however the terms may be disposed. And I may proceed
farther to suppose that it was denominated the fountain of light; as I am
able to support my etymology by the history of the place. Or if I should
meet with a country called Azania, I may in like manner derive it from
Az-An, a fountain sacred to the Sun; from whence the country was named. And
I may suppose this fountain to have been sacred to the God of light, on
account of some real, or imputed, quality in its waters: especially if I
have any history to support my etymology. As there was a region named
Azania in Arcadia, the reader may judge of my interpretation by the account
given of the excellence of its waters. [212][Greek: Azania, meros tes
Arkadias--esti krene tes Azanias, he tous geusamenous tou hudatos poiei
mede ten osmen tou oinou anechesthai]. Hanes in [213]Egypt was the reverse
of Azan; formed however of the same terms, and of the same purport
precisely.

In respect to this city it may be objected, that if it had signified, what
I suppose, we should have found it in the sacred text, instead of [Hebrew:
CHNS], expressed [Hebrew: `YN ASH]. If this were true, we must be obliged
to suppose, whenever the sacred writers found a foreign name, composed of
terms not unlike some in their own language, that they formed them
according to their own mode of expression, and reduced them to the Hebrew
orthography. In short, if the etymology of an Egyptian or Syriac name could
be possibly obtained in their own language, that they had always an eye to
such etymology; and rendered the word precisely according to the Hebrew
manner of writing and pronunciation. But this cannot be allowed. We cannot
suppose the sacred writers to have been so unnecessarily scrupulous. As far
as I can judge, they appear to have acted in a manner quite the reverse.
They seem to have laid down an excellent rule, which would have been
attended with great utility, had it been universally followed: this was, of
exhibiting every name, as it was expressed at the time when they wrote, and
by the people, to whom they addressed themselves. If this people, through
length of time, did not keep up to the original etymology in their
pronunciation, it was unnecessary for the sacred Penmen to maintain it in
their writings. They wrote to be understood: but would have defeated their
own purpose, if they had called things by names, which no longer existed.
If length of time had introduced any variations, those chan