Page:The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 16.djvu/299

Rh of a brave strong ham, from whence he acquired his name.

The man whom the Jews called Balaam was a shepherd; who by often crying ba to his lambs, was therefore called Baalamb, or Balam.

Isaac is nothing else but Eyes ake; because the talmudists report that he had a pain in his eyes. Vide Ben Gorion and the Targum on Genesis.

Thus I have manifestly proved, that the Greeks, the Romans, and the Jews, spoke the language we now do in England; which is an honour to our country that I thought proper to set in a true light, and yet has not been done, as I have heard, by any other writer.

And thus I have ventured (perhaps too temerariously) to contribute my mite to the learned world; from whose candour, if I may hope to receive some approbation, it may probably give me encouragement to proceed on some other speculations, if possible, of greater importance than what I now offer; and which have been the labour of many years, as well as of constant watchings, that I might be useful to mankind, and particularly to mine own country.