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U 


PHILEMON 


TO        e        ^ 


HYDASPfiS; 

RELATING 

A  CONVERSATION  with  HORTENSIUS, 
upon  the  Subjeft  of  Fa/fe  Religion. 

In  which  is  endeavour'd  to  be  ftiewn, 

That  the  beft  Key  to  Men's  RELIGIOUS  O  ECONOMY- 
is  the  Obfervation  of  their  Natural  Temper  j 

AND 

That  every  Inftance  of  FALSE  CONDUCT  in  thenvw,  is  to  be 
refolved  into  fome  correfponding  Peculiarity  in  the  other  : 

With  a  more  particular  Application  to  the  Cafe  of  an  EXTRAVA* 
CANT  DEVOTION. 


THE    SECOND    EDITION, 


Sermo  oritur,  non  de  villis,  domibufve  alienis  : 
Nee,  male  necne,  Lepos  faltet  :  fed  quod  magis  ad  nos 
Pertinet,  &  nefcire  malum  eft,  agitamus  - 
Ho  R.  Sat.  Lib,  II,  Sat.  6 


LONDON: 

Printed  for  M,  STEEN,  in  the  Inner -Temple-Lane  i 
MDCCXXXVIII. 


PHILEMON 

T  O 

HYDASPES. 
ftp*. 


AM  fare,  my  Hydafpes,  I  need 
no  Apology  for  calling  off  your 
Attention  a  while  from  the  gay 
purfuits  of  the  Town,  to  give 
you  fome  (hare  in  thofe  calmer  Pleafures 
in  which  Hor ten/ins  and  I  have  been  in- 
gaged  fi  nee  I  left  you.  You  are  not  of  the 
Number  of  too  many  polite  People,  who 
know  no  Entertainment  beyond  what 
Crouds  and  public  Scenes  can  give  them  > 
but  ftepping  afide  fometimesfrom  the  Noife 
and  Hurry  of  a  more  expofed  Life,  can 
•with  a  much  truer  Relifh  of  Happinefs  en 
joy  yourfelf  or  your  Friend  in  private.  It 
is  your  peculiar  Felicity  to  have  united  two 
Characters,  which  many  miftakefor  Incon- 
A  2  Jiftent, 


* )  _ 

Ji/lenty  becaufe  fo  rarely  found  together^  the 
Pkilojbpbe*)  and  the  Gentleman.  This  is  a 
part  fo  natural  to  you,  that  whether  I  have 
attended  you  in  the  mixed  and  fafhionable 
Societies  of  the  World,  or  in  the  feled:  Par 
ties  of  Men  of  Letters  and  Erudition,  I 
have  never  been  able  to  determine  whether 
you  have  better  accommodated  yourfelf  to 
the  Pleafantry  of  the  one,  or  the  Severity 
of  the  otherj  for  indeed  you  have  been  uni- 
verfally  carefs'd  and  applied  to  as  the  very 
Life  and  Spirit  of  both.  1  wifh,  methinks, 
for  the  World's  fake  at  leaft,  Hortenjius 
had  a  little  more  of  this  happy  Popularity 
of  Difpofition.  'Tis  pity  his  great  Worth 
fhould  be  known  only  within  the  Circle  of 
a  few  particular  Friends.  It  feems  a  kind 
of  public  Injury  in  him  to  conceal  the  many 
valuable  Qualifications  he  is  Mafter  of  in 
Shade  and  Obfcurity,  which  ought  rather 
to  be  made  conipicuous  for  common  Bene 
fit.  But  Hortenjius  is  inflexibly  refolved  to 

purfue  his  retired  Courfe  of  living and 

after  all,  'tis  a  pardonable  Fault  at  leaft, 
fince  it  is  perhaps  the  only  one  to  be  found 
in  his  whole  Character,  that  he  is  not  enough 
liberal  of  the  good  Influences  of  it. 

WHEN!  went  fome  time  ago  out  of 
Town,  it  was,  as  you  know,  to  make 
this  excellent  Perfon  a  Vifit.  As  you  have 

often 


(s) 

often  heard  me  exprefs  a  more  than  ordi 
nary  pleafure  in  his  Converfation ;  I  dare 
fay  you  are  not  without  a  Curiofity  to  know 
upon  what  Points  of  any  moment  it  has 
chiefly  turn'd,  during  my  flay  with  him. 

THE  firft  Evening  that  I  reach'd  the 
agreeable  Scene  of  my  Friend's  Retreat,  I 
found  him  fitting  at  the  end  of  a  favourite 
Walk  in  his  Garden,  with  a  Book  in  his 
hand;  and  fo  feemingly  intent  upon  what 
he  was  reading,  that  I  had  got  near  enough 
to  fpeak  to  him,  before  he  difcover'd  any 
thing  of  me.  Upon  my  calling  him  by 
his  Name,  he  rofe  up  in  hafte,  and  coming 
eagerly  towards  me,  embraced  me  with 
that  natural  flow  of  Good-humour,  and 
Opennefs  of  Soul,  which  diftinguifhes  the 
genuine  Sincerity  of  the  Friend,  from  the 
counterfeit  Complaifance  of  the  mere  'well- 
bred  Man.  As  foon  as  our  firft  interview 
was  over,  what  grave  Moralift  (faid  I) 
Hortenfius^  were  you  converfing  with  jufl 
now,  who  had  fo  ingaged  your  attention, 
that  you  faw  nothing  of  me  as  I  came 
along  the  Walk,  till  J  difcover'd  my  felf,  by 
fpeaking  to  you  ? 

PERHAPS  (return'd  he)  you  will  not  be 
of  opinion  my  Studies  were  fo  veiyferious, 
when  I  tell  you  it  was  a  piece  of  Englijh 

Poetry 


(6) 

Poetry  I  was  perufing,  and  a  late  one  too, 
cdntinu'd  he,  fmiling —         • 

THE  Effay  on  Man  (faid  I)  asufual,  I 
fuppofe,  or  fome  of  the  other  moral  Pieces 
of  the  fame  excellent  Author :  for,  to  fay  the 
truth,  there  are  very  few  other  modern 
Performances  in  the  poetical  kind,  which 
I  can  imagine  a  Man  of  your  fedate  rational 
turn  of  thinking  would  be  likely  to  beflow 
fo  ferious  a  review  upon.  Our  lat*fer  Poets 
have  feldom  rifen  higher  than  bare  Amufe- 
ment  at  the  bed;  pure  Defcription  for  the 
moft  part  holding  the  place  of  Senje  with 
them  *,  till  the  celebrated  Author  of 
the  Effay  appear'd  on  the  behalf  of  the 
long  injur'd  Mu/es,  and  undertook  to 
refcue  them  from  an  Imputation  too  com 
monly  thrown  upon  them  by  Men  offeve- 
rer  Thought,  of  being  become  like  too 
many  others  of  their  Sexy  little  better  than 
agreeable  Trijlers.  He  indeed,  'tis  on  all 
hands  confefs'd,  has  abundantly  re-efta- 
blifli'd  their  finking  Reputation  ;  has  rais'd 
the  facred  Name  and  Office  of  Poet  to  its 
original  Credit  and  Dignity;  or  in  his  own 
beautiful  way  of  expreffing  it, 

tfurrid  the  tuneful  Art 
From  Sounds  to  'Things,  from  Fancy  to  the 
Heart  -f~. 

*  Mr.  Pope's  Epiftle  to  Dr.  Arbutbnot,  line  i$. 2 
f  JSfay,  Part  IV.  lin.  3^. 

In 


(  7  ) 

In  him  the  Philofopher  and  the  Poet  go 
hand  in  hand,  and  you  have  all  the  Ufe 
and  InftrudYioaof  the  beft  profe  Writing 
convey'd  to  you  under  the  additional  re 
commendation  of  the  moft  graceful  and 
polifh'd  Numbers.  Excellent  Reflorer  of 
the  true  poetic  Character!  which  one,  who 
well  underftood  it,  has  reprefented  to  be, 

Simul&  jucunda  G?  idonea  dicer e  vita  ^ 

But  a  Genius  like  Mr.  Pope's,  is  one  of  thofe 
choicer  Bounties  of  Heaven,  which  are  be- 
ftow'd  only  on  fome  few  more  exalted 'and 
favorite  Spirits, 

quibus  arte  benignd 
E  meliore  lutojinxit  prtecordia  lit  an  -fv 

HERE  Hortenfius  interrupted 1  fee, 

(fays  he)  Philemon,  you  are  not  yet  proof 
again  ft  the  Enchantment  of  this  Subject; 
but  are  running  out  into  your  ufual  vein  of 
Entbujia/muponit,  for  which,  you  know, 
I  have  fo  often  rallied  you ;  comparing  in 
fome  degree  the  Effect  which  the  fancied 
Prefence  of  this  Great  Man  has  always 
upon  your  Mind  and  Thoughts,  to  that 
wyjlerious  Change  which  is  wrought  upon 
the  Poet's  own  in  his  infpired  Moments, 
when  under  the  propitious  Influence  of  his 

*  Hor.  de  Art.  Poet.  334. 

t  Juv.  Sat.  14.  Lib.  5.  v.  34,  35.  var. 

invoked 


(  8  ) 

invoked  Mufe,  and  in  the  full  Ecflacy  of 
her  divine  Communications!  However,  now 
you  are  come  again  to  your,  felf,  and  your 
firft  heat  and  glow  of  Fancy  is  pretty  well 
over,  I  will  be  lerious  in  owning  to  you 
that  it  was  Mr.  Pope's  Effay  to  which  I  was 
indebted  for  my  Entertainment  when  you 
enter'd  the  Garden.  I  had  been  reviewing 
a  favorite  PafTage  of  mine  there,  and  was 
purfuing  a  Train  of  Reflections  which  that 
had  fuggefted  to  me. 

PERHAPS  (faid  I)  you  will  oblige  me  fo 
far  as  to  communicate  fome  {hare  of  your 
Garden-Entertainment  to  your  Friend, 
and  to  admit  me  as  a  Party  with  you  in 
thefe  your  Evening  Meditations:  This  will 
be  an  effectual  means  to  check  any  farther 
Sallies  of  my  Enthujiafm,  and  to  reduce  me 
from  thofe  irregular  Ferments  of  Imagina 
tion  you  are  ufed  to  rally  me  upon,  to  the/0- 
berer  Exercifesof  Reafoningand  Philofophy. 


W  i  T  H  all  my  heart, 
but  the  Subject  I  was  upon  is  pretty  Ex- 
tenfive,  and  we  fhall  hardly  be  able  to  go 
thro'  with  it  to-night  -  it  will  not  be 
long  before  we  fhall  be  call'd  in  to  fupper  :  it 
will  ferve  to  entertain  us  fome  Morning, 
whilft  you  are  fo  good  as  to  flay  with  me, 
when  we  fhall  have  moreleifure  topurfue  it. 

THIS 


((•9) 

THIS  was  a  very  genteel  Rebuke  to 
me  for  growing  ferious,  as  I  dare  fay  you 
muft  have  thought,  a  little  out  of  feafon  ; 
confidering  I  had  but  juft  faluted,  as  it 
were,  my  Friend,  whom  I  had  not  feen 
fome  time.  I  immediately  took  the  hint, 
and  we  fell,  as  was  more  fuitable,  into 
fome  Topics  of  a  private  nature,  ufual  at 
firft  meeting,  which  lafled  us  to  Supper- 
time  ;  after  which  the  remainder  of  the 
Evening  was  taken  up  with  feveral  indiffe 
rent  matters,  juft  as  they  happen 'd  to  arife, 
without  order  or  connection  5  and  at  a 
moderate  hour  we  bad  good-night. 


B  PART 


'(    10    ) 


P  ART     II. 

THE  next  Morning,  the  Day  proving 
extremely  fine,  Hortenfms  propofed 
to  me  to  have  breakfaft  in  the  Garden, 
which  I  readily  came  into  -,  and  it  was  ac 
cordingly  foon  after  brought  to  us,  in  a 
.little  retiring  Room,  which  he  had  built 
there  for  the  conveniency  of  avoiding  the 
Interruptions  of  his  domeftic  Affairs,  and 
of  enjoying  a  freer  Air,  and  more  extended 
Profpeft,  whenever  the  Seafpn  of  the  Year, 
and  State  of  the  Weather  mould  invite  to 
fuch  a  Retreat.  It  is  here  he  frequently 
amufes  his  folitary  Hours,  and  has  gene 
rally  half  a  dozen  of  his  favorite  Authors; 

lying  about  for  that  purpofe This  was. 

a  fair  occaiion  to  remind  him  of  the  Pro- 
mife  he  haci  made  me,  of  renewing  his 
laft  Evening  Speculation  with  me  at  a  fa-? 
yorable  ppportunity,  which  J  accordingly 
loft  no  time  to  do,  as  foon  as  Breakfail 

was  removed — — 'Twa§  but    (I    told 

him)  to  give  his  free  Thoughts  Voice  and 
Accent ;  he  would,  I  hoped,  be  under  no 
upon  the  account  of  my  being 


pre- 


prefent ;  efpecially,  as  this  would  not  be 
the  fi.rH  time  he  had  made  me  fo  much  his 
Friend,  as  to  initiate  me  into  thefe  facred 
Myfleries  of  his  Retirement. 

SINCE  you  will  needs  (Philemon,  faid  he) 
bear  a  part  with  me  in  thefe  my  folitary 
Exercifes,  I  will  introduce  them  to  you  in 
the  fame  manner  as,  I  told  you^  I  firft  fell 
into  them  my  felf,  by   reading  to  you  a 
Paflage  out  of  Mr.  Pope.     But  I  mult  firft 
oblige  you  to  this  Condition,  that  you  {hall 
not  run  out  any  more  into  general  Pane 
gyric  upon  the  Author,  (of  whofe  fuperior 
Merit  nothing  can  give  me  an  higher  e- 
fteem  than  I  have  at  prefent)  but  confine 
yourfelf  intirely  to  the  Matter  of  his  Re 
flexions--'^  here  in  the   third   Part  of 
the  EJ/ay  on  Man,  where  he  is  defcribing 
the  firft  Openings  of  Religious  Truths  upon 
the  fimpler  Ages  of  the  World.     Societies^ 
he  tells  us,  were  not  as  yet  inlarg'd  beyond 
the  Limits  of  fingle  Families :  the  younger 
Branches  of  which  look'd  no  higher  in  the 
Chain  of  Things,  than   to  their   Parent, 
from  whofe  Loins  they  were  more  imme 
diately  propagated  :  Efteeming  him  not  as 
the  Subftitute  of  fomefuperior  Providence, 
but  as  himfelf  the  very  Fouhtain-head,  from 
whence  their  Being,  and  all  the  Advantages 
of  it,  were  ultimately  derived   to  them. 
Till  at  length,  the  fad  Experience  of  this 
B  2  their 


((    12    ) 

their  Parent's  Mortality,  put  them  upon 
inquiring  after  another,  and  farther  Caufe 
of  all  thefe  things :  They  concluding  with 
great  Reafon,  that  he  could  not  be  the  ori 
ginal  Author  of  Life  and  Happinefs  to  o- 
therst  whom  they  had  found  fo  unable  to 
continue  them  to  him/elf,  beyond  the  Limits 
affign'd  by  fome  more  powerful  Superior. 
Take  the  Thought  in  the  Poet's  own  Lan 
guage 

3T///  drooping,  Jick'ning,  dying,  they  began. 
Whom  they  reverd  as  God,  to  mourn  as  Man. 
"Then  looking  up  from  Sire  to  Sire,  explord 
One  great  firji  Father,  and  that  Jirji  ador'd. 
Or  plain  Tradition  that  this  all  begun 
Conveyed  unbroken  Faith  from  Sire  to  Son. 

'The  Workman  from  the  Work  diftintf  ivas 

i 

known, 

And fimple  Reafon  never  fought  but  one. 
E'er  Wit  oblique  had  broke  thatjleady  Light, 
Man,  like  his  Maker,  faw  that  all  was  right. 
¥0  Virtue  in  the  Paths  ofPleafure  trod, 
And  owrid  a  Father,  when  he  ownd  a  God. 
Love  all  the  Faith,  and  all  tti  Allegiance  then, 
For  Nature  knew  no  Right  divine  in  Men ; 
No  111  could  fear  in  God :  and  underftood 
A  Sovereign  Being,  but  a  Sovereign  Good. — .*' 

How  amiable  a  Reprefentation  this  of 
the  divine  Being !  a  Being,  whofe  Worfhip 
ii-Love  and  Gratitude!  Whofe  Service  a 

*  Ejjay  on  Man,  Part  III.  line  224. 

S:ate 


(  '3  ) 

State    of    manly   and    rational  Freedom  / 
Whofe  Sovereignty  over  us  but  a  more  in- 
lirged  Power,  guided    by  a   never-ceafing 
Difpofition  to  do  us  good !  A  God,  whofe 
proper  Character  is  that  molt  Indearing  one 
of  Father  !  What  a  noble  Aflemblage  of 
tender  and  affecting  Ideas !  How  different 
from  the  too  ufual  Reprefentations  of  this 
matter !  By  a  certain   way   of  thinking, 
Philemon,  that  prevails  upon  this  Subject, 
one  would  be  tempted  to  imagine,  Men 
were  taught  to  believe  in  a  Manlchean  evil 
God  at  the  Helm  of  Things,  inftead  of  a 
kind  and  benevolent  Principle.     They  never 
feem  to  conceive  of  a  Deity,  as  of  an  affec 
tionate  Father  to  the  whole  Syftem  of  rati 
onal  Beings  that  hang  upon  his  Care  j  whofe 
only  -poffible  Motive  in  bringing  them  into 
Exiftence,  could  be  to  communicate  Hap- 
pimjs  to  them  -,  and  difTufe  upon  them  the 
kindly  Influences  of  his  Love  and  Bounty : 
But  rather  paint  him  to  their  frighted  Ima 
ginations,  with  all  the  Pomp  and  Terror  of 
dreadful  and  auflere  Majejly ;  a  kind  of 
Omnipotent  Tyrant  at  the  head  of  an  Uni- 
verfe  of  Slaves  :  Who  accordingly  muft 
pay  their   Court  to  him,  if  they  hope  to 
efcape  his  Vengeance,  or  tafte  any  thing  of 
his  Favour,  by  abjedl  Servility,  mean  A- 
dulatlon,  and  forced  Reverence.     Yet,  Phi- 
lemon,  the  Language  of  unprejudiced  Rea- 
fon  and  Nature  fpeaks  quite  other  things 

of 


( 

t>f  a  fupreme  Manager.     There  we 
as  our  Poet  has  judiciouily  obferved,  a  Jb- 
vereign  Being ,  and    a  Jbvereign  Good  ars 
equivalent  Expreffions.     Indeed   the  two 
Ideas  are  fo  intimately  allied  to  each  other, 
that  fo  long  as  Mankind  retained  any  thing 
of  their  firft  Simplicity  and  native  Ingenuity 
of  Mind,  they  could  hardly  be  fuppofed  to 
feparate  them.     For  what  Thoughts  could 
Creatures  newly  become  confcious  to  them- 
felves  of  imparted  Exiftence  and  Happi- 
nefs  entertain  of  the  great  Author  of  fuch 
.  unmerited  Bleffings,   but  that  He  muft  be 
in  himfelf  a  Being  of  the  moft  perfect  Be 
nevolence  ?  Nothing  but  the  extremeft  Per- 
verfenefs,  or  worfe  Ingratitude  could  pre 
vent  their  being  led  from  the  manifold  ex 
perience  they  had  of  his  Goodnefs,  to  the 
thankful  acknowledgment  of  it :  Or,  as  our 
Author  beautifully  exprefles  it,  their  own 
ing 

a  Father,  when  they  owrid  a  God. 

I  muft  cohfefsj  (faid  I)  Hortenjius,  (inter 
rupting  him,)  I  am  very  much  of  your  O- 
pinion  as  to  the  firft  Rife  of  Theifm  in  the 
world ;  fuppofing^  as  you  do,  that  Men 
were  ever  left  to  reafon  themfelves  into  the 
Belief  of  a  God  by  their  meer  natural 
Light,  without  any  originally  revealed  No 
tices  of  this  kind  conveyed  from  Father  to 
Son  in  a  way  of  tradition.  For  this,  you 

know, 


Jcnow,yS/0*  have  afferted  to  be  the  real  truth 
of  the  Cafe  ;  and  indeed  there  is  a  great 
deal  may  be  faid  for  this  fide  of  the 
Queftion.  The  Poet  bimfelf  has  a  Glance 
at  it  in  the  Paflage  you  have  been  reading 
out  of  him. 

Or  plain  Tradition  that  this  all  begun., 
Conveyed  unbroken  Faith  from  Sire  to  Son, 

However,  as  I  faid  before,  allowing  the 
truth  of  your  Hypothecs,  and  that  Revela 
tion  had  nothing  to  do  in  the  Aftair,  I  am, 
much  more  inclined  to  refolve  the  Belief  ojf 
a  Deity,  as  you  have  done,  into  a  Princi 
ple  of  natural  Gratitude,  than  with  Epi 
curus,  and  his  Followers,  into  I  know  not 
"what  Juperftitious  Awe  and  Dread  Men  are 
under  of  ittvifi&le  Power. 

AT  leaft  (returned  Hortenfms)  if  I  was 
to  admit  fuch  a  natural  Jealoufy  and  Ap- 
prehenfion  of  invifible  Power,  as  thefe  Gen 
tlemen  contend  for,  I  ihould  hardly  think 
of  making  the  ufe  they  do  of  it,  to  difprove 
the  mz/exiftence  of  any  fuch  Power.  Sure 
'tis  an  odd  way  of  Reafoning  Men  out  of 
their  Belief  of  a  God,  to  tell  them  the  Fear 
of  him  is  natural  to  them.  For  indeed 
allowing  the  Paffion  to  be  natural,  I  ihould 
be  apt  to  conclude  from  the  Analogy  of  all 
other  natural  PaiTions,  that  it  muft  have 
a  Foundation  in  'Nature,  fome  fuitable 

and 


(  '6  ) 

and  correfpondent  Objed;  in  the  Reality 
and  Conjlitution  of  things. 

You  know,  (faid  I)  Hortenjius,  they 
pretend  to  derive  this  fear  and  fulpicion  of 
Mankind  folely  from  their  Ignorance  of 
the  Caufes  of  .  natural  Events.  So  Lucre 
tius,  upon  the  Principles  of  the  Se£t,  ex- 
prefly  tells  us.  I  fee  you  have  the  Works 
of  that  Poet  here,  give  me  leave  to  turn 
to  the  Paflage. 

£>uippe  ita  Formido  mortales  continet  omnes, 
Quod  mult  a  in  Terrisfari,  Ceeloque  tuentur^ 
Quorum  operum  Caufas  nulld  ratione  iiidere 
PoJ/unf,  ac  fieri  divino  Numine  rentur*. 

And  Horace,  (you  muft  remember)  men 
tions  it  as  an  inftance  of  Philofophical 
Heroifm,  which  but  few  could  attain  to, 
to  be  able  to  contemplate  the  Grandeur 
and  Regularity  of  Nature  without  a  little 
ipice  of  this  popular  Superflition. 

Hunc  So/em,  G?  S  fellas,  &  decedentia  cert  is  , 
Tempora  Moment  is,  funt  qui  Formidine  nulld 
Imbutijfeffent  -f-. 

But  then  if  the  Jlated  and  ordinary  Courfe 
of  Nature  is  fo  apt  to  infpire  z  Jiiperftitious 
Awe  and  Reverence,  the  more  extraordina 
ry  and  unufual  Phenomena  will  have  a 


*  Lib.I.  v,i52.     Vid.etiamLib.V.  v.nSa.    Lib. 
VI.  v.49  to  56.     f  Hor.  Epift.  Lib.I.  Epift.VI.  v./j.. 

much 


much  ftronger  effect  this  way.  For  be- 
fides  that  the  mere  circumftance  of  their 
being  uncommon  has  a  more  obvious  tenden 
cy  to  beget  furprifi,  many  of  them  may 
be  faid  to  have,  as  it  were,  fomething  of 
natural  Pomp)  and  Terror  even  in  them/elves. 
As  for  inftance,  Thundrings,  Lightnings, 
various  kinds  of  Meteors,  Earthquakes, 
&c.  agreeably  to  the  Obfervation  of  ano 
ther  Poet  of  the  Epicurean  Perfuafion. 

Primus  in  Orbe  Deos  fecit  timor,  ardua  ccelo 
Fulmina   cum  caderent,  difcujfaque  m&nia 


Atque  Iffus  flagraret  Athos-—* 

And  fo  Horace  intimates  a  particular  apt- 
nefs  in  Thunder  to  ftrike  Men  with  reli 
gious  Impreilions. 

Ccslo  tonantem  credidimus  Jovem 
Regnare  —  -  -j- 

And  Lucant  I  remember,  almoft  in  the 
fame  words 

—  -  per  Fulmina  tantum 
Sciret  adhuc  folum  ccslo  regnare  tonantem  ||. 

Now  with  a  View  to  the  eradicating  thefe 
popular  Superftitions,  and  to  the  freeing 
Men  from  the  flavery  of  thofe  religious 
Fears  which  their  ignorance  of  the  Caufes 

*  Pet.  Arb.  Frag.  Sat.  p.  524.  ed.  Mich.  Had, 

t  Hor.  OdarumLib.  III.  Ode  5. 

ij  Luccn.  Lib.  HI.  Fhar.  v.  319,  320,  var. 

D  and 


end  proceedurc  of  natural  Events  had  fub- 
jected  them  to;  Epicurus,  as  his  Interpreter 
and  great  Panegyrift  Lucretius  informs  us, 
undertook  to  inftrucl  them  in  a  more  ac 
curate  knowledge  of  Nature  :  To  ex 
plain  to  them  her  feveral  Phenomena, 
and  give  a  Phyfical  Solution  of  her  various 
operations  upon  no  higher  a  Principle  than 
mere  Matter  in  motion.  Hear  how  the 
Poet  panegyrizes  his  Mafter  upon  this  no 
ble  and  generous  Enterprize.  Speaking 
of  that  abject  flate  of  Mind  to  which  Su- 
perftition  had  reduced  Men,  Epicurus,  he 
tells  us,  was  the  firfl  who  durft  openly 
attack  the  flavim  Impoliure. 

Primum  Grams  homo  mortales  toller  e  contra 
Eft  oculos  at/fits,  primufque  obfijlere  contra  : 
Quern  nee  Fania  Deum,  nee  Fulminay  nee 

minitanti 
Murmure  comprejjit  ccelum  ;  fed  eo  magis 

acrem 

Virtutem  mritdt  animi>  confringere  ut  arffia 
Nature  primus  portarUm  claujira  cupiret  *. 

He  hoped,  it  feems,  by  penetrating  into 
the  intimate  Reafons  of  Things,  to  give  a 
Compleat  Key  to  the  feveral  Productions  of 
Nature  j  and  that  the  notion  of  a  fuperin- 
tending  Deity  would  be  effectually  banifh'd 
out  of  the.  world,  if  he  could  but  perfuade 
Men  to  admit  that  the  Courfe  of  Affairs 


-V 


might 


(  19  ) 

might  go  on  as  fuccefefully  without  h 
currence.  And  after  the  Poet  in  the  three 
following  Lines  has  led  his  Philofopbical 
Hero  thro'  the  whole  compafs  of  Nature, 
he  goes  on  to  reprefent  him  returning  in 
a  kind  of  triumph  from  the  fuccefs  of  his 
wonderful  Difcoveries ;  holding  out,  as  it 
were,  to  view  a  Rationale  of  the  Univerfe, 
and  adjufting  the  full  Powers  and  Extent 
of  natural  Mechanifm. 

Unde  refert  nobis  ViStor  quid  pofpt  oriri, 
Quid  neqiieat  * — 

AND  yet,  (interrupted  Hortenfiui)  after 
all  this  pompous  parade  of  Science,  what  is 
the  Philofophy  of  this  his  boafted  Epicurus, 
even  according  to  his  own  account  of  it, 
but  a  continued  Series  of  Blunder  and  Ab* 
furdity  ? 

THAT  is  true,  (faid  I)  but  the  Poet 
has  certainly  embellifhed  his  pbilofbphical 
Romance  with  numberlefs  beautiful  Turns 
of  Thought,  and  an  uncommon  Strength 
and  Majefty  of  Stile  and  Expreffion. 

AN  excellent  Poet,  (return'd  Hcrtenfius) 
but  a  wretched  Bungler  in  Reafoning!  For 
not  to  defcend  to  the  minuter  Branches  of 
this  Epicurean  Syftem,  what  is  the  general 
Foundation  which  it  proceeds  upon,  the 

*  Lib.  I,  v.76. 

