.

No. VII. HAZAEL AND BENHADAD.

AN English proverb says, "Give a dog an ill name, and it will hang him :" much in the spirit of this proverb has been the general treatment of the character of Hazael, who, because he calls himself" a dog," has been treated with great indignity. Certainly, Hazael can be no favourite character with any upright mind; yet perhaps, it is but justice to suggest, what may render his murder of his master, king Benhadad, by means of a cloth dipped in water, at least dubious, without calling it well-intended on his part. In reading the history (2 Kings viii. 15.), it is nothing less than natural to suppose, that Hazael must have had, professedly, at least, some fair pretence, some appearance of propriety in the action; or why did not those in attendance on their

sovereign prevent his proceedings? Was Hazael the only person present, or in waiting: on the sick king? It is by no means likely; in fact, it is scarcely supposable; but if we conceive that Hazael offered to the king, either a kind of remedy usual in the disorder, which nevertheless, failed to cure him; or an assistance, of which he took advantage, to murder his master, then we reduce his behaviour to plausibility, and to the custom of the country in such diseases.

Observe, also, (1.) the text does not say expressly he did kill him; but, "he took a thick cloth, and dipped it in water, and spread it over the king's face (or person), and he died." It is usually said, he was chilled to death; but, on reading the following extracts, we shall probably admit, that this is an English notion, resulting from our climate and manners, &c. applied to an Eastern disease, and to a country wherein both climate and manners are essentially different. If it be said, Hazael stifled the king by means of the cloth spread over his face, it might be so; but we should do well to remark, that the easterns are accustomed to sleep with their faces covered ; that Hazael hardly spread it over the king's face only; that it does not appear the king was asleep; he might, therefore, have removed the cloth, had he thought proper; and that, whatever the cloth was, it was certainly employed, and the whole action was managed, in a way to prevent suspicion. Let us now hear Mr. BRUCE:

"This fever prevailed in Abyssinia, in all low grounds and plains, in the neighbourhood of all rivers which run in valleys; it is really a malignant tertian, which, however, has so many forms and modes of intermission, that it is impossible for one not of the faculty to describe it.

"It is not in all places equally dangerous; but on the banks and neighbourhood of the Tacazzé, it is particularly fatal. The valley where the river runs is very low and sultry, being full of large trees. It does not prevail in high grounds or mountains, or in places much exposed to the air. This fever is called NEDAD, or burning: it begins always with a shivering and head-ach, an heavy eye, and an inclination to vomit; a violent heat follows, which leaves little intermission, and ends generally in death the third or fifth day. In the last stage of the distemper, the belly swells to an enormous size, or sometimes immediately after death, and the body, within an instant, smells most insupportably; to prevent which, they bury the corpse immediately after the breath is out, and often within the hour. The face has a remarkable yellow appearance, with a blackish cast, as in the last stage of a dropsy, or the atrophy.

"This fever begins immediately with the sun-shine after the first rains; that is, while there are intervals of rain and sun-shine; it ceases upon the earth being thoroughly soaked, in July and August, and begins again in September; but now, at the beginning of November, it ceases every where." BRUCE's Travels, vol iv. p. 22.

"Masuah is very unwholesome, as, indeed, is the whole coast of the Red Sea, from Suez to Babelmandel; but more especially between the tropics. Violent fevers, called there NEDAD, make the principal figure in this fatal list, and generally determine the third day in death. If the patient survives till the fifth day, he very often recovers, by drinking water only, and throwing a quantity of cold water upon him, even in his bed, where he is permitted to lie, without attempting to make him dry, or to change his bed. till another deluge adds to the first." BRUCE's Travels, vol iii.

p. 33.

Do not these extracts render it, in some degree, probable, that Hazael, beside the thick cloth soaked in water, added other chilling remedies? in doing which he did no more than is customary in this disease, the nedad; and, if this kind of fever, or one allied to it, were Benhadad's disease, Hazael might honestly spread a refreshing covering over him. Not expecting his exaltation to royalty so instantaneously, he PART I. Edit. 5.

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