or them always to make such a profession; but their business was to
demonstrate that they could write well, and make an impression upon
mankind thereby; and in what manner of writing they thought they were
able to exceed others, to that did they apply themselves, Some of them
betook themselves to the writing of fabulous narrations; some of them
endeavored to please the cities or the kings, by writing in their
commendation; others of them fell to finding faults with transactions,
or with the writers of such transactions, and thought to make a great
figure by so doing. And indeed these do what is of all things the most
contrary to true history; for it is the great character of true history
that all concerned therein both speak and write the same things; while
these men, by writing differently about the same things, think they
shall be believed to write with the greatest regard to truth. We
therefore [who are Jews] must yield to the Grecian writers as to
language and eloquence of composition; but then we shall give them no
such preference as to the verity of ancient history, and least of all as
to that part which concerns the affairs of our own several countries.

6. As to the care of writing down the records from the earliest
antiquity among the Egyptians and Babylonians; that the priests were
intrusted therewith, and employed a philosophical concern about it; that
they were the Chaldean priests that did so among the Babylonians; and
that the Phoenicians, who were mingled among the Greeks, did especially
make use of their letters, both for the common affairs of life, and for
the delivering down the history of common transactions, I think I may
omit any proof, because all men allow it so to be. But now as to our
forefathers, that they took no less care about writing such records,
[for I will not say they took greater care than the others I spoke of,]
and that they committed that matter to their high priests and to their
prophets, and that these records have been written all along down to our
own times with the utmost accuracy; nay, if it be not too bold for me
to say it, our history will be so written hereafter;--I shall endeavor
briefly to inform you.

7. For our forefathers did not only appoint the best of these priests,
and those that attended upon the Divine worship, for that design from
the beginning, but made provision that the stock of the priests should
continue unmixed and pure; for he who is partaker of the pries