dibility, that any attempt at forming a calculation on
the uncertain data we possess may at once be abandoned as a hopeless
task. No better proof can be given of the uncertainty of our
authorities, of our imperfect knowledge of the Hebrew weights of money,
and, above all, of our total ignorance of the relative value which the
precious metals bore to the commodities of life, than the estimate, made
by Dr. Prideaux, of the treasures left by David, amounting to eight
hundred millions, nearly the capital of our national debt.

Our inquiry into the sources of the vast wealth which Solomon
undoubtedly possessed may lead to more satisfactory, though still
imperfect, results. The treasures of David were accumulated rather by
conquest than by traffic. Some of the nations he subdued, particularly
the Edomites, were wealthy. All the tribes seem to have worn a great
deal of gold and silver in their ornaments and their armor; their idols
were often of gold, and the treasuries of their temples perhaps
contained considerable wealth. But during the reign of Solomon almost
the whole commerce of the world passed into his territories. The treaty
with Tyre was of the utmost importance: nor is there any instance in
which two neighboring nations so clearly saw, and so steadily pursued,
without jealousy or mistrust, their mutual and inseparable
interests.[35]

[Footnote 35: The very learned work of Movers, _Die Phoenizier_ (Bonn,
1841, Berlin, 1849) contains everything which true German industry and
comprehensiveness can accumulate about this people. Movers, though in
such an inquiry conjecture is inevitable, is neither so bold, so
arbitrary, nor so dogmatic in his conjectures as many of his
contemporaries. See on Hiram, ii. 326 _et seq._ Movers is disposed to
appreciate as of high value the fragments preserved in Josephus of the
Phoenician histories of Menander and Dios.

Mr. Kenrick's _Phoenicia_ may also be consulted with advantage.]

On one occasion only, when Solomon presented to Hiram twenty inland
cities which he had conquered, Hiram expressed great dissatisfaction,
and called the territory by the opprobrious name of Cabul. The Tyrian
had perhaps cast a wistful eye on the noble bay and harbor of Acco, or
Ptolemais, which the prudent Hebrew either would not, or could
not--since it was part of the promised land--dissever from his
dominions. So strict was the confederacy, that Tyre may be considered
the port of Palestine, Palestine th