Page:Omniana 2.djvu/311



The main amusement of the Admiral's old age seems to have been in inventing questions for the Friar. Before I got up this morning, says he, I and Roca could not agree how many years David lived before Christ; we are now sitting at table awaiting your answer. Presently he asks, who was the first writer in the world; what became of the Ark of the Covenant at the first destruction of Jerusalem; whether God concealed it, or destroyed it: and if it was not destroyed, whether it would ever be found? The Friar replies, that the oldest writing in the world was the work of Jubal, who having heard Adam prophecy that the world would be twice destroyed, once by water, and once by fire, was very solicitous to know by which element it