INTRODUCTION.



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Moses would not surely be so confident in describing
its particular situation.
  Without examining here all the opinions which have
been entertained on this subject, we shall pass on to the
more rational conjectures of various eminent men.-
They consist of three schemes; the first is espoused
by the learned Heidegger, Le Clere, Pere Abraham, and
Pere Hardonin, who place Paradise near Damascus, in
Syria, about the springs of Jordan. Notwithstanding,
however, the reputation of these men, this opinion ap-
pears to -have no foundation. We must first discover
those marks which are mentioned in the Mosaic descrip-
tion, before we can admit its probability.
  Sanson, Reland, and Calmet, who were no less
renowned for learning, come next with their opinions.
According to them, Eden was situated in Armenia,



between the sources of the



'1



6hyris, the Euphrates, the



Araxes, and the Phasis. Althouah. the dlntaent and
learned Strabo, and other ancient geographers, have
informed us, that the Phasis rises in the mountains of
Armenia, near the springs of the Euphrates, the Araxes
and the Tioaris; yet from modern discoveries we are led
to assiai it a differeat source, by going to Mount Cau-
casus, whvle < takes its rise.  Wisides, the Phlasis does
not flow from south to north, I.,tat tfowin north to South.
According to this supposition, we want a whole river,
which joins the Araxes before it falls into the Caspian
Sea. This hypothesis, however, is supported by Mr.
Tournefort, an authority, certainly worthy of some



notice.
  Huet, bishop of -Soissons and Avranches, Stephanus
Morinus, Bochart, and several others highly versed in
the geography of that country, stand forth in defence of
the third scheme, which certainly seems the least objec-
tionable of the three. By them Eden is placed upon the
united streams of the Tigris and Euphrates, called by
the Arabs, Shat-al-Arab, which signifies the river of the
Arabs. It begins two days journey above Bassora, and