ForsuperbengravingsshowingtheviewofBabelasdevelopedbythetheologicalimagination，seeKircher，TurrisBabel，Amsterdam，1679。FortheLawofWillsandCauses，withdeductionsfromitwellstated，seeBeattieCrozier，CivilizationandProgress，London，1888，pp。112，178，179，273。ForPlato，seethePoliticus，p。272，ed。Stephani，citedinErschandGruber，articleBabylon。Foragoodgeneralstatement，seeBibleMyths，NewYork，1883，chap。iii。ForAristotle’sstrangewantofinterestinanyclassificationofthevarietiesofhumanspeech，seeMaxMuller，LecturesontheScienceofLanguage，London，1864，seriesi，chap。iv，pp。123-125。
ButnaturallytheversionofthelegendwhichmostaffectedChristendomwasthatmodificationoftheChaldeanformdevelopedamongtheJewsandembodiedintheirsacredbooks。Toathinkingmaninthesedaysitisveryinstructive。ThecomingdownoftheAlmightyfromheaventoseethetowerandputanendtoitbydispersingitsbuilders，pointstothetimewhenhisdwellingwassupposedtobejustabovethefirmamentorsolidvaultabovetheearth：thetimewhenheexercisedhisbeneficentactivityinsuchactsasopening“thewindowsofheaven“togivedownrainupontheearth；inbringingoutthesuneverydayandhangingupthestarseverynighttogivelighttotheearth；inhurlingcomets，togivewarning；inplacinghisbowinthecloud，togivehope；in，comingdowninthecooloftheeveningtowalkandtalkwiththemanhehadmade；inmakingcoatsofskinsforAdamandEve；inenjoyingtheodouroffleshwhichNoahburnedforhim；ineatingwithAbrahamundertheoaksofMamre；inwrestlingwithJacob；andinwritingwithhisownfingeronthestonetablesforMoses。
Socametheanswertothethirdquestionregardinglanguage；andallthreeanswers，embodiedinoursacredbooksandimplantedintheJewishmind，suppliedtotheChristianChurchthegermsofatheologicaldevelopmentofphilology。ThesegermsdevelopedrapidlyinthewarmatmosphereofdevotionandignoranceofnaturallawwhichpervadedtheearlyChurch，andtheregrewagreatorthodoxtheoryoflanguage，whichwasheldthroughoutChristendom，“always，everywhere，andbyall。”fornearlytwothousandyears，andtowhich，untilthepresentcentury，allsciencehasbeenobliged，underpainsandpenalties，toconform。
Theredid，indeed，comeintohumanthoughtatanearlyperiodsomesuggestionsofthemodernscientificviewofphilology。
Lucretiushadproposedatheory，inadequateindeed，butstillpointingtowardthetruth，asfollows：“Natureimpelledmantotrythevarioussoundsofthetongue，andsostruckoutthenamesofthings，muchinthesamewayastheinabilitytospeakisseeninitsturntodrivechildrentotheuseofgestures。”But，amongtheearlyfathersoftheChurch，theonlyonewhoseemstohavecaughtanechoofthisutterancewasSt。GregoryofNyssa：