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big 73
' NEW PREFACE,
A LITTLE -previously to 'the time. when the following. work. was commenced, the
Author had made arrangements for a journey to Egypt and Asia, alluded to in the note
to Chapter IV. Section xx.; but circumstances caused the plan to be abandoned. After
the work was begun, the scheme was revived, and the following spring iixed for com-
mencing the journey, from which it might have happened that the Author did not return.
In consequence of these circumstances, the book (which was first intended as a small
octavo, and by degrees had grown into a large quarto) was much hurried, both in the ,
composing and printing, seven months only being allowed for the whole; and this the
Author hopes will be some apology for the listof errata. As it turnedrout, the haste
was unnecessary, as about the time for commencing his journey the Author’s oriental
travelling companion died, and the journey was put off for ever. i
As might be expected of such a work, it hasbeen attacked from various quarters,
and in various ways; but it is gratifying to the‘ Author to have it in his power to say,
that no error of any importance has been pointed out, nor have any of the great principles
laid down in his argument, or casually introduced in- the progress of the work, been
attacked with the slightest success. ' r . .
Such attacks as are deserving notice, the Author flatters himself will be fully refuted
in a work which he is now preparing for the press; in which the extraordinary race, the
Buddhists of upper India, (of whom the Phoenician Canaanite, Melchizedek, was a
priest,) who built the Pyramids, Stonehenge, Carnac, &c., will be shewntohave founded
all the ancient Mythologies of the world, which,'however varied and corrupted in recent
times, were originally ONE, and that ONE founded on principles sublime, beautiful, and
true. . ’
The Author feels himself under no obligation to answer anonymous writers ; but
he thinks. it proper toinotice very shortly some observations by a gentleman who, the
Author believes, is not in the habit of writing things to which he is ashamed toput his
name. ' The Rev. W. L. Bowles, at the end of his learned work called Hermes Britan-
nicus, .has taken up the defence of the order of Priests, of which the Author’s censure
seems to have given great offence; the priests of everysect, as ‘far. as the Author can
perceive, being offended only because the order of his own. sect is not excepted from the
condemnation of priesthoods generally throughout the world, of ancient and modern
times. Mr. Bowles observes, that the examples of Cranmer and Calvin stand as indivi-
duals in the black calendar; .to which, in reply, the Author begs leave to ask him, whe-
ther, when in one instance .Calvin ordered green wood for the purpose of burning his
victim--and when, in the other, the Protestant-Papist-Protestant Cranmer, compelled
the weeping infant‘ Edward to sign the warrant for burning the infant Joan Boacher (for
they were both under age)--the priests of their respective sects did not stand by and blow
A n 71.”
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