TheAssyriansweretheirneighbors，powerfulneighbors，withwhomtheyhadmuchandlongtodo。Ofthisempire，therefore，ifofanything，wemighthopetofindsomesatisfactoryaccounts。Whatdowefind？TheScripturetakesnonoticeofanyAssyriankingdom，tilljustbeforethetimewhenprofanehistorymakesthatempiretoend。ThenwehearofPhul，ofTeglath-Phalasser，whowasperhapsthesameperson，andofSalmanaser，whotookSamariainthetwelfthoftheeraofNabonasser，thatis，twelveyearsaftertheAssyrianempirewasnomore。Senacheribsucceedstohim，andAsserhaddontoSenacherib。
Whatshallwesaytothisapparentcontrariety？IfthesilenceoftheBiblecreatesastrongpresumptionagainstthefirst，maynotthesilenceofprofaneauthoritycreatesomeagainstthesecondAssyrianmonarchs？Thepainsthataretakentopersuade，thatthereisroomenoughbetweenSardanapalusandCyrusforthesecond，willnotresolvethedifficulty。Somethingmuchmoreplausiblemaybesaid，buteventhiswillbehypothetical，andliabletogreatcontradiction。Sothatuponthewholematter，theScripturesaresofarfromgivinguslightintogeneralhistory，thattheyincreasetheobscurityevenofthosepartstowhichtheyhavethenearestrelation。Wehavethereforeneitherinprofanenorinsacredauthorssuchauthentic，clear，distinct，andfullaccountsoftheoriginalsofancientnations，andofthegreateventsofthoseagesthatarecommonlycalledthefirstages，asdeservetogobythenameofhistory，orasaffordsufficientmaterialsforchronologyandhistory。
Imightnowproceedtoobservetoyourlordshiphowthishashappened，notonlybythenecessaryconsequencesofhumannature，andtheordinarycourseofhumanaffairs，butbythepolicy，artifice，corruption，andfollyofmankind。Butthiswouldbetoheapdigressionupondigression，andtopresumetoomuchonyourpatience。Ishallthereforecontentmyselftoapplythesereflectionsonthestateofancienthistorytothestudyofhistory，andtothemethodtobeobservedinit；assoonasyourlordshiphasrestedyourselfalittleafterreading，andIafterwritingsolongaletter。
LETTER4
I。ThatThereisinHistorySufficientAuthenticitytoRenderitUseful，notwithstandingAllObjectionstotheContrary。II。OftheMethodandDueRestrictionstobeObservedintheStudyofit。