the history of _Jonah_ written by another hand. The book of _Daniel_ is a
collection of papers written at several times. The six last chapters
contain Prophecies written at several times by _Daniel_ himself: the six
first are a collection of historical papers written by others. The fourth
chapter is a decree of _Nebuchadnezzar_. The first chapter was written
after _Daniel_'s death: for the author saith, that _Daniel_ continued to
the first year of _Cyrus_; that is, to his first year over the _Persians_
and _Medes_, and third year over _Babylon_. And, for the same reason, the
fifth and sixth chapters were also written after his death. For they end
with these words: _So this _Daniel_ prospered in the reign of _Darius_ and
in the reign of _Cyrus_ the_ Persian. Yet these words might be added by the
collector of the papers, whom I take to be _Ezra_.

The Psalms composed by _Moses_, _David_, and others, seem to have been also
collected by _Ezra_ into one volume. I reckon him the collector, because in
this collection I meet with Psalms as late as the _Babylonian_ captivity,
but with none later.

After these things _Antiochus Epiphanes_ spoiled the Temple, commanded the
_Jews_ to forsake the Law upon pain of death, and caused the sacred books
to be burnt wherever they could be found: and in these troubles the book of
the _Chronicles_ of the Kings of _Israel_ was entirely lost. But upon
recovering from this oppression, _Judas Maccabæus_ gathered together all
those writings that were to be met with, 2 _Maccab._ ii. 14. and in
reducing them into order, part of the Prophecies of _Isaiah_, or some other
Prophet, have been added to the end of the Prophecies of _Zechariah_; and
the book of _Ezra_ has been separated from the book of _Chronicles_, and
set together in two different orders; in one order in the book of _Ezra_,
received into the Canon, and in another order in the first book of
_Esdras_.