"As soon as the ancient language and religion of India became known in Europe it was asserted that Sanskrit, _like all other languages_, was to be derived from Hebrew, and the ancient religion of the Brahmans from the Old Testament. There was at that time an enthusiasm among Oriental scholars, particularly at Calcutta, and an interest for Oriental antiquities in the public at large, of which we, in these days of apathy for Eastern literature, can hardly form an adequate idea. Everybody wished to be first in the field, and to bring to light some of the treasures which were supposed to be hidden in the sacred literature of the Brahmans. . . . No doubt the temptation was great. No one could look down for a moment into the rich mine of religious and mythological lore that was suddenly opened before the eyes of scholars and theologians, _without being struck by a host of similarities, not only in the languages, but also in the ancient traditions of the Hindoos_, the Greeks, and the Romans; and if at that time the Greeks and Romans were still _supposed_ to have borrowed their language and their religion from Jewish quarters, _the same conclusion could hardly be avoided with regard to the language and the religion of the Brahmans of India_. . . . "The student of Pagan religion as well as Christian missionaries were bent on discovering more striking and more startling coincidences, _in order to use them in confirmation of their favorite theory that some rays of a primeval revelation, or some reflection of the Jewish religion, had reached the uttermost ends of the world_."[107:1] The result of all this is summed up by Prof. Müller as follows: "_It was the fate of all (these) pioneers, not only to be left behind in the assault which they had planned, but to find that many of their approaches were made in a false direction, and had to be abandoned._"[107:2] Before closing this chapter, we shall say a few words on the religion of Israel. It is supposed by many--in fact, we have heard it asserted by those who should know better--that the Israelites were always _monotheists_, that they worshiped One God only--_Jehovah_.[107:3] This is altogether erroneous; they were not different from their neighbors--the Heathen, so-called--in regard to their religion. In the first place, we know that they revered and worshiped a _Bull_, called _Apis_,[107:4] just as the ancient Egyptians did. They worshiped the _sun_,[108:1] the _moon_,[108:2] the _stars_ and all the host of heaven.[108:3]