D  2  Etcr- 


(20) 

Eternity  of  Matter  in  motion,  but  a  mere 
gratis  dittum  ?  A  Notion  obftinately  taken 
up  againft  the  inflexible  Reafon  and  Truth 
of  Things?  I  do  not  defign  to  enter  into 
a  particular  Confutation  of  it,  but  mall  only 
obferve,  that  the  Idea  of  Self-exigence  is  not 
only  incompatible  with  feveral  known  Pro 
perties  of  Matter,  but  repugnant  to  the^r- 
neral  Nature  of  it  *.  And  yet  if  we  fhould 
allow  Matter  to  have  been  Eternal,  we 
could  not  admit  it  to  have  been  eternally  in 
Motion;  for  that  would  be  to  mak&Motion 
to  be  of  the  Effence  of  Matter,  contrary  to 
plain  Evidences  of  Facl:  and  Experience  -f-. 

s  S  o  that  had  the  Epicurean  Philofophy 
fucceeded  never  fo  well  in  the  Explication 
of  Nature  from  thefe  Principles,  yet  the 
Principles  themfelves  can  never  pafs  upon 
Men  of  Thought  and  juft  Reflection  with 
out  ,  much  better  Proofs  than  a  bare  Ipje 
dixit.  This  is  an  Errror  at  the  firft  fetting 
out,  fufficient  to  blaft  the  whole  Scheme 
at  once.  Serioufly,  Philemon,  one  cannot 
enough  wonder  at  the  extreme  Folly  of  all 
fuch  Scbemifts  as  pretend  to  account  for 

*  See  Dr.  Clarke'*  Being  and  Attrib.  p.  22,  &c. 
Gordon'*-  Beyle's  Lett.  Serm.  4.  Relig.  of  Nature  delin. 
p.y6,77.  Bentl.  Boyle's  Left.  Serm.  b.  Addit.  to  Law'* 
Notes  on  King'*  Orig.  Evil,  p.  13.  Baxter'*  Inquiry 
into  the  Nat.  of  the  Hum.  Soul  at  large. 

t  Newton \Optice,  Shi.  ult.  p.  341,  343.  Gurdon'j 
Serm.  pag.  169,  fcfc.  Bentley's  Boyle's  Left.  Serm.  7. 

things 


21    ) 

things  upon  Principles  of  Mechanifm,  when 
the  Origin  of  that  Mechanifm  itfelf,  upon 
/^/rHypothefi?,  is  a  greater  Difficulty,  than 
any  of  thoje  it  is  introduced  to  explain.  For 
deduce  one  thing  from  another  ever  lb  long 
in  a  mechanical  Series,  without  running  up 
to  lifirjl  Mover  ;  what  do  you,  but  repeat 
the  old  exploded  Conceit  of  the  Elephant, 
and  the  Tortoife  ?  All  mechanical  Solutions 
of  natural  Events,  tho*  never  fojuft  as  far 
as  they  go,  yet  leave  us  at  laft  in  as  great 
Ignorance  as  they  found  us.  It  may  be  we 
are  got  to  ajecondor  third  Remove,  and  have 
mifted  the  Difficulty  from  the  Elephant  to 
the  Torfoi/e.  But  that  fatal  Queftion  re 
curring  at  every  turn,  "  and  the  Tortolfe 
"  itfeff~  how  ?"  muft  ever  flop  us  in  our 
progrefs,  till  we  have  placed  feme  Immate 
rial,  Intelligent ,  Self-acJive  Principle  at  the 
headoi  Affairs.  Our  great  Tbeorift^  the  ad 
mirable  Sir  IJaac  Newton,  a  much  better 
Philofopher,  I  do  not  fay,  meerly,  than 
Epicurus,  or  Lucretius,  or  any  of  the  more 
modern  Retailers  of  their  Blunders;  but 
even  than  any  of  the  moft  celebrated  ones, 
whether  of  ancient  or  modern  Times  ;  he, 
I  fay,  was  well  aware  of  this  Truth,  and 
has  born  full  Teftimony  to  it.  For  tho'  he 
had  abundantly  confirmed  and  eftablifhed 
his  Principle  of  uniroe rjal  Gravity  upon  the 
Authority  of  well-try  d  Fa  els  and  Experi 
ments,  and  afterwards  applied  it  with  an- 

Jwerable 


Jwerable  Succcfs  to  the  Theory  and  Expli 
cation  of  the  Mundane  Syftem  ;  yet  he 
never  confiders  it  other  wife  than  as  a  Fatt*^ 
of  which  he  owns  at  the  fame  time  the 
CauJ'e  to  be  wholly  unknown  to  him.  And 
fo  far  is  he  from  thinking,  that  becaufe 
this  Principle  may  ferve  to  account  for  other 
things,  therefore  it  needs  no  account  to  be 
given  of  itfelf,  that  on  the  contrary,  he 
gives  hints  -j-  of  fome  accounts  he  had  been 
endeavoring  to  form  to  himfelf  of  it  ;  and 
finding  none  of  them  anjwer  his  purpofCj 
concludes  at  laft,  with  refolving  it  into  a 
divine  Energy  and  Superintendence^  as  feeing 
it  utterly  irreconcileable  with  any  natural 
or  mechanical  Principles  ||. 

So  thatupon  the  whole,  the  falfeTriumphs 
of  the  Epicureans  upon  this  Article  of  na-> 
/Krtf/Caufes  amount  at  laft  to  a  publicTc- 
jftimony  againft  themfehes  ;  and  under  a 
pretence  of  proclaiming  their  Viftory^  do  but 
more  effectually  confirm  their  intire  over 
throw  and  defeat.  For  whilft,  with  a  de- 
fign  to  explode  the  Belief  of  a  God,  they  have 
gone  about  to  explain  Nature  without  him, 
the  ill  Succefs  they  have  met  with  in  their 


*    Prin.    Phil.    Schol.    gen.    fub   finem.    p 

Opt.  p.  374- 

f  Optus,  p.  350,  and  elfewhere. 

|j  Newton  i  Opt  ice  ,  p.  373.     Prin,  Phil.  Schol  .  gen. 
•fub  finem,  />.  344. 

Attempt, 


(  23  ) 

Attempt,  is  to  them  at  leaft  a  very  convin 
cing  proof  how  impracticable  fuch  an  Ex 
plication  really  is.  And  thus,  by  pretend 
ing  to  undermine  a/>o^///^rSuperftition  about 
a  Dezty,  they  have  laid  the  Ground  and 
Foundation  of  a  rationalPerfuation  of  Jam  ; 
and  fhewn  juft  enough  of  the  Nature  and 
Powers  of  jecond  Caufes  to  eftablifh  beyond 
all  poffible  doubt  the  Neceflity  and  Reality 
of 


BUT  this  is  wandering  too  far  from  our 
prefent  purpofe.  I  am  not,  (you  know) 
undertaking  to  detect  and  expofe  every  Er 
ror  and  Inconfiftency  in  the  Epicurean  Sy- 
flem  ;  my  Quarrel  at  prefent  being  only 
with  one  particular  Circumftance  of  it,  the 
refolving  the  Belief  of  a  fuperintending 
Deity  into  a  Principle  of  Fear.  And  this, 
as  I  faid,  feems  to  me  a  very  unnatural  So 
lution  of  this  Matter.  For  allowing  the 
general  ConRitution  of  Nature  to  proclaim 
never  fo  loudly  the  infinite  Power  of  its  al 
mighty  Architect,  yet  the  manifold  traces 
of  kind  and  good  intention  *  which  run  e- 
very  where  thro'  it,  do  at  leaft  as  flrongly 
evidence  an  infinite  Goodnefs  to  have  been 
concerned  in  its  Contrivance.  And  there 
fore,  fuppofing  Men  to  be  never  fo  fenfible 

*  See  this  Sentiment  finely  enlarg'd  upon  in  Hutch. 
Nat.  and  Cond.  of  the  Pajfans}  p.  100,  1  8  1,  See  alfo 
p.  182,  to  189, 

of 


(  24  ) 

of  the  Power  of  their  Maker,  yet  they  muft 
at  the  fame  time  difcern  it  to  be  a  Power 
guided  and  directed  by  a  Principle  of  Kind" 
nejs  and  Benevolence  towards  them,  and  con- 
fequently  an  Object  of  Hope  and  Confidence, 
much  rather  than  of  Fear,  or  Difquietude. 
Who  fees  not  that  a  great  part  of  Nature 
minifters  diredlly  to  our  U/'e  ?  A  much 
greater  to  our  Pleafure  and  Entertain 
ment  *  ?  If  fome  few  particulars  have  a 
different  Afpedl,  ftill  the  Balance  upon 
compai  ifon  turns  evidently  in  our  favour ; 
and  a  /m  contrary  Inftances  rather  con 
firm  than  weaken  a  general  Rule.  Be- 
fides,  that  thefe  feemingly  natural  Evils 
upon  a  more  accurate  inquiry  into  Na 
ture,  appear  to  have,  even  in  themfelves, 
a  beneficial  Tendency  upon  the  whole,  or 
at  leaft  to  be  the  neceflary  Confequences 


*  This  Thought  is  m»flE  beautifully  purfued  in  the 
Spectator,  vol.  V.  N°.  387.  The  following  Paflage 
is  fo  appofite  to  our  purpofe,  that  I  cannot  forbear 
tranfcribing  it — To  confider  farther  this  double  End 
in  the  Works  of  Nature,  and  how  they  are  at  the 
fame  time  both  ufeful^  and  entertaining,  we  find  the 
moft  Important  parts  in  the  vegetable  World  are  thofe 
which  are  the  moft  beautiful.  Thefe  are  the  Seeds  by 
which  the  feveral  Races  of  Plants  are  propagated  and 
continued,  and  which  are  always  lodged  in  Flowers, 
or  Bloflbms.  Nature  feems  to  hide  her  principa/De- 
fign,  and  to  be  indujlrious  in  making  the  Earth  £tfy, 
and  delightful^  whilft  ine  is  carrying  on  her  great  Work, 
and  intent  upon  her  own  Preservation,  p.  274,  275* 
Seealfo,  N9.  393. 

of 


:    ,  (25) 

^f  Tome  general  Principles  that  evidently 

have  *. 

A  s  to  what  you  was  obferving,  (Phile- 
inon)  that  feme  of  the  more  extraordinary 
Appearances  in  Nature  have  a  kind  of  na 
tural  Terror  in  them,  it  may,  I  think,  be 
juftly  queftioned  whether  Guilt  or  Superfti- 
iion  have  not  been  the  chief  Caufcs  of  this. 
At  leaft,  even  by  your  own  account,  the 
Inftances  of  this  kind  are  unufual  and  ex 
traordinary ',  and  therefore  not  to  be  regard 
ed  in  agw/fnj/Eftimate.  Whereas,  on  the 
contrary,  the  ordinary  ft  atedCourfe  of  things 
is  calculated  to  excite  in  us  a  perpetual 
Train  of  pleajlng  and  agreable  Senfations. 
To  go  no  farther  than  a  familiar  Inftance: 

*  See  Archbimop  King,  of  the  Origin  of  Evil,  tranf- 
lated  by  Law,  with  the  Tranflator's  excellent  Notes — 
JReL  of  Nat.  delin.  under  the  Art.  of  part.  Prov. — — 
EJJ'ay  on  Man,  4.  109. — The  Frame  of  Nature  feems, 
as  far  as  we  know,  plainly  contriv'd  for  the  good  of  the 
Whole ;  and  the  cafual  Evils  feem  the  necefTary  Con 
comitants  of  forfie  Mechanifm,   defign'd  for  vaftly^r^- 
pollent  Good. — Hutch.  Inquiry,  p.  275.     This  Princi 
ple,  eftablifhed  with  full  Evidence  by  the  Writers  here 
referr'd  to,  and  others  that  might  be  added,  in  many 
ihftances,  and  which  is  therefore  by  the  argument  of 
Analogy  made  fomething  more  than  probable  in  all  ; 
(fmce  Nature,  or  the  Author  of  Nature,  muft  be  fup- 
pofed  confiftent   with    himfelf)    ftrikes  at   the  very 
foundation  of  the  Manichean  Scheme,  and  turns  the 
whole  force  of  its  Artillery  upon  it  felf ;  a  Circum- 
ftance  that  dcferves  to  be  taken  notice  of,  as  pointing 
out  the  wretched  Weaknefs  of  its  Caufe,  which  has 
not  now,  I  would  hope,  many  fsrious  Abettors. 

E  I 


(  26) 

1  have  often  been  particularly  pleafed  with 
•the  Obfervation  of  an  ingenious  Writer,  that 
tf  ajine  Day  is  a  kindofJenfualPleajure*? 
For  my  own  part  I  always  find  it  fo.  'Tis 
then  that  Nature  unfolds  all  her  brighter!: 
Charms  to-  view,:  and  opens,  as  it  were,  her 
whole  Store^houfe  of  Bleffings.  The  ini 
mitable  Beauty,  Extent^  and  Variety  of  na 
tural  Pr&/pe£ts,  the  Verdure  of  the  Fields 
and  Meadows,  the  agreable  Fragrancy  of 
the  Air,  the  Luftre,  Mildnefs,  and  Benig 
nity  of  the  Heavens  ;  in  a  word,,  the  •whole 
Scene  about  us  wonderfully  co-operates  to 
©ur  Enjoyment  -f*.  The  World  feems  made 
for  our  peculiar  Gratification  ;  our  Spirits 
are  chear'd  and  enliven'd,-  our  Imaginations 
warm'd  and  entertain'd,  our  rational  Fa 
culties  invigorated  and  exercifed.  The  whole 
Man  overflows,  as  it  were,  with  Delight  and 
Complacency.  In  this  agreable  Confciouf- 
nefs,  how  does  every  anxious  and  difquiet- 
ing  Thought  vanim!  How  open  is  the  Soul 
to  every  grateful,  affectionate.,  and  devout 


*  Sir  IV.  Temple,  vol.  I.  fol.  273.  Spectator,  vol.  V. 
N°.  387.  The  Sun,  which  is  as  the  great  Soul  of  the 
Univerfe,  and  produces  all  the  NecefTaries  of  Life,  has 
a  particular  Influence  in  chearing  the  Mind  of  Many 
and  making  the  Heart  glad. 

f  Providence  has  imprinted  fo  many  Smiles  on  Na- 
Uire,  that  it  is  impoflible  for  a  Mind  which  is  not  funk 
in  more  grofs  and  fenfual  Delights,  to  take  a  Survey 
of  them  without  feveral  fecret  Senfations  of  Pleafurer 
Sped.  vol.  V.  N°.  393. 

Send- 


. 

Sentiment,  towards  the  great  Author  of  its 
Happinefs  !  With  what  a  generous  Indig 
nation  does  it  reject  every  unworthy  Appre- 
henfion  of  fo  tranfcendently  kind  and  ex 
cellent  a  Nature!  How  foreign  the  leaft 
Sufpicion  of  Evil,  from  a  Being  of  fuch  ex 
perienced  Bounty  and  Beneficence ! 

THESE  (Philemon)  are  obvious  Reflec 
tions  ;  were  I  difpofed  to  be  more  abjlra&ed 
and  pbilofophical,  I  might  go  on  to  obferve 
that  the  very  Notion  of  Power  itfelfy  that 
Bugbear  in  the  Epicurean  Syftem,  (as  in 
deed  what  will  not  Guilt  and  Folly  make 
fuch  ?)  if  we  will  but  purfue  it  in  its  juft 
extenfy  implies  and  leads  on  to  Goodnefs. 
Let  us  confider  a  little — If  we  look  into  our- 
fehes,  and  examine  the  State  of  our  own 
Hearts,  (a  Pra&ice  furely  very  neceflary, 
before  we  afcend^  as  a  celebrated  Author  ex- 
preffes  it  *,  into  the  higher  Regions  of  Divi 
nity)  fhall  we  not  eafily  difcern,  that  Ma- 
lice  is  nothing  elfe  but  Weaknefs,  Defeft* 
and  fmpotency  -f-  ?  Should  it  not  therefore 
E  2  feem 

*  Charatterijlicks,  vol.  I.  page  41. 

•f-  The  obvious  Frame  of  the  World  gives  us  Ideas  of 
boundlefs  Wifdom,  and  Power  in  its  Author ;  fuch  a 
Being  we  cannot  conceive  Indigent^  and  muft  conclude 
happy,  and  in  the  bejl  Jlate  poffible,  fince  he  can  Jllll 
gratify  himfelf:  the  beji  Jlatc  of  rational  Agents^  and 
their  greateft,  and  moft  worthy  Happinefs,  we  are  ne- 
ceflarily  led  to  imagine  muft  confift  in  univerfal  effica 
cious  Benevolence;  and  hence  we  conclude  the  Deity 

Bene- 


feem  to  be  as  necefTarily  excluded  from  arj 
independent,  %&&  Jelf-jufficient  Principle,  as 
Darknefs  is  from  Light*?  "  There  is  an  odd 
"  way  of  Reajoningj  fays  the  Author  juft 
«?  now  referred  to  -[-,  but  in  certain  Dif- 
*f  tempers  of  Mind  very  fovereign  to  juch  as 
"  can  apply  it  -y  there  can  be  no  Malice  but 
<£  where  there  is  an  Oppojition  of  Interefts; 
"  an  TJniverfol.  Independent  Being  can 
*f  have  no  Inter  efts  oppofed,  and  therefore 
"  no  Malice"  ||  So  wifely  did  the  Poet 
chara&erife  \\isfovereign  Being,  z  fever  eign 
Good. 

BUT  may  there  not  be  conceived  fuch 
a  thing,  (faid  I)  Hortenfius,  as  difinterejled 
Malice?  and  abftracling  all  Arguments 
from  prefent  Fatts^  might  not  an  infinite 
ly  powerful  Being  be  at  the  fame  time  an 
infinitely  evil  one  ? 

Benevolent,  in  the  moft  untverfal^  impartial  manner. 
Hutch.  Inquiry ',  p.  ult. 

*  This  way  of  thinking  is  much  the  fame  with  that 
pf  the  ingenious  Tranjlator  of  Archbifhop  King,  and 
ether  Writers,  who  derive  the  moral  Attributes  of  the 
Deity  by  way  of  Confequence  from  his  natural  ones. 

•f-  Charafl.  vol.  I.  p.  39. 

||  It  is  fcarce  neceflary  juft  to  hint  here,  that  this 
potion  will  not,  as  has  been  fometjmes  injuriously 
charged  upon  it  by  the  Enemies  of  this  Author,  de- 
ih-oy  all  right  of  Punifhment  in  the  Deity  towards 
any  humors!  Agent,  fmce  Punifhments  may  end  in 
{he  final  Benefit  of  fuch  Agent ;  and  then  they  are 
pot  the  effeds  of  Malice,  but  Qoodnefs. 


(    29 

T  H  E  Notion,  (returned  he,  with  feme 
warmth,)  is  as  full  of  Contradiction  and 
Abfurdlty  as  it  is  of  Horror  *. 

BUT  how  think  you,  (faid  I)  as  to  our 
own  Species  ?  does  not  Hiftory  furnifh  us 
with  fome  Characters  thorowly  and  delibe 
rately  evil  and  malicious  ? 

*  If  all  Malice  be,  as  is  here  afTerted,  JFeaknefs,  in 
finite  Malice  is  Weaknefs  heighten'd  to  an  infinite  De 
gree,  that  is,  an  infinite  Privation,  an  infinite  Nothing. 
This  Point  may  deferve  a  more  particular  illuftration, 
which  it  will  admit  of  feveral  ways  ;  as  thus — It  may 
be,  that  all  Malice  is  attended  with  fome  Degree  of 
Pain,  and  confequently  infinite  Malevolence  muft  be 
attended  with  an  infinite  Degree  of  Pain  ;  that  is, 
muft  be  infinitely  inconfiftent  with  infinite  Power. — 
Again,  an  infinitely  malevolent  Deity  could  not  pof- 
fibly  communicate  any  Degree  of  Power  or  Know 
ledge  to  any  Creature,  in  as  much  as,  it  fhould  feem. 
Power  and  Knowledge  are  in  their  own  nature  good  j 
now  to  impart  any  Degree  of  Good  is  againft  the  In-? 
terefts  of  a  completely  malicious  Agent.  But  on  the 
other  hand,  to  deny  that  any  Degrees  of  Knowledge 
and  Power  are  actually  communicated,  is  againft  all  evi 
dence  of  Fact  and  Experience.  And  indeed  were  we 
to  abridge  the  fupreme  Being  of  any  Power  to  com 
municate  thefe  Attributes,  it  would  be  making  fuch 
inroads  upon  his  Omnipotence,  as  would  render  his 
fuppofed  Malevolence  as  contemptibly  weak,  as  it  is 
in  every  view  mockingly  deteftable.  Or  laftly,  mould 
it  be  faid,  that  infinite  Malevolence  is  ftill  at  full  li 
berty  to  communicate  both  Knowledge  and  Power 
to  it's  Creatures,  for  that  an  artful  Malice  might  eafily 
jhrow  in  along  with  thefe  fuch  imbittering  Ingre 
dients,  a§  would  make  them  a  Punifhmeni;  inftead  of 


3° 


I  think,  (replied  he)  the  incomparably 
ingenious   Mr.   Hutchefon  *    has   gone   a 
great  way  towards  proving  that  Human 
Nature  admits  not  fo  deferable  a  Principle  as 
a  .fettled  dijinterejled  Malice  ;  and  that  thofe 
Actions  which   have  the  ivorfl  afpcft  this 
way  are  to  be  refolved  only  into  the  irre 
gular  and  miftaken  Application   of  fome 
juftifiable  Affection  -J-.     However,  allowing 
there  might  be  fome  monjlrous  Productions 
in  the  moral  World,  as  well    as  there  are 
in  the  natural^  yet  there  is  a  common  Stan 
dard  of  true  Formation  in  both:  and  whatr- 
ever  may  be  faid  of  Particulars^  the  gene^ 
rtf/Conititution  of  Human  Nature  is  plain 

ly    a  Benevolent  one.     And  hence   aeain 

-r 
nies 

a  Blefiing  ;  I  add  yet  farther,  infinite  Malevolence 
cannot  produce  even  Mifery  itfelf  to  any  Degree  that 
will  anlwer  itspurpofes:  becaufe  univerfal  unlimited 
Mifery  cannot  take  place  without  univerfal  unlimited 
Malevolence  being  introduced  firft  ;  and  that  once 
fuppofed  in  any  Syftem,  it  immediately  becomes  Feh 
defe,  felf-deftru&ive,  and  an  impoffible  cafe.  ASyftem 
of  Beings  univerf.illy  and  abfolutely  malevolent  can  no 
more  fubfift  together,  than  a  Set  of  abfolutely  repelling 
Particles  can  form  a  World.  Once  more,  it  may  be 
juft  intimated,  that  it  is  of  the  nature  of  Evil,  asjuch, 
to  deftroy  itfelf)  which  makes  a  perfect  malevolent 
Scheme,  if  one  may  ufe  fuch  an  Exprefllon,  necefla- 
rily  impracticable. 

"*  Vide  Nature  and  Conduft  of  the  Pajfions.     Inquiry, 


f  Spectators  may  thjnk  we  have  pure  difwterefted 
Malice,  when  it  is  really  only  the  overgrowth  of  a  juft 

natural 


rifes  a  farther  very  convincing  Argument 
for  the  great  Truth  we  are  contending  for  $ 
fmce  a  Being,  not  himfelf  the  molt  difin- 
tereftedly  Benevolent^  would  never  of  his 
own  free  motion  have  given  fuch  a  benevo 
lent  Biafs  to  a  whole  Species  of  his  Crea 
tures,  as  fhould  in  a  manner  neceiTarily  in- 
gage  them  in  Offices  of  mutual  kindnefs 
and  indearment  :  and  which  is  fo  deeply 
rooted  in  their  very  Make  and  Conftitu- 
tion,  that  Humanity,  a  Term  expreffive 
of  it's  Influence,  is  by  common  Language 
appropriated  to  the  peculiar  Dijlinftion  of 
the  Kind*. 

MOREOVER,  Philemon^  for  to  you  I 
may  well  appeal  in  this  Affair,  (fo  he  par 
tially 

natural  Affe&ion,  upon  falfe  Opinions,  or  confuted 

Ideas,  Hutch.  Inquiry r,  p.  99. Human  Nature  feems 

fcarce  capable  of  malicious,  difinterefted  Hatred,  or  a 
fedate  Delight  in  the  Mifery  of  others,  &V.  Hutch- 

Inquiry,  p.  132,  133,  134. It  is  very  probable  that 

there  is  no  fuch  De*gree  of  Wickednefs  in  Human  Na^ 
ture,  as,  in  cold  Blood,  to  be  pleas'd  with  the  Mifery  of 
others,  when  it  is  conceiv'd  to  be  no  way  ufeful  to 
our  Inter  ejis,  &c.  Ibid,  p,  157,  to  159,  fcf  pajjint. — • 
This  partial  Imagination  of  Come  good  moral  Qualities 
in  Actions  which  have  many  cruel,  inhuman,  and  de~ 
Jlrutlive  Confequences  toward  others,  is  what  has  kept 
Vice  more  in  countenance  than  any  other  Confidera- 
tion.  Ibid.  p.  228.  Vide  etiam  Nature  end  Condutt  of 
the  Pajfietts,  p.  104,  138,  to  141,  r~  pajjlm. 

*  It  is  not  material  to  our  purpofe  here,  whether 
thefe  benevolent  Afftttions  be  fuppofed,  as  fame  would 
have  it,  innate  j  or,  as  others,  only  naturally  acquired. 

Either 


(  32  ) 

tially  addreis'd  himfelf  to  me)  who  have  fa 
often  made  the  Experiment ;  as  the  having 
thefe  benevolent  Affections  is  the  very  Badgt 
and  Character  of  our  Nature,  fo  from  the 
cheriming,  and  improving  thefe  natural 
Seeds  of  Virtue,  refults  the  Perfection  and 
Happinefs  of  it.  The  higheft  and  moft 
exquiiite  Pleafures  we  are  at  any  time  con- 
fcious  of,  arife  from  a  Senfe  of  our  having 
a<fted  in  confluence  of  kind,  and  good  Af- 
feftion.  Whenever  we  do  fo,  we  feel  a 
fecret  Joy  and  Tranfport  difFufing  itfelf 
thro'  our  Breafts  -,  and  the  State  of  our 
Souls,  like  that  of  a  <well-turid  Inftrument, 

Either  way,  this  Reafoning  is  equally  conclufive. — ^— 
This  moral  Senfe,  implanted  in  rational  Agents •,  to  de 
light  in,  and  admire  whatever  Adlions  flow  from  a 
ftudy  of  the  good  of  others,  is  one  of  the  ftrongeft  Evi 
dences  of  Goodnefs  in  the  Author  of  Nature.  Inquiry,- 

p.  275. Would  we  allow  room  to  our  Invention,' 

to  conceive  what  Constitutions  of  Senfes  or  Affections 
a  malicious  powerful  Being  might  have  formed,  we  mould 
foon  fee  how  few  Evidences  there  are  for  any  fuch  Ap- 
prehenfion  concerning  the  Author  of  this  World. — 
Human  Society  might  have  been  made  as  uneafy  to  us 
as  the  Company  of  Enemies,  and  yet  a  perpetual  more 
violent  Motive  of  Fear  might  have  forced  us  to  bear 
it.  Malice^  Rancour,  Dijlrufi,  might  have  been  our 
natural  Temper.  Our  Honour  and  Self- Approbation 
might  have  depended  upon  Injuries ;  and  the  Torments 
of  others  might  have  been  made  our  Delight,  which 
yet  we  could  not  have  enjoy'd  thro'  perpetual  Fear. 
Many  fuch  Contrivances  we  may  eafily  conceive,' 
whereby  an  evil  Mind  could  have  gratified  his  Malice 
by  our  Mifery :  but  how  unlike,  &c  ?  Nat.  and  Cond. 
p.  180,  181. 

is 


(  33  ) 

is  all  over  Harmony,  Sweetnefs,  and  Com- 
pofure.     Now  what  is  this  but  the  filent 
TefHmony  of  our  own  Hearts  that  we  are 
then  in  the  befl,  the  moft  perfect  ftate  of 
Being,  of  which  our  Nature  is  made  capa 
ble?  And  fhall  we  (Philemon]  refufe  that  to 
the  Creator,  which  we  own  and  feel  to  be 
the  higheft  Excellency,  Perfection,  and  En 
noblement  of  the  Creature  ?  Or  fhall  we 
not  rather  acknowledge,  that  as  it  is  the 
jlronger  or  'weaker  ftate  of  this  benevolent 
Principle  in  our/ehes  that  varies  the  feveral 
Degrees  of  Worth  and  Efteem  amongft 
Men,  fo  it  is  the  intire  prevalency,  and  z/«- 
allayed  Perfection  of  it  in  the  fit pr erne  Being, 
that  conftitutes  a  truly  divine  Character^ 
gives  Grace  and  Luftre  to  every  other  of  his 
Attribures,  and  make s  Deity  itfelf  properly 
God-like? 

IT  is  upon  thefe  grounds,  (faid  I,)  as 
I  fuppofe,  that  the  noble  Author,  you  have 
more   ,than  once  hinted  at,    makes   it    a 
Qjeftion,   "  Whether  any   thing  bejides  111 
"  Humour  can  be  the  Cauje  of  Athei/m  *  T* 
There  is  fomething  fo  comfortable,  fo  every 
way  agreable  to  the  Interefts  of  Mankind 
in  general,  and  of  each  individual  Man  in 
particular,  in  the  notion  of  a  common  Pa 
rent,  and  jb<vereign  Protestor  of  the  Uni- 

*  Cbaraff,  vol,  I.  p.  23. 

