A

DISSERTATION

ON THE

RUINS,

OR

REVOLUTIONS OF EMPIRES;

BEING

A CRITICAL

EXAMINATION AND REFUTATION

OF A WORK ENTITLED

"REMARKS ON VOLNEY'S RUINS,"

"BY W. A. HAILS."

By R. J. ROWE.

Quid dignum tanto feret hic promissor hiatu?
Parturiunt montes, nascetur ridiculus mus.

-If, as is the fact, the majority deceive themselves, and deceive
themselves with sincerity, it follows that the human mind as readily
imbibes falsehood as truth; and in that case, how is it to be enlight-
ened?-Ruins, Chapter 14th.

LONDON:

PUBLISHED BY LONGMAN, REES, ORME, BROWN, GREEN,
AND LONGMAN, PATERNOSTER ROW.

MDCCCXXXII.

679.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

Preliminary remarks; examination of Mr. Hails's " introductory

observations"; and refutation of his historical citations

CHAPTER II.

Exposure of the perversion and mutilation resorted to, in the ex-

tracts from the Ruins

CHAPTER III.

Proofs required adduced, as illustrative of the "artifices practised

by Moses at Horeb and Sinai "; questions discussed relative

to early history; of the Olympiads, the history of Egypt,

Greece, &c.

PAGE.

1

12

24

CHAPTER IV.

Remarks on the incorrectness of the Jewish history; observations

on the Pentateuch; data afforded which prove it not to have

been written by Moses

CHAPTER V.

Attempted refutation of Mr. Hails's expositions of the various re-

ligious creeds or systems reviewed in the 21st chapter of the

Ruins; including observations on the prophecies in Genesis,

relative to the coming of the Shiloh; which is demonstrated

to be a perversion of the original, in the sense given it in the

Remarks

32

58

vi

CHAPTER VI.

Continuation of the remarks on the reputed prophecies contained

in the Jewish writings, as applicable to a spiritual Messiah,

and more particularly on those of Isaiah and Daniel; proofs

adduced as illustrative of the spurious origin of the book of

Daniel; and the consequent misapplication of the prophecies

quoted from it

CHAPTER VII.

PAGE.

71

Refutation of the criticism on the word Elohim, or Gods in the

plural, as involving the doctrine of the Trinity; and further

observations on the statements and quotations from the 21st

chapter of the Ruins, relative to the religion of the Persians 83

CHAPTER VIII.

Of the religion of the Persians; the epoch of the legislator Zoro-

aster, &c. &c.

93

CHAPTER IX.

Examination of the criticisms contained in the 8th chapter of the

Remarks, relative to the 9th section of the 22nd chapter of

the Ruins, "Of the religion of Moses, or worship of the soul

of the world (You-piter)"; remarks also on the critique of

Volney's criticism on the word Yahouh, as being synonymous

with Jehovah

CHAPTER X.

112

Further remarks on the religion of Moses; and on the asserted

non-existence of the zodiacs of Esneh and Denderah, in the

early times to which their origin has been referred: remarks

on the attempted refutation of Volney's definition of the word

Tsour, as being synonymous with Osiris, Deut. xxxii. 4. 126

CHAPTER XI.

Examination of the attempted refutations of the political parts of

the Ruins, comprehending the Principles of Society, &c. &c. 133