THE SOURCE' OF THE NILE. 34 j
curfe * attended the mere feeing that part of the body of a parent, and not inftantly throwing a covering over it.
I do not propofe difcuiling at large the arguments for or againil the time of the beginning to circumcife. The fcripture has given fuch an account of it, that, when weigh- ed with the promife fo exactly kept to the end, feems to me to be a very rational one. But, confidering all revelation out of the queilion, I think there is no room to inflitute any free or fair inquiry. I give no pre-eminence to Mofes nor his writings. I fuppofe him a profane author ; but, till thofe that argue againil his account, and maintain circum- cifion was earlier than Abraham, fhall fhew me another profane writer as old as Mofes, as near the time they fay it began as Mofes was to the time of Abraham, I will not argue with them in fupport of Mofes againil Herodotus, nor difcufs who Herodotus's Phenicians, and who his Egyp- tians were that circumcifed. Herodotus knew not Abra- ham nor Mofes, and, compared to their days, he is but as yefterday. Thofe Phenicians and Egyptians might, for any thing he knew at his time, have received circumcilion from Abraham or Ifhmael, or fome of their poflerity, as the A- byllinians or Ethiopians, whom he refers to, actually fay they did, which Herodotus did not know, it is plain, though he mentions they were circumcifed. This tradition of the Abyffinians merits fome conlideration from what they fay of it themfelves, that they were, in the earlieil time, circum- cifed before they left their native country, and fettled in Tigre. From this they derive no honour, nor do they pre- tend
- Gen. chap. ix. ver. 22;-