~  F 


(  34  ) 

verfe,  that  an  ordinarily  good-natured  Mart 
would  be  tempted  to  <wijh  there  might  be 
a  God,  even  tho'  he  mould  not  be  able  to 
prove  there  was  one.  ttisAjfeffiions  would 
evidently  lean  this  way,  whatever  might 
be  the  Decilion  of  his  Judgment  in  the 
Cafe.  And  therefore  it  muft  argue  a  very 
high  Degree  of  Perverfenefs  and  Depravity, 
a  State  of  the  moft  invenom'd  Spleen  and 
Morofenefs,  to  frand  out  againft  fo  falu- 
tary  a  Truth,  in  the  midft  of  that  abun 
dant  Evidence  with  which  it  is  at  prefent 
furrounded. 

AND  yet,  (replied  Hortenfius)  as  love 
ly  and  beneficial  as  the  Notion  of  ^fuper- 
intending  Deity  is  in  itfelf,  the  fame  noble 
Author  will  tell  you,  that,  (unhappily  for 
the  World!)  it  has  been  fo  difguifed  and 
tampered  with,  "  that  as  Religion  Jiands 
*"*  amongjl  usy  there  are  many  good  People 
( c  who  would  be  eafier  in  their  minds,  if  they 
frc  were  ajjured  they  had  only  mere  Chance  to 
"  trufl  to :  Who  rather  tremble  to  think 
**  there  Jlmild  be  a  God}  than  that  there 
"  Jliould  not  be  one  *.5> 

A  fad  State  of  Things  indeed  (return 
ed  I,)  when  Men  entertain  fuch  hard 
Thoughts  of  zfupreme  Manager,  as  would 
almoft  drive  them,  if  they  durft,  to  take 

*  Charaft.  vo1. 1.  p.  40. 

re* 


(  35  ) 

refuge  in  Forlorn  Nature  as  the  more  com 
fortable  Opinion  !  * 

WRETCHED  enough  !  (refumed Hor- 
tenfius)  but  'tis  an  evil  for  which  there  can 
be  no  Remedy,  'till  Men  can  be  prevailed 
upon  to  liften  more  to  Reafon  in  their  Re 
ligion,  than,  as  their  too  general  practice 
is  at  prefent,  to  the  SuggefHons  of  natural 
temper.  For  this,  Philemon,  is  the  very 
cafe  in  the  Inftance  we  are  complaining  of. 
Men  of  dark  and  gloomy  Complexions  in 
vent  a  Deity \  like  themjehes,  full  of  Spleen, 
Sournefs,  and  Severity.  They  bring  their 
111  Humour  with  them  into  their  Religion , 


*  This  is  the  peculiar  Unhzppinefs  of  Superflition, 
that  it  cannot  choofe  but  difapprove  and  inwardly  wifh 
3gainft,  what  yet  it  is  obliged  to  reverence.  Odit^  dnm 
metuit,  is  the  real  truth  of  its  cafe.  This  made  the 
judicious  Plutarch  give  the  preference  to  Atheifm,  as 
being  at  leaft  the  more  open  and  manly,  I  had  al- 
moft  faid,  the  more  religions  perfuafion  of  the  two  ; 
it  being  rather  a  higher  infult  upon  the  fupreme  Being 
to  wifh  againft  his  Exiftence,  than  fimply  to  disbelieve  it. 


o  TxvroiX^r'  UTrtjcJyvai  TOV  AiOov 
JTW    xx,  i    «T(^   TOV   Oo£ov,    coj    KX   ift 


aOf»  ftgfictov^  coj  £Afi/0£^jav  -  And  thus  he  excellently 
fums  up  the  matter  -  yji/t  J1?    TW  |t*fi»a&jw  ft 


7)  T»  aca-Hv  ITS  pi 
De  Sup,  p.  170.  Ed.  Xyl. 

F  2 


'         (36) 

and  from  the  atfual  Feeling  of  thefe  evil 
Difpofitions  in  their  own  Breafts,  are  led 
to  make  them  the  Characters  of  their  £)/- 
'•Minify. 

THAT  was  meafuring,  (I  faid)  by  a 
very  partial  and  falfe  Standard  ;  and  one 
could  not  wonder  at  any  Errors  they  fell 
into,  who  fet  out  with  no  better  a  Guide. 

A  s  Irrational  a  Proceedure,  (replied  he) 
as  you  may  efteem  it  to  be,  believe 
me,  'tis  a  very  common  one.  Serioufly, 
'Philemon^  to  one  who  has  not  well 
and  often  conlidered  this  Subject,  'tis 
fcarce  poffible  to  imagine  how  large  a  Part 
of  what  mofl  People  mijcall  Religion,  is 
but  the  prevailing  BiaJ's  of  their  natural 
Difpofition,  fcreening  itfelf  under  that  fa- 
cred  Character,  and  Appearance.  And  the 
Misfortune  is  the  greater,  as  'tis  hardly 
poffible  to  undeceive  them.  Errors  in 
Religion,  when  once  thoroughly  imbibed, 
are  the  rnoft  Jlubborn  thipgs  in  Nature. 
Nothing  is  fo  inflexible  as  Confcience, 
when  once  it  is  fet  wrong.  It  darkens  the 
mind  to  fuch  a  fatal  degree,  that  Convic 
tion  comes  to  be  dreaded  as  a  Crime,  and 
even  Blindnefs  itfelf  is  efteemedy^ra/.  If 
you  go  about  to  Jhew  thefe  deluded  People 
to  tkemfehes,  they  cannot  endure  the  pain 
of  the  Reprefentation.  They  haye  been 

fo 


(  37  ) 

fo  long  ufed  to  confound  their  own  Pre~ 
judices  about  Religion  with  Religion  itjelf^ 
that  if  you  do  but  touch  them  in  thofe 
tender  Points,  immediately  they  raife  a 
cry  and  an  alarm  againft  you,  as  if  you  was 
crazing  the  very  Foundations  of  all  Re 
ligion,  and  common  Morality.  And  it 
were  to  be  wim'd,  there  were  not  fome 
ivijer  heads,  who  tho'  they  have  difcern- 
ment  enough  to  fee  thro'  the  Cheat,  can 
yet  bring  themfelves  for  intereft  fake  to 
countenance  it,  and  artfully  endeavour  to 
fupport  and  keep  up  a  Jal/e  Confcience  in 
the  deluded  Multitude,  the  better  to  in- 
flave  them  in  a  fervile  dependance  upon 
tfamfefaes. 

I  have  never  (faid  I,  interrupting  Hor- 
tenfius)  been  ufed  to  confider  this  matter 
in  the  light  you  have  now  placed  it  in. 
I  with  you  would  enlarge  a  little  upon  it. 
Jt  promifes  a  good  in  fight  into  the  various 
'Turns  of  religious  Characters ;  a  Point,  I 
muft  own,  I  have  always  been  at  a  lofs  to 
account  for  to  myfelf.  For  Religion  is 
doubtlefs  in  it's  own  Nature  fimple  and 
uniform  :  and  as  it  is  a  Rule  of  Action  e- 
qually  refpecling  ^//Men,  mufl  be  fuch  an 
one  as  is  fuited  to  the  general  State  and 
Condition  of  all  iMen.  But  view  it  in  the 
federal  Parties  that  make  equal  Profeffion 
of  it,  in  fome  it  mail  feem  to  confift 
^  wholly 


wholly  in  a  reclufe  and  abftratted  Devotion, 
altogether  incompatible  with  the  Duties  of 
focia/L'ife:  in  others  in  a  frequent  and  un 
relenting  exercife  of  Self-Difcipline  and  Au- 
Jierity^  as  intirely  inconfiftent  with  all  Re- 
lifli  and   Enjoyment  of  private  Life.     A 
third  fort  (hall  lay  all  the  ftrefs  upon  hold 
ing  a  particular  Set  of  Opinions,   with  a 
fierce  Zeal  again  ft  all  who  happen  to  dif^ 
fer  from  them  ;  a  Notion  this,  again,  fo  re 
pugnant  to  the  very  Nature  of  facial  Be 
ings,  that  it  has  in  fact  done  more  than 
any  other  towards  eradicating  in  feveral 
Jnftances  the   very  facial  Inftinct   out   of 
Men's  Hearts,  and  turn'd  them  loofe  up 
on  one  another  to  act  fome  of  the  blackeft 
tragedies  in  Hiftory  *,  as  it  is  even  at  this 

*  The  moft  pernicious  Perverfions  of  this  Defire  (of 
Virtue)  are  fome  partial  Admirations  of  certain  moral 
Species,  fuch  as  Propagation  of  true  Religion,  Zeal  for 
a  Party  ;  whilft  other  Virtues  are  overlooked,  and  the 
very  End  to  which  the  admired  Qualities  are  fubfer^- 
vient  is  forgotten.  Nat.  and  Cond.  p.  38.  This  (viz. 
•  falfe  Opinions  of  the  Will  and  Laws  of  the  Deity]  is  fo 
abundantly  known  to  have  produced  Follies,  Superfli- 
tions,  Murders,  Devajlations  of  Kingdoms,  from  a  fenfe 
of  Virtue  and  Duty,  that  it  is  needlefs  to  mention  par^ 
ticular  Inftances.  Inq.  p.  190.  Perfecution  appears 
to  the  Agent  a  Zeal  for  the  Truth,  and  for  the  eternal 
Happinefs  of  Men,  which  Heretics  oppofe.  In  fuch  In 
ftances  Men  acl:  upon  very  narrow  Syftems  form'd 
by  foolifh  Opinions.  It  is  not  a  Delight  in  the  Mifc- 
ry  of  others,  or  Malice,  which  occafions  the  horrid 
Crimes  which  fill  our  Hiftories ;  but  generally  an  in 
judicious,  unreafonablc  Enthufiafm  for  fome  fort  of  li 
mited  Virtue.  Ibid.  p.  189. 

In  flan  t 


(  39  ) 

Infant  perhaps  doing  ia  fome  Btgotfed 
Countries.  There  are  others  who  are  fcru- 
puloufly  exaB  in  all  the  outward  Ceremo 
nials  of  Religion,  at  the  fame  time  that 
they  are  neglecting  Duties  of  much  higher 
Importance  in  Life,  upon  the  account  of 
fuch  an  external  Compliance.  Others  a- 
gain,  place  all  Sanctity  in  a  contrasted 
Brow,  and  a  moroje  Behaviour,  in  reprov 
ing  you  for  any  little  JLevities  of  deport 
ment,  without  any  regard  to  Times,  or 
Places,,  or  Perfons  5  as  if  the  want  of  Spi* 
rit,  or  Politenejs,  or  Difcretion,  was  any 
part  of  religious  Obligation  ;  or  the  Jbur- 
ing  and  Jpoi  ling  Company,  inftead  of  im 
proving  or  entertaining  it,  could  be  a  Duty 
upon  Creatures  evidently  formed  and  de- 
figned  for  all  the  Benefits  of  mutual  Con- 
verfe  and  Friendly  Intercourfe. 

MEAN  while,  (interrupted  Hortenjius) 
amidft  all  thefe  Extravagancies  and  Incon- 
fiftencies  of  its  deluded  Votaries,  Religion 
itjelf  is  quite  another  thing  from  what  any 
of  them  miftake  for  it.  It  is  a  liberal, 
manly,  rational,  andfocial  Inflitutionj  and 
fuch  as,  coniider'd  in  its  own  genuine  ten 
dency,  is  calculated  as  well  to  promote  our 
common  Intereft  and  Happinefs  in  the  pre- 
fent  Life,  as  it  is  to  fit  us  for  that  better  Jlatt 
of  Being  which  is  promifed  as  its  reward  in 
the  future,  Tis  fuch  a  fervice  as  is  worthy 

of 


(40  ) 

of  that  great  and  good  Being,  who  is  the 
Object  of  it,  to  enjoin  ;  and  of  the  reafon- 
able  Nature  of  Man,  the  Subject  of  it,  to 

perform 1  will  explain  to  you  the  whole 

Secret  of  thefe  manifold  Inconiiftencies. 

You,  Philemon,  (continued  he)  are  too 
well  acquainted  with  human  Nature,  not 
to  fee  how  infinitely  the/^w^Paflions  which 
belong  in  the  groj's  to  the  'whole  Species  are 
diverjified  in  each  Individual  of  it.  Every 
Man  has  \i\^>  particular  ruling  PaJ/ion  j  dif 
ferent  in  fome  refpect  or  other  from  that  of 
every  other  Man  living.  'Tis  a  great  mi£- 
take  to  imagine  even  his  Religion  itfelf  is 
wholly  privileged  from  \hzlnjluence  of  this 
Mafler  Principle.  Whatever  the  Advocates 
of  fevere  Mortification  may  fay  of  the  Ne- 
ceffity  of  fubduing  our  reigning  Paffion,  I 
have  feldom  obferved  any  one  fo  fuccefsful 
in  this  Self-Conflict  as  to  come  off  with  a 
compleat  Victory.  Religion  itfelf  is  gene 
rally  fo  far  from  controuling  this  Mafter 
Paffion,  that  it  even  takes  its  own  rfurn  and 
Denomination  from  //.  At  the  utmoft,  it 
only  diverts  it  from  one  Channel  to  another, 
varying  the  Inflames  perhaps,  but  not  at  all 
the  Degree  of  its  Indulgence.  I  could  illu- 
ftrate  this  Remark  by  numberlefs  Exam 
ples You  know  the  general  Character 

of  Sebaftius. 

HE 


H  E  is  certainly,  (faid  I)  a  Man  of  great 
Parts  and  Genius,  but  he  has  unfortunate 
ly  taken  a  wrong  Turn.  He  is  in  a  great 
rneafure  loft  to  the  World  in  a  Reclufe 
Monaftic  Life  j  and  his  natural  Good  Senje 
by  having  been  unhappily  mifapptied,  does 
but  add  new  Fuel  to  his  Diftemper,  and 
eftablifh  him  in  a  more  cohfirm'd  State  of 


DID  you  never  hear,  (faid  Hortenftus) 
how  he  firft  fell  into  this  Religious  Mad- 
nefs  ?  An  old  Acquaintance  of  his  has  told 
me,  that  tho'  he  was  always  a  Man  of  a 
grave  regular  Difpofition,  even  in  his 
youngeft  days,  yet  he  did  not  take  this 
Reclufe  Turn  till  after  a  Disappointment  he 
met  with  in  Love. 

How,  (faid  I,  interrupting  him,  with 
fame  furprize)  Was  he  then  ever  in  Love  ? 
He  is  the  laft  Man  in  the  World  I  mould 
have  fufpe&ed  to  have  been  of  an  amorous 
Difpofition. 

YET  (replied  he)  his  prefent  Turn  of 
Character,  which  you,  I  iuppofe,  look 
upon  as  an  Argument  of  the  contrary^  gives 
me  the  ftrongefl  proof  and  conviction  of 
it  imaginable. 

G  WHAT 


,  W  H  A  T  he  might  once  have  been,  (re 
turned  I,)  I  cannot  fay  ;  but  certainly  he 
has  long  iince  got  the  better  of  himfelf  in 
ibis  point.  Why  he  has  mortified  himfelf, 
almoft  into  the  Condition  of  a  Skeleton. 

THAT  may  be  Philemon^  (faid  he)  and 
yet  his  natural  Difpofition  is  juft  where  it 
was,  he  has  only  fhifted  the  Object  of  his 

Paffion. 

\ 

'TwAS  ridiculous,  (I  could  not  help 
interpofing)  to  fuppofe  the  tender  Paflion 
could  have  any  hold  upon  /&/>#,  who  was 
all  over  Morofenefs  and  Severity. 

ALL  you  can  fay  to  bring  him  off,  (re 
plied  he)  does  but  confirm  me  the  more 
in  the  Opinion  I  have  of  him.  The  Cir- 
cumftance  you  have  laft  mention'd,  in  par 
ticular,  evidences  beyond  all  others  the 
Strength  of  his  Attachment  to  his  beloved 
Object.  Can  any  thing  (hew  a  greater  Ex 
travagancy  of  Paflion,  than  to  fee  him  la- 
crifice,  as  he  does,  all  the  Comforts  of  Life 
to  the  Idol  of  his  captivated  Affettions? 

I  could  not  but  wonder,  (I  obferved  to 
him)  where  this  Idol  was  to  be  found,  I 
was  fure  not  in  this  World  5  for  as  to  every 

thing 


.  (43) 

thing  here  below  y  it  had  long  fince  ceafed 
to  have  any  Ingagements  with  him. 

YET  cannot  you  conceive,  (faid  he) 
Philemon,  that  fome  fancied  Species  of  Di- 
•vinity  may  have  ftipplied  the  abfence  of 
an  earthly  and  fenfible  Qbjett^  and  fill'd  up 
that  Chafm  in  his  Breaft,  which  the  Di/- 
appointment  I  was  telling  you  of  had  left 
there  *  ? 

YOUR  Fancy,  (faid  I,)  is  pleafant  e- 

nough,  Hortenfius ; 1  never  yet  thought 

there  had  been  any  Alliance  between  the 
Paffions  of  Love  and  religious  Enthiifiajm. 
I  grant  indeed  there  is  generally  an  Enthu- 
fiafm  in  Love ;  but  fure  'tis  of  a  very 
different  kind  from  what  is  called  fuch  in 
Religion. 

'Tis  only  the  fame  Paffion,  (replied 
he)  differently  applied  and  exercifed.  Be- 

*  'Tis  the  peculiar  Glory  of  Man,  (fays  Mr.  Karris] 
to  be  an  amorous ,  as  well  as  a  rational  Being.  MifccL 
8vo,  p.  325. And  accordingly  he  elfewhere  com 
pares  this  amorous  Biafs  and  Endeavour  of  the  Soul 
to  that  flock  of  Motion,  which  the  French  Philofo- 
pher  fuppofes  the  Univerfe  at  firft  endow'd  with, 
which  continues  always  at  the  fame  rate,  not  to  be 
abated  or  increafed ;  not  that  this  Equality  of  Love  is 
to  be  underftood  in  reference  to  particular  Objects, 
any  more  than  that  of  Motion  to  particular  Bodies  j 
but  only,  that  it  gains  in  one  part,  as  much  as  it  lofes 
in  another.  Mij'ceL  p.  296. 

G  2  lieve 


(  44  ) 

lieve  me,  Philemon^  Enthufiafm  has  been, 
"more  indebted  for  Converts  to  the  Quarter 
of  disappointed  Love,  than  to  any  other 
whatfoever.  AffeStionate  Tempers  muft 
fettle  fomewhere.  If  they  find  not  the 
expelled  Returns  of  their  Paffion  upon 
Earth,  nothing  more  common  than  for 
them  to  take  Refuge  in  Heaven.  And  if 
the  Expreflion  might  not  be  cenfured  as 
too  bold,  I  would  add,  to  follicite  the 
Deity  with  as  much  Warmth,  and  in  a 
great  degree  of  the  fame  kind,  as  they  did 
before  a  Miflrejs  *. 

*  St.  Aujlin  is  by  no  means  a  {ingle  Inftance  of  a 
reformed  Debauchee  becoming  a  very  eminent  Devo- 
tionalift  :  magna  ex  parte  atque  vehementer  Confue- 
tudo  fatiandas  infatiabilis  Concupifcentiae  me  captum 
excruciabat,  is  his  own  Account  of  himfelf  in  the 
beginning  of  Life,  (Gonf.  lib.  6.  cap.  12.)  And  if 
we  examine  him  after  his  Converfion,  we  fliall  nof 
perhaps  find  him  fo  very  different  a  Man,  as  may  be 

imagined  at   firft  thought.- Defcendat   Domine, 

defcendat  precor,  defcendat  in  cor  meum  odor  tui 
fuaviffimus,  ingrediatur  amor  tui  mellifiuus,  veniat 
mihi  tui  faporis  mira  &  inenarrabilis  fragrantia,  quse 
ffsmpiternas  in  me  fufcitet  concupifcentias— — :And  eife- 
where,  ampleftar  te  fponfe  cceleftis,  ample<Star  te  bono, 
fine  quo  nihil  honum,  fruar  te  optimo,  fine  quo  nihil 
optimum ;  and  again,  prope  efto  in  corde,  quia  amore 
langueo — — quare  faciem  tuam  avertis?  eja,  Domine, 

moriar   ut  te  videam are  ftrains  of  Piety  no  ways 

unfuitable  to  his  original  Character.  The  Devoto^ 
we  fee,  need  not  change  either  his  Style,  or  his  Senti 
ments,  as  a  Lover  j  all  he  has  to  do  is  to  apply  them, 
anew. 

So 


(45 


So  that,  you  fuppofe,  (faid  I,)  their 
Inamorato-Char  after  fubftfts  the  fame  as 
ever,  only  it  has  taken  a  'Religious  turn.  Their 
Paffion  is  transferred  from  mere  Mortals 
to  a  fpiritual  and  divine  Ob:e6t,  and  Love 
in  them  is  fublimated  into  Devotion. 

UNDOUBTEDLY  Philemn,  (refumed 
he)  that  is  the  very  Truth  of  their  Cafe. 
Their  Inamorato-Char  a  ft  er,  as  you  have 
well  obferved,  enters  into  and  tinctures 
their  'Religion  itfelf.  Their  Devotion  is 
only  a  different  Modification  of  their  ruling 
PaJJion.  They  cannot  be  faid  to  act  upon 
any  juft  and  rational  Principle,  becaufe 
their  Turn  of  Character  is  not  confident  ^  and 
of  a  piece  with  itfelf.  They  fubftitutc 
one  Part  of  Religion  for  the  Whole  :  And 
as  if  all  Duties  were  comprehended  in 
thofe  of  the  Clo/et,  fuffer  a  fond  Attach 
ment  to  the  rapturous  Exercifes  of  a  reclufe 
and  folitary  Piety  to  take  place  to  the  ex- 
cluflon  of  a  more  active  and  ufeful  Virtue. 
They  fpend  fo  much  of  their  Time  in 
Prayer  and  Retirement,  as  to  leave  them- 
felves  neither  Leifure  nor  Inclination  to 
attend  to  the  ordinary  Offices  of  civil  and 
focial  Life.  In  fhort,  they  act  as  if  it  was 
the  only  genuine  Tefl  of  true  Love  to  God, 
to  affect  an  intirely  iifelejs  Character  with 


regard  to  Men. 


THERE 


(46)  -      % 

T  ri  E  R  E  cannot  furely,  (I  interrupted) 
be  conceiv'd  a  more  unworthy  and  degra 
ding  Apprehenfion  of  the  Divine  Being* 
than  to  imagine  Him  more  pleas'd  with 
the  ungovern'd  Sallies  of  devout  Phrenzy, 
the  wild  Tranfports  of  an  heated  Enthu- 
fiafm,  than  with  the  rational,  fober,  and 
manly  Exercife  of  true  and  fubftantial  Vir 
tue,  Goodnefs,  and  Benevolence. 

I   am   entirely,  (returned  he)  of  your 

opinion,  Philemon  j  the  only  rational  way 

of  recommending  ourfelves  to  the  Deity,  is 

by  imitating  him  as  far  as  we  are  able ; 

and  there  is  nothing  by  which  we  approach 

to  a  nearer  Refemblance  of  him,  than  by  an 

aft'tve^  and  diffujlve  Goodnefs.     But  the 

fober  Purfuits   of  an  unaffected  Virtue  are 

too  remifs  and  lifele/s  an  Employment  for 

fuch  warm  and  fanguine  Tempers  as  we 

have  been  fpeaking  of.     To  ferve  God  by 

doing  good  to  Men,  will  not  anfwer  their 

Purpofe :  Their  Paffion  is  towards  an  ec- 

jlatic  Species  of  Religion,  a  Religion,  like 

themfelves,  made  up  of  Heat  and  Flame. 

HERE  I  could  not  forbear  expreffingto 
Hortenjius  how  much  pleafed  I  was  with 
the  Account  he  had  been  giving  me  of  this 
amorous -Turn  in  Religion.  I  had  often, 
(I  obferved  to  him)  met  with  People  of  a 

religious 


(47  ) 

religious  Character,  who  feemed  to  place 
all  Religion  in  a  particular  Warmth,  and 
Striftnefs  of  Devotion ;  but  I  never  yet  had 
traced  this  over-devout  Humour  to  it's  true 
Source.  I  never  thought  of  refolving  it 
into  a  Conftitutional  Prejudice,  into  the 
particular  Make  and  Caft  of  their  natural 
Temper. 

BELIEVE  me,  Philemon,  (refumed  he) 
the  more  you  reflect  upon  thefe  Devotee  - 
Characters,  the  more  you  will  be  inclined 

to  do  fo Do  but  confult  your  own  Ob- 

fervation  and  Experience,  I  dare  be  confi 
dent  you  never  knew  an  Inftance  of  a 
thorow  Devotee  in  Religion,  whom  you 
had  not  great  reafon  to  fufpect  to  be  in 
other  refpedts  a  Perfon  of  a  'warm  and  paj- 
Jionate  Difpofition. 

FOR  my  part,  (faid  I)  Hortenfius,  I  have 
always  avoided,  as  much  as  poffible,  enter 
ing  into  the  Familiarities  of  People  of  this 
ftamp.  They  are  generally  fpeaking  a  mo- 
rofe  un traceable  Set  of  Mortals,  and  'tis  well 
for  the  reft  of  the  World  that  their  Princi 
ple  leads  them  to  have  but  little  to  do  with 
it.  But  now  that  you  have  fuggefted  the 
Obfervation  to  me,  amongft  fuch  as  I  have 
ever  had  an  Opportunity  of  knowing  any 
thing  of,  I  really  think  I  have  difcovered 
the  greateft  part  to  be  People  viftrong  Paj- 

Jions. 


(48   }  ,     .  , 

fiom.  'Tis  a  Character  one  does  not  often 
meet  with  in  Men ;  it  prevails,  I  have  ob- 
ferved,  much  more  generally  in  the  Female 
World. 

I  T  does  fo,  Philemon,  (faid  he)  and 
from  the  Principles  we  have  laid  down, 
you  cannot  but  be  feniible,  if  you  will  re 
flect  a  little,  how  natural  it  is  that  it  Jhould. 
Women,  you  know,  'tis  generally  agreed, 
"exceed  us  in  the  Strength  of  their  Paffions. 
What  wonder  is  it  then  that  they  are  more 
inclined  to  the  paffionate  Species  of  Reli 
gion  ?  That  they  furpafs  us  particularly  in 
thcjbfter  Paffions  is  fo  notorious,  that  the 
Epithet  jbft  is  from  thence  frequently  made 
ufe  of  in  common  Language  as  Char  aft e+ 
rijlical  of  the  very  Sex. 

IT  is  fo,  (faid  I)  and  it  is  remarkable, 
that  this  Softnefs  is  fo  eflential  an  Ingredient 
in  the  Female  Constitution,  that  if  at  any 
time  we  difcover  an  undue  Prevalency  of 
the  rougher  Pafjiom  in  any  particular  In- 
ftance,  we  are  naturally  led  to  take  the 
Odium  of  it  to  ourfefoes  j  endeavouring  to 
difguife,  as  it  were,  the  T^ruth  of  the  Sex, 
and  ftiling  fuch  Characters  Mafculine. 

TH  I  s  is  a  piece  of  Complaifance,  (faid 
Hortenjius}  for  which  the  Fair  Sex  is  obliged 
tons;  but  it  evidently  proceeds  upon  this 

fettled 


(  49  ) 

fettled  Acknowledgment  on  our  parts,  that 
the  moft  natural  and  approved  ftate  of  Fe 
male  Minds  is  to  abound  with  the  tenderer 
Paffions.  Now  this  Point  being  once  ad 
mitted,  'tis  but  to  give  a  Religious  T^urn  to 
this  natural  Softnefs,  and  you  have  the  com- 
pleat  Image  of  a  Female  Devotionalifl. 

I  T  is  well  (I  obferved)  that  you  have  fe- 
cured  ihejbffer  Paffions  their  Proportion  in 
this  fort  of  Characters,  by  affigning  them 
their  Office  in  Religion.  If  you  had  not 
contrived  them  an  Exiftence  there,  it  would 
be  difficult  for  the  moft  part  to  find  any 
other  Salvo  for  them. 

I  am  pretty  much  of  your  opinion,  (re 
turned  he)  but  'tis  no  wonder  they  who 
are  fo  thorowly  enamoured  of  Heaven 
mould  efteem  it  a  kind  of  Profanation  to 
admit  any  mere  earthly  Object  into  aP^r/- 
nerfoip  in  the  tender  Affections. 

BUT  how,  (I  interpofed)  do  you  ac 
count,  Hortenfius,  for  thejofter  Paffions  firft 
taking  this  Religious  T^urn  ?  You  cannot 
always  refolve  it,  as  you  did  juft  now  in 
thelnftanceof  Sebaftius,  into  a  Difappoint- 
ment  in  Love.     I  am  fure  I  could  mention 
fome  Female  Devotees  of  my  Acquaintance 
who  never  can  have  experienced  a  Difap- 
point ment   of  this  fort.     I   am   ftrangely 
H  mif- 


(  5°  ) 

miftaken  if  ever  they  had  an  Application 
of  this  nature  made  to  them.  'The  Man 
Ttiujl  have  had  Parts,  as  Dr.  Toung  expreffes 
it,  who  could  find  Deftrutfion  there  *. 

