thy captains as the great grasshoppers, which camp in the hedges in the cold day, but when the sun ariseth they flee away, and their place is not known, &c. The author of the book of Proverbs takes notice, that the locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands, ch. xxx. ver. 27. These bands are very formidable, while they survive; and even in their dissolution destructive '.

Of the Deities invoked in such Calamities.

The Egyptians had gods, in whom they trusted to free their country from these terrible invaders. This we may infer from the Grecians; whose theology, as I have before observed, was borrowed from the people of Egypt. Hercules was a deity of this department; by whose mediation the cicada, or locusts, were said to have been silenced, and Something of this

ultimately driven away.

' See Isaiah, ch. xxxiii. ver. 4.-Your spoil shall be gathered like the gathering of the caterpillar (or Cgxxos): as the running to and fro of locusts shall he run upon them.

Νυν δε συναχθησεται τα σκυλα ύμων, μικρές και μεγαλε, ὃν τροπον εαν τις συναγωγή ακρίδας· έτως εμπαίξωσιν ὑμιν. Versio Græca Sept. The difference between the original and Greek version is

very

both.

considerable but the allusion to locusts is the same in

sort we meet with in 'Antigonus Carystius, who mentions the like of Perseus.

Diodorus

says, that they disappeared, and never returned. This is supposed to have happened in the lower part of Italy near Rhegium: and the like is mentioned to have been recorded by the people of Mount Eta. They stiled locusts zogvores, cornopes; which the other Grecians called parnopes: and they worshipped Hercules under the title of Cornopion, for having freed their country from locusts. may suppose, that the same department was assigned to Apollo by the Eolians of Asia; who worshipped him under the title of Parnopius: and we know, that upon this coast he was esteemed for driving away flies and vermin. The locust, at least the species of it stiled TTT by the Greeks, was esteemed

We

C. 1. and c. 2. See in Photius Cononis dinya μn, p. 426.

-μη μόνον κατα το παρον αφανείς γενέσθαι αλλα και κατα τον ύτερον χρονον άπαντα μηδενα κατα την χώραν φαινεσθαί τεττιγά,

1. iv. p. 229, 230.

3 Και γαρ από των

κρνόπων, ὡς οι Οιταίοι κορνόπας λέγεσι, Κόλα νοπίωνα τιμάσθαι παρ εκείνοις Ηρακλέα απαλλαγής ακρίδων χαριν.

sacred. The Athenians wore golden cicadæ, or grasshoppers, in their hair, to denote the antiquity of their race and particularly to shew, that they were, auroxloves was any everS, of the earth-born breed: a title much respected, and of long standing.

The Egyptians trusted much to the fecundity of their soil; and to the deities Isis and Sarapis, who were the conservators of all plenty. They likewise placed great confidence in other gods, who were the directors of their times and seasons. But these powers could not stand before Moses, the servant of the true God. He brought upon them an host of enemies, who laid waste the fruits of their ground; and rendered all their confidence vain. As Egypt is in great measure bounded to the east and north by seas: and is far removed from those regions in Africa where locusts particularly generate, it is not much infested with them. However, at the time

Plutarch. Sympos. viii. p. 727. Of Euromus and the Grasshopper see Clemens Alex. Cohort, p. 2.

1 These insects are common in ArabiaHasselquist, p. 233.

-scarce in Egypt.

→ The grasshopper or locust is not formed for travelling over the sea. Hasselquist's Letters, p. 444. He mentions seeing a number of them coming towards his ship in the Medi

Be

spoken of, an east wind prevailed all day and all night; and the whole country in the morning swarmed with these insects. Hence we know, that they came from Arabia: and that they must have passed the Erythrean, or Redsea, which was the barrier to the east. fore them there was no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such. Exod. ch. x. ver. 14. Hence Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; acknowledged his sin; and begged to be delivered from this death, v. 17. And the Lord turned a mighty strong west wind, which took away the locusts, and cast them into the Red-sea. They were now filled; and not so easily buoyed up in the air: hence they were all lost in that gulph. The storm which carried them away, served

the waters.

terranean off the Spanish coast.

to bury them in

For one that came on board,

an hundred were certainly drowned, though we were within

pistol-shot of the shore. P. 445.

THE NINTH PLAGUE.

Ver. 21.

PALPABLE DARKNESS.

EXOD. Ch. x.

And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.

V. 22. And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven: and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days.

V. 23. They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.

This judgment was very extraordinary; nor had any thing similar been ever experienced by this or any other nation. It was certainly directed with a particular view; and bore a strict analogy with the sentiments and idolatry of the people who suffered. They were a wise and learned nation; with minds much enlightened. Hence, to shew the great extent of Solomon's knowledge, it is said, that his wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of