irst
invented on that shallow sea by the posterity of _Abraham_, and in passing
from island to island guided themselves by the sight of the islands in the
day time, or by the sight of some of the Stars in the night. Their old year
was the Lunisolar year, derived from _Noah_ to all his posterity, 'till
those days, and consisted of twelve months, each of thirty days, according
to their calendar: and to the end of this calendar-year they now added five
days, and thereby made up the Solar year of twelve months and five days, or
365 days.

The ancient _Egyptians_ feigned [260] that _Rhea_ lay secretly with
_Saturn_, and _Sol_ prayed that she might bring forth neither in any month,
nor in the year; and that _Mercury_ playing at dice with _Luna_, overcame,
and took from the Lunar year the 72d part of every day, and thereof
composed five days, and added them to the year of 360 days, that she might
bring forth in them; and that the _Egyptians_ celebrated those days as the
birth-days of _Rhea_'s five children, _Osiris_, _Orus_ senior, _Typhon_,
_Isis_, and _Nephthe_ the wife of _Typhon_: and therefore, according to the
opinion of the ancient _Egyptians_, the five days were added to the
Lunisolar calendar-year, in the Reign of _Saturn_ and _Rhea_, the parents
of _Osiris_, _Isis_, and _Typhon_; that is, in the Reign of _Ammon_ and
_Titaea_, the parents of the _Titans_; or in the latter half of the Reign of
_David_, when those _Titans_ were born, and by consequence soon after the
flight of the _Edomites_ from _David_ into _Egypt_: but the Solstices not
being yet settled, the beginning of this new year might not be fixed to the
Vernal Equinox before the Reign of _Amenophis_ the successor of _Orus_
junior, the Son of _Osiris_ and _Isis_.

When the _Edomites_ fled from _David_ with their young King _Hadad_ into
_Egypt_, it is probable that they carried thither also the use of letters:
for letters were then in use among the posterity of _Abraham_ in _Arabia
Petraea_, and upon the borders of the _Red Sea_, the Law being written there
by _Moses_ in a book, and in tables of stone, long before: for _Moses_
marrying the daughter of the prince of _Midian_, and dwelling with him
forty years, learnt them among the _Midianites_: and _Job_, who lived [261]
among their neighbours the _Edomites_, mentions the writing down or words,
as there in use in his days, _Job._ xix. 23, 24. and there is no instance
of letters for writing down sounds, being in