Thus, in the fourth chapter of the First Book of Kings, not only are the
attainments of Solomon himself described, but other men, contemporaries
either of his father David or himself, are referred to, as distinguished
in the same direction, though to a less degree.

"And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much,
and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the
seashore. And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the
children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt. For
he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman,
and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in
all nations round about. And he spake three thousand proverbs:
and his songs were a thousand and five. And he spake of trees,
from the cedar-tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop
that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and
of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes. And there came
of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of
the earth, which had heard of his wisdom."

The tradition of his great eminence in scientific research is also
preserved in the words put into his mouth in the Book of the Wisdom of
Solomon, now included in the Apocrypha.

"For" (God) "Himself gave me an unerring knowledge of the
things that are, to know the constitution of the world, and
the operation of the elements; the beginning and end and
middle of times, the alternations of the solstices and the
changes of seasons, the circuits of years and the positions"
(_margin_, constellations) "of stars; the natures of living
creatures and the ragings of wild beasts, the violences of
winds and the thoughts of men, the diversities of plants and
the virtues of roots: all things that are either secret or
manifest I learned, for she that is the artificer of all
things taught me, even Wisdom."

Two great names have impressed themselves upon every part of the
East:--the one, that of Solomon the son of David, as the master of every
secret source of knowledge; and the other that of Alexander the Great,
as the mightiest of conquerors. It is not unreasonable to believe that
the traditions respecting the first have been founded upon as real a
basis of actual achievement as those respecting the second.

But to such scientific achievements we have no express allusion in