ld, whose Head resembled that of a Man, tho' indeed the
Features were much more beautiful; and that he condescended to visit
the Earth three Hours every Day, for the Instruction of Mankind. He
had a numerous Issue, as is very well known, and all of them were
powerful Monarchs. I have a Picture of it at Home, to which, as in
Duty I ought, I Say my Prayers at Night before I go to Bed, and
every Morning that I rise. There is no Harm, Sir, as I can conceive,
in partaking of a Piece of roast Beef; but, doubtless, 'tis a mortal
Sin, a Crime of the blackest Dye, to touch a Piece of Fish. Besides,
you cannot justly boast of so illustrious an Origin, and you are
both of you mere Moderns, in Comparison to us _Chaldeans_, You
_Egyptians_ lay claim to no more than 135,000 Years, and you
_Indians_, but of 80,000. Whereas we have Almanacks that are dated
4000 Centuries backwards. Take my Word for it; I speak nothing but
Truth; renounce your Errors, and I'll make each of you a Present of
a fine Portrait of our _Oannes_.

A Native of _Cambalu_, entring into the Debate, said, I have a very
great Veneration, not only for the _Egyptians_, _Chaldeans_,
_Greeks_, and _Celtae_; but for _Brama_, _Apis_, and the _Oannes_,
but in my humble Opinion, the *_Li_, or as 'tis by some call'd,
the *_Tien_, is an Object more deserving of divine Adoration than
any Ox, or Fish, how much soever you may boast of their respective
Perfections. All I shall say, in regard to my native Country, 'tis
of much greater Extent, than all _Egypt_, _Chaldea_, and the
_Indies_ put together. I shall lay no Stress on the Antiquity of my
Country; for I imagine 'tis of much greater Importance to be the
happiest People, than the most antient under the Sun. However, since
you were talking of the Almanacks, I must beg the Liberty to tell
you, that ours are look'd upon to be the best all over _Asia_; and
that we had several very correct ones before the Art of Arithmetick
was ever heard of in _Chaldea_.

* _The_ Chinese _Term_, Li, _signifies, properly
speaking, natural Light, or Reason; and_ Tien, _the
Heavens, or the supreme Being._

You are all of you a Parcel of illiterate, ignorant Bigots, cry'd a
_Grecian_: 'Tis plain, you know nothing of the Chaos, and that the
World, as it now stands, is owing wholly to _Matter_ and _Form_. The
_Greek_ ran on for a considerable Time; but was at last interrupted
by a _Celt_, who having drank deep, during the whole Time