of the Roman alphabet by the teachers of Christianity

---The Irish language similar to the Greek, and of

Phoenician or Punic origin---similarity of Phoenician

and ancient Irish inscriptions---The sacred language

of the ancient Irish similar to the ancient Persian,

Arabic, and Sanskreet.

LETTER LXXIX.

Other collateral proofs that Ireland was civilized in a
very remote period---its coins---military array---or-
naments---buildings---coal-pits---Druidism of Scy-
thian origin---migration of the Scots from Ireland---
Opinion of Bishop Barnard.

LETTER LXXX.

Movements of the northern nations of very early date

---character of the ancient Goths---their notions of

national justice---traces of oriental usages among

them---their military and feudal spirit---chivalry---

respect for women---character of their females---

piety of these Gothic tribes---their songs and other

poetry.

LETTER LXXXI.

Of the ancient Gothic or Runic characters---The Goths

from Scythia---their ancient characters probably

from the same quarter---further proofs of the early

knowledge of letters among the northern nations---

View of the ancient Gothic mythology as preserved

in the Edda and other monuments---their funeral ce-

remonies.

LETTER

LETTER LXXXII.

The Scythians anterior to the Israelites---The Jewish
Scriptures entitled to high respect as the most ancient
historical records---illustrious character of Moses---
The design of his political constitution---wisdom of
his laws---purity of his religious system---sublimity
of the language of the Old Testament.

LETTER LXXXIII.

The Jewish Scriptures vindicated against the ridicule of

Voltaire---necessity of interpreting the history of the

creation and fall of man, and some other parts of

Scripture, allegorically---Cruelty not peculiarly the

character of the Hebrews---ends of the Jewish law

the purity of religion and the permanency of the state

---excellence of the moral doctrine of Moses---wis-

dom of his civil institutions---general view of the

Jewish history---the Hebrews probably not ignorant.

of a future state.

LETTER LXXXIV.

Man at all times nearly the same---Modern attainments

in science and arts less superior to those of the anci-

ents than is commonly supposed---The ancient Greeks

and Romans our masters in literature---their science

derived from earlier sources---even their letters bor-

rowed---both to be traced back to the Scythians---

Of the age in which Homer flourished.

LETTER

LETTER LXXXV.

Of Greece in its flourishing state---its philosophy, the-
ology, and ethic, though in many respects faulty,
contain much which deserves admiration---their my-
thology founded in the belief of one Supreme Deity
---subordinate divinities only personifications of
qualities---their worship allegorical---the doctrine
of their mysteries pure---descended to the Greeks
from Scythia---their fictions founded on phænomena
of nature more than on historical facts---most of
their mythology explicable on this principle.

LETTER LXXXVI.

View of the ancient state of Italy---The Etruscans a

flourishing people long before the Romans---the site

of Rome probably that of a more ancient city---Cha-

racter of the Romans---their vanity---ambition---

cruelty---origin and history of gladiatorial exhibi-

tions---The precarious nature of all human govern-

ments.

LETTER LXXXVII.

Ancient nations, before the time of Christ, cruel, su-
perstitious and intolerant---examples of intolerance in
Greece and Rome---The opposition, which so ex-
cellent a religion as Christianity has met with from
enlightened men, surprising---free inquiry every
man's duty---some degree of scepticism pardonable
---but the daring and wanton ridicule of revelation a
mark of a vain and depraved mind---great talents la-
mentably

mentably misapplied in supporting fashionable infi-
delity---history disgraced by being made the vehicle
of impiety---the folly and criminality of abandoning
religion because it is unfashionable---Insufficiency of
the law of nature, and the necessity of revelation.

LETTER LXXXVIII.

The same subject resumed---Human reason found by
experience incompetent to the full discovery of moral
and religious truth---the vanity, presumption, dog-
matism, and intolerance of modern infidels---tenets
taught by them destructive of good morals---Christi-
anity the perfection of natural religion.

LETTER LXXXIX.

Modern systems of ethics indebted to Christianity for
their superior excellence---none of its doctrines more
inscrutable than many things in nature---Its gentle
spirit---the intolerant character of ancient polytheism
confirmed by facts---Jews and Christians severely
persecuted by Pagans---philosophers themselves into-
lerant---necessity of revelation to prevent or correct
the abuses of reason---its sufficiency and perfection
a groundless plea.