ndaries of their travel. Some of them seem to have been of the same age;
and to have carried on these conquests at nearly the same time: and those,
whose aera may possibly differ, have this in common with the others; that
they visit the same countries, march for the most part by the same rout;
and are often joined by the same allies, and are followed by the like
attendants. They are in general esteemed benefactors, wherever they go: and
carry the sciences with them, as well as their religious rites; in which
they instruct the natives in different parts of the world. These are to be
sure noble occurrences; which however could not possibly have happened, as
they are represented above. It is not to be supposed, that any person in
those early ages, or in any age, could go over such a tract of country;
much less that he should subdue it. It is still more improbable, that such
extensive conquests should be so immediately repeated: and that they should
in some instances be carried on by different people at nearly the same
time. They, who speak of mighty empires being founded in those early days,
know little of true history; and have formed a very wrong judgment of the
politics, which then universally prevailed. The whole earth, as far as we
can learn, was divided into little cooerdinate states: every city seems to
have been subservient to its own Judge and Ruler, and independent of all
others. In the land of [907]Canaan thirty-one kings were subdued by Joshua,
between Jordan and the sea: and some were still left by him unconquered. In
those days, says the learned Marsham, quot urbes, tot regna. The like was
for many ages after observable in Greece, as well as in Latham, Samnium,
and Hetruria. A powerful enemy made Egypt unite under one head: and the
necessities of the people in a time of dearth served to complete that
system. The Israelites too, when settled in Canaan, formed a large kingdom.
Excepting these two nations we know of none of any considerable extent,
that were thus united. The [908]Syrians and the Philistim were in separate
states, and under different governors. The kingdoms of Nineve and Babylonia
consisted each of one mighty city, with its environs; in which were perhaps
included some subordinate villages. They were properly walled
[909]Provinces; and the inhabitants were in a state of rest for ages. The
Assyrian did not till about seven hundred years before Christ, begin to
contend for dominion, and make acquisitio