the Goths descended into it from the north or from the seat of the north-wind, not from the east or from the seat of the east-wind.

With a similar disregard to propriety, he makes the second trumpet introduce the plague of the west-wind; because the Western Empire was invaded by the Goths and Vandals and Alans and those other Scythian nations who at length divided it into ten kingdoms. Here again, though the Western Empire was desolated and partitioned by the fierce warriors of Germany; an attack, which was made from the north, cannot possibly be the plague of the west-wind.

Exactly the same objection applies to his supposition, that the plague of the south-wind is introduced by the third trumpet; because the Vandals and Alans invaded the southern provinces of Africa from Spain. These conquerors, when they reduced Africa, came from the north or the northwest in such a line of march, therefore, they cannot be esteemed the plague of the south-wind.

Nor is he more happy in making the fourth trumpet introduce the plague of the north-wind; on the ground, that Rome and Italy were successively harassed and conquered by the Ostrogoths and the Greeks and the Lombards. Three varied attacks from the north and from the east answer not to the character of the north-wind.

I need scarcely remark, that the general fault of Sir Isaac's arrangement is a most singular mistake which runs through the whole of it.

A wind, which blows upon the Eastern Empire, he calls an east-wind: a wind, which blows upon the Western Empire, he calls a west-wind: a wind, which blows upon Southern Africa, he calls a south-wind: and a wind, which blows upon Northern Italy, he calls a north-wind.

But, as this is not the true physiological description of a wind, it cannot, I think, express the meaning of the prophecy'.

An east-wind may, no doubt, blow upon the Eastern Empire; but a wind, which blows upon the Eastern Empire, is not therefore, of necessity, an east-wind: on the contrary, the east-wind is that wind, which exclusively blows from the east. In like manner, a west-wind certainly may blow upon the Western Empire; but a wind, which blows upon the Western Empire, is not therefore, of necessity, a west-wind: on the contrary, the west-wind is that wind which blows exclusively from the west. Sir Isaac, however, wholly disregards the point of the compass, from which a wind blows, and which thence gives it its appropri

'I may add, that, even if it were a true physiological description of a wind, an objection would still lie against Sir Isaac Newton's arrangement. His east-wind blows on the Eastern Empire his west-wind, on the Western Empire: his southwind, on Southern Africa: his north-wind, on Northern Italy. Such being the case, it is obvious, that Italy is reckoned twice in the account, and that moreover under two entirely different geographical aspects: the first time, as the chief member of the Western Empire; the second time, as the Northern Region of the Empire with reference to Southern Africa.

ate distinctive appellation: for, by a most extraordinary error, he speaks of a wind, as being an eastwind or a west-wind or a south-wind or a northwind, according as, by the act of blowing upon them, it affects the east or the west or the south or the north'.

Having now obtained the true key to the exposition of the four first trumpets, we shall soon find that it will open these four oracles in most curious accordance with the testimony of history.

I. The first angel sounded: and there were produced hail and fire mingled with blood; and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of the earth was parched up; and the third part of the trees was parched up; and all the green grass was parched up3.

In the language of symbols, a hail-storm mingled with lightning and blood denotes a tempest of desolating war and foreign invasion. But the four plagues, introduced by the four first trumpets, pro ceed from the four opposite cardinal points of the compass. Therefore, from some one of those points, the hail-storm of the first trumpet must proceed. Hence the question is, from which of them it descends upon the Roman World.

1. According to the physiological decorum of the symbol, the plague of the first trumpet must be the plague of the north-wind; because hail and snow

1 Observ. on the Apoc. chap. iii. p. 295-303.

2 Rev. viii. 7.

and ice are generated in the frozen region of the north.

This supposition, which so obviously springs from the mere machinery of the prophecy alone, is converted into absolute certainty by the interpreting voice of history. The first serious injury, which the Roman Empire received after the downfall of Paganism under the sixth seal, was by the furious and reiterated attacks of the Goths and various other warlike nations from the whole frontier of the north.

Thus have we doubly ascertained, both from the decorum of the symbol and from the concurring voice of history, that the plague of the first trumpet is the plague of the north-wind. Hence it will plainly follow, that every attack from the north, which is made upon the Roman Empire subsequent to the commencement of the first trumpet, must be viewed as a portion of the great hail-storm which that trumpet introduces.

2. The remarks, which have already been made upon the apocalyptic THIRD PART, will lead us, I apprehend, to the true date of the first trumpet.

Since this trumpet is described, as injuring indeed the entire Roman earth, but as absolutely parching up a third part of it; the final division of the Empire, alluded to by the phrase in question, must have taken place before the sounding of the first trumpet : because this division, which is alluded to in the oracle of the first trumpet, certainly could not be alluded to, before it was effect

ed. Now the division, which had already become familiar in theory, was finally and irrevocably made upon the death of Theodosius, the last Roman Prince whose authority was universally acknowledged throughout the WHOLE extent of the Empire. His two sons, Arcadius and Honorius, stand respectively the first of the two lines of Greek and Latin Emperors: and in this divided state the Empire continued, without (as was formerly the case) a speedy coalescing of its severed parts, until its western portion was conquered and parcelled out by the warriors of the north. But Theodosius died, and the Empire was finally divided, in the year 395. Therefore the first trumpet cannot have begun to sound previous to that year'.

In such a conclusion, we are fully warranted by the testimony of history. The Gothic nations indeed, from the very time of Constantine, had been almost perpetually at war with the Romans: but, though often threatening to overwhelm them by repeatedly violating the long extent of the northern frontier, they were latterly restrained from effecting their purpose by the sole genius of Theodosius. Until he was removed by the hand of death, the fury of the allegorical north-wind was holden, that it should not blow, with a mingled tempest of hail and fire and blood, upon the Roman World. As the impatient Goths, says the historian, could only be restrained by the firm and temperate cha

See above book iv. chap. 5. § II.