138

him for having taken an arm of St. Denis in the church ufthole monks to place it in his oratory, is not f0 probable.

it’ there were no other than fuch like ftories to be erafed from the liifiory of France, or rather the hif- tory of the kings of the Franks and their mayors, we might pre- vail upon ourfelves to read it. But how can we endure the barbarous lies with which it is replete? Vil~ lages and fortrelles that never ex- ified, are continually befiegcd. There was nothing beyond the Rhine but a few hamlets without walls, defended by wooden [lakes and ditches. We know that Ger- many, before the time ofI-Ienry the Fowler, had no walled or fortified towns. ln aword, all the details of thofe times are f0 many fables, and, what is worfe, tirefome fables.

Olzferqzation: on ibe books, and nzale- rialt and mode of writing in ufe amongfi t/Je erg/terns.

N the book of job we meet with

a remarkable difiinction be- tween the writing of words, and writing them it: a 600k : it is in the following ejaculation of that great pattern of holy patience. Ob that my word: were now quritten l Ob that they were printed in a 600k! that they mvere grarvezw-in t/Je rook for ever! ch. xix. 23, 24. To explainthis, it may be proper to obferve that there is a way of writ-

ANNUALIUHHSTER

1766.

ing in the eaft, which is deligned to fix words on the memory, but the writing of which is not intend- ed to continue. In Barbary, as we are affured by the late learned and excellent Dr. Shaw, the chil- dren who are fent to fchool, make no ufe 0f paper, but each boy

writes upon a fmooth thin board, -

{lightly daubed over with whiting, which may be wiped off, or renew- ed at pleafure “; and it feems they learn to read, write, and get their lelfons by heart, all at the fame time. The words then of job may be confiderecl to this effect; “ _O “ t/mt my sword: might not be, like “ many of thofe of the miferable, “ immediately loft in inattention “ or forgetfnlncfs, but that they

“ were written, f0 as to be fixed -.

“ in the memory!” There are few, fays Dr. Shaw, who retain what they have learned in their youth; and tvithout- doubt things

were often wiped out of the memo- A ry of the Arabs in the days of job, g as well as out of their writing ta- I

610:, as it now often happens in Barbary. to fay; “ O t/oat they were written “ in a 600k.’ from whence they “ fhould not be blotted out!” In conformity to which Mofes fpeaks of writing things for a memorial in a boo/é. But books likewife were

Job therefore proceeds 17

liable to injuries ; for which reafon ‘l

jererrtiah commanded that tbe 600k containing tbs pure/raft he made of fome lands in judea, juft before the captivity, {ltould be put into an

“ See his travels, p. 194. Bp. Pocock reprefimts the Copttit, who are em-

ployed by the great men of Egypt to keep their accounts, fee. as making ufe of a tort 0t palieboard for the purpofe; the writing on which is wi

ped off from

time to time with awet fponge, the pieces of pafleboard being ufed as flares.

Sec bis travels, vol. I. p. 191.

tart/am

i