ABSTRACT
DHEdocumentsofwhichIhavejustspoken,andtowhichwemustaddthenumeroustalismanic inscriptionstobefoundinourmuseums,engraved uponallkindsofBabylonianandAssyrianobjects, showthatthereexistedamongsttheChaldeansa demonologyasrefinedandrichastheimagination ofJacquesSprenger,JeanBodin,'Wierus,•orPierre deLancre3everpictured.Thereisacompleteworld ofmalevolentspirits,thedistinguishingcharacteristicsofwhicharestronglymarked,andtheirattributes determinedwithprecision;whilethehierarchyto whichtheybelongisclassedinamostlearned manner.Atthetopofthescaleareplacedtwo classesofbeings,whichpartakemorenearlythan theothersofthedivinenature;andaregeniior demi-gods,asortofinferiordeities.Thefirstbearthe
AccadiannameofMas"soldier,warrior,"whichis substitutedintheAssyrianbySed"genius;"the second,theAccadiannameofLamma"giant,"translatedinAssyrianbyLamas.Inthereligioustexts thesenamesoftendesignatepropitiousandprotecting genii,underwhoseshelterpeopleplacedthemselves;' butatothertimes,wickedandhurtfulgenii,whose powerhadtobecharmedaway.WhethertheChaldeansbelievedthattherewereopposingpartiesof goodandbadMasorAlap,ofgoodandbadLamma, orwhethertheysupposedthemtopossess,likecertain gods,adoublecharacter,andtoshowthemselves accordingtocircumstances,nowbeneficent,nowmalevolent,sometimesprotectors,andsometimesadversaries;isaquestionwhichmustbeleftundecideduntil newresearcheshavethrownmorelightonthesubject.
