ference to the religion, which this people
professed; and to the ancestors, whence they sprung. The Deity, which they
originally worshipped, was the Sun. But they soon conferred his titles upon
some of their ancestors: whence arose a mixed worship. They particularly
deified the great Patriarch, who was the head of their line; and worshipped
him as the fountain of light: making the Sun only an emblem of his
influence and power. They called him Bal, and Baal: and there were others
of their ancestry joined with him, whom they styled the Baalim. Chus was
one of these: and this idolatry began among his sons. In respect then to
the names, which this people, in process of time, conferred either upon the
Deities they worshipped, or upon the cities, which they founded; we shall
find them to be generally made up of some original terms for a basis, such
as Ham, Cham, and Chus: or else of the titles, with which those personages
were, in process of time, honoured. These were Thoth, Men or Menes, Ab, El,
Aur, Ait, Ees or Ish, On, Bel, Cohen, Keren, Ad, Adon, Ob, Oph, Apha, Uch,
Melech, Anac, Sar, Sama, Samaim. We must likewise take notice of those
common names, by which places are distinguished, such as Kir, Caer,
Kiriath, Carta, Air, Col, Cala, Beth, Ai, Ain, Caph, and Cephas. Lastly are
to be inserted the particles Al and Pi; which were in use among the antient
Egyptians.

Of these terms I shall first treat; which I look upon as so many elements,
whence most names in antient mythology have been compounded; and into which
they may be easily resolved: and the history, with which they are attended,
will, at all times, plainly point out, and warrant the etymology.

HAM or CHAM.

The first of the terms here specified is Ham; at different times, and in
different places, expressed Cham, Chom, [8]Chamus. Many places were from
him denominated Cham Ar, Cham Ur, Chomana, Comara, Camarina. Ham, by the
Egyptians, was compounded Am-On, [Greek: Amon] and [Greek: Ammon]. He is to
be found under this name among many nations in the east; which was by the
Greeks expressed Amanus, and [9]Omanus. Ham, and Cham are words, which
imply heat, and the consequences of heat; and from them many words in other
languages, such as [10][Greek: Kauma] Caminus, Camera, were derived. Ham,
as a Deity, was esteemed the [11]Sun: and his priests were styled Chamin,
Chaminim, and Chamerim. His name is often found compounded with other
terms, as in Cham El, Cham Ees, Cam