Elijah, and in Asia Minor, all the accounts that he gives of the Greek and Trojan customs, have a wonderful resemblance with what the Scripture informs us of concerning the manners of the Hebrews and other eastern people: only the Greeks, not being so ancient, were not so polite.

But however it might be in former times, we are sure that David left a great number of artificers in his kingdom of all sorts: masons, carpenters, blacksmiths, goldsmiths, and indeed all such as work in stone, wood, and metals." And that we may not think they were strangers, it is said that Solomon chose out of Israel thirty thousand workmen, and that he had seventy thousand that bare burthens, and eighty thousand hewers in the mountains. It is true, he borrowed workmen of the king of Tyre, and owned that his subjects did not understand cutting wood so well as the Sidonians, and that he sent for Hiram, an excellent founder, to make the sacred vessels.

But luxury increasing after the division of the two kingdoms, there is reason to believe they had always plenty of workmen. In the genealogy of the tribe of Judah, we may observe, there is a place called the valley of

Marm. Arundel. And this is a further proof that the poems of Homer were composed from incidents in real life; and about that period to which they are generally assigned; and that they are not poetic figments, like most of the Epic poems which were formed after their model.

craftsmen, because, says the Scripture, they dwelt there. There is likewise mention made in the same place, of people that wrought in fine linen, and of potters, who worked for the king, and dwelt in his gardens. All this shews the respect that was paid to famous mechanics, and the care that was taken to preserve their memory. The prophet Isaiah, amongst his menaces against Jerusalem, foretels, that GOD will take away from her the cunning artificers :a and when it was taken, it is often said, that they carried away the very workmen. But we have a proof from Ezekiel, that they never had any considerable manufactures, when the prophet, describing the abundance of their merchandise which came to Tyre, mentions nothing brought from the land of Judah and Israel, but wheat, oil, resin, and balm; all of them commodities that the earth itself produced.

C

These were the employments of the Israelites, and their manner of subsisting. Let us now come to something more particular, and describe their apparel, their houses, furniture, food, and whole manner of living, as exactly. as we can. They rose early, as the Scripture observes in a great number of places, that is, as often as it mentions any action, though ne

1 Chron. iv. 14. The valley of Craftsmen gia charashim, translated vallis artificum, by the Vulgate. wn charash, signifies to work in iron, wood, stone, pottery, &c. and Joab, the person mentioned in the text, is styled by Rabbi Joseph's Targum, the chief or superin, tendent of the Craftsmen or Artificers.

a Isaiah iii. 3. Ezek. xxvii. 17.

2 Kings xxiv. 14,

ver so inconsiderable. Hence it comes, that, in their style, to rise early signifies, in general, to do a thing sedulously, and with a good will: thus it is frequently said, that GOD rose up early to send the prophets to his people, and exhort them to repentance.a It is a conse

quence of country labour. The Greeks and Pomans followed the same custom: they rose very early, and worked till night: they bathed, supped, and went to bed in good time.

T

CHAP. VI.

Their Wearing Apparel.

e

AS to the clothes of the Israelites, we cannot know exactly the shape of them. They had no pictures or statues, and there is no coming at a right notion of these things without seeing them. But one may give a guess at them, from the statues which remain of the Greeks and other nations for as to modern pictures, most of them serve only to give us false ideas. I do d 2 Chron. xxxvii. 15. Jerem. vii. 13. xi. 7. xxxv. 14. There is every reason to believe that the dress of the Jews was similar to that of the ancient Egyptians and, as many statues and monuments of Egyptian antiquity still remain, we may see by them what the ancient Jewish habits were. A Tunic was the principal part of their dress: this was made nearly in the form of our present shirt. A round hole was cut at top, merely to permit the head to pass through. Sometimes it had long sleeves, which reached down to the wrists: at other times short sleeves, which reached to the elbow; and some had very short sleeves, which reached only to the middle of the upper arm; and some

not speak only of those Gothic paintings, in which every person, let him have lived where and when he would, is dressed like those the painter was accustomed to see; that is, as the French or Germans were some hundred years ago; I mean the works of the greatest painters, except Raphael, Poussin, and some few others that have thoroughly studied the manner or costume of each age, as they call it. All the rest have had no more sense than to paint the people of the east, such as they saw at Venice, or other parts of Italy; and for the stories of the New Testament, they painted the Jews like those of their own country. However, as most Scripture painting is copied from these originals, we have taken the impression of it from our infancy, and are used to form to ourselves an idea of the Patriarchs with turbans, and beards down to their waist; and of the Pharisees in the Gospel with hoods and pouches. There is no great evil in being deceived in all this; but it is better not to be deceived, if possible.

The ancients commonly wore long garments, as most nations in the world still do; and as we ourselves did in Europe not above two hundred years ago. One may much sooner cover the whole body all at once, than each part of it had no sleeves at all. The Tunic was nearly the same with the Roman Stola, and was in general girded round the waist, or under the breasts with the zona or girdle. Besides the Tunic, they wore the Pallium which covered the shoul ders and back, and was the same with the Chlamys of the Greeks. Indeed all these ancient nations seem to have had nearly the same dress.

singly; and long garments have more dignity and gracefulness, In hot countries they always wore a wide dress, and never concerned themselves about covering the arms or legs, or wore any thing upon the feet, but soles fastened in different ways. Thus their dress took but little making it was only a large piece of cloth shaped into a garment; there was nothing to cut, and not much to sew. They had likewise the art of weaving gowns with sleeves all of one piece, and without seam, as our Saviour's coat was.f

The fashions never changed, nor do they' now, in any part of the east. And since clothes are made to cover the body, and men's bodies are alike in all ages, there is no occasion for the prodigious variety of dresses, and such frequent changes, as we are used to. It is reasonable to seek that which is most convenient, that the body may be sufficiently defended against the injuries of the weather, according to the climate and season, and be at perfect liberty in all its motions. There must be a proper respect paid to decency, age, sex, and profession. One may have an eye likewise to the handsomeness of clothes, provided, under that pretence, we do not wear uncasy ornaments, and are contented, as the ancients were, with pleasing colours and natural drapery: but when once we have found what is handsome and convenient, we ought by no means to change. Nor are they the wisest people who invent

John xix. 23.