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account of this custom. "The man of the mountain of the house (the governor of the temple) goes round all the wards every night, with burning torches before him: and in every ward where the person does not stand upon his feet the man of the mountain of the house says to him, Peace be to thee; if he find he is asleep, he strikes him with his staff, and he has power to burn his clothes." GILL, in loc.

No. 1397.-xix. 12. He had a name written that no man knew but he himself.] Among the Hindus it never has been customary to call any prince by his proper name. This custom has been communicated to the Burmas with such strength, that it is almost impossible to learn the name of any prince during his reign. His titles only can lawfully be mentioned: and the law is enforced with such vigour, that Burmas, even in Calcutta, shudder when requested to mention the dreadful Nor am I satisfied (says the writer of this article) that either Capt. Symes or I could ever procure the real name of the reigning monarch. Asiatic Researches.

name.

No. 1398.-xix. 13. A vesture dipped in blood.] This may probably be an allusion to the vesture worn by the Roman generals, which was sometimes purple or scarlet. This was the garb in which they fought; and this circumstance is particularly recorded of Lucullus. (Alex. ab Alex. Genial. Dier. l. i. c. 20.)

No. 1399.-xix. 16. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written.] The modern hangings which are sent yearly from Cairo to Mecca, to place about the holy house there, as the Mohammedans reckon it, are embroidered all over with letters of gold as long, broad, and thick, as a person's finger. Thevenot, part i. p. 149.

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No. 1400.-xxi. 19. And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones.] An extract from King's Munimenta Antiqua, vol. ii. p. 9. will clearly explain the description which St. John gives of the wall of the holy city. "The several alternate rows or courses of stone and brick, (here described) as appearing in this wall, were by the Greeks who lived in Roman times called με or

ɛɛhia, and are the kind of ornaments alluded to by St. John as being so highly beautiful, according to every one's apprehension, in his days; when in his emblematical representation of the walls of the holy city in the prophecy of the Revelation he speaks of such being formed of precious stones. The word OELEλia is in our translation of the passage very improperly rendered, as far as relates to a consistency with our modern ideas, foundations, instead of courses: and this mistranslation occasions much confusion in the minds of most persons who attempt to read the prophet's sublime description.

Nevertheless, the reason why these alternate rows of either bricks or smooth flat stones were anciently called Θεμελιοι οι Θεμελια, foundations, (though the word seems now so uncouth and unapplicable in our ears) is yet apparent enough. For whoever examines Roman walls attentively will find that most usually the broader alternate rows of rude stones, or flints, or rubble, and mortar, were evidently constructed merely by having the whole mass flung carelessly into a great caisson, or frame of wood, whose interior breadth was that of the wall; and whose depth was that of the space between the alternate rows of bricks; and whose length was sometimes more, sometimes less, just as suited convenience: and that the parts thus reared, one at the end of another, on and over each row of bricks, were united together afterwards merely by means of very small loose stones and mortar thrown into the narrow space left at the ends between

them. As therefore these caissons were removed up from one row of bricks, or smooth stones, to another superior row, in constant repetition, according as the wall advanced in height, and were placed successively upon every row; these substantial rows of bricks regularly placed might very well be called Θεμελιοι or Θεμελια, foundations, because indeed such they really were the whole way up to those identical building frames." This article is inserted, because it contains a more particular account of the subject than was given in No. 600..

END OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.

NOTE

ΤΟ

NO. 5, VOL. I. PAGE 8.

In the Memoirs of Sir William Jones, lately published by Lord Teignmouth, a circumstance has been disclosed which defeats the object of this article, a corroboration of the Mosaic history by distant tradition. It appears that the extract from the Padma-puran was a forgery of one of the Hindûs. Lord Teignmouth gives the following account of it. "I cannot conclude the preface without mentioning some information which materially affects an important passage in the 367th page of the Memoirs, which I received from Bengal, long after it had been printed. The passage alluded to is stated to be an' exact translation from one of the mythological works of the Hindûs: it first appeared in a note annexed by Sir William Jones to an Essay on Egypt and the Nile, in the third volume of the Asiatic Researches, by Lieutenant now Captain Wilford, and relates to Noah (under the designation of Satyavrata) and his three sons. Captain Wilford has since had the mortification and regret to discover that he was imposed upon by a learned Hindû, who assisted his investigations; that the Purana, in which he actually and carefully read the passage which he communicated to Sir William Jones, as an extract from it, does not contain it, and that it was interpolated by the dexterous introduction of a forged sheet, discoloured, and prepared for the purpose of deception, and which having served this purpose was afterwards withdrawn." Preface, p. 12. Upon discovering the fraud I fully resolved to cancel the article, but further consideration deter mined me to let it retain its place, for the sake of avoiding confusion in the general arrangement of the work, apprizing the reader of the true state of the case.