the language to which he applies.

It has been the custom of those writers, who have been versed in the
Oriental languages, to deduce their etymologies from roots; which are often
some portion of a verb. But the names of places and of persons are
generally an assemblage of qualities and titles; such as I have exhibited
in the treatise above; and I believe were never formed by such evolutions.
The terms were obvious, and in common use; taken from some well-known
characteristics. Those who imposed such names never thought of a root; and,
probably, did not know the purport of the term. Whoever, therefore, in
etymology, has recourse to this method of investigation, seems to me to act
like a person who should seek at the fountain-head for a city which stood
at the mouth of a river.

* * * * *

A

SHORT ACCOUNT

OF THE

HELLADIANS,

AND THEIR ORIGIN;

_In order to obviate some Objections._

As I have mentioned that the Helladians came from Egypt, and the east; it
may be proper to obviate an objection which may be made, to the account I
give; as if it were contradictory to the tenor of the scriptures, as they
are in general understood. Greece, and the islands of Greece, are
continually supposed, from the account given by Moses[568], to have been
peopled by the sons of Japhet; and there is scarce any body, either antient
or modern, who has touched upon this subject, but has imagined Javan to
have been the same as Ion, the son of Xuth, from whom the Ionians were
descended. This latter point I shall not controvert at present. In respect
to the former, the account given in the scriptures is undoubtedly most
true. The sons of Japhet did people the isles of the Gentiles; by which is
meant the regions of Greece and Europe, separated in great measure from the
Asiatic continent by the intervention of the sea. They certainly were the
first inhabitants of those countries. But the Helladians, though by family
Ionians, were not of this race. They came afterwards; and all their best
writers agree, that when their ancestors made their way into these
provinces, they were possessed by a prior people. Who these were is no
where uniformly said: only they agree to term them in general [Greek:
Barbaroi], or a rude, uncivilized people. As my system depends greatly upon
this point; to take away every prejudice to my opinion, I will in some
degree anticipate, what I shall hereafter more fully prove. I acco