Feb.6] PROCEEDINGS [1894.consciouslyto themselves, to assume thatthe explanation of what
theydid not know was to be found in what theyalreadyknew. It
is impossible for us now to use bookswhichin oar younger days
werethe most justlyentitledto the praise of learning and insight,
withoutbeing forcedto sift the rich materials which theycontain
andseparatethemfromthe combinations into which theyhavebeen
cast.
The strongest point in the hypothesis of Bochart is that by
changingthe first © into the letter t we obtain identityof sound
betweenTarshishand Tartessos. In this etymologicalequationhe
has certainly been more fortunate than in many others as, for
instance,in his derivation of Phoetiician from B'niAnak' Sons of
Anak.' But identity of name is by itself a matter of little im
portance. We have but to look at a geographical indexin order to
be convinced of the small worth of such coincidences. The
Egyptian AbydosandThebes havenothingin common withthe
Mysian Abydos, and the Thebes of Boeotia. The Camerinaof
Babylonia has no etymological connection with the Sicilian
Camerina. The Iberians of the Caucasus were not related to
the Iberians of Spain. The African Ludim of Gen. x, 13, are
distinct from the Lud of v. 22. Combinations such as that of
ArpakshadandArraphachitisare now definitelygivenup by all who
haveany pretention to scholarship. And nothingis more certain,
on the other hand,thanthatthe same countryis known in different
languagesunderwidelydifferentnames. As Germany, Allemagne,
andDeutschlandare but different namesof the same countryat the
presentday,so were HellasandGraeciain the Roman period,but
the Egyptians wouldnot have recognized their countryunderthe
namesgivento it by Greeks, Hebrews,or Assyrians. Thenameof
Canaan as denoting the country so called in Scripture is entirely
unknownto Assyrians andBabylonians,whospeakof it under other
names.
Nowwhatbesidesthe name is there to show thatTartessos is
Tarshish? Is there a particle of historical evidencethatintercourse
everexistedbetweenTyreandTartessus? Is there a single record
of a Tartessian ship sailingeitherupon the Mediterranean, or on
the Red Sea? What, in fact, do we know of Tartessos to induce
oneto believe thata locality beyondthe Straits of Gibraltar naturally
presenteditselfwithin the range of vision of the Hebrew writers?
Is there any certainty thatTartessuseverexisted?