himself believed." By truth, we are to understand religious truth, his firm persuasion of the truth of Christianity; to the investigation and establishment of which he devoted his whole life. This was the central point, around which all his labours turned; the ultimate object at which they aimed.

Such are the particulars we have been able to collect of this profound scholar and antiquary. But the life of a man of letters appears, and must be chiefly sought for in his works, of which we subjoin the following catalogue:

The first work Mr. Bryant published was in 1767, intituled, "Observations and Inquiries relating to various Parts of antient History; containing Dissertations on the Wind Euroclydon, (see vol. v. p. 325.); and on the Island Melite, (see vol. v. p. 357.), together with an Account of Egypt in its most early State, (see vol. vi. p. 1.); and of the Shepherd Kings." (See vol. vi. p. 105.) This publication is calculated not only to throw light on the antient history of the kingdom of Egypt, but on the history also of the Chaldeans, Assyrians, Babylonians, Edomites, and other nations. The account of the Shepherd Kings contains a statement of the time of their coming into Egypt; of the particular province they possessed, and, to which the Israelites afterwards succeeded. The treatise on the Euroclydon was designed to vindicate the common reading of Acts, xxvii. 14. in opposition to Bochart, Grotius, and Bentley, supported by the authority of the Alexandrine M.S. and the Vulgate, who thought EUROAQUILO more agreeable to the truth.

His grand work, called, "A New System, or, an Analysis of Antient Mythology," was the next; "wherein an attempt is made to divest Tradition of Fable, and to reduce Truth to its original Purity." This was published in quarto, vol. i. and ii. in 1774, and vol. iii. in 1776.

In 1775 he published "A Vindication of the Apamean Medal, (see vol. v. p. 287.) and of the Inscription ΝΩΕ; together with an Illustration of another Coin struck at the same Place in honour of the Emperor Severus." This appeared in the fourth volume of the Archæologia, and also as a separate quarto pamphlet.

"An address to Dr. Priestley, on the Doctrine of Philosophical Necessity illustrated," 1780. A pamphlet, octavo.

"Vindiciæ Flavianæ; or, a Vindication of the Testimony given by Josephus concerning our Saviour Jesus Christ." A pamphlet, octavo. 1780.

"Observations on the Poems of Thomas Rowley; in which the authenticity of these Poems is ascertained." Two duodecimo volumes, 1781. In this controversy Mr. Bryant engaged deeply and earnestly, and was assisted in it by the learned Dr. Glynn of King's College, Cambridge. Our author in this, as in his other controversial writings, was influenced by a spirit of sober inquiry, and a regard for truth. The leading object he had in view, in his Observations on the poems ascribed to Rowley, was to prove, by a variety of instances, that Chatterton could not be their author, as he appeared not to understand them himself. This plea appears specious, yet it is certain the learned author failed egregiously in his proofs, and this publication added little to the reputation he had already acquired. The best way of accounting for Mr. Bryant's risking his well-earned and high character in the literary world in this controversy, and for the eagerness with which he engaged in it, is from the turn of his studies. "He had," to borrow the words of Mr. Mason, "been much engaged in antiquities, and consequently had imbibed too much of the spirit of a protest antiquarian; now we know, from a thousand instances, that no set of men are more willingly duped than these, especially by any thing that comes to them under the fascinating form of a new discovery."

"Collections on the Zingara, or Gypsey Language." Archæologia, vol. vii.

"Gemmarum antiquarum Delectus ex præstantioribus desumptus in Dactylotheca Ducis Marlburiensis," Two vols, folio, 1783, &c. This is the first volume of the Duke of Marlborough's splendid edition of his invaluable collection of Gems, and was translated into French by Dr. Maty. The second volume was done in Latin by Dr. Cole, prebendary of Westminster; the French by Mr. Dutens. The Gems are exquisitely engraved by Bartolozzi. This work was privately printed, and no more copies taken than were intended for the crowned heads of Europe, and a few of his Grace's private friends; after which the coppers for the plates were broken, and the manuscript for the letter-press carefully reduced to ashes.

"A Treatise on the Authenticity of the Scriptures, and the Truth of the Christian Religion." Octavo, 1792.

"Observations upon the Plagues inflicted upon the Egyptians; in which is shewn the Peculiarity of those Judgments, and their Correspondence with the Rites and Idolatry of that People; with a prefatory discourse concerning the Grecian colonies from Egypt." Octavo, 1794.

The treatise on the authenticity of the Scriptures was published anonymously, and the whole of the profits arising from its sale given to the society for the Propagation of the Gospel. It contains a good general view of the leading arguments for Divine Revelation.

"Observations upon a Treatise, intituled, Description of the Plain of Troy, by Mons Le Chevalier," Quarto, 1795.

"A Dissertation concerning the War of Troy, and the Expedition of the Grecians, as described by Homer; shewing that no such Expedition was ever undertaken, and that no such City in Phrygia ever existed." Quarto, 1796. The appearance of this publication excited great surprise among the learned, and made few proselytes to the doctrine it inculcates; and even his high authority failed in overturning opinions so long maintained and established among historians, and supported by such extensive and clear evidence. He is a wise man indeed who knows where to stop. Mr. Bryant had wonderfully succeeded in his famous Mythology, in "divesting Tradition of Fable, and reducing Truth to its original Purity," and this seduced him, as his antiquarian pursuits had done before, in the case of Rowley, to proceed to unwarrantable lengths in the Dissertation on the War of Troy. It was remarked on by Mr. Falconer, and answered in a very rude way by Mr. Gilbert Wakefield in a letter to Mr. Bryant. J. B. S. Morrit, Esq. of Rokeby Park, near Greta-Bridge, undertook to vindicate Homer, in a style and with manners more worthy of the subject and of a gentleman, and was replied to by Mr. Bryant.

"The Sentiments of Philo Judæus concerning the ΛΟΓΟΣ, or Word of God; together with large Extracts from his Writings, compared with the Scriptures, on many other essential Doctrines of the Christian Religion." Octavo, 1797.

"Dissertations on Balaam, Sampson, and Jonah," also, "Observations on famous controverted Passages in Josephus and Justin Martyr," are extremely curious, and such perhaps as only he could have written.

"The New System, or, an Analysis of Antient Mythology," here presented to the public, is a literary phenomenon, which will remain the admiration of scholars, as long as a curiosity after antiquity shall continue to be a prevailing passion among mankind. Its author was master of the profoundest erudition, and did not come behind the most distinguished names of the last century, for their attention to the minutest circumstance that might cast a ray of light upon the remotest ages. Nothing in the antient Greek and Roman literature, however recondite, or wherever dispersed, could escape his sagacity and patient investigation. But we are not to confine our admiration of the work before us to the deep erudition discoverable in it; this elaborate production is equally distinguished for its ingenuity and novelty. Departing with a boldness of genius from the systems of his predecessors in the same walks of literature, he delights by his ingenuity, while he astonishes by his courage, and surprises by his novelty. In the last point of view, this work is indeed