n attended with
wonderful [510]influence. Many have been so far captivated by this magic,
as to give an implicit credence to all that has been transmitted; and to
sacrifice their judgment to the pleasures of the fancy.

It may be said, that the writers, to whom I chiefly appeal, are, in great
measure, dry and artless, without any grace and ornament to recommend them.
They were likewise posterior to the Helladians; consequently farther
removed from the times of which they treat. To the first objection I
answer, that the most dry and artless historians are, in general, the most
authentic. They who colour and embellish, have the least regard for the
truth. In respect to priority, it is a specious claim; but attended with no
validity. When a gradual darkness has been overspreading the world, it
requires as much time to emerge from the cloud, as there passed when we
were sinking into it: so that they who come later may enjoy a greater
portion of light, than those who preceded them by ages. Besides, it is to
be considered, that the writers, to whom I chiefly appeal, lived in parts
of the world which gave them great advantages. The whole theology of Greece
was derived from the east. We cannot therefore but in reason suppose, that
Clemens of Alexandria, Eusebius of Caesarea, Tatianus of Assyria, Lucianus
of Samosata, Cyril of Jerusalem, Porphyry of Syria, Proclus of Lycia, Philo
of Biblus, Strabo of Amasa, Pausanias of Cappadocia, Eratosthenes of
Cyrene, must know more upon this subject than any native Helladian. The
like may be said of Diodorus, Josephus, Cedrenus, Syncellus, Zonaras,
Eustathius: and numberless more. These had the archives of antient
[511]temples, to which they could apply: and had traditions more genuine
than ever reached Greece. And though they were posterior themselves, they
appeal to authors far prior to any Helladians: and their works are crowded
with extracts from the most curious and the most antient [512]histories.
Such were the writings of Sanchoniathon, Berosus, Nicholaus Damascenus,
Mocus, Mnaseas, Hieronymus AEgyptius, Apion, Manethon: from whom Abydenus,
Apollodorus, Asclepiades, Artapanus, Philastrius, borrowed largely. We are
beholden to Clemens[513], and Eusebius, for many evidences from writers,
long since lost; even Eustathius and Tzetzes have resources, which are now
no more.

It must be after all confessed, that those, who preceded, had many
opportunities of information, had they been willi