BRYANT, JAcon, A.M., an English gentle man who devoted himself to letters. lie was born at Plymouth 1715, educated at Eton and at King's College, Cambridge, and died in 1804. His first published writings, bearing, however, only indi rectly on the literature of the Bible, are Vindi cier Navimr, a tract of eighty-three pages, con taining an able vindication of, the testimony given by Josephus concerning our Saviour. Lond. 1777. The sentiments of Philo- yna'eus concerning the AOPOM, or Word of God; together with large ex tracts from his writings, compared with the Scrip tures, on many other particular and essential doc trines of the Christian religion, Svo. Camb., 1797. His principal Biblical works are, A Treatise upon the Authenticity of the Scriptures, and the Truth of the Christian Religion, 1792. The last edition, which was in Svo, appeared in 181o. In this work Bryant has not only given a useful and ori ginal view of the evidences of Christianity, but has also, as the candid student will find, satisfactorily obviated most of the chief difficulties of the subject. In 1803 appeared, Observations upon some pas sages in Scripture which the Enemies of Religion have thought most obnoxious, and attended with digicul ties not to be surmounted, 4to. The passages chosen as the subject of his observations in this volume, are those containing the particulars of the history of Balaam ; the foxes and firebrands, Judges xv. 4, 5 ; the passage in Joshua x. 5-4o, concerning the sun's standing still ; and last, the particulars of the his tory of Jonah. On all these topics, the author's profound acquaintance with the idolatries and my thology of the heathen, have supplied him with many curious and important illustrations. If he has not removed all the difficulties, he has at least shewn that they may be considerably reduced.' (Orme, Biblioth. Bib.) In 1794 appeared his Ob
servations upon the Plagues inflicted upon the Egyp tians, in which shewn the peculiarity of those Judgments, and their correspondence with the Rites and idolatries of that people; to which is prefixed, a prefatory discourse concerning the Grecian colonies from Egypt, 8vo. Last edition 8vo, 181o. The title is sufficiently descriptive of the design and con tents of this work, in which, more than in any other of his writings, the author has employed to advantage his great learning and uncommon power and ingenuity of research. His excessive partiality, however, for etymological research, has in not a few instances carried him too far. At the same time, his honest and uniform good intention is manifest throughout ; and the light which he has thrown on several of the singular, and in some respects obscure subjects of' which it treats, is of great and perma nent value. Bryant's only other work of import ance, and in some respects his greatest work, though only indirectly bearing on the literature of the Bible, is entitled, A New System, or an Analysis of Ancient Mythology, wherein an attempt is made to divest tradition of fable, and to reduce the truth to its original purity.' 3 vols. 4to, Lond. r 774-1776, and in 6 vols., Svo, Lond. 1807. The amount of curious and learned discussion which this work con tams, relating to the history and religions of all the ancient nations, is truly immense.' It has been truly characterised as a work of uncommon learn ing, abounding with great originality of conception, much perspicuous elucidation, and the most happy explanations on topics of the highest importance.' The first vol. of the third and last edition is pre faced with an interesting account of the author's life and writings.—W. J. C.