His next and greatest work was the Analysis of An cient Mythology, wherein an attempt is made to divest tra dition of fable, and to reduce truth to its original purity. In this work it is difficult to say, whether the ingenuity, the learning, or the industry of the author are most spicuous. At the same time, we admit that imagination has often supplied the place of facts, and confident sertion been substituted for authentic history. We scarcely know any work in our language whose defects and whose excellencies are so conspicuous, nor any to which we could allow so many abatements on the score of inconclusive reasoning, and yet have so much lelt to demand our unqualified admiration. It exhibits so many new views, and so many elucidations of obscure sactions, that no man who wishes to be acquainted with the more remote history of our species, can safely be ignorant of the Analysis of Ancient 'Mythology. It might naturally be expected, that a work containing such novel speculations, would excite much opposition, and much admiration. Accordingly we have seen veral succeeding mythologists, who, preferring Mr Bryant's unauthorised speculations to the solid facts which he adduces, have carried his mode of reasoning to the utmost pitch of extravagance, so as to prejudice the sober-minded even against his most rational sions : whilst others, taking advantage of a. few errors in point of fact, or a few slips in point of etymology, have endeavoured to throw discredit on his whole labours, and to represent every part of them as equally tain and unsatisfactory. Amongst the latter, Mr ardson, author of the Persian Dictionary, in a tion prefixed to that work, has successfully exposed some of his etymological mistakes, with regard to words of eastern origin. This was, indeed, Mr Bryant's weak side, as he was very imperfectly acquainted with the oriental languages, and it is to be feared, had but a perficial knowledge of the Hebrew, and other ancient dialects of the East. He has a favourite theory with regard to the Ammonians, the original inhabitants of Egypt, whose name, as well as descent, he derives front Ham. Nobody would have found fault with him, had he rested satisfied with the latter conclusion : but ardson has stated an insuperable objection to the vation of the name : for though the Greeks and Latins used Ammon and Hammon indifferently, yet the Heth in Ham, is a radical, not mutable or omissible ; and had the Greeks or Latins formed a word from it, it would have been Chammon, and not Ammon, even with the aspirate.
The memorials respecting the deluge, which Mr Bryant has collected from the mythology and history of various nations, are extremely curious and interesting. One of these is the Apamean Medal : (see that article,) his dissertation on this subject was severely attacked in the Gentleman's Magazine. Mr Bryant successfully repels this attack, in an essay, printed in the last edition of his works. The medal, indeed, is so very remarka ble, that, were we absolutely certain as to its genuine ness, we would have very little hesitation in adopting Mr Bryant's conclusions.
Another of Mr Bryant's works, which made a great noise, and excited great opposition, was his observa tions on Al. he Chevalier's description of the Troad. In
this work he endeavoured to show that the Trojan war had no foundation but in Homer's imagination ; that no expedition was undertaken by the Greeks ; and that no such city as Troy ever existed in Pnrygia. In this no tion he stood almost alone, though he was not without plausible arguments to support his opinion. But every thing connected with Troy has been so long consecrated by the concurring t,s;iniony of amiquity, and by the charms of Homer's muse, that it was deemed a kind of sacrilege to douht the reality of this far-lamed city, and memorable sice. We have no wish to enter the list in this hazardous contest ; as some apology, how ever, for the aberrations of c xa!ted genius, we would suggest that the testimony of antiquity goes for nothing in this case, as the w hole depends on the authority of Homer ; and unless authors can be cited anterior to him, or coeval with him, or who did not derive their information from him, or some of his transcribers, the w hole hisory of the war must rest on his authority ; and if Isis authority were equal to his genius, the tran sactions which he records would stand in need of no other support. But certainly as the subject stands at present, were the alternative proposed to us, we would rather reject the whole as a fable, than receive the half as authentic history.
11Ir Bryant published a vindication ofJosephus's tes timony to Christ, which Dr Priestley confessed had completely convinced him : though he did not show the same de•rence to a work which Mr Bryant pub lished against him, on the subject of philosophical ne cessity. Mr i3ipult also e ngaged in the Row leian con troversy, and wrote in favour of the genuineness of the poems. As these poems have generally been exploded as spurious, their supporters have of course obtained but little credit on the score of discernment, and yet Dr Symmons (see Cumberland's Review) still ventures to contend for their authenticity, and to produce plausi ble arguments in support of his opinion.
Mr Bryant's talents and labours were always em ployed to promote the best interests of man, by sup porting the great principles of religion. \Vith this view, at the desire of Lady Pembroke, he wrote a trea tise on the authenticity of the scriptures, and the truth of the Christian religion. He also published in 1794, Observations on the plagues inflicted upon the Egyptians; in which is shown the peculiarity of those judgments, and their correspondence with the rites and idolatry of that people,with a pmfatory discourse concerning the Grecian colonies from Egypt. This is a curious and valuable work. He wrote a volume of dissertations on the pro phecy of Balaam ; the standing still of the sun in the time of Joshua ; the story of Samson and of Jonah ; and it is said that other writings to a considerable extent still remain in the hands of his executors.
Mr Bryant was in his person of low stature, and deli cately formed; he was remarkably temperate in his ha bits ; and though he, for the most part, lived as a lite rary recluse, yet he was animated and sprightly in his conversation with those friends whom he admitted to his intimacy. Ile was liberal of his money, affable in his nianncrs, and piety and religion shed a lustre over all his actions. (g)