No 8 . APPENDIX. 433 divine authority, and ineftimable ufe and ,value, than Gottfrid Icohlreifñus, in his Chronologia Sacra, publifhed at Hamburg 1724;t an oéìavo volume it is, pages 481. That gentleman has run very wide from the common chronology, and fets the year of Chrift A. M. 4509. He build's his new chronology moltly upon the difcoveries made by the Hebrew accents, according to his rules of interpreting them. I Mould be mighty glad to know what this other curious gentleman would think of Icohl- reiffius's rules and method, and how far their obfervations agree. I confefs I am rio matter at all of the fcience ; but heartily with, that the fubjeót may be,,reduced to certain rules, that we learn- ers may be able to judge when a perfon argues juftly from the accents, and when not. In the prefent darknefs I am under, I cannot do it. It is now about fix years fince Peter Guarin, a Benedi6tine, publithed the firft tome of his Hebrew grammar, in 4to. The other tome, as I am informed by a letter from Paris, is juft now published, or publishing. In this fecond tome, as I learn from the preface to the first, will be a particular ditlertation upon the accents, with a large account of their ufe in the fyna- gogue-mufic. What other ufes he will take notice of, is not laid. I fuppofe your friend will be willing to fee what M. Gua- rin has upon the fubjebt. The book will be fent me over hither as foon as it can be had. I (hall juft fay a word or two upon what this gentleman has relating to Gen. iii. 8. in p. 6. I was of the fame opinion with Junius and Tremellius before, not upon account of the accents, which I underftood not, but becaufe that conftruFtion appeared to me more natural than the other, and more reafonable. This gentleman further gives,us a new interpretation of Kol, which, I muft own, I cannot re.dily come into. And I wonder a little why he thould.think, that Mithhallech maynot be metaphorically applied to a voice or a found, when himself gives instances of fuch metaphorical application in other cafes ; or why he should think it mutt be underftood of a perfon here, (though there are inftarices where it is not fo underftood ),. and yet interpret Kol of a perfon, contrary to its common acceptation. I am afraid our adverfaries will think we ftrain hard to fetch in the aoyos. And unlefs it can be ¡Irongly backed, and fubftantially made out, I fhould rather we did not. But perhaps this gentleman may have more to plead for fuch conftrubtion than I may be aware of; and therefore I fufpend my judgment of it. But it is time I should eafe you. I {hall Only add, that I am hugely pleafed with the piety, gravity, anddignity, of your general affembly's anfwer to his Majefty's letter. It is the more feafonable while our con- vocations are mute ; and I hope will be of good ufe for keeping religion alive in thefe kingdoms, at a time when it appears much declining. I am, good Sir, your-obliged humble fervant, DAN. WA'rEaLAr . 3H2
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