s of America, Egypt and India have much in common, while some of
the mural decorations are absolutely identical.

_Fifth._--It only remains now to summarize some of the evidence
obtainable from ancient writers, from early race traditions, and from
archaic flood-legends.

Aelian in his _Varia Historia_ (lib. iii. ch. xviii.), states that
Theopompus (400 B.C.) recorded an interview between the King of
Phrygia and Silenus, in which the latter referred to the existence of
a great continent beyond the Atlantic, larger than Asia, Europe and
Libya together.

Proclus quotes an extract from an ancient writer who refers to the
islands in the sea beyond the Pillars of Hercules (Straits of
Gibraltar), and says that the inhabitants of one of these islands had
a tradition from their ancestors of an extremely large island called
Atlantis, which for a long time ruled over all the islands of the
Atlantic Ocean.

Marcellus speaks of seven islands in the Atlantic, and states that
their inhabitants preserve the memory of a much greater island,
Atlantis, "which had for a long time exercised dominion over the
smaller ones."

Diodorus Siculus relates that the Phoenicians discovered "a large
island in the Atlantic Ocean beyond the Pillars of Hercules several
days' sail from the coast of Africa."

But the greatest authority on this subject is Plato. In the _Timaeus_
he refers to the island continent, while the _Critias_ or _Atlanticus_
is nothing less than a detailed account of the history, arts, manners
and customs of the people. In the _Timaeus_ he refers to "a mighty
warlike power, rushing from the Atlantic sea and spreading itself with
hostile fury over all Europe and Asia. For at that time the Atlantic
sea was navigable and had an island before that mouth which is called
by you the Pillars of Hercules. But this island was greater than both
Libya and all Asia together, and afforded an easy passage to other
neighbouring islands, as it was likewise easy to pass from those
islands to all the continents which border on this Atlantic sea."

There is so much of value in the _Critias_ that it is not easy to
choose, but the following extract is given, as it bears on the
material resources of the country: "They had likewise everything
provided for them which both in a city and every other place is sought
after as useful for the purposes of life. And they were supplied
indeed with many things from foreign countries, on account of their
exte