home from time to time, their riches, and moft likely would be tempted to take a part with them. Joppa ferved as a Port to Judæa and Jerufalem, and Solomon made ufe of it to import the materials for his buildings; for this wife Prince, fent to King Hiram, for a number of his most fkilful workmen in metals, stone and wood, Founders, Mafons, Carvers and Architects, and then raised a Levy of thirty thousand Ifraelites no doubt to be inftructed by them, for the curious part of all the work was wrought on the Plains of Jordan.

At that time all the Oriental Coaft of Africa went under the general name of Ophir, and all the Western Coast of Africa and Spain was then called Tarshish, but we do not hear of the HEBREWs having much distant Commerce by Sea before the Navigation regularly carried on in the reign of Solomon. There were then two Fleets, one failed from Tyre under the inspection

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of King Hiram, in which Solomon had a fhare, and the other was more directly fitted out by the Ifraelites.

These Fleets failed through the straits of Gibralter quite to Guinea.

Solomon carried on a Traffick with the Spice Merchants in Arabia and the South, and another profitable Merchandize with the inhabitants in the North, and he traded largely to Egypt for Linens, Yarns, Horfes and Carriages.

Although the Jewifh Territories were fo fmall, the HEBREWS fo very numerous, and their Sabbatic year deprived them of the produce of one year in feven, yet they exported great quantities of Corn, Oil, Honey, Wine, and Fruits to Tyre and other Countries

The Nations who were tributary to them, paid their tribute in fuch Commodities, as their Country abounded with, either for food

food or raiment, and the annual Tribute to Ifrael, from Mefha King of Moab was, one hundred thousand Lambs, and as many Rams with their wool.

The Additions are large to the Histo rical Parts, as in our Bibles, enough is not told of the reigns of fome of the Jewish Kings, to interest you in their Story, for the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah and Ifrael, so often referred to, is loft. A very humble attempt is made to separate their Reigns, occafioning much repetition, and fometimes (it mult be allowed) obfcuring the Period. Their characters, here enlarged, are held up for imitation, or portraits of Vice and Deformity.

The Ifraelitish Hiftory, as conveyed down to us in the Scriptures of the Old Teftament, finishes with the Book of Efther, in a very concife and most fuperficial manner, it is here carried on to

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embroideries; by exprefs orders all of them wore fringes, a memorial of the Law of Jehovah which they were commanded to do. The Women were covered over with a Veil, and it was esteemed always immodeft to appear abroad without one.

Of all colours, white was what they prized moft, next to that blew, or sky colour, but on the change of Government and Reign of the Kings, Princes and Officers of the Household and Army began to wear more fhowy Colours, and Saul cloathed the, Daughters of Ifrael in fcarlet, others were dreffed in crimfon, and the richeft of all was purple.

The Grecian, and the Roman drefs, is handed down to us in bufts and pictures, but no figure or refemblance of a Jew was ever made. The Woman of fashion was clad in needle work, or rich stuffs from Tyre, they wore Jewels, and among other

orna

ornaments, a tinkling bell on each leg, which gave a musical cadence to their steps,

The Mens drefs confifted of a tunic and drawers of linen, and an upper garment like loose cloak, occafionally wrapt round, and confined by a girdle, and on that girdle, hung his money bag. The upper garment, the Jew could never pawn for longer than the day, at night the pledge was always restored, for it was his blanket and night covering.

The Gallantry of the Jew did not confist in the fashion of his dress, but his number of changes, bright colours, rich fringes and embroideries. A fond Father decked his favourite boy in a coat of many colours, rainbow like, and at his wedding arrayed him in all his gaieft ornaments, encircled him with flambeaus, and led him through the streets of Jerufalem. Thus, at midnight, was the Bridegroom, and his gla

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