IN  ftating  your  QuefHon,  (replied  he) 
Philemon,  you  have  unawares  fuggefted  the 
Anfwer  to  it — that  very  Circumftance  you 
but  now  hinted  at,  the  want  of  timely  Ap 
plication  from  our  Sex,  unravels  the  whole 
Myflery  of  the  matter  at  once.  'Tis  all 
one  as  to  the  Point  I  am  concern'd  to  main 
tain,  whether  the  tender  Paffions  have  ne 
ver  had  an  Opportunity  to  fix  themfelves, 
or  have  been  violently  torn  from  the  be 
loved  Object  after  they  had  once  been  fixed 
there.  Either  way  they  will  be  alike  re- 
itrained  from  their  due  Scope  and  Exercife. 
And  if  no  natural  Object  prefents  itfelf  at 
a  proper  Seafon,  they  will  be  apt  to  carve 
out  for  themfelves  an  imaginary  and  arti 
ficial  one  -j~. 

*  Univerfal  Paffion,  Sat.  vi.  p.  137. 

f  Montagne  has  a  Chapter  in  his  EfTays  upon  this 
very  Topic;  "  that  our  Affections  difcharge  thenv- 
*'  felves  upon  falfe  Objects,  where  the  true  ones  are 
f"  wanting."  One  Inftance>  which  he  gives  from 
Plutarch,  is  of  that  PaiTion  which  fome  People  fhew 
to  Dogs  and  other  Animals.  Plutarch  dit  a  propos-, 
(fays  he)  de  ceux  qui  s'affedlionnent  aux  guenons  & 
pctits  chiens,  que  la  partie  amoureufe  qui  elt  en  nous, 
a  faute  de  prifc  legitime,  plutot  que  de  demeurer  en 
vain  s'en  forge  ainli  une  fauffe  &  frivole,  Effais,  chap, 
iv.  liv.  i, 

TH  IS 


(  5'  ) 

THIS  feems  to  account  (faid  I)  for  a  Re 
mark  I  have  fometimes  made,  that  the  moil 
jlanch  Female  Devotees  are  to  be  met  with 
in  \hzfmgle  State,  and  that  too  after  fome 
moderate  Advancement  in  Life. 

IT  did  fo,  (he  allowed)  and  it  would  ac 
count  likewife  for  another  thing  which  I 
might  poffibly  have  had  occafiori  to  ob- 
ferve,  that  where  this  Turn  of  Mind  hap 
pens  to  prevail,  as  itfometimes  does,  in  the 
conjugal  Eftate,  'tis  generally  after  that  State 
has  proved  unhappy.  A  repeated  Series  of 
Injuries  and  ill  Treatment  weans  the  Affec 
tions  of  the  flighted  Party  from  an  Object 
fhe  has  experienc'd  to  be  fo  undeferving  of 
them  j  and  when  once  the  natural  Engage 
ment  is  thus  forcibly  deftroy'd,  'tis  odds 
but  fome  amorous  Species  of  a  higher  kind 
ftrikes  in  at  this  critical  Conjuncture;  the 
Flame  breaks  out  anew  at  fome  more  hal 
lowed  Shrine,  and  mere  human  Love  refines 
itfelf  mloferaphic  Rapture. 

I  believe,  (replied  I)  in  the  general  you 
may  be  in  the  right.  Yet  I  have  known 
fome  Women  ftrongly  addicted  to  this  de 
vout  Paffion,  who  have  never  been  driven 
to  take  refuge  in  it  by  any  ill  Ufage  from 
the  part  of  their  Hufbands.  The  natural 
Object,  to  ufe  your  Expreiiion,  has  been 
H  2  fuf- 


S2 

fufficiently  worthy  of  their  tendereft  Af- 
'fecl:ions,  and  yet    they  have  thought    fit 
'wholly  to  beftow  them  upon  the  artificial. 
Infomuch  that  their  time  has  been  in  a 
manner  divided  between  the  alternate  Re 
turns  of  Devotion  towards  Heaven,  and  of 
a  general  Dilplicence  and  Peevifhnefs  to 
wards   every    thing   bejides.      They    have 
been   for  ever  in  a  fit  of  Prayert  or  of 
Ill-Humour. 

I  am  aware,  (refumed  Hortenfius)  this  is 
a  Cafe  that  does  fometimes  happen,  tho* 
not  fo  frequently  as  thofe  others  we  have 
memion'd.  One  may  not  always  be  able 
to  diftinguifh  particularly  from  whence  the 
amorous  Paffion  took  the  Religious  Turn  we 
have  been  fpeaking  of;  yet  from  the  gene 
ral  Reafon  of  the  thing  one  may  be  very  con 
fident,  that,  by  fome  means  or  other,  it  muft 
have  done  Jo.  Perhaps  in  the  particular 
Cafe  lafl  given  the  fair-Inamorato  might 
have  imbibed  the  devout  Paflion  as  it  were 
with  her  very  Mother's  Milk.  She  was 
bred  up  to  it  from  her  Infancy.  The  Turn 
of  her  Inftrudtion,  her  Reading,  her  Con- 
verfation  lay  all  this  way.  She  was  fo  early 
sccuftomed  to  fee  Devotion  fubftituted  for 
Religion,  that  (he  has  infenfibly  catched  the 
fame  Spirit  and  Turn  of  Thinking.  She 
has  praclifed  this  devotional  Habit  fo  long 
till  fhe  is  become  thorowly  mamourcdQi'^j 
Q  it 


(  53  ) 

it  is  wrought  into  her  very  Make,  and  na 
tural  Conftitution.  At  leaft  it  may  be  af 
firmed  in  general,  that  the  Partiality  and 
inconfiftentTurn  of  ftich  devotionalift-Cha- 
raffers  as  we  have  been  describing,  cannot 
be  any-wife  accounted  for  upon  a  ratio 
nal  footing.  The  true  Rife  and  Source  of 
them  lies  in  the  Pajfions :  They  are  refol- 
vible  only  into  the  prevailing  Influence  of 
the  naturalTemper  infinuating  itfelf,  to  the 
deception  of  the  very  Parties  themfehes, 
into  the  Make  and  Complexion  of  their  Re 
ligion.  Infomuch  that  whilft  thefe  rap- 
tur d  Inamoratos  imagine  they  are  paying 
homage  to  the  Divinity,  they  are  in  reality 
but  worshipping  the  Idol  of  their  own  In 
clinations.  They  are  a  fort  of  religious 
Debauchees,  if  one  may  be  pardoned  fuch  an 
Expreffion,  who  have  found  out  the  Art  of 
reconciling  Grace  and  Nature,  Piety  and 
Senfuahty.  In  the  midil  of  all  their  Preten- 
fions  to  an  uncommon  StricT:nefs  and  Sanc 
tity,  they  are  only  exercifing  a  more  re 
fined,  and  difguifed  fort  of  Self-Indulgence. 
Their  Religion  is  only  a  more  fpecions  Pre 
text  for  the  fuller  Gratification  of  fome  of 
their  warmeji  Appetites,  their  Devotion  but 
a  more  exquifite  and  fpiritualized  Concitpi- 
fcence.  To  confirm  this  Account  to  you 
yet  farther,  Philemon,  do  but  confider  with 
your  felf  in  how  amorous  a  Stile  moft  of 

our 


„''.-.•*        54--  ..;•...-•'• 

our  Books  of  Devotion,  as  they  are  called, 
are  written  *. 

I  had  often  (I  faid)  obferved  it,  and  had 
been  extremely  fhocked  at  it.  It  was  a 
manner  of  Addrefs,  I  thought,  much  fitter 
for  a  dijj'olute  Lover,  than  for  a  religious 
Worjhipper. 

THEY  are,  (returned  he)  for  the  moft 
part  the  Compofnions  of  that  fort  of  People 
we  have  been  defcribing ;  and  indeed  they 

*  Up  my  Soul,  become  an  humble  Spoufe  of  the 
Lord  Jefus ;  feed  thy  felf  with  his  Beauty,  make  him 
thy  Darling,  receive  him  into  thy  Bofom,  quench  thy 
Tlnrfl  with  his  Blood,  hold  him  fajl,  do  not  let  him 
go — Horneck'j  Fire  of  the  Altar,  p.  33-  O  lovely 
Bridegroom  of  my  Soul,  wound  my  Heart,  that  it  may 
be  nek  of  Love,  p.  34.  as  above. 

Let  me  fray  and  entertain  my  longing  Soul  with  the 
Contemplation  of  thy  Beauty,  till  thou  {halt  condefcend 
to  kifs  me  with  the  Kifjes  of  thy  Mouth,  till  thou  {halt 
bring  me  into  thy  Banquetting-Houfe.  Morris's  Mifcel. 
12°.  p.  358.  My  God,  my  Happinefs,  who  art  fairer 
than  the  Children  of  Men,  draw  me,  'and  I  will  run  af 
ter  thee Wound  me  deep,  and  ftrike  me  thro'  with 

the  Arrows  of  a  divine  Pajfion,  p.  261.  as  before. 

O  Banquet  of  Love,  heavenly  fweet,  let  my  Bowels 
be  refrejhed  by  thee,  my  inward  Parts  overflow  with 
the  Neftar  of  thy  Love.  St.  Auftin'j  Medit.  translated 

by  Stanhope,  p.  258,  and  at  large. My  deareftLord, 

when  {hall  I  enjoy  and  talk  with  thee  alone,  in  Language 
foft  and  tender,  fivect  and  charming,  as  the  unreferved 
Retirements,  and  endearing  Whifpers  of  the  moft  paf- 
fionate  Lovers  ?  Thomas  a  Kempis,  tranflated  by  Stanr- 
hope,  p.  325,  and  at  large Bifhop  Taylor's  Devo 
tional  Works,  at  large — Auguftini  Confeff.  paffim. 

carry 


(55  ) 

carry  in  them  too  evident  Indications  of  the 
temper  and  Character  of  their  Authors,  to 
be  fuppofed  to  come  from  any  other  quar 
ter.  What  elfe  are  they,  but  the  wanton 
Exercifes  of  a  warm  Imagination,  and  a 
lujcious  Fancy  ?  Such  as  evidence  beyond 
all  other  proofs  the  Genius  and  Complexion 
of  that  Species  of  Religion,  where  Warmth 
of  Conftitution,  not  Reafon,  has  the  chief 
and  fovereign  Influence.  Inftead  of  ipeak- 
ing  the  Language  of  a  ferious,  rational,  un 
affected  Piety,  they  abound  wholly  with 
rapturous  Flights  of  unhallowd  Love,  and 
Strains  of  myftical  Diffolutenefs.  They/>0/- 
lute  the  Soul  with  hijcious  Images,  warm  it 
into  irregular  Ferments,  and  fire  it  with  a 
falfe  Paffion ;  diffipating  all  due  Compofure, 
and  Recollection  6f  Mind,  and  laying  open 
the  Heart  to  all  the  wild  Extravagances  of 
frantic  Entbu/ia/m.  "Tis  for  this  Reafon. 

*J      *J  f  • 

Philemon,  that  Women  in  general  are  fo 
much  taken  with  this  kind  of  Writings, 
that  the  far  greater!  part  of  female  Religion 
is  nothing  elfe  but  the  multiplied  Uje  of 
thefe  devout  Formularies;  they  fute,  beyond 
all  others,  their  natural  Warmth  of  Tem 
per,  and  Conflitution. 

IT  is  thh  way  of  thinking  and  talking 
in  Religion  (faid  I.)  that,  I  fuppofe,  has 
given  rife  to  what  is  called  MjftiCal  Theo- 


(  56  ) 

the  Teachers   whereof  have  accord 
ingly  been  ftiled  Myftics. 

IT  is  fo,  (replied  Hortenjius)  the  more 
modern  Platonijls  *,  and  fome  fanciful 
Schoolmen  feem  to  have  led  the  way  in 
this  Myjlical  Syflem  ;  in  which  they  have 
been  fince  followed  by  too  many  whimfi- 
cal  enthuiiaftic  Writers  of  later  times,  as 
well  in  our  own,  as  foreign  Communions, 
Papifts,  and  Proteftants,  Churchmen,  and 
DifTenters.  A  Syftem  it  is,  Philemon,  of 
the  mofl  lufcious  and  unintelligible  Jargon 
that  even  the  Wildnejl  of  Rnthujiafm  itfelf 
could  ever  devife  -j~.  The  true  Spirit  of 

accep- 

*  Di<a.  de  Monf.  Bayle,  Tom.  3.  p.  760.  Art.  K. 
quat.  Ed.  ^.Amfterdam.  Ne  voila-t'il  pas  la  Voie  uni- 
tive  dont  les  MyfHques  nous  parlent  tant  ?  ne  peut-on 
par  les  accufer  d'etre  plagiaires  des  Platoniciens  ? 

•\  The  following  Scale  of  the  Afcent  of  the  Soul  to 
God,  given  us  from  the  myftic  Writers  by  no  lefs  a 
Perfon  than  Mr.  Norris,  is  well  worth  tranfcribing.  It 
confifts  of  15  Degrees.  The  firft  is  Intuition  of  Truth. 
The  2d  a  Retirement  of  all  the  Vigor  and  Strength  of 
the  Faculties  into  the  innermost  Parts  of  the  Soul ; 
the  3d  is  fpiritual  Silence ;  4  is  Reft ;  5  is  Union  ; 
6  is  hearing  of  the  ftill  Voice  of  God ;  7  is  fpiritual 
Slumber;  8  is  Extafy ;  9  is  Rapture ;  10  is  the  corporeal 
Appearance  of  Chrift  and  the  Saints ;  1 1  is  the  imagina 
ry  Appearance  of  the  fame  j  12  is  the  intellectual  Vifion 
of  God  ;  13  is  the  Vifion  of  God  in  Obfcurity  ;  14  is 
an  admirable  Manifestation  of  God  ;  15  is  a  clear  and 
intuitive  Vifion  of  him,  fiich  as  St.  Auftin^  ynd  Toomat 
Aquinas  attribute  to  St.  Paul,,  when  he  was  rapt  up  into 
the  third  Heaven. — Others  of  them  reckon  7  Degrees 
only,  viz.  Tafte,  Defire,  Satiety,  Ebriety,  Security, 

Tran- 


(  57) 

acceptable  Religion,  which  is  in  its  owri 
nature  a  liberal  and  reasonable  Service ; 
is  here  made  wholly  to  evaporate  in  unna 
tural  Heats,  and  extatic  Fervors,  fuch 
as  foberer  Minds  are  altogether  Strangers 
to;  and  which  are  indeed  a  Difgrace,  and 
Reproach  to  the  Dignity  of  a  Rational 
Nature.  And  yet,  Philemon^  fo  intoxica 
ting  are  thefe  fanciful  Refinements,  that 
when  warm  Heads  have  once  given  thorow- 
ly  into  them,  they  fondly  delude  themfelves 
that  they  are  arrived  at  the  very  highefl 
Degrees  of  fpiritual  Improvement,  have 
reached  the  Perjetiion  and  Heroifm,  as  it 
were,  of  Piety  }  and  are  in  a  manner  #/- 
ready  inflated  in  the  Joys  and  Privileges  of 
Heaven,  by  a  kind  of  prefent  Senfe,  and 
Anticipation  of  them  upon  Earth  *. 

THAT 

Tranquillity  ;  but  the  name  of  the  yth,  they  fay,  is 
known  only  to  God.  Norr.  Mifcel.  12°.  p.  333,  334. 
Abfurd  and  fenfelefs  '—The  fame  Myftic  State  is  thus 
reprefented  by  Bifhop  Taylor — It  is,  fays  he,  a  Prayer 
of  Quietnefs  and  Silence,  and  a  Meditation  extraordi 
nary  ;  a  Difcourfe  without  Variety,  a  Vifion  and  In 
tuition  of  Divine  Excellencies,  an  immediate  Entry 
into  an  Orb  of  Light,  and  a  Rcfolution  of  all  our  Fa 
culties  into  Sweetnefs,  Affeflians,  and  Starings  upon  the 
divine  Beauty;  and  is  carried  on  to  Extafys,  Raptures, 
Sufpenfions,  Elevations,  Abftradtions,  and  Apprehen- 
fions  beatifical — Great  Exemplar,  p.  60.  One  can  un 
derftand  nothing  elfe  in  all  this  Defcription  but  the  ex* 
treme  Lttfcioufuefs  of  it. 

*  Mr.  Norris  expreffly  calls  this  State  of  ntjftital 
and  abjlrafted  Devotion  divine  Virtue^  in  diftinition 
from  moral,  or  civil  Virtue.  The  latte r,  he  fays,  is  a 

I  State 


THAT  they  may  likely  enough  be,  (in- 
terpos'd  I)  according  to  the  gro/s  Concep 
tions  they  appear  to  entertain  of  the  Na 
ture,  and  Employments  of  that  Place.  For 
by  the  hifcioiis  Defcriptions  which  they  ge 
nerally  give  of  it,  one  would  rather  imagine 
it  to  be  a  fenj'ual^  or  Mahometan  Paradi/e, 
than  a  Heaven  of  rational  Beings  *. 

You  are  much  in  the  right,  Philemon, 
(faid  he)  that  fame  Myftic  Union  in  which 
they  place  the  Perfection  of  all  Piety  here, 
and  the  Completion  of  Beatitude  hereafter, 
if  it  was  not  for  that  natural  Air  of  Gra- 

State  of  Proficiency ',  the  former  of  Perfection ;  even  the 
lajl  Stage  of  human  Perfettion^  the  utmoft  round  of  the 
Ladder  whereby  we  afcend  to  Heaven  ;  one  ftep  higher 
is  Glory.  Mifc.  £.331, 332.  So  alfo,  p.  339.  a  certain 
Preguftationof  Glory,  w\  Antepaft  of Felicity ,  the  Mount 
of  God's  Prejjkce^  the  Privilege  of  angelical  Difpofi- 
tions,  and  an  excellent  Religion,  a  divine  Repaft,  a 

Feajt  of  lout 

*  Norr.  Mifcel.  p.  323,  fcfc.  "  The  Fruition  of 
"  God  is  to  be  refolved,  fays  this  Author,  partly  into 
"  Vifion,  and  partly  into  Love  /  thefe  are  the  two  Arms 
"  with  which  we  embrace  the  Divinity,  and  unite  our 
"  Souls  to  the  fair-one,  and  the  good"  Mifcell.  8vo. 
p.  412.  And  accordingly  he  elfewhere  prays  to  be 
admitted  to  this  beatific  State  in  thefe  Words,  "  I 
"  befeech  tbee  jhew  ?ne  thy  Glory  ;  withdraw  thy  Hand 
"  from  the  Clift  of  the  Rock,  and  remove  the  Bounds 
"from  the  Jfcwtf  of  thy  Prefence,  that  I  may  fee 
"  thee  as  thou  art,  face  to  face,  and  ever  dwell  in  the 
**  light  of  thy  Beauty"  p.  323.  Thomas  a  Keinpis* 
St.  Auft.  Med.  and  Ccnf.  at  large. 

vity 


(  59  ) 

vity  with  which  they  always  talk  of  it, 
might  pafs  for  the  mofl  wanton  and  pro 
fane  Drollery  *.  But  as  ludicrous  an  Ap 
pearance  as  it  carries  with  it  at  firfr.  fight, 
it  is  in  reality  a  very  ferious  Evil  at  the  bot 
tom.  For  it  tends  to  miflead  Men's  Minds 
from  the  true  Point  both  of  their  Duty, 
and  Happinefs,  when  they  bring  them- 
felves  to  acquiefce  in  fuch  falfe  and  mijla- 
ken  Subftitutes  of  them.  And  accordingly 
this  we  have  more  than  once  obferved  to  be 
the  Cafe  in  Fa5t  of  thefe  Inamorato  s  in 
Religion,  that  they  are  fo  much  taken  up 
with  their  own  fanciful  Abstractions,  as  to 
regard  the  whole  Circle  of  civil  and  focial 
Duties  with  great  Coofaeff,  and  Indifferency* 
Thefe  are  low,  and  groveling  Purfuits;  un 
worthy  the  Attention  of  People  fo  much 
better  employ'd  as  they  are-f- !  And  indeed 

how 

*  In  all  the  Courfe  of  virtuous  Meditation  the  Soul 
is  like  a  Virgin  invited  to  make  a  matrimonial  Contract ; 
it  inquires  into  the  Condition  of  thePerfon,  his  Eftate 
and  Dilpofition,  and  other  Circumftances  of  Amabillty 
and  Defere:  but  when  fhe  is  fatisfied  with  thefe  Inqui 
ries,  and  hath  chofen  her  Husband,  (he  no  more  con- 
fiders  Particulars,  but  is  moved  by  his  Voice  and  Gefture^ 
and  runs  to  his  Entertainment  and  Fruition,  a.ndjpe;ids 
herfelf  wholly  in  Affeffians^  not  to  obtain,  but  injoy  his 
Love.  Great  Exemplar,  p.  60. 

f  As  to  the  focial  Duties,  'tis  an  Obfervation  too 
Common  in  Experience,  that  the  forwardejl  Pictifts 
are  very  often  People  of  the  weakejl  and  molt  narrow 
ed  Benevolence.  A  Foreign  Author^  fpeaking  of  certain 
Religious  Perfons  who  afre&ed  a  more  than  ordinary 
I  2  ft' 


60  ) 

Jiow  can  it  be  expected,  that  fuch  whofe 
fond  Imaginations  have  already  exalted 
them  to  Heaven,  mould  condefcend  to  aft 
their  Part  with  any  tolerable  patience  upon 
fo  much  lower  a  Scene  as  this  of  Earth  ? 
What  Motive  can  they  have  who  are  al 
ready  in  fome  degree  admitted  to  the  Bea 
tific 

ftri&nefs  and  warmth  of  Devotion,  tells  us  that,  among 
jnany  other  abfurd  and  unnatural  Refinements  they 
boafted  of  in  their  devout  Paroxyfms,  one  was  the  feel 
ing  of  certain  Ajpirationes  Mijanthropicas  :  by  which, 
I  luppofe,  we  are  to  underftand  a  certzmdi/dainof  the/oxu 
Purfuits  and  Office^  of  a  mere  human  mortal  Condition. 
But  I  am  afraid  it  would  be  equally  true  in  another  Senfe, 
that  their  Flights  ofitivine  Rapture  were  attended  with 
thefe  Jfpirationes  Mijfftithropicas ;  meaning  thereby  a 
certain  Weaknefs  of  ^natural  AffeEtion,  a  Coolnefs,  and 
Dijplicence  of  Mind  towards  their  Fellow-Creatures, 
which  Pretences  of  fuperior  Piety  do  too  often  betray 
Men  into.  See  Bayle's  Di6t.  p.  95.  under  Art.  Rovenius 
Letter  A.  vol.  IV.  See  alfo  Letters  between  Mr. Norris^ 
and  the  Author  of  the  Propofal  to  the  Ladies  concern 
ing  the  Love  of  God,  where  'tis  a  Principle  on  both  fides 
agreed  to,  that  the  Love  of  Qod  ought  to  exclude  all 
other  inferior  Complacencies.  Now  where  a  Love  of 
Complacency  is  quite  excluded,  Love  of  Benevolence  fel- 
dom  operates  very  Jlrotigly.  See  this  Notion  well  ex- 
pofed  in  Hut  chef orfs  Illustrations,  &  c.  p  329.  to  the 

end. This  unnatural  Paradox  in  Divinity,  fo  much 

a  Favourite  with  Mr.  Nor r is,  that  it  is  introduced  at 
every  turn  in  almoft  all  his  Writings,  was  a  Confe- 
quence  of  his  enthufiaftic  Philofophy  of  our  feeing  all 
things  in  God  ;  a  Leffon  which  he  learnt  from  the 
celebrated  Father  Malbrancbe,  and  very  induilrioufly 
inculcated  upon  his  female  Correfpondent,  who  being 
of  a  Temper  too  fevere  to  relifli  any  thing  eafy  or  na 
tural  ;  and  having  ppfiefs'd  in  an  eminent  degree  the 
Gifuf  Infrigidcition,\y\\&s.  Mr.  Baylc  fomewhere  fpeaks 

of, 


6i 

tific  Prefence  of  their  Maker  *,  to  endea 
vour  after  any  farther  Qualifications  for 
that  purpofe  ?  at  leafl,  if  any  nearer  Ad 
vances  were  to  be  made  this  way,  yet 
how  much  nobler  a  Field  of  Exercife  to 
the  devout  and  afpiring  Soul  are  the  /era- 
pbic  Entertainments  of  Myftici/m  and  Ex- 
tajy  than  the  mean  and  ordinary  Practice 
of  a  mere  earthly  and  common  Virtue  -f-. 

THESE 

of,  was  well  inclined  to  embrace  a  Doctrine  which  dif- 
avowed  all  Love  to  any  Creature,  under  colour  of 
which,  fhe  could  in  fome  meafure  revenge  the  Difregard 
{hewn  to  her  by  Mankind ';  towards  whom  her  Wri 
tings  bear  a  moft  implacable  averfion.  See  particularly 
her  Reflect,  upon  Marriage.  To  what  an  extrava 
gance  of  Severity  her  Temper  carried  her,  let  the  fol 
lowing  more  than  Stoical  Rant  bear  witnefs — '  I  be- 
'  lieve  'twere  eafy  to  demonftrate,  that  Martyrdom  is 

*  the  higbeft  Pleafure  a  rational  Creature  is  capable  of 

*  in  this  prefent  State.    Letters,  page  31.      What  pity- 
is  it  this  Advocate  for  the  Pleafure  of  Martyrdom,  did 
not  live  in  the  earlier  Ages  of  the  Chriftian  Church, 
when  Racks,  and  Faggots,  and  Pitch-barrels  were  no 
unufual  Entertainments  ? 

*  Perfor.s  eminently  Religious  are  divlna  patientes, 
Pathics  in  Devotion,  fuffering  Ravi/hments  of  Senfes, 
tranfported  beyond  the  Ufes  pf  Humanity  into  the  Sub 
urbs  of  beatifical  Apprehensions.  Great  Exemplar,  p. 
6 1.  Thrice  happy  Soul  that  canft  look  thro'  the  Veil, 
and  notwithstanding  that  thick  Cloud  of  Creatures 
that  obfcures  thy  View,  difcern  him  that  is  invifible, 
live  in  the  light  of  his  Countenance  all  the  time  of  thy 
fojourning  here,  and  at  laft,  pure  and  defecate,  with  a 
Kifs  of  thy  Beloved,  breath  out  thy  felf  into  his  facred 
Bofom.  Letters  as  above,  p.  180. 

f  This  is  what  Biihop  Taylor  degradingly  calls  Virtue 
and  precife  Duty,  as  if  thofe  Ecftatic  and  Devotional 

Tranfpcrts 


THESE  are  glaring  Pretences,  Phile 
mon  $  and  'tis  no  wonder  they  fhould  pafs 
current  with  People  of  weaker  Judgments 
under  the  facred  Stamp  of  true  Piety.  But 
that  Men  of  fuperior  Senfe  and  Difcern- 
ment  in  all  other  refpects,  fhould  fo  far 
impofe  upon  themfelves  by  a  Set  of  pom 
pous  and  empty  Sounds,  would  really  be 
unaccountable,  but  that  we  have  before 
obferved,  that  the  ground  of  this  Delufion 
lies  not  originally  in  Men's  Under  [landings, 
but  in  their  Pafjions;  which  caft  a  ftrange 
Suffufion  over  the  plainefl Truths,  and  keep 
them  in  an  intire  Ignorance  of  themfelves, 
and  of  the  true  Motives  of  their  own  Actions. 
For  whence  elfe  can  it  proceed,  that  thefe 
myftical  Refiners  do  not  fee  thro'  the  Cheat 
they  are  in  reality  practifing  upon  themfelves? 
Whence  elfe  do  they  not  difcern,  that 
their  boafted  Exercifes  of  a  more  exalted 
Piety  are  but  the  artful  Difguifes  of  their 

natural 

Tranfports  of  Zeal  were  a  kind  of  Supererogation  in 
Piety — and  yet  tho'  this  Author  feems  willing  enough 
to  give  thefe  latter  the  preference  in  point  of  Excel 
lence  and  Dignity^  he  owns  at  the  fame  time  that  the 
oreater  fafety  lies  on  the  fide  of  a  more  common  and 
ordinary  Virtue.  For  that  "  many  Ilhtftons  have  come 
«'  in  the  Likenefs  of  yijions,  and  abfurd  Fancies  under 
«•'  the  pretence  of  Raptures,  &c."  And  again,  "  So  un- 
<•<•  fatisfying  a  thing  is  Rapture  and  Tranfportation,  to 
"  the  Soul  ;  it  often  diftracJs  the  Faculties,  but  feldom 
««  does  advantage  Piety,  and  is  full  of  Danger  in  th$ 
»'  grsatefl  of  its  Luftre."  Great  Exemp.  p.  61. 


63 

natural  Temper ,  which  indulges  it's 
Warmth  under  the  pretext  of  devout  Fer 
vours?  Whence  elfe  fhould  they  not  be 
fenfible,  that  their  Prayers  are  the  very 
Language  of  their  wantoneft  Appetites  and 
Wijhes  ?  the  Effufions  of  a  Breaft  heated 
with  extravagant  Paffion,  and  giving  vent 
to  Fires  of  a  grofler  kind  in  fancied  purer 
Flames  of  divine  Love,  z\\&  jpir it ual  Rap 
ture*. 

