HISTORY BEFORE THE FLOOD.
The Princeton Review, in noticing "Neil's Lectures on Bible History," recently published, brings out the following results from several Historical tables, showing how the longevity of the antediluvians supplied the want of historical records. A skeptical suggestion arises from the idea that the story must have passed through many narrations, and that few opportunities of comparing and correcting one account by another were enjoyed. Look at the table as illustrating these points. And, first, the number of times the story must be repeated by different persons. Noah and his three sons could receive the account of the creation at the second rehearsal, and through several distinct channels: 1. Adam could relate unto Enos for six hundred and ninety-five years, and Enos to Noah eighty-four years. 2. Adam, during six hundred and five years, could discourse it to Canaan, and Canaan could discourse it one hundred and seventy-nine years to Noah. 3. Adam could rehearse it for five hundred and thirty-five years to Mahalaleel, who had two hundred and twenty-four years to entrust it to Noah. 4. Adam had four hundred and seventy years to instruct Jared in these sublime facts, and Jared was contemporary three hundred and sixty-six years with Noah. Through these four distinct channels Noah could receive a distinct account from Adam. 5. Adam lived till Methuselah was two hundred and forty-three years old, time enough surely to obtain an accurate knowledge of all those facts pertaining to the dawn of created existence; and Methuselah lived six hundred years with Noah, and one hundred years with his three sons. 6. Adam lived to see Lamech, the father of Noah, till he was fifty years old, and Lamech lived with Noah five hundred and ninety-five years, with Shem, Ham and Japheth. Through these six channels the account could be brought down to the time of the flood.