Excerpt from The Patriarchal Age, or the History and Religion of Mankind, From the Creation to the Death of Isaac: Deduced From the Writings of Moses, and Other Inspired Authors; And Illustrated by Copious References to the Ancient Records, Traditions, and Mythology of the Heathen World

The preceding remarks will have prepared the mind of the reader for appreciating the author's design in the production of this volume. His first and ruling idea was to arrive at the truth respecting the origin and early history of the human race. Two reasons induced him to make the Bible his text-book throughout the inquiry. First, he saw that, in reference to several important topics, no light could possibly be obtained, except through divine revelation: this is the case with regard to the origin of mankind, the divine purpose respecting the human race, and man's future destiny. On these subjects, if any information is attainable, it must be through explicit communications from the Author and Governor of the universe. Secondly, the volume of inspiration is the only source of information which we know to be unalloyed by error, and unadulterated by fiction. For these reasons, the Scriptural account has been regarded as of paramount authority. But While it has been the primary object of the author to give a true account of this portion of history, it has been no less his de sign to make it as full and complete as possible and, for this pur pose, every profane historian of eminence, whose writings con tain allusions, however brief, to the events connected with the earliest ages, has been consulted the annals of every nation have been examined; the cloudy regions of tradition, mythology, and fable, have been explored. From all these sources, information has been obtained, which the author has endeavored to coneen trate into the smallest compass consistent with explicitness, and to reduce the Whole into a homogeneous narrative, which may present a complete view of the history and religion of the age.

The author likewise freely avows, that it has been, throughout, an integral part of his design to impart to the work a decidedly religious character. He has endeavored not only to unite in the same investigation the history of every age with its religion, but to do this in a decidedly religious manner; and, avoiding all see tarian peculiarities, uniformly to illustrate the grand elements of evangelical godliness, and to show their powerful efficiency in forming the finest characters of sacred antiquity, the most perfect specimens of exalted virtue and moral grandeur of which our frail humanity, under the benignant ducture of divine teaching, has at any time been capable.

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