subsist together, he very rationally gives up the figment: and, while he retains the tale, he reduces the collective period of the twenty reigns to the comparatively moderate duration of 971 years. Yet, though the principle of his reduction is good, its amount, upon the sum total of twenty reigns, is clearly insufficient. For, if 971 years be the collective length of twenty reigns, the average length of each reign will be 4811 years: a duration far too great for the several reigns of such a succession'.

Rejecting, then, the too large chronology even of the more reasonable Mirkhond, but retaining what seems to have been his principle of reduction, we shall find, that a really fair calculation of the twenty reigns, which preceded that of Alexander the great, will bring us to about the epoch, before which the

Anc. Univ. Hist. vol. v. p. 328. Mirkhond, or Mohammed Ben Emir Khoanschah, wrote, under the title of Raoudhat al Safa, a general history, from the beginning of the world to the year of the Hegira 900. In common with the other Persian historians, he constantly and uniformly asserts, that he wrote from the authorities of ancient Persian documents, which had been preserved and handed down from the early ages of the monarchy. Some, indeed, of the princes, enumerated in the catalogue, fully identify themselves; and thence serve to correct the chronology. Thus, as Dara and Secander are clearly Da rius-Codomannus and Alexander: so Cai-Khosru and Gushtasf are evidently Cyrus and Darius-Hystaspis. Whence Cai-Kaus, who precedes Cai-Khosru, is apparently either Cyaxares or Cambyses the father of Cyrus: while Lohrasf, who comes between. Cai-Khosru and Gushtasf, thus determines himself to be Cambyses the son and successor of the great Cyrus....'!

independent Persian monarchy could not, consis tently with general history, have been founded.

f

The mighty Assyrian Empire, which was origi nally established by Nimrod at Babel, and which comprehended within its limits the whole of central Asia, fell asunder by the revolt of its provinces toward the close of the ninth century before Christ; after it had subsisted, under two successive dynasties, for the space of nearly 1500 years. A short season of anarchy and discord followed its dissolution: and then the independent kingdom of Media, the independent kingdom of Persia, and the independent kingdom of Assyria or the second Assyrian Empire under a new dynasty, sprang up out of its ruins. Under such circumstances, the Persian monarchy cannot have been founded earlier than the close of the ninth century before Christ: because, hitherto, the region, which at length became its territorial platform, was a mere province of the great original Assyrian Empire.

Now, with this statement, a rational calculation of the twenty Persian reigns, which preceded that of Alexander the great, will be found perfectly to agree: a matter, which strongly shews the numerical accuracy of the Persian historians; though, with the honourable exception of Mirkhond, nothing can be said in favour of their chronological accuracy.

The reign of Dara or Darius-Codomannus may be said to have terminated in the year A.C. 331, when Alexander stripped him of all his dominions : or, if we extend it to the time of his death which

happened in the following year, such an extension will be of no consequence so far as our present purpose is concerned. But the reign of Dara is the last of the twenty reigns, which precede that of Alexander the great. Consequently, our retrograde calculation of them must commence from the year A.C. 331. If then, on the rational principle of Sir Isaac Newton, we allow an average length of 22 years for each of the twenty reigns, we shall be brought to the year A.C. 771, for the rise of the Persian monarchy under Caiumuras: if an average length of 22 years for each reign, to the year A.C. 7811: if 23 years, to the year A.C. 791: if 23 years, to the year A.C. 801: and, if 24 years, to the year A.C. 811.

Thus, agreeably to the statement that the Persian monarchy could not have been founded earlier than the latter end of the ninth century before Christ, because the first Assyrian Empire did not fall asunder until that epoch; we now learn, from a rational calculation of the twenty reigns which preceded that of Alexander, that the Persian monarchy must have been founded some time between the year A.C. 811 and the year A.C. 7712.

1

1 This is the average length of our English reigns, from William I to George II, both inclusive.

2 See my Origin of Pagan Idol. book vi. chap. 2. § I, II, III. In that work, I place the rise of the Persian monarchy in the year A.C. 811: but there is no more precise authority for this year than for any other year between it and the year A.C. 771, We can only ascertain in general, on the principle of a calcula

(2.) Such, then, is the chronological commencement of the vision; for the vision, as we have seen, commences with the standing up of the ram or with the rise of the Persian monarchy: let us next inquire for the epoch of its chronological termination.

**This epoch is very carefully and definitely marked out: nor was it without reason, that so much precision should have been used; for some highly important synchronisms may thence be established.

The angel, who acts the part of an interpreter, twice assures Daniel, that the vision shall reach unto the time of the end. Now the time of the end is that very brief period, which occurs at the close of the latter three times and a half'. Hence the vision of the ram and the he-goat, reaching as it does to the time of the end, reaches also to the close of the latter three times and a half.

Such a termination establishes some very important synchronisms.

The vision reaches to the time of the end and the last predicted event in it is the breaking of the Mohammedan little horn without hand. This break

tion from averages as laid down by Sir Isaac Newton, that the Persian monarchy must have been founded at some era between those two years: and the propriety of this calculation is established by the independent circumstance, that, let the Persian monarchy have been founded at what precise point of time it may, it cannot have been founded earlier than the latter end of the ninth century before Christ.

1 See above book i. chap. 7. § III..

ing, therefore, must take place at the time of the end. Hence it must synchronise with the final war and overthrow of the wilful king, mentioned in a subsequent vision of Daniel; for these events are also fixed to the same time of the end'. Hence, likewise, it must synchronise, with the final dissolution of the metallic image, and with the destruction of the Roman beast and the Papal little horn, at the close of the latter three times and a half". Consequently, all the four visions of Daniel, with which we are at present concerned, terminate synchronically with the time of the end or with the expiration of the latter three times and a half3: at least, they all reach to the time of the end; though, in the two visions of the image and the four great beasts, we have the subsequent inauguration of Christ's triumphant reign upon earth distinctly foretold; and though, in the vision of the things noted in the Scripture of truth, we read of the blessedness of him, who shall wait and come to that grand concluding period of 1335 years, which follows the three times and a half allotted to the tyranny of the various Antichristian Powers *.

J

2. But, subordinately to the entire length of the vision of the ram and the he-goat, a period of 2300

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2

! Dan. xi, 40—45.

Dan. ii. 34, 44. vii. 11, 25, 26.

Such also is the termination of the vision respecting the lxx weeks. See my Treatise on that prophecy, chap. vi. § VI 3, 4.

Dan. ii, 35, 44, 45. vii. 13, 14, 27. xii. 12.