AND 

*  For  a  tafte  of  this  Inamorato-Devotion  read  the 
following  PafTage  in  the  35th  Chap,  of  St.  Aujlirfs 
Meditations,  and  thence  judge  whether  he  did  not 
borrow  many  of  his  devout  Ideas  from  his  unregene- 
rate  State  ;  from  anno  illo  decimo  fexto  aetatis  Carnis 
mese,  (which  he  himfelf  fpeaks  of  in  his  Confeflions, 
Book  i.  Ch.  2.)  cum  accepit  in  me  fceptrum,  et  totas 

manus  ei  dedi  vefaniae  libidinis O  Love  of  Sweet- 

nefs  ;  O  Sweetnefs  of  Love,  that  doft  not  torment, 
but  delight,  that  doft  always  burn,  and  are  never  ex- 
tincl:,  fweet  Chrift,  good  jefus,  my  God,  my  Love, 
kindle  me  all  over  with  thy  Fire,  with  the  Love  of 
thee,  with  thy  Sweetnefs,  thy  Joy,  thy  Pleafure  and 
Concupifcence,  that  being  all  full  of  the  Sweetnefs  of  thy 
Love,  all  on  fire  with  the  flame  of  thy  Charity,  I  may 
love  thee,  my  God,  with  my  whole  Hea:\,  and  with 
all  the  Power  of  my  inward  Parts,  (totis  meduilid  prae- 
cordiorum  meorum  in  the  original,  a  much  ftronger 
Expreffion)  having  thee  in  my  Heart,  in  my  Mouth, 
and  before  my  Eyes  always  and  every  where.  Deus 
Lumen  cordis  mei,  et  panis  oris  intus  anims  mesr, 
et  virtus  maritans  mentem  meam^  et  finum  cogltaiionis 
mece,  non  te  amabam,  et  fornicabar  abs  te.  Confef- 
fionuniy  Lib.  I.  cap.  13.  May  one  not  apply  here 
what  he  elfewhere  fays,  Recordari  volo  tranfa&as 
fseditates  meas,  et  carnales  corrupticnes,  ut  amem 
te,  Deus  meus.  Con.  lib.  2.  cap.  i  Sure  he  has  here 
abundantly  tranfcribed  from  them  into  his  Devotions. 

3 


64 

AND  indeed  upon  better  Reflection, 
"confidering  from  what  Caufes  the  Diftem- 
per  of  Mind  we  are  here  fpeaking  of,  takes 
it's  rife,  Men  of  fuperior  Parts,  a  livelier 
Imagination ,  and  more  refined  Genius, 
ieem  of  all  others  to  bemofl  in  danger  of  it. 
For  they,  'tis  well  known,  are  generally  ob- 
jerved  to  be  of  that  fort  of  temperament 
which  is  the  moil  natural  Soil  for  Enthu- 
fiafm  to  fpring  up  in.  The  fuperior  Fine- 
nefs  and  Delicacy  of  their  Make  gives  a 
more  than  ordinary  Edge  and  KeenneJ's  to  all 
their  Paffions,  thofe  efpecially  of  the  tender 
amorous  kind.  Now  the  ecftatic  Habit  is 
in  a  peculiar  degree  infectious  to  this  fort 
of  Conftitution.  Devotion,  according  to  the 
my  flic  Notion  of  it,  is  a  kind  of  natural 
Relief  to  the  Cravings  and  Importunities  of 
fome  of  theft  Men's  eagereft  Dejires,  which 
they  may  indulge  in  the  freeft  manner 
without  Limit  or  Reludancy ;  not  only 
with  no  danger  to  their  Innocence,  but 
even  with  conliderable  Advantage,  as  is 
imagined,  to  their  fpiritual  Eftate.  Itdoes, 
as  the  ingenious  Satiriftyou  was  quoting  not 
long  fi  nee,  fpeaks  upon  another  Occafion, 

Relieve  their  plants,  andjpare  their  Blujhes 
too*. 

It  is  admirably  contriv'd  to  allay  certain 
irregular  and  uneafy  Ferments  in  the  Blood 

and 

*  Univerfcfl  Pafjion,  Sat,  6.  page  140. 


-     ,    . 

and  animal  Spirits  to  which  this  fbrf  of 
Temperament  is  peculiarly  fubjecl,  which 
might  otherwife  follicit  a  Remedy  of  a 
coarjer  kind.  Thofe  Heats  of  Paffion  which 
in  an  inferior  Clafs  of  Senfualifts  would  ex 
cite  to  Amours  of  a  more  humble  and  ordi 
nary  ftrain,  in  thefe  myftic  Lovers  are 
thrown  off  in  feraphic  Ardors^  and  break 
out  in  thefe  fpiritual  Debaucheries  *. 

A 

*  Such  certainly  we  muft  efleem  their  Uniones 
cum  Deo,  (of  which  we  are  told  by  Rovehius  they  are 
ufed  to  boaft)  cum  uniantur  proprio^  fi  non  pejori  fpi- 
ritui ;  theirTranfubftantiationes  myfticas:  Cordis  con- 
centrationes  :  Potentiarum,  imoomnis  fui  efle,  anni- 
hilationem  j  Connubium  efientiae  creatae  &  divinitatis  : 
fpirituale  Sacramentum  infeparabilitatis  :  Somnium 
omnium  affe&ionum :  Abforptionem  &  liquefaclionem 
in  amplexu  fponft  :  Triplicem  animoe  hierarchiam  : 
Orationem  in  quiete  pafliva :  Ebrietatem  fpiritualem  ; 
cordis  filentium  :  Meditationes  negativas :  Uniones 
fuperefTentiales :  Puteum  &  gurgitem  annihilationis ; 
Amorem  deificum,  transformantem,  unientem,  ftrin- 
gentem,  amplexaritem ;  Suavitatem  cor  auferentem, 
iugentern  fponfi  ubera,  ruminantem  collum  :  Abfof- 
bentem  enthufiafmum  ;  Infenfibilitatem  &  oblivio- 
nem  omnium  inducentem  :  Abyflalem  cum  Deo  i- 
dentificationem :  Corifricationem  deificam,  incenden- 
tem,  &  confumentem  Cor  :  Elevationem  ad  fuavita- 
tem  coeleftem  ex  infernali  languore  :  Introverfionem 
fuper-coeleftem  :  Caliginem  &  umbram  Dei :  Allocu- 
tiones  internas,  Elevationes  incognitas,  Extenfiones  & 
Applicationes  amorofas :  Animae  fufpenfiones,  deliqui- 
um,  fufpiria :  Mortem  fenfuum  &  omnium  afFec"tuum, 
ecftafini  continuam,  juftitium  ratiocinii  :  Cordis  con- 
taclum  &  patefailionem :  liquefa&ionem,  influxum", 
inflammationem  :  AfTultus  qui  ferri  nequeant :  Pene- 
trationes  ad  intima :  Vulnerationes,  conftr;£tione»,  al- 
K  ligationsf 


(  66  ) 

A  Debauch  in  Religion,  (faid  I)  is  a 

I  never  before  heard  of  j  and  yet 
methinks  by  the  help  of  your  Preparations, 
Hortenfus,  I  begin  to  digeft  it  pretty  rea 
dily.  You  have  taught  me,  that  it  is  not 
merely  poffible  in  Idea,  but  that  in  Fatt 
there  is  as  great  a  Biafs  this  way  in  Spiritu 
als  in  the  Constitutions  of  fome  People,  as 
in  others  there  is  obferved  to  be  in  com 
mon  Life.  But  after  all,  if  this  myftical 
kind  of  Debauchery  be  rather  the  more 
abfurd  and  extravagant,  it  is  certainly  the 
lefs  criminal  than  that  which  is  more  ordi 
narily  practifed  in  the  World  *.  And  to 

fay 

ligationes  infeparabiles :  Afpe£tus  penetrantes  &  oblec- 
tantes,  Voces  tremulas,  Murmura  columbina  :  Guftus 
fuaviffimos,  Odores  gratiilimos,  Auditus  melodise  cce- 
leftis,  Hypermyfticas  Dei  &  Animae  perichorefes :  Im- 
pudentiam  fpiritualem,  afpirationes  mifanthropicas,  ig- 
nem  fine  carbone,  flammam  fine  corpore :  Holocauf- 
tum  meridianum  in  vifcerali  &  medullari  penetrabili- 
tate  :.  Conta6tum  mirabilem  &  fuaviffimum,  obfcurae 
no£tis  gaudia,  &  caliginem : — haec  &  fimilia  fefquipe- 
dalia  verba  in  nova  Pietatis  fchola  inter  fponte  ele<£tos 
Magiftros,  &  Difcipulas  curiofas,  adeo  frequenter  te- 
nero  proferuntur  palato,  ut  intimis  in  vifceribus  fen- 
tiantur.  Rovenius  de  Repub.  Chriftiana  Lib  I.  cap. 
43.  p.  278.  Bay/is  Did.  p.  95.  Letter  A.  under  Art, 
Rovtnius,  Tom.  IV. 

*  It  has  fometimes  been  fo  contrived  by  the  more 
expert  Matters  in  the  myftlc  Science,  that  both  forts  have 
been  pra£tifed  at  the  fame  time,  the  one  being  made 
ufe  of  to  introduce  or  facilitate  the  Execution  of  the 
other.  Thofe  who  have  been  moft  forward  to  propa 
gate  tliefe  tnyjlical  Doctrines,  have  not  always  been 

them- 


(  67) 

fay  the  truth,  confidering  that  it  takes  ofF 
the  Mind  from  much  worfe  Purfuits,  wh'ch 
the  fame  natural  Warmth  of  Temper  and 
Constitution  would  in  all  probability  be 
tray  thefe  amorous  Devotees  into,  were  it 
not  for  fuch  a  jpirltual  Application  ;  I  do 
not  fee  but  it  might  pafs  without  much 
Cenfure,  as  rather  a  Weaknefs,  than  a 
Fault  in  them  ;  but  that,  as  you  have 
obferved ,  whilft  it  reftrains  them  from 
fome  more  vicious  ExcefTes,  it  is  too  apt 
to  divert  their  Attention  from  many  more 
noble  and  ufeful  Virtues,  which  are  the  pro 
per  Bufmefs,  and  I  may  add,  the  moil  di- 
ftinguiming  Ornaments  too,  of  their  pre- 
fent  State  *.  THIS 

themfehes  the  moftfpiritually  minded.  The  pretences 
of  ^uietifmy  and  of  a  more  fublime  and  abjiratted  De 
votion,  have  fometimes  been  employ'd  to  very  grofs  and 
carnal  Purpofes,  and  the  myjlic  Union  has  brought  about 
a  Union  not  altogether  fo  myfterious.  See  Monfieur 
Eayle's  Diet,  pag.  300.  vol.  3.  who  there  relates  at 
large  an  Adventure  much  to  our  purpofe  ;  in  conclu- 
fion  he  has  this  Reflection — Je  me  contente  d'affurer 
qu'il  y  a  beaucoup  d'apparence,  que  quelques-uns  de 
ces  devots  fi  fpirituels,  qui  font  efperer  qu'une  forte 
Meditation,  ravira  1'Ame,  &  1'empechera  de  s'apper- 
cevoir  des  Actions  du  Corps,  fe  propofent  de  patiner 
impunement  leurs  devotes,  &  de  faire  encore  pis. 
C'eft  de  quoi  Ton  accufe  les  Molinofiftes.  En  general, 
il  n'y  a  rien  de  plus  dangereux  pour  1'efprit,  que  les 
devotions  trop  myftiques,  &  trop  quintefTenciees,  & 
fans  doute  le  Corps  y  court  quelques  rifques,  &  pleu- 
fieurs  y  veulent  bien  etre  trompez. 

*  'Tis  afevere,  but  I  am  afraid  no  unjuft  Satire  uport 
this  fort  of  Characters,  what  Monfieur  Bayle  obferves 

K    2  Of 


(  68  ). 

THIS  is  one  of  its  worfl  effe&s,  (re 
turned  Hortenfius)  but  it  has  feveral  other 
very  mifchievous  ones.  Particularly,  it 
gives  great  and  fignal  Difcouragement  to 
the  general  Practice  of  Piety  in  the  World, 
by  expofing  it  to  Ridicule ',  and  the  Charge 
of  ajfifted  Singularity.  On  the  one  hand, 
it  throws  many  honeft  and  well-meaning, 
but  weaker  Minds  into  a  Defpair  of  ever 

fucceedr- 

of  Mademoifelle  Bjaitrirnen,  a  noted  Pretender  to  a 

mere  than  ordinary  Piety  in  her  time Elle  a  cut 

cela  de  commun  avec  tous  les  Devots,  qu'elle  a  ete 

d'une  humeur  falieufo  &  chagrin- ^Fceminam  duram, 

immitem,  pervicacem,  fromachabundam,  rixofam,  are 
Compliments  Monfieur  de  Seckendorf  makes  her  upon 
the  Teftimony  of  her  own  Writings.  She  was,  as  it 
feems,  perpetually  changing  her  Servants ;  and  indeed 
well  fhe  might,  for  beiides  the  natural  Morofenefs  of 
her  Temper,  (fo  great,  as  this  Author  remarks,  "  ut 
"  nemo  morofitatem  ejus  tolerare  poflet,  minimeom'- 
<c  nium  foeminse  quas  in  fodalitium  aut  famulitium  ad- 
»'  fciverat ;  exercebatur  nempe  in  illas,  ut  lufit  Saty- 
*'  ricus,  Praefe6tura  domus,  Sicula  non  mitior  aula") 
befides  this,  fhe  would  hardly  allow  them  common  ne- 

cefTaries Si  ceux  qui  ont  demeure  avec  elle  n'avoient 

eu  les  dents  biens  fortes  pour  digerer  certaines  crour.es 
biens  dures  a  la  nature  corrompue,  ilsl'auroient  quittee 

mille  fois  pour  une.  Bayles  Diet.  p.  687. By  this 

Conduct,  'tis  eafy  to  obferve,  fhe  gratified  at  once  her 
Covetoufnefs,  (for  which  fhe  was  very  remarkable)  in 
leflening  the  ordinary  Expences  of  her  Family  ;  and 
her  Piety  in  training  up  her  Domefticks  to  the  Prac 
tice  of  Chriftian  Mortification.  Let  us  proceed  upon 
this  Infrance,  and  fee  if  it  will  not  account  for  foms 

others  of  the  fame  kind 'Tis  no  unufual  thing  to 

fee  People  pra£tifing  very  high  Degrees  of  Dtvotiait 

Marti- 


69 

fucceeding  in  the  Bufmefs  of  Religion,  be- 
caufe  upon  Examination  they  difcover  in 
themfelves  little  or  no  Acquaintance  with 
thofe  tumultuous  Heafs,  and  ungoverned 
Sallies  of  Pajfion,  upon  which  fo  great  a 
Strefs  is  laid  by  thefe  religious  Inamorato's  : 
And  on  the  other,  it  hardens  the  diilblute 
and  unthinking  Part  of  Mankind  into  an 
obftinate  Reluctance  towards  the  very  firfl 
Efforts  of  Reformation,  by  confirming 
them  in  a  Prejudice  they  are  of  themfelves 
too  willing  to  entertain  againft  Religion, 
that  it  is  a  rigorous  impracticable  Service  ; 
a  State  of  unnatural  Refinement,  altogether 
incompatible  with  the  common  Meafures  of 

human 

Mortification^  and  other  fuppofed  Inftances  of  a  more 
eminent  Religion,  who  yet  are  extremely  faulty  when 
confider'd  in  their  facial  Chara&er  :  Bad  Parents, 
Husbands,  Wives,  Children,  Friends,  Relations,  Go 
vernors  of  Families,  &c.  This  inconfiftent  Behaviour 
with  fome  People  makes  them  pafs  for  downright  Hy 
pocrites,  and  acting  a  mere  Farce  in '  their  greateft 
Strictnefles.  The  Cafe  is  far  otherwife;  they  are 
very  fmcere,  but  at  the  fame  time  very  much  mif- 
taken :  for  they  confider  Religion  as  a  matter  quite 
diftindT:  from,  and  much  fuperior  to,  focial  Virtue ; 
hence  they  are  fo  bufied  with  the  one,  that  they  have 
no  leifure  to  beftow  any  care  upon  the  other. — Or  pof- 
fibly  after  all  they  may  have  found  out  the  Art,  with 
our  Author's  Heroine,  offanftifying  their  own  Humours 
and  Tempers  under^the  name  of  fome  religious  Duality  ; 
and  then  there  will' be  very  little  Myftery  in  the  matter. 
For  by  this  artful  way  of  Self-Delufion  (and  nothing 
is  fo  artful  as'Self-Delufion)  a  fevere  Hatred  of  one's 
own  Species  may,  a,s  was  hinted  above,  be  conftruetf 

into 


(  7°  ) 

human  Life.  And  after  all,  Philemon, 
jfuppofing  this  devotional  and  ecftatic  Habit 
were  in  itfelf  barely  innocent^  (which  yet  I 
dare  fay  you  are  convinc'd  from  what  has 
been  juft  now  faid  of  it,  that  it  is  far  from 
being)  ftill  it  muft  be  remember'd,  that 
there  is  a  much  greater  Degree  of  Refolution 
fhewn  in  overcoming  Temptations,  than  in 
meanly  defer  ting  our  Poft,  and  flying  from 
them.  The  true  Ecroifm  of  Religion  con- 
fifts  in  living  and  acting  our  part  well  in  the 
World,  not  in  any  fanciful  Abftraftion  of 
ourfelves  from  it.  It  argues  a  much  greater 
Strength,  and  Firmnefs  of  Mind,  a  more 
exalted  Pitch  of  Self-Government,  to  be  able 
to  keep  a  due  guard  upon  "our  Paffions,  at 
the  fame  time  that  we  leave  them  to  their 

jnto  a  more  intire  Love  of  God Natural  Severity 

.•will  be  religious  Difcipline Anger  and  Peevifhnefs 

Zeal Morofenefs  Gravity Weaknefs  of  Mind 

a  Tendcrnefs  of  Confcience— Narrownefs  of  think 
ing  Orthodoxy Pride  a  Regard  to  Things  or  Per- 

fons  facred fplenetic  Contempt  of  the  World,  a 

becoming  Abftra&ion  from  it unmanly  Tamenefs 

of  Mind,  a  Chriftian  Poverty  of  Spirit Singularity, 

Conftancy — Warmth  of  Conftitution,  Devotion,  J«. 

, and  perhaps  too  miftaken  Applications,  Lrftances, 

and  Paflages  of  Scripture,  may  not  be  wanting  to  a 
willing  Mind  to  fupport  itfelf  in  any  of  thefe  Errors, 

. Let  us  once  more  have  recourfe  to  our  Example — 

We  are  told  of  Mademoifelle  Bourignan,  that  far  from 
imagining,  que  fa  bile  fut  un  defaut,  elle  1'appelloit 
amour  de Jufticcj  &  foutenoit  que  la  colere  etoit  une 
veritable  Vertu  ;  &  fe  defendoit  par  les  Rigueurs  que 
les  Prophetes,  &  les  Apotres  ont  exercees.  Seytis  Diet, 
p.  687.  Art.  Bourignon.  Letter  P. 

natural 


natural  Objects  and  Exercifes,  within  the 
facred  Verge  of  Reafon  and  Religion,  than 
to  be  driven  to  take  Refuge  from  their  na~ 
tural  Exorbitancies  in  the  Invention  of  a 
fecondary  and  artificial  Method  of  indulg- 
~ing  them  j  and  that  too  in  a  Matter  where 
the  Application  of  them,  .to  fay  no  worfe 
of  it,  feems  beyond  all  others  improper. 

Wo  u  L  D  you  then,  (faid  I,  interrupting 
him,)  allow  no  Scope  to  the  Pajjions  in  Re 
ligion  ?  That  will  indeed  effectually  purge 
it  of  it's  unnatural  Heats ;  but  will  it  not 
be  running  too  far  back  into  the  chilling 
Extreme  ?  Our  Paffions  are  the  Springs  of 
Action  in  our  ordinary  Concerns,  without 
which  Life  itfelf  would  be  apt  to  ftagnate  ; 
may  not  fome  fuch  quickening  Influence  be 
equally  neceflary  in  our  religious  ones  ?  Our 
Prayers  particularly,  if  they  be  not  warm'd 
and  inliven'd  with  fome  Degrees  of  'Fer 
vency  and  Inten/enefs,  (the  Helps  towards 
which  feem  to  me  to  lie  moftly  in  the  Paf- 
Jions,)  will  they  not  degenerate  into  a  mere 
lifelej's  Indifferency,  a  cold  and  formal  Lip- 
Service  ?  You  know  a  certain  great  Man 
was  once  pretty  feverely  treated  for  defi 
ning  Prayer  to  be  a  calm,  undijlurbed,  Ad- 
dr&j's  to  God.  A  Doctrine,  it  (liould  feem, 
very  near  of  kin  to  yours  in  what  you  jult 
now  advanc'd  *. 

*  Bifhop  ofBangor's  Sermon  before  tbe  King  in  17 17 . 

IF 


IF  this,  (replied  Hortenjius)  had  been 
the  only  Offence  of  that  Gentleman  in  the 
Difcourfe  you  refer  to,  I  am  apt  to  be 
lieve  his  Adverfaries  had  afforded  him  bet 
ter  Quarter.  But  the  main  Quarrel  againft 
him  fprung,  as  I  take  it,  from  other  Mo 
tives  j  and  this  Circumftance  came  in  chiefly 
to  aggravate  and  inflame  theg^mz/Charge. 
And  indeed  the  Rancour  of  Controverfy 
itfelf  durft  not  attack  him  upon  this  Arti 
cle,  till,  by  an  Artifice  very  familiar  to 
expert  Difputants,  it  had  firft  difguifed  and 
thrown  afide  it's  natural  and  obvious  Mean 
ing  ;  explaining  away  calm,  and  unfa* 
fturbed,  into  cold  and  unconcerned,  contrary 
to  all  Rules  of  common  Language.  Whereas, 
take  the  Paflage  in  the  plain  received  Senfe 
and  Intention  of  it>  and  it  is  fo  far  from 
miniftring  any  reafonable  grounds  of  ex 
ception,  that  for  my  part,  I  cannot  conceive, 
how  a  jufter  or  truer  Account  of  Prayer, 
within  the  compafs  of  fofow  Words,  could 
pofiibly  have  been  devifed.  This,  I  think, 
muft  appear  to  any  one,  who,  difliking 
the  Definition  here  given  of  Prayer,  mail 
be  pleafed,  for  experiment  fake,  to  reverfe 
it;  fubftituting  the  contrary  Epithets  of 
troubled,  and  tumultuous,  inftead  of  calm 
and  itndifturbed.  Such  a  Defcription  would, 
I  imagine,  have  a  pretty  odd  Sound  in 
the  Ears  of  moft  People ;  and  hardly  be 

thought 


th6ujght  to  convey  a  veryjujt  Idea  of 
Kature  and  Genius  of  it's  Subject. 

THAT,  (faid  I3)  would  be  running  out 
of  one  Extreme  into  another.  But  certainly 
fome  Degrees  of  Warmth  and  Earneftnefs, 
beyond  what  is  exprefled  by  the  Words 
calm,  and  uridifturbed,  feem  neceflary  to 
give  Life  and  Spirit  to  our  Devotions*, 
Such  a  feeble  Attack  as  this  amounts  to, 
can  never  be  called  with  any  tolerable 
Propriety  of  Speech  a  taking  the  Kingdom 
tf  Heaven  by  Violence  *  ;  a  Notion  under 
which,  if  I  miftake  not,  our  Divines  do 
not  unfrequently  reprefent  this  Duty  of 
Prayer. 

You  miftake  the  Point,  (returned  he) 
Philemon.  Warmth  and  Earneftnefs  in  any 
good  fenfe  are  by  no  means  inconfiftent  with 
being  calm,  and  undifturbed;  which  is  op- 
pofed,  not  to  having  a  fixed  rational  Infen- 
tion  of  Mind  in  our  Religious  Exercifes,  a 
ferious  recollected  Frame  of  Spirit ;  but  to 
the  artificial  Heats  and  Tranfports  of  a 
wanton  Imagination,  and  an  Enthufiaftic 
Fancy  j  that  gro/s,  and  mechanical  fort  of 
Devotion,  which  Writers  of  the  my  flic  Claf?, 
who  no  doubt  are  them  felves  well  acquainted 
with  it,  defcribe  as  accompanied  with  "  a 
*  fenjible  Commotion  of  the  Spirits^  and  E- 

*  St.  Mat.  xi.  vdr.  12. 
/  L  "  filiation 


74) .    f      ' 

"  filiation  of  the  Blood  *  :"  An  excellent, 
-and  doubtlefs  an  indi/penfable,  Ingredient 
this,  in  the  Service  of  him  who  has  de 
clared,  he  is  to  be  worjhipped  by  all  true 
Worfoippers  in  Spirit  and  in  Truth  rj-  /  Thofe 
who  think  calm  and  undifturbed  in  Prayer 
to  mean  the  fame  with  lifelefs,  and  indiffe- 
rent,  feem  to  me  to  forget  that  there  are 
any  fuch  Principles  in  human  Nature  as 
pure  Affeftions,  diftincl:  from  thofe  Jupple- 
mental  Forces  which  they  may  fometimes 
receive  from  certain  Ferments  in  the  animal 
Qeconomy,  defign'd  by  the  Wifdom  of 
Providence  to  excite  or  quicken  their  Influ 
ence  upon  emergent  Occaiions,  and  which 
are,  properly  fpeaking,  Paffions  [| .  And  in 
deed 

*  'Norris'j  Mifcell.  12°.  p.  335.  'Tis  faid  alfo  to  be 
pajffionate,  and  even  wonderfully  fo,  and  exceeding  the 
Love  of  Women.  And  accordingly  Men  of  the  moft 
warm  and  pathetic  Tempers,  and  affe&ionate  Com 
plexions,  (provided  they  have  but  Conlideration  enough 
\vithal  to  fix  upon  the  right  Object)  prove  the  great "eft 
Votaries  in  Religion,  ibid.  335,  336. — A  Joy  whofe 
perpetual  Current  always  affords  a  frefh  Delight,  and 
yet  every  drop  of  it  fo  entertaining,  that  we  might 
Jive  upon  it  to  all  Eternity  :  whilft  our  Souls  are  in 
ebriated  with  its  Pleafures,  our  very  Bodies  partake  of 
its  Sweetnefs.  For  it  excites  a  grateful  and  eafy  Mo 
tion  in  the  animal  Spirits,  and  caufes  fuch  an  agreable 
Movement  of  the  Paffions,  as  comprehends  all  the  De- 
iight  abstracted  from  the  Uneafmefs  which  other  Ob 
jects  are  apt  to  occafion.  Lett.  cone,  the  Love  of  God, 
p.  86,  87. 

f  St.  John  iv.  ver.  23. 

ijj  When  the  word  Paffton  is  imagin'd  to  denote  any 


(  75 

deed  thefe  latter  have  fo  plain  a  reference 
to  the  Ufes  of  the  animal  Life,  that  were 
not  the  Fact  too  common,  one  would  won 
der  how  they  mould  ever  get  footing  in  Spi 
rituals,  to  which  they  feem  not  to  have  the 
leaft  Relation  *.  In  our  ordinary  Concerns 
the  Connexion  between  the  Affettions  and 
Pa/Eons  is  often  too  f'ecret.  the  mutual  Tran- 

•x/  j  * 

Jitions  from  one  to  the   other,   often  too 

quick 

thing  diftincT:  from  the  Afftftions,  it  includes  a  confufed 
Senfation  either  of  Pleafure  or  Pain,  occafion'd  or  at 
tended  by  fome  violent  bodily  Motions^  which  keeps  the 
Mind  much  employ'd  upon  the  prefent  Affair,  to  the 
exclufion  of  every  thing  elfe.  Nat.  and  Conduct  of  the 
PaJ/ions.  p.  28,  29. 

The  Author  of  Nature  has  probably  formed  many 
aftive  Beings,  whofe  Defires  are  not  attended  with  con- 
fufedSenfa tion s,  raifing  them  into  Pajfions  like  to  ours. 
ibid.  p.  50. 

Beings  of  fuch  Degrees  of  Under/landing,  and  fuch 
Avenues  to  Knowledge,  as  we  have,  muft  need  thefe 
additional  Forces,  which  we  call  PaJJions>  &c.  ib.  p.  51. 
and  to  the  end  of  the  Sect. 

When  more  violent  confufed  Senfations  arife  with  the 
Affetiitn,  and  are  attended  with,  or  prolonged  by  bo 
dily  Motions,  we  call  the  whole  by  the  Name  of  Pajjion. 
ibid.  Sect.  3.  p.  60. 

