’Tis from this mythology, chiefly, that I can pretend to discourse any further, concerning these great works I have been describing. I shall endeavour to do it with all the brevity and perspicuity possible, as becomes such sort of discourses. Yet I despair not of finding out a good deal of true history. I shall not answer for all. And a great deal of candour is necessary in the reader, if he would have either pleasure or instruction in it. Yea, says a predecessor in these kind of inquiries, Dr. _Dickenson_, _Delph. Phœnic._ “if we look over the _greek_ mythology with proper sagacity, we shall easily discover many footsteps of true religion.” “A fable is an artificial discourse, consisting of the marvellous, and a philosopher, in some sort, is a lover of such,” says the great philosopher, _Metaphys._ I. 2. There are vast treasures of ancient knowledge in mythology, especially of history both sacred and civil. ’Tis all that we have left of heathen history of the most ancient times, and ’tis worth our while to shake off the rubbish, and pick out the useful part. The learned labours of _Bochart_, _Selden_, _Marsham_, _Huetius_, _Gale_, _Cumberland_, _Banier_, and many more, shew us its utility. And we must pardon them if, in some things, they have gone beyond the golden medium, we ourselves will be content to err somewhat with those great names. _Phut_, son of _Cham_, was a person of eminence, tho’ not taken notice of so much as he deserves. I think it much to our purpose to recite some part of his history. He is the _Apollo_ mention’d by _Sanchoniathon_, son of _Cronus_, who is _Cham_, as is demonstrated beyond doubt by bishop _Cumberland_, in his posthumous works; he is said to have been born in _Peræa_, i. e. the country towards the _Euphrates_: his third son; as likewise deliver’d by _Moses_. From the word _Phut_, he was called _Python_, by a little transposition natural in pronouncing a difficult name; and, by a like transposition, _Typhon_. _Apollo Pythius_ was the son of _Ammon, that is Cham_, says _Lucius Ampelius_, _in libro memoriali_. _Plutarch de Isid. & Osir._ writes, that _Typhon_ was brother to _Osiris_, who was undoubtedly _Misraim_, son of _Cham_. The like by _Diodorus Siculus_. To facilitate the understanding of antiquity, I here present the reader with a genealogical table of the great personages we are going to treat of. I could produce the evidences that prove each particular descent, in a strictly heraldical way, but it would now take up too much of our time. [Illustration: TAB. XXXIII. _Stukely delin._ _Harris Sculp._ _North-East View of the Kist-Vaen in Clatford bottom. 1. July. 1723._] DESCRIBED. _The_ GENEALOGY.