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language, which he supposes to have been a dialect of the Hebrew; but to the Arabian, Chaldaic, and Syriac, according as his occasions require. It happens to him often to make use of a verb for a radix, which has many variations and different significations: but, at this rate, we may form a similitude between terms the most dissimilar. For, take a word in any language, which admits of many inflexions and variations, and, after we have made it undergo all its evolutions, it will be hard if it does not in some degree approximate. But, to say the truth, he many times does not seem to arrive even at this: for, after he has analysed the premises with great labour, we often find the supposed resemblance too vague and remote to be admitted; and the whole is effected with a great strain and force upon history before he brings matters to a seeming coincidence. The Cyclops are by the best writers placed in Sicily, near Mount Etna, in the country of the Leontini, called of old Xuthia; but Bochart removes them to the south-west point of the island. This he supposes to have been called Lelub, Araußarov, from being opposite to Libya; and, as the promontory was so named, it is, he thinks, probable

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71 Pliny. 1. 3. c. 8.

Etna, quæ Cyclopas olim tulit. Mela. 1. 2. c. 7.

that the sea below was styled Chec Lelub, or Sinus Lebub: and, as the Cyclops lived hereabouts, they were from hence denominated Checlelub, and Chec-lub, out of which the Greeks formed 7 Κυκλωπες. He derives the Siculi first from 73 seclul, perfection; and afterwards from

, Escol, pronounced, according to the Syriac, Sigol, a bunch of grapes. He deduces the Sicani from, 74 Sacan, near, because they were near their next neighbours; in other words, on account of their being next to the Poni. Sicani, qui Siculorum Ponis proximi. But, according to the best accounts, the Sicani were the most antient people of any in these parts. They settled in Sicily before the foundation of Carthage; and could not have been named from any such vicinity. In short, Bochart, in most of his derivations, refers to circumstances too general; which might be adapted to one place as well as to another. He looks upon the names of places, and of people, rather as by-names, and chance appellations, than original marks of distinction; and supposes them to have been founded upon some subsequent history. Whereas they were,

72 Bochart. Geog. Sacra. 1. 1. c. 30. p. 560.
73 Ibidem. p. 565, 566.

74 Ibidem. p. 565, 566.

most of them, original terms of high antiquity, imported and assumed by the people themselves, and not imposed by others..

How very casual and indeterminate the references were by which this learned man was induced to form his etymologies, let the reader judge from the samples below. These were taken, for the most part, from his accounts of the Grecian islands; not industriously picked out; but as they casually presented themselves upon turning over the book. He derives 75 Delos from ST, Dahal timor. 76 Cynthus, from D, Chanat, in lucem edere. 77 Naxos, from nicsa, sacrificium; or else from nicsa, opes. 78 Gyarus, from acbar, softened to acuar, a mouse; for the island was once infested with mice. 79 Pontus, in Asia Minor, from, botno, a pistachio nut. Icaria, from icar, pastures: but he adds, tamen alia etymologia occurrit, quam huic præfero N, Icaure, sive insula piscium. Chalcis, in Eubea, from Chelca, divisio. Seriphus, from resiph,

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and resipho, lapidibus stratum. Patmos, from , batmos, terebinthus; for trees of this sort, he says, grew in the Cyclades. But Patmos was not one of the Cyclades: it was an Asiatic island, at a considerable distance. 84 Tenedos is deduced from Tin Edom, red earth: for there were potters in the island, and the earth was probably red.. 5 Cythnus, from katnuth, parvitas; or else from, gubna, or guphno, cheese; because the next island was famous for that commodity: Ut ut enim Cythnius caseus proprie non dicatur, qui e Cythno non est, tamen receptâ naтaxence Cythnius dici potuit caseus a vicinâ Ceo. He supposes Egypt to have been denominated from 86 Mazor, an artificial fortress; and the reason he gives, is, because it was naturally secure. Whatever may have been the purport of the term, Mizraim was a very antient and original name, and could have no reference to these after-considerations. The author of the Onomasticum, therefore, differs from him, and has tried to mend the matter. He allows that the people, and country, were denominated from Mazor, but

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in a different acceptation: from Mazor, which signified, the double pressure of a mother on each sides, pressionem matris geminam, i. e. ab utrâque parte. Upon which the learned Michaelis ob serves- quo etymo vix aliud veri dissimilius fingi potest.

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In the theology of the Greeks are many antient terms, which learned men have tried to analyse, and define. But they seem to have failed here too by proceeding upon those fallacious principles, of which I have above complained. In short, they seldom go deep enough in their inquiries; nor consider the true character of the personage, which they would decypher. It is said of the God Vulcan, that he was the same as Tubalcain, mentioned Genesis. c. 4. v. 22: and it is a notion followed by many writers: and among others by Gale. 89 First as to the name (says this learned man) Vossius, de Idolat. 1. 1. c. 36, shews us, that Vulcanus is the same as Tubalcainus, only by a wonted, and easy mutation of B into V, and casting away a syllable. And he afterwards affects to prove from Diodorus Siculus, that the art and office of Vulcan exactly corresponded to the cha

87 Simonis Onomasticon.

33 Michaelis Spicilegium Geographiæ Hebræor. Exteræ. p. 158.

89 Gale's Court of the Gentiles. vol. 1. b. 2. P. 66.

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