*  Thofe  who  would  fee  a  Defence  in  form  of  this 
fort  of  paffionate  Devotion,  may  find  it  in  Mr.  N&rris's 

Mifcel.  p.  423.  and  following  ones. It  may  not 

be  amifs  to  infert  here  his  Anfwer  to  a  very  important 
Objection  to  his  favourite  Scheme  of  a  (enfitive  Love 
of  God.  "  Some,  fays  he,  I  know  are  of  opinion, 
"  that  'tis  not  poflible  for  a  Man  to  be  affected  with 
"  this  fenfitive  Love  of  God,  which  is  a  PaJJlon,  be- 
"  caufe  there  is  nothing  in  God  which  falls  under  our 
*' Imagination  j.  and  confequently  (the  Imagination 
L  2  "  beinec 


(76) 

quick  and  fudden  to  admit  of  an  accurate 
'j~>ffiixftton.  And  here  the  Mifchief  of  con 
founding  them  is  not  great.  But  in  Reli 
gion  'tis  far  otherwife  :  there,  however  jufl 
an  Application  there  may  be  for  our  pure 
rational  Affections,  the  Subject  is  ioofacred 
for  our  Paffions  to  intrude,  without  profa 
ning  it.  No  one  will  imagine  our  Affec 
tions  are  lefs  real  for  being  purged  of  all 
grofs  and  corporeal  Mixtures  j  and  certain  it 
is,  they  are  hereby  rendered  much  more 
fure,  and  confequently  more  fuitable  to  a 
Jpiritual  and  divine  Object.  Now  this  Di- 
mnction  being  kept  in  view,  'tis  eafy  to  fee, 

how 

f  being  the  only  Medium  of  Conveyance)  it  cannot 
f«  be  propagated  from  the  intelle&ual  Part  to  thefenfi- 
t(  tive :  whereupon  they  affirm,  that  none  are  capable 
*'  of  this  fenjitive  pajjionate  Love  of  God  but  Chriftians, 
*'  who  enjoy  the  Myjiery  of  the  Incarnation.  But  'tis 
f «  not  all  the  Sophiftry  of  the  cold  Logicians  that  {hall 
«c  work  me  out  of  the  Belief  of  what  I  feel  and  know, 
"  and  rob  me  of  the  fweeteft  Entertainment  of  my 

tc  Life,  the  pajffionate  Love  of  God"- Thus  far 

we  fee  he  only  enjoys  himfelf  in  his  Delufion ;  how 

'he  defends  it,  will  next  appear. After  triumphing 

a  little  longer,  "  As  to  the  Objection,  fays  he,  I  an- 
"  fwer,  that  altho'  in  God,  who  is  the  Obje£b  of  our 
*'  Love,  we  can  imagine  nothing,  yet  we  can  imagine 
f '  that  cur  Love ;  which  confifts  in  this,  that  we 
"•  would  unite  ourfelves  to  the  Objeft  beloved,  and 
*'  confider  ourfelves  as  it  were  a  part  of  it ;  and  the 
"  fole  Idea  of  this  very  Conjunction  is  enough  to  ftirup 
*'  a  Heat  about  the  Heart,  and  fo  to  kindle  a  very  ve- 
".  hement  Paffion  :  to  which,  I  add,  that  altho'  Beauty 
<c  in  God  be  not  the  fame  as  in  corporeal  Beings,  yet 
1'  it  is  fomething  analogous  to  it,  and^  that  very  Ana- 


(  77  ) 

how  needlefs  it  is  to  have  recourfe  to  our 
Paffions  in  order  to  give  life  and  vigor  to 
our  religious  Exercifes,  when  our  calm  ra 
tional  Affeftions,  a  much  nobler  Part  of  our 
Composition,  are  abundantly  fufficient  to  all 
•wt/e  and  good  Purpofes  of  doing  this.  The/e 
will  infpire  Warmth  without  Flame,  and 
•Strength  without  Rage  and  Violence.  So 
that  we  mail  be  able  to  pray  at  once  with 
the  Spirit,  with  all  the  earneftnefs  of  a  de 
vout  Recollection,  and  as  the  fame  infpired 
Perfon  fpeaks,  with  the  Under/landing  alfo  * ; 


*'  logy  is  enough  to  excite  a  Paffion." We  have 

been  feveral  times  obliged  to  this  Gentleman  for  af- 
certaining  to  us  the  Faff  of  this  Inamorato- Devotion  ; 
here  we  have  him  condefcending  to  explain  the  Phi- 
fafophy  of  it.  It  feems,  we  are  to  fet  our  Spirits  at 
work  about  fomething,  we  know  not  what,  and 
when  we  have  Jlirrd  up  a  fufficient  Heat  about  the 
Heart  (which  by  the  way  is  rather  felt  than  to 
fee  imagined)  we  are  to  fall  in  love  with  this  very 
Heat,  and  make  an  Idol  of  our  own  Paffion.  Con-' 
junction  is  the  Word  of  Command,  and  inftantly  all 
the  tender  Paffions  are  called  to  exercife.  Let  thofe 
who  can  make  Senfe  of  fuch  a  Religion,  enjoy  it  as 
they  pleafe.  'Tis  to  be  hoped  after  all,  a  little  So 
briety  of  Thought  does  not  incapacitate  a  Man  to  be  a 
religious  Agent;  and  that  People  may  ferve  God  accep 
tably  without  turning  Vifionaries,  and  Enthufiafts. 

*   i  Cor.  xiv.  ver.  15,  <&c. 

How  different  this  from  what  CaJJian  reports  of 
Anthony  the  Hermit,  who  uied,  it  feems,  to  fay,  that 
is  not  a  perfect  Prayer^  in  which  the  Votary  does  either 
tinder/land  himfelf  or  the  Prayer!  See  Great  Exemplar \ 
p.  60.  This  is  being,  as  the  fame  Author  has  it,  Pathics 
in  Devotion  with  a  witnefs. • 

with 


with  a  due  Senfe  of  that  aweful  Pre- 
fence  we  are  at  fuch  Seafons  more  imme 
diately  furrounded  with,  and  which  we  may 
be  very  fure  is  much  better  pleafed  with  the 
Worfhip  of  a  pure  Heart,  and  of  well-or- 
derd  Affections,  than  with  all  the  wild  and 
wanton  Ecftajies,  that  even  the  moft  lufcious 
Enthujiaft  can  boaft  of.  In  {hort,  Paffion 
is  but  the  mere  Mechanifm  of  Devotion  ; 
and  in  proportion  as  that  prevails,  it  lofes 
fo  far  its  true  Nature  and  Dignity,  and 
ceafes  to  be  a  reafonable  Service  *.  This 
We  may  fafely  affirm,  Philemon  j  that  the 
facred  Scriptures  know  nothing  of  thofe 
pajjionate  Heats,  and  Paroxyfms  of  devout 
Phrenzy  which  fome  Men  are  fo  fond  of. 
Thefe  my  flic  al  Refinements  owe  not  their 
birth  to  the  rational  Simplicity  of  the  Gofpel, 
but  to  the  fond  Conceits  of  Men  in  After- 
Ages  departing  from  thence,  to  introduce 
their  own  vain  Imaginations,  and  Syftems 
of  Will-Worjhip  -in  its  ftead.  Where  do 
we  read  of  Ecflajies,  Raptures,  Sufpenfions, 
ofjiarings  upon  the  divine  Beauty.,  expiring 
in  the  Embraces  of  our  Maker  -f-,  and  I 
know  not  what  other  Flights  of  enthujiaftic 
jargon,  in  the  infpired Pages?  What  men 
tion  is  there  ever  made  of  the  refined  Tranf- 
ports  of  Jiraphic  Lovey  the  myjlic  Union, 

*  Rom.  xii.  ver.  I. 

f  Taylor'*  Great  Exemplar,  p.  60.  Norris'j  Mifcd. 

334- 

and 


(  79  )- 

and  all  the  other  fanciful  Abfi  raft  ions  of 
Monaftic,  and  Reclufe  Pietifts?  Thefe  aie 
the  Dreams  and  Inventions  of  Men,  not  the 
Doctrines  of  Chrift  and  his  A^oflles.  Re 
ligion  in  the  New  Teftament  is  often  re- 
prefented  as  the  proper  Difcipline  of  the 
Paffions,  but  never  once,  that  I  know  of, 
as  the  Bufinefs,  and  Exercife  of  them. 
Prayer  is  often  mention'd,  and  commanded; 
but  not  a  word  is  faid  of  thofe  ecftatic 
and  artificial  Commotions  which  the  my- 
ftical  Divinity  is  fo  full  of.  When  thou 
pray  eft)  fays  our  Lord,  enter  into  thy  Clofet, 
and  when  tbou  haft  fout  thy  Door,  to  avoid 
all  vain  Oflentation,  pray  to  thy  Father 
which  is  in  fecret.  And  after  this  manner 
•pray  ye,  Our  Father ,  &c  *.  Words  of 
fuch  amazing  Force,  and  Ccmprehenficn, 
and  at  the  fame  time  of  fuch  a  wonderful, 
and  inartificial  Simplicity,  as  mufl  convince 
the  moft  harden'd  Infidel,  would  he  give 
himfelf  leave  thoroughly  to  attend  to  them, 
of  that  divine  Spirit  and  Wifdom  by  which 
the  Author  of  them  moft  unquestionably 
fpake.  This  excellent  Form  of  Prayer,  Phi 
lemon,  was,  we  know,  intended  as  a  Model 
for  all  fucceeding  Ages  to  copy  after  in  theip 
devotional  Compofitions  j  and  how  little 
does  it  favour  of  thofe  ajj'cfted  Strains  with 
which  later  Compilers  of  devout  Formula 
ries  £>  generally  abound  ?  The  truth  is,  it 

*  Mat.  vi.  ver.  6.  aod  9. 

is 


Js  not,  like  theirs,  conceiv'd  in  the  Heat  of 
an  enthufiaftic  Fancy,  or  fet  off  with  the  falfe 
Glare  of  human  Eloquence,  but  with  a  Spi 
rit  and  Language  much  fuperior  to  both  ; 
even  with  that  powerful  Energy  of  Thought, 
and  that  zffz&mgPlainnefs  of  Expreffion,  as 
fhews  Devofiort,  in  the  Intention  of  that 
pure  and  fpiritual  Being  who  is  the  great 
Object  of  it,  to  be  a  very  different  thing 
from  what  thefe  Men's  miftaken  Zeal  would 
reprefent  it.  An  Exercife  of  our  rational 
Nature,  not  of  our  fenjitive ;  the  dutiful 
Homage  of  intelligent  Spirits,  not  the  wan 
ton  CareJ/ings  of  amorous  Voluptuaries;  a 
kind  of  myftical  Intriguing,  and  fanftified 
Gallantry. 

THERE  is  certainly,  (faid  I)  nothing 
of  this  kind  appears  in  the  admirable  Form 
of  Prayer  you  have  been  fpeaking  of.  It  is 
compofed  in  a  quite  different  Stile,  and 
gives  one  a  very  noble  and  exalted  Idea  of 
the  rational  and  manly  Genius  of  tmeDevo-* 
tion.  It  is  ftrange  the  devotional  Writers 
of  later  times  mould  have  fo  generally  a- 
greed  to  deviate  from  the  Simplicity  of  fa' 
divine  and  excellent  a  Model ;  but  Men  have 
a  wonderful  Aptnefs  to  refine  upon  plain 
Inftitutions,  and  in  nothing  more  than  in 
the  Bufinefs  of  Religion. 

WHEN 


WHEN  one  confiders,  (interrupted 
Hortenfius,}  how  ftrongly  this  over-refining 
Biafs  operates  in  moil  other  devotional  Com- 
pofitions,  it  muft  greatly  recommend  the 
public  Offices  of  our  Church^  that  they  are 
fo  unexceptionable  upon  this  Article.  No 
thing  can  equal  the  Wonder  that  they 
fhould  fo  intirely  efcape  a  Contagion  of  fo 
infmuating  a  nature,  except  the  Pleafure 
it  muft  give  every  rational  Worjbipper  that 
they  have  done  it.  For  fuch,  it  muil:  be 
confefs'd,  was  the  Judgment  and  Temper 
of  the  firft"  Compilers  of  our  public  £,/- 
turgy^  our  never  to  be  forgotten  Reformers, 
that  in  the  juft  and  beautiful  Ddcription 
which  the  reverend  Hiftorian  of  the  Re 
formation  gives  of  it,  It  has  brought  cuf 
Worfoip  to  a  Jit  Mean  between  the  Pomp  of 
Superftition,  and  naked  Flatnefs  *.  Here, 
Philemon,  are  none  of  thofe  Fiighrs  and 
Extravagancies  which  fo  much  abound,  in 
more  private  Formularies  ;  all  is  grave, 
manly,  and  rational. 

I  was  of  his  Opinion  in  the  main,  (I 
own'd)  but  at  the  fame  time  I  could  not 
but  think  there  was  room  for  feveral  Amend 
ments  in  our  publick  Service,  which  I  wifhed 
the  Wifdom  of  our  Governours  would  take 
into  their  ferious  Confideration. 

*  Bp.  Stfrw/'sAbr.oftheHift.oftheRef.  8vo.p.59« 
M  WAS 


WA  s  there  ever  any  mere  human  Com- 
polition  (anfwer'd  Hortenjius)  wholly  free 
from  Faults  ?  Certainly  our  Church  Liturgy 
is  as  much,  or  more  fo,  than  any  other  j 
efpecially  confident!  g  how  long  a  time  it 
has  now  flood  without  undergoing  any 
Alteration,  as  Occafions  and  Circumjlances 
may  have  requir'd  *.  For  my  part,  I 
am  much  more  inclined  to  rejoice  that  it  is 
no  isoorfe,  than  to  complain  that  it  is  no  bet 
ter.  I  wifh  our  private  Forms,  were  but 
half  as  unexceptionable  as  our  public  ones. 

WHAT  think  you,  (faid  I)  of  thofe 
Heads  of  private  Prayer  which  the  excel 
lent  Author  of  the  Religion  of  Nature  de 
lineated  has  offer'd,  under  the  Article  of 
Truths  relating  to  the  Deity  -f-  ?  I  do  not 
remember  to  have  met  with  any  private 
Form  that  has  pleafed  me  fo  well,  or 
which  I  have  thought  fo  every  way  con 
formable  to  that  divine  Standard  of  Devo 
tion  we  were  mentioning  juft  now. 

*  The  laft  public  Revifal  of  our  Liturgy  was  made 
and  fubfcribed  by  the  Convocation  on  Friday  the  20th 
of  December  1661,  and  palled  both  Houfes  of  Parlia 
ment  the  March  following.  Wkeatly's  Append,  to 
Introd.  to  rational  Illuirration  of  the  Book  of  Corn- 
anon  Prayer,  p.  31. 

f  See  Wollaflails  Rel.  of  Nat.  del.  p.  120,  121. 


83 


I  am  glad,  (replied  He,)  Philemon,  you 
are  fo  much  a  Friend  to  this  Author's  Me 
thod  of  Devotion,  which  certainly  is  al 
together  of  the  calm,  and  undifturbdk\n&; 
tho'  at  the  fame  time  it  is  fo  far  from 
being  lifelefs,  and  indifferent,  that  on  the 
contrary  it  is  ivarmd  and  animated  with 
every  rational  and  affectionate  Sentiment, 
that  can  awaken  a  devout  Attention  -,  fuf- 
ficient,  one  would  imagine,  to  infpire 
tf  bought  fulnefs  into  the  moft  dijjohtte  Breafr, 
and  awe  even  the  Wildnefs  of  ILnthufiafm 
itfelf  into  fome  Degrees  of  rational  Com- 
pojure.  'Tis  true,  this  excellent  Writer 
rather  fuggefts  to  his  Readers  feveral  Ar 
ticles,  as  Heads,  or  Hints  of  Devotion,  as 
you  rightly  term'd  them,  than  gives  them 
the  direct  Form  of  a  Prayer.  But  'tis  eafy 
to  reduce  them  to  a  dfrt&  and  regular 
Form,  by  a  few  flight  Alterations  j  and 
that  too  conformably  to  the  Chriftian 
Syftem,  tho'  at  prefent  they  are  rather  drawn 
up  upon  the  Plan  of  natural  Religion. 
To  thofe  who  are  deflrous  of  a  more 
lengthen'd,  or  more  explicite  Ritual,  I 
fhould  recommend  thofe  admirable  Forms 
of  Prayer  which  have  been  lately  made 
public  at  the  end  of  a  celebrated  Treatife 
upon  the  Sacrament,  fuppofed  to  have 
come  from  the  fame  worthy  Hand  with 
the  Doctrine  of  the  calm  and  undijlurbed 
M  2  Addrefs, 


(84)      '.-•' 

Addrefs  *.  They  are  indeed  drawn  up  with 
-an  excellent  Spirit,  and  great  Judgment; 
full  of  warm  and  animated  Sentiments  of 
Piety  towards  God,  exprefTmg  kfelf  chiefly 
and  principally,  (2,^  true  Piety  will  always  do) 
in  Strains  of  mofl  inlarg'd  and  affectionate 
Charity,  and  Benevolence  towards  Men.  A 
Devotion  thus  temper'd  and  conducted  is 
certainly  one  of  the  noblefl  Employments  of 
a  rational,  andfocial  Nature.  It  is  not  to 
be  confider'd  as  a  bare  Difcharge  of  one  Aft 
of  our  Duty,  but  as  an  excellent  Means  of 
forming  our  Minds  to  Habits  of  univerfal 
Virtue,  and  Goodnefs.  For  it  calls  forth 
every  nobler  and  more  generous  Principle 
within  us,  cultivates  and  cherimes  thefe  na 
tural  Seeds  of  Worth  and  Excellency  in  our 
Hearts  which  will  gradually  ripen  into 
Action,  and  lay  the  fure  Foundations  of  ai 
virtuous  and  exemplary  Character.  In  a 
word,  Philemon,  it  raifes  and  exalts  the 
Soul  far  above  the  utmofl  Refinements  of 
the  Closer,  or  the  mofl  ecftafyd  Heats 
of  mcnaflic  Vifionaries  ;  for  it  does  in  rea- 

%'  {Jccompliffj,  what  thole  do  but  in  vain 
J,      */      *  J 

pretend  to,  the  fafhioning  our  Souls  into 
a  Divine  LikeneJ's  j  by  exercifing  them  in 
all  thofe  truly  Godlike  Affections,  which 
are  the  diflinguijhing  Marks  and  Features 

*  Plain  Account  of  the  Nature  and  End  of  the 
Sacrament,  bV. 

of 


(  85  ) 

of  Divinity  *.  I  the  rather  mention  this 
Authors  Forms  of  Devotion,  as  they  may 
help  to  reconcile  you  to  his  Definition  of 
Prayer,  about  which  you  feem'd  to  have 
fome  Diftruft.  For  certainly  if  his  Practice 
may  be  allow'd  to  be  a  good  Comment 
upon  his  Sentiments,  they  are  perfedy  juft, 
and  rational  in  this  point. 

YET  there  are  thofe,  (faid  I)  who  find 
great  fault  with  this  Author's  devotional 
Forms,  as  indeed  with  the  whole  Doftrine 
of  the  Treatife  to  which  they  are  annex'd. 

As 

*  When  I  fpeak  here  of  the  natural  good  Tenden 
cies  of  Prayer  rightly  circumftanced,  I  would  not  be 
underftood  to  exclude  any  fuperior  Helps,  and  Afiiftances 
to  Virtue,  which  may  be  promifed  to  it  in  Scripture. 
Something  of  this  kind  we  are  there  fufficiently  war 
ranted  to  expect  from  it.  Mean  while,  as  to  theprecife 
Nature,  and  Degree  of  thefe  Afliftances,  that  is  no  where 
fpecially  determin'd.  From  the  Comparifon  our  Lord 
makes  ufe  of  to  lllujlrate  this  matter  to  us,  that  of  the 
Wind' 's  blowing  -where  it  lifteth^  from  Caufes  to  us  fe- 
cret,  and  imperceptible,  we  are  inilrucled  to  think, 
that  the  Workings  of  the  divine  Spirit  are  by  us  undiftin- 
guijhable  from  thofe  of  our  own  proper  and  natural  Fa 
culties.  See  John  iii.  ver.  8. — And'  indeed  were  the 
Scripture  -wholly  J:  lent  in  the  Cafe,  the  plain  "  Reafon 
**  of  the  Thing  would  teach  us,  that  the  Benefits  re- 
"  ceiv'd  by  reafonable  Creatures  from  any  Perfor- 
"  mances,  muft,  as  cur  Author  fpeaks,  be  received  in 
"  a  reafonable  Way.  No  Duties,  hew  well  foevcr 
*'  perform'd,  can  be  fuppofed  to  operate  as  Charms, 
"  nor  to  influence  us  as  if  we  were  only  Clock-work, 
"  or  Machines  to  be  acted  upon  by  the  arbitrary 
"  Force  of  a  fuperior  Being.  In  the  natural  and  rea- 

"  fonable 


A  s  to  the  Treatife,  (replied  he)  no  one 
can,  I  think,  doubt,  as  well  from  the  Na 
ture  of  the  Work  itfelf,  as  from  the  known 
Character  of  its  prefumed  Author •,  but  that 
it  was  wrote  with  a  moft  excellent  Defign. 
Every  body  knows,  who  has  at  all  conli- 
der'd  the  Subject,  or  made  any  Obfervation 
upon  the  Conduct  of  moft  People  in  ordi 
nary  Life  in  relation  to  the  Sacrament, 
with  what  a  multitude  of  abfurd  Super- 
ftitions  this  Inftitution  of  our  Lord's,  ori 
ginally  plain,  and  fimple  in  itfelf,  has 
been  incumber'd  by  the  Weaknefs,  or  Cor 
ruption  of  fucceeding  Ages  of  Chriftians. 
Sometimes  it  has  been  fet  forth  to  view 
with  fo  thoroughly  forbidding  an  Afpecl, 

as 

"  fonable  Tendency  of  them  we  ought  to  found  our 
"  main  Expectations."     Natttre  and  End  of  the  Sacra- 

ment,  p.  154,  155. This  by  the  way  may  fuggeft 

to  us  how  neceffary  a  thing  a  dlfcreet  and  well-order' d 
Choice  is  in  the  Matter  of  our  Devotions.  The  Senti 
ments  to  which  irt  farpiKarife  our  Minds  by  the  con- 
Jlant  Returns  of  our  Devotional  Exercifes^  will  not  fail 
to  have  a  great  Influence  upon  the  Conduct  of  our 
Lives  in  general;  efpecially,  as  they  come  always  at 
tended  with  a  religious  Imprejjion.  Particularly,  we 
•(hould  do  well  to  'feleft  for  our  Purpofe  fuck  Forms 
chiefly  as  are  moft  apt  to  improve  our  Virtue,  and  to  in- 
fpire  us  with  an  inlargd^  and  afiive  Benevolence.  The 
contrary  whereof  is  fo  vijible  in  the  narrow  and  con- 
traEied  Sentiments  of  too  many  Religionifts^  that  one 
cannot  help  fufpecting  their  Devotivn  is  formd  upon 
quite  other  Principles.  P'or  my  part,  I  am  verily  per- 
fuaded,  that,  as  nothing  haiVmffrr  EffecJ  upon  the  na 
tural 


87 

as  a  matter  of  fuch  infinite  Hazard,  and 
Difficulty p,  that  weak  and  honeft  Minds  have 
been  difcouraged  from  it  by  the  unnatural 
Terror  of  its  Appearance ;  and  fo  a  plain 
Command  has  been  neglected,  for  fear  of  an 
unworthy  Performance  of  it.  At  others,  it 
has  been  reprefented  fo  much  in  the  nature 
of  a  religious  Charm,  that  many  have  been 
brought  to  lay  an  unwarranted  Stre/s  upon 
this  one  Aft  of  Religion,  to  the  prejudice  of 
tf//befides  j  and  fo  a  punctual  Difcbarge  of 
their  Duty  in  this  one  refpeft  has  been  abufed 
into  a  liberty  of  violating  it  in  every  other. 
Now  the  undeceiving  People  of  both  thefe 
Prejudices  is  certainly  a  Delign  which  every 
good  Man  muft  rejoice  to  fee  well  executed. 
And  this  is  the  very  Point  our  Author  la 
bours 

tural  Temper,  than  a  manly,  rational,  benevolent  Devo 
tion,  fo  nothing  does  To  effectually  four  and  fpoil  it,  as 
that  illiberal,  narrow,  and  ungenerous  fort  of  Devotion 
which  is  too  commonly  taught  and  praclifcd  by  People 
of  a  Religious  Turn.  Far  from  opening  and  inlarging  the 
Mind  to  Views  of  impartial,  and  unlimited  Benevolence^ 
it  infpires  in  it's  ftead,  as  a  polite  Author  has  well  ex- 
prefs'd  it,  "a  fort  of  fnpernatural  Charity,  which  con- 
"  Jiderir.g  the  future  Lives  and  Happimfs  of  Mankind 
"  in/lead  of  the  prefent,  and  extending  itjelf  wholly  to  a- 
"  nother  world,  has  made  us  leap  the  Bounds  of  natural 
"  Humanity  in  this  ;  has  raised  Antipathies  which  no 
*'  temporal  Inter  ejl  could  ever  do,  and  taught  us  the  way 
*'  of  plaguing  one  another  mo/?  devcutly"  Charadt.  vol.  1. 

p.  1 8. It  may  not  be  amifs  to  obferve  here,  that  this 

way  of  thinking  is  not  a  little  countenanced  by  the  very 
Turn  and  Compofttion  of  that  excellent  Form  of  Prayer 
which  was  recommended  to  us  by  the  divine  Author  of 

our 


(  88   ) 

hours  in  the  Performance  we  are  fpeaking 
of.  And  indeed  as  he  undertook  it  with 
a  truly  Rational  and  Chriftian  Intention, 
he  feems  to  me  to  have  difcharged  it  with 
admirable  Succefs.  Thus  much,  I  think, 
muft  be  faid;  that  fo  long  as  Men  are  con 
tent  to  take  their  Notions  of  this  Inftitution 
from  the  Inftitutor  bimfelf,  and  not  from 
the  Comments  of  Men  in  after-times  pre 
tending  to  be.  wife  above  that  which  is 
twrittent  our  Author'.?  general  Doffrine  at 

our  Religion  bimfelf.  The  Lord's  Prayer,' 'tis  well  known, 
runs  throughout  in  the  plural  Number.  We  are  in- 
ftructed  to  fay,  Our  Father,  Give  Us  this  day,  Forgive 
Us,  Lead  Us  not,  Deliver  Us,  &c.  all  of  them  Peti 
tions  of  univerfal  Extent  and  Comprehenjion,  to  be  made 
in  the  behalf  of  all  Mankind,  as  well  as  of  our/elves. 
Should  not  this  teach  us,  that  an  inlarged,  unlverfal 
Benevolence  ought  ever  to  accompany  our  religious  Ad- 
drejfes  ?  And  indeed,  to  confider  a  little  the  plain  Rea- 
fon  of  the  thing,  when  can  we  fo  properly  awaken  in 
our  Souls  a  ftrong  Senfe  and  Conviflion  of  our  common 
Alliance  to  one  another  as  Bangs  of  the  fame  Nature 
and  Species,  as  when  we  are  in  a  more  cfpccial  Manner 
prefenting  ourfelves  before  that  great  Bcirg  who  is  the 
common  Parent  of  our  Species  ?  who  has  fignified  to  us 
his  good  Pleafure,  in  a  Language  far  more  emphatical 
and  exprejfive  than  any  external  Declaration,  even  the 
Language  of  our  own  Heart s,  that  univerfal  unlimited 
Benevolence  fhould  be  as  much  the  Jianding  Law  of 
the  moral  World,  as  Gravitation  is  of  the  natural? 
and  that  the  Body-facial  mould  be  as  firmly  knit  toge 
ther  in  Love  by  the  Cords  of  a  Man,  as  the  Scripture 
elegantly  fpeaks,  the  Ties  of  mutual  Kindnefs  and  good 
Affection,  as  natural  Bodies  are  held  together  in  their 
refpe&ive  Cohefions  by  the  mutual  Attractions  of  their 
feveral  Parts  ? 

leafl 


89) 

leafl  muft  ftand  clear  of  all  reafonable 
ception.  And  as  to  any  other  Points  of 
Controverfy,  lying  out  of  the  Compafs  of  his 
general  Defign,  which  he  may  have  inci 
dentally  touched  upon  in  the  Courfe  of  his 
Writing,  he  has  delivered  his  Sentiments  of 
them  fofparingly,  and  in  fo  general  a  way, 
that  the  moft  that  can  be  made  out  of  them 
will  amount  to  nothing  more  than  Conjee-* 
ture.  And  therefore  it  mould  feem,  that 
the  attacking  him  in  this  indirect  Method 
favours  a  little  of  a  Difpofition  to  fupply  the 
Defect  of  a  more  explicite  Charge  againft 
the  main  Body  of  the  Work,  by  blowing  up 
Prejudices  againfl  the  perjbnal  Reputation 
of  the  Author  j  an  Artifice  certainly  moft 
ungenerous,  however  common  with  the 
Writers  in  religious  Controverfies !  The 
foftejl  that  can  be  faid  of  fuch  fort  of  At 
tacks  upon  him,  is,  that  they  are  wholly 
foreign  to  the  Purpofe. 

A  N  D  as  the  Diflike  which  fome  People 
have  mewn  to  the  Treatife  itfelf,  feems  to 
have  arifen  rather  from  uncertain  Sujpicions 
of  the  Author's  general  way  of  thinking, 
than  from  any  fuppofed  falft  Doctrines  he 
has  direttly  afoted  in  itj  fo  I  am  inclined 
to  think,  this  has  been  full  as  much  the  Cafe 
in  refpect  to  the  devotional  Forms.  This 
I  am  pretty  fure  of,  Pbikmw  ,  that  if  they 
N  discover 


(  9° 

difcover  lefs  of  partial  Regards  to  parti" 
cular  Syftems,  than  futes  the  narrowed  Ge 
nius  of  fome  Men's  Religion,  they  breath  a 
much  diviner  Spirit,  even  that  of  univer~ 
fal  Charity  y  and  Forbearance.  If  they  af 
ford  lefs  Scope  to  the  irregular  Sallies  of  the 
Paflions  in  Religion,  than  futes  the  Warmth 
ef  fome  Men's  Tempers,  they  give  abundant 
Exercife  to  the  nobler  Principles  of  Reafony 
and  Social-Affeftion.  And  let  Men  refine 
as  much  as  they  pleafe,  whatever  goes  be 
yond  tbeje,  under  the  Pretext  of  a  more  ex 
alted  Devotion,  it  is  not,  as  we  have  feen, 
Piety ',  but  Enthujiafmy  of  which,  I  hope, 
you  are  by  this  time  made  fufficiently  ac 
quainted  with  the  true  Original,  and  Li 
neage. 

