might be from his Countrymen, the _Phœnicians_, that _Zeno_ had the Doctrine of the _Conflagration_. Not that he brought it first into _Greece_, but strongly reviv’d it, and made it almost peculiar to his Sect. So much for the _Stoicks_ in particular, and the _Greeks_ in general. We have also, you see, trac’d these Opinions higher, to the first Barbarick Philosophers; who were the first Race of Philosophers after the Flood. But _Josephus_ tells a formal Story, of Pillars set up by _Seth_, before the Flood; implying the Foreknowledge of this fiery Destruction of the World, even from the Beginning of it. His Words, _lib. 1. c. 3._ are to this Effect, give what Credit to them you think fit: _Seth and his Fellow Students, having found out the Knowledge of the Cœlestial Bodies, and the Order and Disposition of the Universe; and having also receiv’d from Adam, a Prophecy, that the World should have a double Destruction, one by Water, another by Fire: To preserve and transmit their Knowledge, in either Case, to Posterity, they raised two Pillars, one of Brick, another of Stone, and ingrav’d upon them their Philosophy and Inventions. And one of these Pillars_, the Author says (Κατα τον Συριαδα) _was standing in_ Syria, _even to his Time_. I do not press the Belief of this Story; there being nothing, that I know of, in Antiquity, Sacred or Prophane, that gives a joint Testimony with it. And those that set up these Pillars, do not seem to me, to have understood the Nature of the _Deluge_ or _Conflagration_; if they thought a Pillar, either of Brick or Stone, would be secure, in those great Dissolutions of the Earth. But we have pursued this Doctrine high enough, without the Help of these ante-diluvian Antiquities: Namely, to the earliest People, and the first Appearances of Wisdom after the Flood. So that, I think, we may justly look upon it as the Doctrine of _Noah_, and of his immediate Posterity. And, as that is the highest Source of Learning to the present World; so we should endeavour to carry our Philosophical Traditions to that Original: For I cannot persuade myself, but that they had amongst them, even in those early Days, the main Strokes, or Conclusions of the best Philosophy: Or, if I may so say, a Form of sound Doctrine concerning Nature and Providence. Of which Matter, if you will allow me a short Digression, I will speak my Thoughts in a few Words.