The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-01-14

vivai Of the almost universal tradition which
assigned q large share to dcmigods In the -.
ginnings OF civilization.
As to the extraordinary duration OF human
life asserted by the Biblical narrative In the
case OF tho antedlluvian patriarchs. M. Lenor-
mant finds himself compelled to deny all his
toric character to the figures OF longevity.
These astonishing figures he regards simply ~
cyclic numbers. which. moreover. are so uncer-
tain rs to render a scientific study OF them at
present impoasihic. The three extant versions
OF the original text-viz.. the canonical Hebrew.
the Greek Of the Septuagint. and tho Samari-
tan-difier very materially the one from the
other. and In these wide divergence Bt.
Augustine did not hesitate TO recognize. ~
science does to-day. the trnos OF artificial and
systematic alterations. 1t Ii clear. indeed. from
the figures connected with Enoch. that the au-
thors Of tho genealogical documents comprised
In Genesis. or the editor who gave them their
present form. had In Wow certain combinations
Of numbers. whose purpose. however. we are
not In o position to dooipher. We stumble here
upon the threshold Of an unknown. and per-
haps unknowable. subject. Thus far We have
learned next to nothing Of the complex and
subtle speculations on the value OF numbers.
which were carried 30 far among the Chalde-
ans. and which irradiated over the greater
part VI WobttTh hbih HoLA tho ouOyioahnu Az
GUS speculations Of which Pythagoras had
gllmpses. and which were carried to Rome by
the descendants OF the Chaldesn astrologcrs at
the period when Horace warned LeuconoJ
against consulting Babyloninn numbers.
All tho traditions relating to deluge are
collected In this volume but By far the most
remarkable resemblance TO the Bible narrative
Is presented by tho Chaldcan version OF the
legend deciphered By Mr.. George Smith from
tho cuneiform tablets exhumed Mt Nineveh.
The variations offered by tho three existing
copies Of this version show that tho original
which the copyists had before them was traced
by means OF u primitive form Of writing which
had already become unfamiliar In the seventh
century B. C. Other facts indicate that the old
text Transcribed was itself copy Of still older
manuscript. Tho cuneiform version 10 too
long to quote. but We may observe that all tho
important details OF the Scriptural account are
given In it-the building Of the ark. the storing
OF grain, and the collecting OF samples OF all
living things. and the cc-repeated sending
forth OF a bird.
In view OF such remarkable parallels and re-
semblances In tho literature OF other nations.
how. according to M. Lcnormant. should tho
Hebrew cosmogony set forth in the book OF
Genesis be regarded Although. a. We have
said. a fervent Christian no does not hesitate to
aver that what we read in tho first chapters
Of Genesis Is not IN account dictated by God
Himself the possession OF which was the OK
elusive privilege Of tho chosen people. 1t is q
tradition whose origin is lost In the night Of
the remotest ages and which all the great
peoples OF western Asia possessed In common"
He endeavors to establish = distinction be-
tween inspiration and revelation. but the out
come OF his efforts In this direction Is the ad-
mission that whatever proof OF inspiration
may DO discerned by the believer in the tone Of
tho book Of Genesis. We certainly cannot ac-
cept its narrative OF the beginnings OF history
| as revealed truth.