I  was  fo,  (I  confefs'd)  and  I  thought 
myfelf  much  obliged  to  him  for  leading 
me  fo  agreably  into  the  Difcovery  of  it. 
You  have  (faid  I)  abundantly  convinced  me 
of  what  I  did  not  fufpect  before,  that  it 
has  its  Foundation  in  a  certain  Make  and 
Constitution  of  Men's  Bodies ;  and  after  all 
the  pompous  things  that  are  faid  of  it  by 
Men  of  Fancy  and  Imagination,  is  at  the 
bottom  only  a  more  dijguifed  way  of  In 
dulging  a  very  ordinary  natural  Pajjion. 
Tis  in  fliort  little  elfe  but  being  very  reli- 
giwjly  in  love,  a  fort  of  "  hot  Devotion, 

*c  reliding, 


<c  refiding,"  as  a  lively  Writer  exprefTes  it, 
"  altogether  in  the  Blood  *." 

";••  *f/i    >w 

AFTER  you  have  given  up  this  devotio 
nal  Habit  (interrupted  Hortenjjus)  to  be 
nothing  more  than  a  particular  Effect  of  a 
Reigning  PaJJlon  ;  need  I  put  you  in  mind 
of  purfuing  the  fame  Principle  throughout, 
in  order  to  account  for  thofe  other  religious 
Extravagancies  you  was  complaining  of 
fome  time  ago  ? 

I  fee  what  you  are  driving  at,  (returned 
I :)  As  I  agreed  to  refolve  the  devotee  Cha 
racter  in  Religion  into  an  amorous  Conftitu- 
tion,  fo  you  would  have  me  refolve  ths 
hermitical  and  auftere  Character  into  a  fi» 
inorous,  gloomy,  and  phlegmatic  one. 

WHEN  Calidus,  in  the  Violence  of  his  At 
tachment  to  particular  Modes  of  Opinion^ 
is  denouncing  Wrath  and  Deftruftion  a- 
gainft  all  who  have  the  misfortune  to  dif 
fer  from  him,  and  with  a  kind  of  ma* 
licious  Pleafure  hurling  the  Thunderbolts  of 
divine  Vengeance  upon  many  wifer  and 
foberer  Heads  than  his  own ;  his  exce/five 
Zeal,  you  would  have  me  believe,  is  no 
thing  elfe  but  a  mvrefantfified  fort  of  Cbo- 
ler.  Pride,  Spleen,  Luft  of  Power  and  Do 
minion,  with  all  the  blacker  Tribe  of 


*  Independent  Whig,  i2mo.  p.  204.  6  Ed,  vol.r. 
N  2  fons9 


.          (    92    ) 

are  the  Springs  that  fet  his  orthodox 
Refentments  at  work.  The  Reverend  Fu- 
'riofo  would,  as  a  ludicrous  Author  has  it, 
-'be  as  peevifh  at  his  Table,  as  in  his 
"  Pulpit;"  and  <c  would  certainly  quarrel, 
<c  and  kick  over  his  Claret,  as  well  as  over 

"  his  Cufhion  *." 

i 

WHEN  Flavia  betrays  fuch  an  intem 
perate  Fondnefs  for  all  the  outward  Cere 
monials  of  Religion,  that  (he  will  needs 
practife  them  over  with  a  moft  fcrupulous 
Exadnefs,  tho'  at  the  expence  of  many 
'weightier  Duties  ;  I  am  to  look  upon  her 
•Religion  as  one  Species  of  her  natural  Pre- 
ci/enefs.  She  has  an  infignificant  PuncJua^ 
lity  in  her  Temper ',  which  enters  into  her 
religious  Oeconomy.  She  is  in  fhort  the 
fame  Trifer,  and  For  ma  lift  in  her  fpiritual 
Concerns,  that  fhe  is  in  thofe  of  her  ordi 
nary  Life. 

*•£  V  , ',  *       '  v  i '.    '  v '  -  \     \    "'•  t ' 

.YiSEFERUS  therefore  places  all  Santfity 
in  a  contracted  Brow,  and  a  moroje  Behaviour; 
'becaufe  he  has  a  natural  Rejerve,  and  Sul* 
lennefs  in  his  temper. 

WHEN  Semproma  darts  about  her  in- 
difcreet  Reproofs  j  and  lectures  and  mora 
lizes  upon  the  mofh  improper  Occaiions, 
\vithout  any  regard  to  'Times,  Places,  or 

*  Indep,  Whig,  p.  204, 

Perform ; 


(  93  ) 

Perfons  j  fhe  is  only  proving  how  fecretly 
and  fecurely  a  moft  inordinate  Vanity  and 
Affectation  can  run  it's  utmofl  lengths,  un 
der  the  artful  Cover  of  religious  Pretences. 

.  "  IN  mort,  wherever  there  is  any  thing 
<e  overftrain'd,  unnatural,  or  extravagant  in 
ct  Religious  Life,  the  true  Ground  of  it  al- 
<e  ways  lies  in  the  prevailing  Biafs  of  Men's 
<c  natural  'Tempers,  difguifing  itlelf,  as  you 
"  obferved  at  our  firft  Entrance  upon  this 
"  Topic,  under  a  Religious  Appearance, 
<f  and  Application." 

You  take  my  meaning  perfectly  right, 
(replied  Hortenjius-,)  and  the  natural  Con- 
clulion  which  arifes  from  the  whole  is  this ; 
"  That  Religion  jtfelffaould  ever  be  care- 
"  fully  diftinguifh'd  from  the  Conduft  of 
<f  particular  Religionifts  ;  and  not  re- 
"  proach'd,  as  it  too  often  happens,  with 
"  thofe  adulterous  and  foreign  Mixtures 
"  which  have  fo  large  a  fhare  in  many 
"  fuppofed  Religious  Characters."  Theje 
are  Matter  of  private  and  perfonal  Charge 
only,  which  it  lies  upon  the  feveral  inte- 
rejled  Parties  to  anfwer  to.  Mean  while, 
how  nearly  it  concerns  thofe  who  have  a 
real  Regard  for  the  Interefts  of  Religion,  to 
wipe  off  any  unjuft  Afperfions  to  which  it 
may  have  been  expofed  upon  their  account, 
let  themfehes  be  J  udges. 

AND 


(  94  ) 

AND  thus,  Philemon,  I  have  complied 
with  your  Requeft,  in  laying  before  you 

my  laft  Night's  Train  of  Thought. By 

this  time,  I  dare  fay,  you  have  enough 
of  an  out-of-the-way  Speculation— —let  us 
now  break  loofe  from  thefe  ferious  Ingage- 
ments,  and  return  to  the  ordinary  Affairs 
of  Life. 


FINIS. 


Miftakes  of  the  Prefs. 

PA  G  E  6.  line  10.  latter,  for  later,  p.  24.  1. 1.  in  the 
Note  moji  for  'very.  p.  35.  J.  14.  in  the  Note-m^o^votf 
for  7ni£o<j.t:o{-  alfo  line  16.  u&vot,%*u  for  ft«y  rt,^«.  p. 6j. 
1.  5.  in"  the  Note&w,  for  breathe,  p.  68. 1. 4.  in  the  Note, 
chagrin,  for  chagrine.  alfo  1.  1 6.  demeure,  for  demeure.  p.  84. 
1.  19,  20.  the  Sentence,  and  lay  the  fare  Foundations  of  a 
•virtttoui  and  exemplary  Charatter,  is  defired  to  be  changed 
into,  and  abound  to  all  tlje  Graces  of  a  perfeS  Cbarafltr. 


PHILEMON 


RELATING 

^SECOND  CONVERSATION  with 
HORTENSIUS  upon  the  Subjed;  of 
FALSE  RELIGION. 

In  which  is  aflerted 

The  GENERAL   L  AW  FULNESS  of 
PLEASUREj 

">%  AND 

XT  RAVAG  ANT  SEVERITIES  of  fomC 

gious  Syftems  are  fhewn  to  be  a  dired: 
JNTRADICTION  to  the  Natural  Appoint- 
nent  and  Conflitution  of  Things. 


Pint.  con.  fep.  Sap.  Ed.  Xyl.  p.  158. 


LONDON: 

t  nted  for  M.  S  T  E  E  N,  in  the  Inner-Temple 
Lane.     M.DCC.XXXVII. 

(Price  i  s.  6  d.} 


PHILEMON 


TO 


HYDASPES, 


c. 


SHOULD  have  imagined,  my 
Hydajpes,  had  I  not  known  you 
to  be  very  different  from  the  ge- 
9JSS&  nerality  of  polite  People,   that 


you  would  have  been  fufficiently  tired  with 
fo  grave  a  Topic  as  Religion,  after  the  Re 
cital  I  had  made  you  of  an  intire  Morning's 
Converfation  carried  on  profefledly  upon 
B  that 


that  Subject.     Men  of  Spirit  and  Vivacity 
can  feldom  relifti  any  thing  ferious  long 
together.     A  Reflection  or  two  in  paffing 
is  the  moil  they  are  ordinarily  willing  to 
fubmit  to.     I  have  often  been  inclin'd  to 
think  the  awkard  Solemnity,  with  which 
we  are  commonly  taught  Religion  makes 
the  thought  of  it  fo  unpleafant  to  us  ever 
afterwards.     Jufl  as  fome  People  contract 
a  Diftafte  to  Letters  from  illiberal  Impref- 
fions   of  the    Harmnefs   and   Severity    of 
School 'Difcipline.     Could  we  but  once  free 
Religion  from  this  over-folemn  Air,  and 
diiperfe  the  fal/e  Gloom,  which  our  Nur- 
Jeries  have   thrown   about  it,    we   might 
poffibly  procure  it  a  freer  Reception,  and 
more  frequent,  and  familiar  Entertainment 
in  the  World.  It  might  then  be  no  longer 
confined  to  the  RecefTes  of  the  Cloyfter, 
the  Seats  of  Mopifhnefs,  Superflition,  and 
Bigotry  ;  but  be  fometimes  permitted  to 
make  its  appearance  even  in  good  Company  j 
and  be  brought  into  fome  degree  of  Credit 
and  Reputation   amongft  the  polite  and 
fafliionable  part  of  Mankind.     It  was  thus, 
Hydajpes,  that  I  endeavoured  lately  to  in 
troduce  Religion  to  your  Thoughts,  in  that 
freer  Air,   and  more  liberal  Manner,  in 
which  me  had  been  pourtray'd  to  me  by 
the  excellent  hand  of  Hortenfius* ;  a  Man, 

*  See  a  Pamphlet  intitled  Phil,  to  Hyd,  1736. 

who, 


(  3  ) 

who,  as  I  have  often  reprefented  him  to 
you, 

always  fpeaks  his  thought, 
And  always  thinks  the  very  thing  he  ought  *. 

It  feems,  you  are  fo  far  from  being  dif- 
pleafed  with  the  report  of  our  Conference, 
that  you  have  ingaged  me  to  recollect  any 
farther  particulars  that  might  afterwards 
pafs  between  us,  in  purfuance  of  the  fame 
Argument.  For  it  could  not  be,  you  are 
of  opinion,  that  a  fingle  Morning  fhould 
have  fufficed  me  to  have  difcufied  fo  co 
pious  a  Theme,  and  of  which  you  know 
me  to  have  fo  remarkable  a  Fondnefs. 

YOUR  Conjecture  is  not  ill  founded. 
Having  gone  fo  far  into  the  Subject,  I  was 
not  eafily  difingag'd  from  it.  I  was  ever 
and  anon  lelapiing  infenfibly  into  the  fame 
train  of  Thought ;  purfuing  and  apply 
ing  the  Principles  we  had  already  efta- 
blifhed  ;  and  could  fcarce  converfe  with 
any  thing  fo  intirely  foreign  to  it,  but 
ferved  in  fome  way  or  other  to  renew  the 
Impreffion. 

ONE  Afternoon,  as  Hortenfius  and  I 
were  taking  the  air  on  horfeback,  What 
think  you,  (faid  he)  of  our  making  a  vifit 
to  my  Neighbour  Clito?  you  will  find  him 

*  Mr.  Pope's  fecond  Sat.  of  Hor.  im.  lin.  135. 

B  2  a 


U) 

a  very  fenfible  agreable  man ;  I  fhall  be 
glad  to  introduce  you  to  his  Acquaintance. 
Betides,  you  will  be  much  pleas'd  with  a 
fight  of  his  Villa ;  he  has  been  at  a  confi- 
derable  expence  in  the  Improvement  of  it ; 
in  which  he  has  fhewn  hirnfelf  to  be 
Mailer  of  a  very  polite  and  genteel  Tafte. 
You  are  a  fort  of  Connoi/feur  this  way,  you 
will  have  an  opportunity  of  paffing  your 
own  Judgment  upon  it. 

I  could  have  no  Objection  (you  will  i- 
magine)  to  fo  agreable  a  Propofal.  About 
an  Hour's  ride  thro'  a  very  pleafant  Coun 
try  brought  us  thither.  We  were  receiv'd 
by  Clito  with  an  eafy  Civility,  the  genuine 
refult  of  true  Politenefs.  Hortenfms  would 
have  excus'd  the  liberty  of  introducing  an 
intire  Stranger,  but  Clito  would  hear  no 
thing  of  that  fort :  You  cannot  (faid  he) 
oblige  me  more,  Hortenfius,  than  by  bring 
ing  me  into  an  acquaintance  with  any 
Friend  of  yours, 

OUR  firft  Ceremonies  being  over,  I  foon 
took  occalion  to  fay  fomething  of  the  A- 
greablenefs  of  the  Place  and  Situation, 
which  was  fuch  as  to  ftrike  one  at  firft  fight. 
It  was  an  Inftance  (I  obferved)  of  that 
good  Tafte,  which  feemed  indeed  to  dif- 
cover  itfelf  on  all  hands,  that  Clito  had 
made  choice  of  fo  beautiful  a  Spot  to  build 

on; 


{  5  ) 

on  ;  where,  without  being  too  much  ex- 
pofed,  he  had  the  Command  of  fo  fine  a 
Country. 

I  have  often  (laid  he)  been  furprifed, 
Philemon,  coniidering  how  much  depends 
upon  a  good  Situation,  to  find  fo  little  re 
gard  had  to  this,  where  even  a  prodigal 
Expence  feemed  to  have  been  imployed  to 
make  every  thing  elfe  as  complete  as  pof- 
fible. 

'TWAS  not  (obferved  Hortenfius)  in  e- 
very  body's  power  to  command  equal  Ad 
vantages  this  way.  Nature  might  be  faid 
to  have  her  favorite  fpots,  to  which  me 
was  more  than  ordinarily  liberal  of  her 
Bounties ;  and  which  did,  as  it  were,  be- 
Jpeak  Improvement  by  leaving,  if  the  Pa 
radox  might  pafs,  fo  little  room  for  any. 

WERE  one  to  judge  (returned  I)  by  the 
Practice  of  fome  People,  who  yet  would 
not  be  thought  to  want  Tafte,  one  would  i- 
magine  the  reverje  of  this  Rule  was  to  take 
place.  They  pitch  upon  the  moil  barren 
and  defolate  Spots  to  build  on,  as  if  the 
Perfection  of  Art  were  to  crofs  Nature ; 
and  are  at  infinitely  more  Expence  to 
make  a  bad  Situation  tolerable^  than  would 
anfwer  to  make  a  more  advantageous  one 

delightful. 

IT 


(6) 

IT  is  this  Vanity  of  Expence,  (replied 
Hortenfius)  that  puts  People  upon  fuch  un 
natural  Projects. 

POSSIBLY  (laid  Clito)  they  are  of  opi 
nion,  that  they  have  more  of  the  Merit 
of  their  Defigns  to  themjehes,  the  lefs  they 
are  beholden  for  any  Hints  of  them  to 
Nature.  To  cultivate  a  bleak  barren  Scene, 
and  give  Beauties  where  Nature  feems  to 
have  been  more  than  ordinarily  fpuiing  of 
them,  they  may  efteem  a  fort  of  volun 
tary  Creation,  in  which  the  force  of  the 
Artift's  own  Genius  is  at  full  liberty  to  di£. 
play  itfelf:  whereas  in  a  more  advanta 
geous  Situation,  much  of  his  work  is  done 
beforehand,  and  Art  has  little  elfe  to  do 
but  to  affift  Nature^  to  proceed  upon  thofe 
Hints  which  me  fuggefts,  and  to  follow 
where  me  points  out  the  way. 

AND  to  do  this  with  any  competent  Ef- 
feff,  (faid  I)  may  fufficiently  exercife  the 
Invention  of  the  mofl  ingenious  Defigner. 
Nay,  I  queflion  whether  it  be  not  in  fome 
Cafes  a  greater  trial  of  Skill  not  to  deftroy^ 
or  'weaken  a  natural  Beauty,  than  it  can 
be  in  others  to  introduce  an  artificial  one. 
This  I  am  very  fure  of,  that  there  is  no 
hope  of  any  confiderable  Succefs,  where 
Nature  and  Art  do  not  go  hand  in  hand. 

Without 


,(7) 

Without  this,  whatever  other  Beauties 
there  may  be,  a  main  one  will  ftill  be 
wanting ;  a  certain  eafy  Simplicity  of  Man 
ners,  which  Nature  only  can  give. 

'Tis  this  (interpofed  Hortenjius)  that  I 
have  always  thought  the  great  Recom 
mendation  of  my  Friend  Clitds  Method 
of  defigning.  Here,  Philemon,  is  none 
of  that  fludied  Regularity,  which  dif- 
pleafes  by  a  perpetual  Samenefs  and  Re 
petition  of 

Grove  nods  at  Grove,  each  Ally  has  a  Br other  > 
And  half  the  Platform  jn ft  refle&s  the  other*. 

The  poor  refult  of  a  confined  Tafte,  and  a 
Littlenefs  of  Defign  !  But  a  certain  agre- 
abk  Wildnefi  prevails  thro  the  whole,  which 
as  it  refembles  Nature  in  its  Beauty,  refem- 
bles  it  alfo  in  its  Ufc,  (a  fure  mark  that  it 
is  natural !)  by  luting  itfelf  to  the  unequal 
Temper  of  our  Climate,  and  varying  with 
all  the  Varieties  of  our  Seafons. 

You  are  very  obliging,  (faid  Clito)  but 
take  care  that  by  railing  your  Friend's  Ex 
pectations  too  high,  Hortenjius,  you  do  not 
prepare  him  to  be  more  eminently  difap- 
pointed.  Something,  'tis  true,  of  the  kind 
you  have  been  defcribing  is  attempted  here 
in  little,  and  indeed  the  Nature  of  our 
*Mr.  Pepis  Epift,  to  my  Lord  Burlington,  115. 

Englijh 


(8) 

Englijh  Climate,  as  you  rightly  obferv'd, 
where  a  Man  may  often  go  to  bed  in 
June  and  rife  in  December,  makes  it  not 
only  agreable,  but  neceflary.  How  well 
this  purpofe  is  really  anfwer'd,  Philemon 
will  be  belt  Judge  for  himfelf,  if  he  will  be 
at  the  trouble  of  looking  a  little  about  him. 

WITH    all  my  heart,  (faid  I)  Clito,  it 
will  be  a  very  particular  Pleafure  to  me. 

. — Accordingly,  having  firft  taken  a 

view  of  the  Houfe,  in  which  a  general 
Neatnefs,  Ufefulnefs,  and  elegant  Simpli 
city,  feem'd  to  have  taken  place  of  opero/e 
Grandeur,  and  a  Profufion  ofjtudiea  Or 
naments  and  incumberd.  Magnificence,  we 
were  conducted  into  the  Gardens,  where 
I  foon  found  what  Hortenfius  had  been 
^faying  of  them,  was  much  more  than  a 
Compliment.  The  Difpofition  was  eafy 
and  natural,  arifing  wholly  out  of  the  Ge 
nius  of  the  Place;  and  the  feveral  Beauties 
feem'd  not  fo  properly  brought  into  it,  as 
refulting  from  it.  The  Interchanges  of 
Shade  and  Opening,  level  and  raifed  Ground, 
Garden  and  Foreil,  were  adjufted  with 
great  Art,  fo  as  befl  to  relieve  and  fet  off 

O  *  ,  **J 

each  the  other  ;  and  withal  to  take  in  or 
exclude  the  view  of  the  Country  about  us, 
as  either  was  judged  moil  agreable  in  the 
general  Plan.  Whilft  the  Eye  was  taken 
up  with  the  various  Forms  of  beautiful 

Objects, 


(9  ) 

Objects  that  presented  themfelves  in  their 
refpedive  Alignment 'j,  fuch  as  Theatres, 
Temples,  Statues,  Urns,  Obelijks,  the  other 
Senfes  were  as  agreably  entertained  with 
the  multiplied  Fragrancies  of  natural  Scents, 
the  warbling  Mufic  of  Birds,  or  the  footh- 
ingSoftnefs  of  aquatic  Murmurs.  In  fhort, 
HydaJpeSy  I  never  faw  a  more  delightful 
Scene.  I  was  fo  much  taken  with  it,  that 
we  palTed  the  intire  remainder  of  our  Vifit 
in  rambling  there  from  place  to  place,  'till 
the  Evening  infenfibly  came  upon  us. 

IN  our  return  home,  Phi lemon -,  (faid 
Hortejifius  to  me)  I  hope  you  do  not  think 
we  have  difpofed  of  our  Afternoon  amifs. 

FAR  from  it,  (returned  I)  I  never  pafTed 
one  more  to  my  fatisfadtion.  You  know 
I  am  a  great  lover  of  all  natural  Improve 
ments.  Clito  has  really  an  excellent  turn 
this  way.  You  are  very  happy,  Horten- 
Jius,  in  fo  agreable  a  Neighbour.  He  is  a 
Man  of  ftrong  Senfe,  and  a  very  polite  and 
improved  Converfation. 

I  have  fometimes  thought,  (replied  he) 
Philemon,  there  is  a  fort  of  natural  Con 
nexion  between  what  is  called  &fine  Tafte 
of  the  politer  Arts  of  Life,  and  a  general 
Polijhednefs  of  Manners,  and  inward  Cba- 
raffer.  Men  of  a  refined  Imagination  have 
C  ufually 


ufualiy  a  larger  way  of  thinking  than  o- 
thers.  They  difcover  a  Delicacy  of  Senti 
ment ',  and  Generojity  of  Spirit,  which  lefs 
improved  Minds  are  wholly  ftrangers  to. 
Should  it  not  fcem,  Pbiltrfton,  that  being 
perpetually  converlant  in  the  Ideas  of  na 
tural  Beauty,  Order,  and  Proportion,  their 

'Tempers   infeniiblv  take  a  Polifh  from  the 

fj  j  -' 

Objects  of  their  Studies  and  Contemplations? 
They  tranjcribe,  as  it  were,  fomething  of 
that  Grace  and  Symmetry  they  are  fo  fond 
of  in  external  Subjects  into  the  inward 
Frame  and  Difpoiition  of  their  own 
Minds  *, 

THE 

*  As  foon,  fays  the  Author  of  the  Inquiry  into  the 
Origin  of  our  Ideas  of  Beauty  and  Virtue,  as  a  Heart, 
before  hard  and  obdurate,  is  foftcned  in  this  Flame, 
(he  is  (peaking  of  Benevolence)  we  ihall  obferve,  a- 
rifing  along  with  it,  a  Love  of  Poetry,  M.ufic,  the 
Beauty  of  Nature  in  rural  Scenes,  a  neat  Drejs,  a  hu 
mane  Deportment,  a  Delight  in,  and  Emulation  of 
every  thing  which  is  gallant,  generous,  and  friendly. 
Inquiry  p.  258.  May  not  the  reverfe  of  this  Obferva- 
t:on  be  equally  true  ?  This  is  certain,  fays  an  eminent 
Writer,  that  the  Admiration,  and  Love  of  Order,  Har 
mony,  and  Proportion,  in  whatever  kind,  is  naturally- 
improving  to  the  Temper,  advantageous  to  focial  Af- 
feclion,  and  highly  affiftant  to  Virtue ;  which  is  itfelf 
no  other  than  the  Love  of  Order  and  Beauty  in  So 
ciety.  Charafleriftics,  vol.  2.  p.  75. Whoever, 

fays  another  approved  Author,  find  themfelves  infen- 
fible  to  the  Charms  of  Poetry  and  Mufic,  would,  I 
think,  do  well  to  keep  their  own  Counfel ;  for  fear 
of  reproaching  their  own  Temper,  and  bringing  the 
Goodn«fs  of  their  Natures,  if  not  of  their  Under- 
ftandings,  intoqueftion.  Sir  J7^  7fw/»/?'sMifceL  vol.  2. 

P- 


THE  Virtuofi)  (faid  I)  Hortenjius^  are 
much  obliged  to  you.  I  wilh  they  were 
always  careful  to  make  good  an  Obferva~ 
tion  fo  much  in  their  Favour.  I  am  afraid 
t he  polite  Arts  are  fometimes  cultivated  by 
Men,  who  have  no  great  Toitc  of  moral 
Accompli  foments. 

THEN  they  are  by  no  means  the  Vir- 
tuofi  they  wouldbe  efteemed,  (return'd  he.) 
No  man  has  a  jail  Claim  to  this  Character, 
in  whom  faz.rirtuofo-Paffion,  the  Love  of 
Beauty,  Order,  Proportion,  does  not  pre 
vail  throughout,  and  influence  his  general 

p.  62.—' — Were  we  to  extend '  this  Obfervation  even 
to  the  inferior  Elegancies  of  Drefs,  as  inilgnirlcant  a 
Particular  as  it  may  feem  to  fome  People,  we  (hould 
not  want  a  very  good  Authority  in  our  favour  ;  the 
polite  and  philofophic  Poet  in  his  Epiftle  to  Maecenas 9 
having  given  a  fufiicient  Sanction  to  this  way  of  rea- 
foning 

Si  curtatus  intequali  tonfore  capillos 
Occurri,  rides\  ft  firte  fubucula  pexee 
Trita  fulejl  tunic ce^  vet  ft  toga  dijfidet  inipar. 
Rides:  quid mea  cum pugnat ferrtentia  fcaim  ? 

Hor.   Epift.  lib.  I.  Epift.  I.  v.  94, and  upon  the 

fame  Principle  Seneca  mentions  it  as  a  very  ftron^ 
Proof  of  Depravity  in  certain  effeminate  Characters 
of  his  time,  that  they  were  oftended  at  little  Irregula 
rities  in  the  Oeconomy  of  their  Pcrfcns  at  the  lame 
time  that  they  had  no  Senfe  of  much  worfe  Disorders 
in  real  Life  and  Manners.  Quomodo  irafcun.tur,  fa)-s 
he,  fi  tonfor  paullo  negligentior  fuit  ?  quis  eft  iftorum, 
qui  non  malit  rempublicam  fuam  turbari,  quani  c<;- 
mam  ?  qui  non  comptior  eiFe  -malit,  quam  'hoiiefiior  ? 
— L,  A.  Sen.  de  Brev.  Vit.  lib.  p.  505,  506. 

C  2  Conduct. 


Conduct  *.  For  let  us  confider,  Philemon. 
Having  once  eftablifh'd  a  CorreStnefs  of 
Tafte  and  Elegance  of  Fancy  in  the  things 
of  outward  Grace  and  Ornament,  {hall  we 
be  {uchpoor  "m&fcanty  Thinkers,  as  to  give 
it  nofcope  in  Subjects  of  a  nobler  kind  ?  {hall 
we  be  fo  little  confident  with  curfelves,  as 
to  be  inamour'd  of  the  Harmony  of  Sounds, 
and  have  no  Senfe  of  inward  Numbers, 
the  measures  of  ABHtM^  the  nicer  'Tones  of 
Paffion  and  Sentiment ;-j~?  Being  Matters  of 


*  'Tis  upon  this  Principle  the  noble  Author  be 
fore  referred  to  fays,  He  is  perfuaded  that  to  be  a  Vir- 
tuofei  fo  far  as  befits  a  Gentleman,  is  a  Step  towards 
the  becoming  a  Man  of  Virtue,  and  good  Senfe.  Cha- 
ratt.  vol.  i.  333.  And  again,  'Tis  impoilible  we 
can  advance  the  lead  in  any  Relim  or  Tafte  of  out 
ward  Symmetry  and  Order,  without  acknowledging 
that  the  proportionate  and  regular  State  is  the  truly 
profperous  and  natural  in  every  Subject.  Should  not 
this,  one  would  imagine,  be  ftill  the  fame  Cafe,  and 
hold  equally  as  to  the  Mind  ?  Vol.  3.  180,  181.  and 
elfewhere. 

f  Nan  verla  fcqui  fidilus  modulanda  Latinis; 

Sed  vera  numerofque,  modcfque^  edifcere  vitee. 

