following expression. "There is one God who comprehends all things, but who himself is comprehended by no one :" and he adds, that "In the book of Enoch, things similar to these are described."

Having previously referred to the creation of all things, it may be supposed that he also alludes to the book "of secret things," in which Enoch is represented to have passed under the guidance of angels, through all the successive portions of the material creation.

The different terms however, in which these two passages are commented on by this author, seem to mark that a very different degree of authority was attributed to them in his mind.

I

may here take notice of the remark of Fabricius, that the quotation of Syncellus, which has been mentioned as belonging to two different portions of this book, "is taken from the first book of Enoch:" and he adds, "Plures itaque libri fuerunt, nam in Testamento Judæ, et ab Origine, Libri Enochi memorantur."

I do not think it necessary to add the passages which Tertullian has quoted from the book of the

Angels, nor to notice his strong declaration, that Enoch, was a most ancient prophet, to which declaration he has added a passage concerning future idolatry, which is apparently to be found in the 150th page of the Translation. Tertullian observes of it," Denique idem Enoch simul et cultores idoli et fabricatores in comminatione prædamnat." His arguments however are certainly inconclusive, as to the authority which this book ought to possess, and as they may thus be supposed to have been formed on insufficient grounds, I will not cite them, because there can be no question that this book was known to others before him; but I would observe, that though I have found no professed quotations from Enoch in the Epistles of Ignatius, Clement, and Barnabas; there yet seem to be several allusions to the later portions of this book, which upon comparison may be recognized; but I prefer only to take notice of those extracts as to which no difference of opinion is likely to exist. I shall therefore proceed to notice some of the internal evidence of place, contained in one of these books, before I describe the mode in which I have endeavoured to arrange them.

In page 33 of the Translation we find, "After "these things, surveying the entrances of the north, "above the mountains, I perceived seven moun"tains replete with pure Nard, odoriferous trees,

Cinamon, and Papyrus. From thence I passed "on above the summits of those mountains to some "distance eastward, and went over the Erythrean sea, &c."

Wherever then we may suppose the author of this passage to have lived, his situation was such, that going towards the north in the first instance, and passing in his course some mountains, he would then journey for some distance eastward, before he would come to the Erythrean sea. In other words, he was situated to the south-west of that sea.

Although therefore this name was anciently used in a far more extended sense than that which

is at present given to it, since the ancient ассерtation of the mare Erythræum, comprehended not only the Persian Gulph, and the Red Sea, but also that part of the Ocean which washes the shores of Arabia, and to some extent, of Africa also; yet it will be seen that there are only two positions

where this description could be correct: one in Arabia, to the south-west of the Persian Gulph; the other to the south-west of the Red Sea, that is to say in the ancient Ethiopia, or rather the modern Abyssinia.

It seems also that an allusion to the garden of righteousness, or Eden, which is represented to have been far beyond the Erythrean Sea, confirms the probability of an Abyssinian origin for this portion of the book; because, on the supposition of the author's reference to the account given by Moses, that the Garden was planted "eastward in Eden," the relative position of that place, as well as of the Euphrates, would agree with the description here given.

While therefore the use of the term Erythrean for this sea, restricts the date of this portion of the book within the period when that name seems to have originated; such evidence of the country of its author as may be derivable from hence, will also incline us to suppose that this part of the books of Enoch must have been added to the rest in Abyssinia; and on turning to page 95 of the Translation, it appears that some additional inter

nal evidence of Abyssinian origin, is to be obtained from the account of the winds which is there given.

At page 95 of the Translation, "Twelve gates open for all the winds," are described. "Three "of them are in the front of heaven, three in the "west, three on the right side of heaven, and three

on the left. The first three are those which are "towards the east: three are towards the north "three behind those which are upon the left, to"wards the south; and three on the west. From "four of them, proceed winds of blessing, and of health; and from eight proceed winds of pun"ishment."

These winds are described by dividing each of the four quarters into three parts; and of the twelve winds thus distinguished, eight are said to produce rain, the two south-eastern quarters, with those nearest to the west south-west, and west north-west being the other exceptions. This description indeed does not agree with that of the climate of the northern part of Abyssinia during Mr. Bruce's residence there. He observes, in speaking of the ancient accounts of snow, that the climate must have altered exceed

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