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12 centuries—must have been favorable to a high degree of perfection in these arts, and the science of music.

In the six hundredth year of Noah, and 2348 years before Christ, "the flood of waters was upon the earth." The prediction of the deluge to Noah was of the nature of a warning to him, in order that he might prepare himself against it. A knowledge of the deluge was communicated to him 120 years before the event took place. It entirely covered the earth; and destroyed all the inhabitants, with the exception of the eight individuals who composed Noah's family, and a pair of each species of animals—all of whom were preserved in the ark. The ark was built in expectation of the flood; it was a structure 480 feet or more in length, 81 in breath, and 41 in height. It was sufficiently capacious to answer the purpose for which it was designed; and was three stories high, containing many small compartments for the suitable accommodation of its intended occupants.

At the appointed time, the family of Noah—and all kinds of beasts, birds and reptiles, by pairs—went into the ark. "And God blessed righteous Noah and his family; and the Lord shut him in, in the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month."

This period embraces 1656 years from the creation.

Noah and his companions came out of the ark 2347 years before Christ, to till and replenish the earth. And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord, and took of every clean beast and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings upon the altar. And Noah and his family soon journeyed from Mount Ararat eastward to Armenia; and the whole earth was of one language and of one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, (Chaldea,) and they dwelt there. And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar. And they said, Go to, let us build a city, and a tower,