charum, Exerc. 23. § 5, has indeed attempted to explain in what manner the borders of Zabulon extended to Tsidon. But they who have been initiated in Sir William Drummond's theory, will best know how to appreciate these unintelligible Christian writers.

XI. Titus-Reuben-Aquarius.

REUBEN is Aquarius, because the expressions, "Thou art my first-born, my might, and the beginning of my strength," apply very well to the Sun in the commencement of his course after he has passed the winter solstice. He was unstable as water, and Aquarius is typified by a man with a pitcher. It is then remarked; he shall not excel, because he went up to his father's bed; and we are thus reminded that he had lain with Bilhah. The Oriental astronomers still designate a remarkable asterism in the sign of Aquarius by the

name of Bula, or Bulha. Ed. Jud. pp. 7, 8.

Titus was the first-born of Vespasian; and from his supposed mildness, gentleness, and moderation, is said to have been called "deliciæ humani generis:" all of which "apply very well to the commencement of the Sun's course after he has passed the winter solstice."

The probable, or possible reason, why Titus should be unstable as water, I lament my inability to develop: I fear therefore it must for the present continue in its primeval obscurity, as I am always unwilling to allow my imagination to invent interpretations of the typical historical events, when their meaning is not appa

rent.

Edip.

H

The identity of Titus with Aquarius, is however as clearly demonstrable from his allegorical intimacy with Berenice, as that of Reuben with the same sign, from his intimacy with Bilhah.

If Bilhah be a star, so is Berenice. I shall only premise, that any word descriptive of the heavens, was commonly adopted as the name of a star.

The word Bilhah is written ba; it is derived either from perturbation, as Bochart supposes, or from, moisture, water, as Sir William Drummond imagines. In either case it signifies the material heavens: if from a, it denotes the constant agitation of the air, and light, by which all the operations of nature are carried on: if from it refers to the origin of all

things, from the celebrated Hyle, (van) of the antients, or to the aerial fluid which was universally distributed through the heavens.

The word Berenice is a compound. To understand it rightly, we must remember that we receive it from historians who were intimately acquainted with the Greek language, and but very slightly with the Hebrew. Nothing was more usual than to retain a primitive word, with a Greek termination. This was done in the present instance. signifies pure, bright as the solar flame, whence the pure æther, the clear bright matter of the heavens. As Josephus, and others, had no knowledge of the original story, they reported that Titus, or Aquarius, was the lover of a; and he was metaphorically said to have conquered her. From this misapprehension, the name Bere