Of Seth.

The word Seth is Syriac, and signifies ‘God-given.’

Seth was more like his father, both in form and temper, than any of his brethren; some say he was taller than the rest. Five years after the death of Abel, he espoused Ikleema, the twin-sister of Cain.

He received the gift of prophecy when he was fifty years old, and was the first who studied the arts and sciences.* According to Nussari, at 230 years of age, he commenced building the holy Kaaba with mud and stones; and his great abili­ties becoming evident, he was called Ghazi Numoon.*

Some say he was not the son of Adam, but the son of Mulja, the son of Adam; but this is not true.

Seth was the first person who studied mathe­matics, astronomy, arithmetic, and the first prin­ciples of science. He was also the first person who prayed over his deceased parents. He fol­lowed the death-bed instructions given him by his father. He also first taught the children of Adam letters—to make tents, to steep flax, hemp, or cotton, in water. He also introduced slavery, and made war to establish the faith. He made war on the children of Cain, who, like their father, were fire-worshippers; those who sub­mitted he made prisoners, or suffered to remain at peace. The hours of prayer, day and night, were determined by him. His religion was the religion of his father.

In forty years, fifty books or messages were despatched by God to him, and for eighty years he confirmed the faith of his people. He died in his 1012th year—some say the 912th.

Anosh, the son of Seth.—The word Anosh signifies ‘truth;’ some say, although he was the successor of Seth, yet he was not a prophet. He retained his people in the faith of Adam, and was the first person who assumed kingly power and authority. he was also the first who planted and cultivated the date-tree.

When he had attained 965 years (some say 950), he appointed Keenan, the son of Anosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, his successor, and departed this life.

Keenan, the son of Anosh, lived 900 years; he built Babel, &c.

Mahlael, the son of Keenan, founded the city of Susa: he lived 962 years.

Eknookh, or Enoch, was the son of Zarid, the son of Mahlael. This prophet was called Idrees, from his great learning, and Hermes, which is the name of the planet Mercury; and also the third Ooria, which word in the Syrian language signifies Master.

According to Abu’l Mashur, of Balkh, many persons of the name of Hermes have existed; but three only are considered deserving particular mention. The first is the prophet Idrees; the second Hermes of Babylon, who was styled the second Ooria;* and the third Hermes, whose name was Isfilonus, was celebrated for his knowledge of chemistry and medicine. Idrees is said to be the father of astronomy, mathematics, and other sciences; it is said also that he erected the pyramids of Egypt. He is said to have contracted an intimacy with the Angel of Death, and in the 365th year of his age, he was translated to heaven: some say he was carried to heaven on the wings of the angel Gabriel, from his favourite seat, a stone near Damietta, in Egypt.

Methusalah was the son of Enoch.

Lamech was the son of Methusalah. It is said, the worship of the image of Mahlael was the com­mencement of idolatry among the sons of Adam, and that it was very prevalent in his time. Lamech lived 770 years, and was succeeded by his son Sookeel.

Noah, the son of Lamech, the son of Methusa­lah. His name was originally Sookeel; some say Musakeel, and others, Sakil. Some also call him Yushkur; he is called also the second Adam. Some say he received the gift of prophecy in the 40th, and others in the 400th year of his age. He was the first who prescribed penance and celibacy, as propitiating the favour of the Deity. The Deluge occurred when he was in his 1004th year.

It is related, that while Noah was constructing the ark, the infidels by whom he was surrounded laughed at him, and asked him, why he had for­saken the profession of a prophet for that of a car­penter.

Eighty persons, it is said, entered with him into the ark during the Deluge, the water of which covered the highest mountains in the world, forty guz, or eighty feet.

Two persons are said to have been saved from the Deluge, besides those of the family of Noah; Oouj, the son of Oonuk, the daughter of Adam; and an old woman, who had a great affection for Noah. From the first day of the Deluge to the first of the Hejrut, is 3,725 years. Noah left only three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japhet. On the division of the earth among his sons, he gave the country of Syria, the islands, Persia and Khora­san, &c. to Shem, and the people of those coun­tries are descended from him.