Hor.  Epift.  Lib.  2.  Epift.  2.   v.  143. 'At 

(fays  Mncfipbilus  in  Plutarch)  TrtzvT&Trctinv  ypon; 

T^CtlVTOy     £1     WpU^OfAtV  O.VTUV  £pr/OV  tlVMt   XlQ(X,pO(.V    XKl     K'J- 

Axf,  aXXot,  [J.7]  TO  ircuaivtw  ret  r^r,^  xxi  Troccri'yoptiv  TO, 
TraS-Jl  ruv  %gu[t£vuv  jixfAfcrt  xxi  a,p[*ovia,t$.  Con.  fep. 
Sap.  156. 

How  four  fweet  Mvfic  is, 
When  'Time  is  broke^  and  no  Proportion  kept  ? 
So  is  it  in  the  Mufic  of  Merfs  Lives. 
And  here  have  I  the  Daintinefs  of  Ear 

Tc 


a  judicious  Eye  in  the  Works  of  Painting 
and  Statuary,  fhall  we  be  blind  to  all  the 
Charms  of  moral  Limning^  the  Proportions 
of  real  Life  and  Manners  ?  Whilft  we  are 
ftruptiloujly  ex  aft  in  the  Models  of  our 
Houfes,  the  Dijpqfttion  of  Ornaments,  the 
Ordering  of  Gardens,  Avenues,  Planta 
tions,  fhall  we  have  no  regard  to  the  living 
Architecture  of  our  own  Minds?  no  thought 
of  inward  Imbellijkment  ?  no  tafte  of  the 
more  beautiful  O  economy  of  a  human  Heart, 
the  Order  and  Difpofjion  of  its  Affedtions? 
Never  furelv  can  our  Imagination  reft 

j  D 

wholly  in  the  mere  mechanic  and  fenfibk 
Forms  of  Beauty  ;  feeing  there  is  provided 
for  it  a  far  more  refined  Entertainment  in 
the  Theory  of  moral  Excellence.  For  no 
where,  Philemon,  does  the  Charm  of  Beauty 
fo  forcibly  prevail  as  in  the  moral  Species. 
'Tis  to  this  the  Virtuofo  muft  have  lecourfe 
for  the  highcjl  Gratifications  of  his  own 
favorite  Paffion.  Virtue  alone  is  the  Truth 
and  Perfection  viVirtuoJo/hip.  And  as  ab- 
ftracled  a  way  of  reafoning  as  it  may  be 
thought,  'tis  however  a  very  jufl  one ;  that 
a  correct  Imagination  and  a  dijfolutt  Cha 
racter  are  the  greatefl  Contradictions  in 

To  bear  Time  broke  In  a  d'ifordcrd  String  : 
But  for  the  Concord  of  rny  State  and  Tim 
Had  riot  an  Ear  to  bear  ?ny  true  'Time  brake  f 
Sbakefpcar'sLife  and  Death  cf  Richard  the  iecond. 
A  very  juft  and  pathetic  Reproach  this  to  hun.ldf ! 

the 


(   14  ) 

the  World*.  Tis  thus,  Philemon,' that  I 
have  fometimes  been  led  to  confider  the 
Virtuojb-Arts  as  a  more  refined  and  dij- 
guij'ed  fort  of  moral  Difcipline ;  by  which 
Men  of  freer  Spirits  are  fometimes  una-> 
wares  trained  up  to  a  fenfe  of  Duty  and 
inward  Worth^  who  would  never  be  pre 
vailed  upon  to  liften  to  a  more  direft  and 
formal  method  of  Inftruction. 

A  happy  way  of  moralizing  this  indeed, 
(faid  I)  Hortenfius !  to  learn  our  Duty  in 
our  very  Pkajures,  and  extract  Wtfdom 
and  Virtue  even  from  the  Luxuries  and 
Elegancies  of  Life!  But  how  then  is  it  that 
we  often  find  the  Matters  of  Morality  re- 
prefenting  theft  things  in  fo  very  different 
a  Light?  They  are  fq  far  from  confider- 
ing  them  as  Means  or  Helps  to  Virtue^  that 
they  will  not  even  allow  them  to  be  fo 
much  as  compatible  with  it  j  a  great  part 
of  our  Duty  confiding,  as  they  tell  us,  in 

*  Let  fuch  Gentlemen  as  thefe  (of  Tafte)  be  as 
extravagant  as  they  pleafe,  or  as  irregular  in  their 
Morals,  they  muft  at  the  fame  time  difcover  their  In- 
confiftency,  live  at  variance  with  themfelves,  and  in 
contradiction  to  that  Principle,  on  which  they  ground 
their  higheft  Pieafure  or  Entertainment.  CharaS. 

Vol.  I.  136. For  all  Vice  is  Diforder,  Confufion, 

and  a  perpetual  Difcord  of  Life JEJluat,  £ff  vita 

difconvenit   ordlne  tote is   its  true  Character.     In 

vain  is  the  Love  of  Order,  Proportiqj;,  Symmetry,  pre 
tended  in  the  midft  of  fuch  flagrant  Incongruities. 

the 


(  '5  ) 

the  abfolute  Contempt  and  Denunciation  of 
them. 

I  know  no  Authority  they  have  to  fay 
fo,  (replied  Hortenfms :)  there  is  certainly 
nothing  in  the  nature  of  the  things  them- 
fefoes,  that  determines  the  U/e  of  them  to 
'be  unlawful  That  it  may  be  fo  in  parti 
cular  Cafes  is  owing  to  accidental  Circum- 
ftances  j  and  is  no  more  than  may  be  faid 
of  the  beft  and  moil  innocent  things  in  the 
World.  The  moft  improved  Elegancies 
of  Life  are  no  more  immoral  in  them/ehes 
than  its  cheapeji  and  coarfefl  Accommodations. 
There  is  as  little  Crime  in  building  a  Pa 
lace  to  fome  People,  as  there  is  to  others 
in  railing  a  Cottage.  Painting  and  Gilding 
and  other  ornamental  Arts  are  as  allowable 
in  their  own  nature,  as  the  ufe  of  Dirt  or 
Stones.  For  "  what  greater  Immorality  is 
<c  there,  as  an  ingenious  Author  exprefles  it, 
^  in  the  Work  of  the  fineft  Chizel,  or  the 
"  niceft  Plane,  than  in  that  of  an  Ax,  or  a 
"  Saw  *  ?  "  Moreover,  to  what  purpofe  can 
we  imagine  the  Skill  and  Capacity  of  Man 
kind  to  improve  and  better  their  Condition 
of  Being  to  have  been  given  them,  if  they 
are  not  at  liberty  to  make  ufe  of  it?  In 
fhort,  Philemon^  there  can  be  no  Argu- 

*  Inquiry  whether  a  general  Practice  of  Virtue 
tends  to  the  Wealth  or  Poverty  of  a  People.  Se£h  3. 
P.  36- 

ment 


f  i6 

ment  of  the  ahfolute  Unlaivfulnefs  even  of 
what  you  call  the  Luxuries  of  Life,  but 
may  be  urged  with  equal  Force  againft  the 
moil  ordinary  Comforts,  I  had  almoft  faid 
the  very  Nccejfarics  of  it.  For  thefe  can 
only  differ  in  Degree,  not  in  Kind-,  and  if 
it  be  allowed  us  to  provide  for  the  Happi- 
nefs  of  our  prejent  Being  in  a  I'fs  degree, 
it  will  be  difficult  to  give  a  Reafon  why 
we  fhoald  not  do  fo  in  a  greater,  even  in 
the  great  eft  we  are  capable  of.  I  fpeak  in 
general,  and  not  of  particular  Cafes  and 
Circumftances. 

I  am  glad,  (luid  I)  Hortefifius,  to  find 
you  of  opinion  that  Plea/ure  and  Virtue 
are  fuch  good  Friends.  I  thought  they 
had  been  always  reprefentecl,  as  in  the 
Grecian  Fable,  drawing  quite  different 
ways  *.  I  arn  fare  I  could  mention  fome 
Writers  in  Morality,  who  lay  as  great  a 
ftrefs  upon  Self-denial^  as  if  it  was  indeed 
the  very  Effence  of  all  Virtue.  And  yet 
when  one  coniiders  the  Matter  clofely,  one 
cannot  but  fufped:  there  mutt  be  (bine  Er 
ror  in  the  Account;  for  if  Self-denial,  as 
fitcb,  have  any  Merit  in  it,  the  Confe- 


*    EVVOEJ?  w  rjoaxAfi?,    v  xr.Kix.  uTroAabSfTiX  E^TTEV, 


xxt  [J.y>x.30(,v  o<Joi>  £?Ti  Ta?  eu^^Ofruvaf  y  yvvn  crot 
ziTOu.      E^co  (Js  ^aJ»*v  x«i  Sp^eiay  oc^ov   £7rt 
sv$xi[AWiav  otfa  cf.     Xen.  de  Mem.  Soc.  lib.  2. 

quence 


(  '7  ) 

quence  is  unavoidable,  that  the  greater 
Self-denial,  the  greater  Degree  of  Virtue. 
But  this  is  more  than  they  themfelves  will 
admit  of;  and  indeed  it  is  a  Notion  that 
leads  to  infinite  Abjurdities. 

NOT  greater  (faid  Hortenjius)  than  have 
been  affually  practiced  in  many  parts  of 
the  World  upon  this  very  Principle.  The 
Aufterities  to  which  People  have  fub- 
mitted  upon  a  falfe  Perfualion  of  Reli 
gion  are  almoft  as  incredible,  as  they  are 
Shocking. 

I  could  wim  (faid  I)  we  might  examine 
a  little  more  particularly  into  the  Merits 
of  this  Queftion  ;  and  inquire  upon  what 
foundation  a  Perfuafion  fo  extravagant  in 
itfelf,  and  fo  mifchievous  in  its  Confe- 
quences  to  the  Peace  and  Happinefs  of 
Mankind,  mould  yet  have  fo  commonly 
prevailed  in  the  World. 

AT  prefent  (replied  tiortenjius)  we  are 
too  near  home  to  enter  upon  fo  large  a 
Topic.  We  will  adjourn  it,  if  you  pleafe, 
till  to-morrow  Evening;  when,  if  the 
Weather  prove  favourable  for  our  walking 
as  ufual,  it  may  afford  us  no  unufeful  mat 
ter  of  Entertainment. 

D  PART 


PART     II. 

AS  ::eat  a  Friend  as  you  know  me  to 
be,  Hyda/f>ts>  to  fair  Weather  and 
Supine,  believe  me  I  never  gave  it  a  more 
Jbtcert  welcome  than  upon  looking  out  the 
next  Morning.  The  greateft  part  of  the 
Day  we  were  obliged  to  attend  fome  Com 
pany  that  came  in  upon  us.  But  the  In 
terruptions  of  cfber  Subjects  could  not  keep 
my  Thoughts  from  glancing  often  upon 
that  which  we  had  lo  lately  entered  upon, 
and  which  was  by  agreement  to  imploy 
our  Evening's  Speculation :  infomuch  that 
I  was  ibmetimes,  I  am  afraid,  lefs  atten 
tive  to  the  general  Conversation  that  was 
carrying  on,  than  I  could  well  juilify  to 
mylelf  in  point  of  Good-Breeding  and  Ci 
vility.  When  the  Afternoon  was  pretty 
far  advanced,  our  Vifitants,  who  came  from 
fome  diftance,  were  obliged  to  leave  us. 
Hortfnfius  had  little  more  than  time  to 
give  lome  neceflary  Orders  in  his  Family, 
before  the  Heat  of  the  Day  was  enough 
worn  off  to  invite  us  abroad  in  one  of 
the  moft  delightful  Evenings  I  have  ever 


(  '9  ) 

I  was  going  to  remind  him  of  the  Point 
he  had  ingaged  to  fpeak  to,  when  I  found 
mvklfverv  agreablv  prevented  bv  his  break- 

•  j        **J  -     *  •*  ^_ 

ing  into  it  or,  his  own  accord  in  the  fol 
lowing  manner. Tbc&jlkefi  of  the  £- 

vening,  (laid  he)  Philemon ,  is  at  all  times 
a  very  coniiderable  Help  to  lerious  Reflec 
tion.  \tjaath  and  compofts  our  Thoughts, 
and  throws  the  Mind  into  a  State  of 
Peace  and  'Tranquillity  analogous  to  that 
of  itfelf.  But  never  furely  can  the  Ad 
vantages  of  it  be  more  csnfpicutms  than  in 
the  Difquiiition  we  are  now  to  enter  upon 
concerning  the  general  Lawfulnefe  of  Plea- 
jure  j  feeing  it  does  itj'elf  abound  with  ib 
many  refined  and  exquijite  E,ntertainmentz 
necellariiy  offering  themlelves  to  our  Senje, 
as  may  in  great  meafure  decide  the  Point 
to  oar  hands,  and  render  all  other  Proofs 
fuperfluous.  How  charming,  Phikmon^ 
appears  the  whaLi  Face  of  Nature  about  us ! 
What  an  uniform  Variety  in  thole  natural 
Landfcapes !  what  a  delightful  Malady  in 
the  Woods  !  what  an  agrtable  Verdure  in 
the  Meadows !  what  a  coding  Fr*(bnejs  in 
the  Air !  what  an  exquijite  Fragrancy  in 
the  mingled  Scents  of  Shrubs  and  Flowers \ 
whilir,  as  Milton  elegantly  fpeaks, 

gentle  Gales 
fanning  their  oJsrtfinm  Wings  dijpenfi 

D  2  Native 


(    20    ) 

Native  Perfumes^  and  whifper  whence  they 

Jtole 
'Their  balmy  Spoils*. 

Above  all,  Philemon ,  what  an  inimitable 
Scene  of  Beauty  is  now  offering  itfelf  to 
our  Obfervation  in  the  View  of  yonder 
fetting  Sun  innobled  with   all  that  diver- 
fity  of  linely  painted  Clouds,  which,  as  if 
defirous  to  continue  his  Prefence  amongft 
us,  feem,  as  it  were,  to  retard  the  parting 
Ray,  and  give  it  back  again  to  our  Sight 
in  thofe  multiplied   Reflexions,  which  a- 
dorn  the  Weftern   Horizon!  At  the  fame 
time,  behold  there  in  the  Eaft  the  Moons 
more  fob er  Light  -J-  beginning  to  difclofe  it 
felf!    See  her  rijing,    as  the  fame  divine 
Milton  has  it,  in  clouded  Majefly  \\  !  And,  as 
the  Strength  of  Day-light  gradually  wears 
away,  preparing   to  introduce   the  milder 
Graces  to  the  Evening!  Who  can  reflect 
on  the  delightful  Vicijjitude,  and  not  feel  a 
fecret  Tranfport  fpringing  up  in  his  Bread, 
the  Expreffion  of  a  devout  Gratitude  to 
wards  the  beneficent  Author  of  his  Happi- 
neis  ?  But  how,  Philemon,  does  the  Rap 
ture  yet  grow  upon  us,  when,  borrowing 
Helps  from  a  more  improved  Philofophy, 
we  confider  the  Glories  we  are  now  fur- 

*  Par.  Loft,  Book  IV.  155. 

t  Mr.  Pope's  Epitt.  of  the  Char,  of  Women,  158. 

U  Par.  Loji.  B.  IV.  606,  7. 

veying, 


(    21    ) 

veying,  not  as  confined  to  the  little  Globe 
of  our  Earth,  to  the  Obfervation  of  a  few 
retired  Specu/atijh  here  like  ourjehes ;  but 
that  a  Scene  of  the  fame  kind  may  probably 
in  every  conceivable  Moment  of  Duration 
be  presenting  itfelf  to  fome  or  other  of  the 
rational  Inhabitants  of  thofe  numberlefs 
Worlds  which  lie  diffufed  in  the  wide  Ex- 
panfes  of  flLther  \  and  be  entertaining  the 
curious  Speffiator  of  Nature  in  Regions  of 
fo  immenfe  a  Diflance  from  our  own,  that 
the  Imagination  turns  giddy  at  the  very 
thought  of  it !  For  who  (hall  prefume  to 
fet  bounds  to  the  Productions  of  infinite 
Power  actuated  by  infinite  Benevolence  ? 
Who  mall  circumfcribe  the  theatre  upon 
which  an  Omnipotent  Goodnefe  may  think 
proper  to  difplay  itfelf?  Queftionlefs  thofe 
Iparkling  Fires  which  are  preparing  to 
roll  over  our  Heads  have  a  nobler  Ufe  than 
barely  to  fpangle  our  particular  Hemifphere ; 
a  Benefit  which  every  pajjing  Cloud  can  de 
prive  us  of! How  much  more  rational 

is  it  to  confider  them  as  the  feveral  Suns 
of  different  Syftems  of  Planets,  difpenfing 
to  them  the  invaluable  Comforts  of  Light, 
and  Heat,  and  refrefhing  Influences ;  and 
in  particular  affording  them  the  grateful 
Returns  of  Day  and  Night,  whofe  mutual 
Interchanges  may  contribute,  as  they  do 
with  us,  to  relieve  and  recommend  each  the 
other  ? 

I 


(    22    ) 

I  am  entirely  of  your  opi-nion,  (faid  I) 
Horten/lits -,  the  Contemplation  of  Nature 
in  rural  Scenes  is  one  of  the  mod  delightful 
Entertainments  that  the  Mind  of  Man  is 
capable  of.  Pleafures  of  this  kind,  if  they 
have  not  fo  much  of  'Tumult  in  them  as  the 
fprightlier  Joys  of  the  mif-named  Volup 
tuous,  have  much  more  of  real  Satisfaction. 
Moreover,  they  leave  a  good  Relifh  he- 
hind  them  when  they  are  part  ;  and,  which 
is  of  much  higher  Confideration,  are  cal 
culated  to  improve,  as  well  as  entertain 
our  Thoughts.  They  rejine  our  Spirits, 
and  humanize  our  Tempers ;  foften  the 
Mind  into  a  Forgetfulnefs  of  Wrath,  Ma- 
lice^  and  every  turbulent  and  dijquieting 
Paflion  *j  give  amiable  Impreffions  ofNa- 

*  What  Anger,  Envy,  Hatred,  or  Revenge,  can 
long  torment  his  Breaft,  whom  not  only  the  greatelt 
and  nobleft  Objects,  but  every  Sand,  every  Pebble, 
every  Grafs,  every  Earth,  every  Fly  can  divert?  to 
•whom  the  return  of  every  Seufon,  every  Month,  e- 
very  Day,  do  fuggeft  a  Circle  of  moll;  pleafant  Reflec 
tions?  If  the  Ancients  prefcribed  it  as  a  fufficient  Re 
medy  againft  fuch  violent  Pafiions  only  to  repeat  the 
Alphabet  over,  whereby  Leifure  was  given  to  the 
Mind  to  recover  itfelf  from  any  fudden  Fury,  then 
how  much  more  effectual  Medicines  againft  the  fame 
Diftempers  may  be  fetched  from  the  whole  Alphabet 
of  Nature^  which  reprefents  itfelf  to  our  Confideration 
in  fo  many  infinite  Volumes !  S.prafs  Hift.  of  the 
Royal  Soc.  p.  345. 

ture, 


(  23  ) 

ture,  Mankind,  and  a  Deity  *  j  infpire  an 
inlargd  Senfe  of  public  Good,  an  exquifite 
Tafte  of  Liberty,  Humanity,  and  private 
Friend/hip.  They  put  us  in  ^W  Humor 
with  ourjehes,  and  with  the  general  Scheme 
and  Conftitution  of  things  -(-. 

OF  all  natural  Speculations  (refum'd 
Hortenjius)  there  is  none  more  calculated 
to  refine  and  humanize  the  Mind,  to  give 

*  Thofe  who  have  a  Relifh  of  the  Beauties  of  Na 
ture  feem  to  converfe,  as  it  were,  with  Deity  in 
its  kindej}  and  moft  ingaging  Appearances ;  not  fo 
much  in  the  Majejly  of  Omnipotence,  as  in  the  Mild- 
nefs  of  Love  and  Benignity. 

•f-  'Tis  obfervable,  we  are  never  fo  well  inclined  to 
wards  other  People,  as  when  we  are  mofl  in  humor 
with  ourfelves.  In  refpecl  of  this  happy  Frame  of 
Mind,  the  Man  of  polite  Imagination  has  great  Ad 
vantages.  He  injoys  a  much  larger  Range  of  innocent 
Pleafures  than  lies  within  the  ordinary  Compafs,  He 
has  Satisfactions  of  the  moft  exquiiite  kind,  with  which 
the  Vulgar,  great  and  fmall,  are  wholly  unacquainted. 
He  looks  upon  the  World,  as  it  v/ere,  in  ano 
ther  Light,  and  difcovers  in  it  a  multitude  of  Charms, 
that  conceal  themfelves  from  the  Generality  of  Man 
kind.  Speff.  Vol.  VI.  N°.  411. If  we  caft  an 

eye  on  all  the  Tempefts  which  arife  within  our  Breafts, 
we  {hall  find  that  they  are  chiefly  produc'd  by  Idlene(s. 
Whatever  mail  be  able  to  bufy  the  Minds  of  Men 
with  a  conftant  Courfe  of  innocent  Amufements,  or 
to  fill  them  with  as  vigorous  and  pleafant  Images,  as 
thofe  ill  Impreflions  by  which  they  are  deluded,  it 
will  certainly  have  a  furer  eftecT:  in  the  compofmg  and 
purifying  of  their  Thoughts,  than  all  the  rigid  Pre 
cepts  of  the  Stoical,  or  the  empty  Diftin&ions  of  the 
Peripatetic  Moraliits.  Sprat's  Hift.  R.  S.  343. 

it 


(  24  ) 

it  an  inlarged  and  liberal  Senfe  of  Things^ 
than  the  Theory  of  the  heavenly  Bodies, 
as  it  is  opened  to  us  by  the  modern  Philo- 
fophy  *.  How  does  it  beat  down  the 
little  Pride  of  Conqueji,  the  Triumphs  of 
Ambition,  the  Glories  of  Empire,  tho'  we 
were  Matters  of  them  to  a  far  greater  de 
gree  than  ever  fell  within  the  compafs  of 
any  human  Prowefs,  to  confider,  that  not 
this  or  that  particular  Spot  or  Country  only, 
but  the  whole  Earth  itfelf,  the  mofl  ex 
tended  Scene  of  fublunary  Greatnefs  that 
even  the  Wantonnefs  of  Imagination  can 
figure  to  us,  is  no  more  than  a  Jingle  Point 
in  the  Immenfity  of  the  Univerfe  "J-  !  And 
that  an  Alexander,  or  a  Cafar,  after  all  the 

*  What  room  can  there  be  for  low  and  little  things 
in  a  Mind  fo  nobly  imployed  ?  What  ambitious  Dif- 
quiets  can  torment  that  Man,  who  has  fo  much 
Glory  before  him  ?  Sprat's  Hift.  345. 

f  We  are  told  by  Plutarch  that  it  had  this  Effect 
upon  Alexander^  when  he  heard  the  Philofopher  rea- 
foning  concerning  a  Plurality  of  Worlds. 


MWTWVTWV  o,  rt  TrlTTOvw,  oux  ajov    f(rj 

it     3tOT(U£OV    OVTWU     aTTflflOJUj     Iv^1     O'J^fTTW     KU^lOt 

De  An.  tranq.  p.  466. 

His  Conduft  upon  this  Occafion  is  well  expofed  by 
the  Satirift  - 

Units  Pellieo  juveni  non  fufficit  orbh  .' 
MJiuat  infelix  angujti  limite  mundi, 
Ut  Gyara  daufus  jcopulis^  parvaque  Seripho.  - 
And  the  Reflection  he  makes  upon  it  is  very  moral 
und  judicious.     Juv.  Sat.  X.  lib.  4.  168. 

t* 

fine 


fine  things  that  are  faid  of  them  by  Poets 
and  Htftorians,  the  one  with  all  Greece 
at  his  Devotion,  and  the  other,  as  Mr. 
Pope  fomewhere  excellently  paints  him, 
with  a  "Roman  Senate  at  bis  heels ,  in  all 
the  Pageantry  of  Victory,  the  Exultation 
of  flattered  Succefs,  might  yet  appear  to 
the  Eye  of  juperior  Intelligences  as  really 
low  and  tittle,  with  regard  to  the  fcope  of 
their  Ambition ;  as  if,  like  Children,  they 
had  been  all  the  while  laying  out  them- 
felves  in  purfuit  of  a  rich  Plume  of  Fea 
thers,  or  inamoured  of  the  Mufic  of  a 
Raffle*  !  Alas  that  being  full  as  idly  im- 
ployed,  they  mould  not  have  been  likewife 
as  innocently  Jo  -j- ! 

BUT 

*  The  Poet  thought  he  had  fufficiently  reproached 
this  Hero-Madnefs,  when  he  upbraidingly  addrefled 
himfelf  to  one  of  great  Chara&er  that  way  in  this  very 

fevere  Sarcafm ' — 

I  demens,  &  favas  curre  per  Alpeis 

Ut  pueris  placeas,  &  declamatio  fias.     Ibid.  1 66. 

•f-  This  thought  is  finely  touched  by  Seneca  in  his 

firft  Book  de  dementia, Quod  iftud,  Dii  boni, 

malum  eft,  occidere,  faevire,  deleclari  fono  catenarum, 
&  civium  capita  decidere,  quocumque  ventum  eft 
multum  fanguinis  fundere,  afpeclu  fuo  terrere,  ac  fu- 
gare?  quae  alia  vita  eflet,  fi  leones  urfique  regnarent? 
fi  ferpentibus  in  nos,  &  noxiofiflimo  cuique  animali 
daretur  poteftas  ?  ilia  rationis  expertia,  &  a  nobis 
immanitatis  crimine  damnata,  abftinent  fuis;  &  tuta 
eft  etiam  inter  feras  fimilitudo  :  horum  ne  a  necefla- 
riis  quidem  rabies  temperat  fibi,  fed  externa,  fuaque  in 
sequo  habet,  quo  poflit,  exercitatior  a  finguloram  cae- 
dibus,  deinde  in  exitia  gentium  ferpere.  jiullum  orna- 
E  mentum 


(    26    ) 

BUT  not  to  infift,  Philemon,  upon  the 
many  excellentMoralities  to  which  Thoughts 
of  this  nature  evidently  lead  us,  (tho'  this, 
it  mufl  be  owned,  is  no  inconfiderable 
fupport  of  our  main  Principle,  by  repre- 
fenting  to  us  fome  of  the  nobleft  Satisfac 
tions  of  Life,  as  connected  with  the  high- 
eft  moral  Improvements  of  it  * )  let  us  con- 

iider 

mentum  Principis  faftigio  dignius  pulchriufque  eft, 
quam  ilia  corona  ob  cives  fervatos.  Non  hoftilia  arma 
detra&u  vidtis ;  non  currus  barbarorum  fanguine  cru- 
enti ;  non  parta  bello  fpolia.  Haec  divina  potentia  eft, 
gregatim  ac  publice  fervare :  multos  autem  occidere, 
&  indifcretos,  incendii,  ac  ruinas  potentia  eft.  Sen. 
de  dementia  Lib.  I.  ap.  finem A  very  good  mo 
dern  Author  has  adopted  this  humane  Sentiment,  and 

given  it  a  very  beautiful  Turn  thus 

The  Grecian  Chief  \  Enthufiaji  of  his  Pride^ 
With  Rage  and  Terror  Jl  diking  by  his  fide , 
Raves  round  the  Globe  ;  he  foars  into  a  God! 
Stand  faji  Olympus,  andfujlain  his  Nod. 
The  Peji  divine  in  horrid  Grandeur  reigns^ 
And  thrives  on  Mankind's  Miseries  and  Pains. 
And  cannot  thrice  ten  hundred  Years  unpraife 
The  boijfrous  Boy,  and  blajl  his  guilty  Bays  f 
Wliy  want  we  then  Encomiums  on  the  Storm9 
Or  Famine,  or  Volcano  ?  they  perform 
Their  mighty  Deeds ;  they  Hero  like  can  Jlay, 
Andfyread  their  ample  Dcfarts  in  a  Day. 

Univ.  Paflion,  Sat.  VII.  p.  163,  4. 
*  The  Antients  plainly  had  this  Notion  of  natural 
Contemplations,  and  confider  them  as  having  a  moral 
Ufe  and  Tendency.  So  Tully  tells  us,  that  the  Order 
and  Regularity  of  external  Nature  is  intended  as  a 
Model  for  the  Imitation  of  Mankind  in  their  private 
particular  Syftem.  Jpfe  autem  Homo  ortus  eft 

ad 


iider  the  Conftitution  of  Things  in  its 
more  obvious  Appearance,  merely  as  a  na 
tural  Foundation  of  Pka/itre  to  us.  A 
Man  mufl  have  loft  his  very  S:n/es,  and 
become  a  piece  of  uninformed  Mechanifm, 
before  he  can  behold  the  chcarful  Face  of 
Nature  with  Coldnefs  and  Indifferency. 
No  fooner  does  he  open  his  Eyes,  but 
numberlefs  gay  Scenes  immediately  difplay 
themfelves  to  his  view  ;  the  various  Forms, 
the  Arrangements,  the  Colourings  of  fur- 
rounding  Objects  inftantly  ftrike  his  At 
tention  j  and  all  Nature  appears  to  him, 
as  was  faid  of  the  Author  of  it,  in  perfect 
Beauty  *.  Whilft  his  Hearing  continues 
unimpaired,  he  will  be  often  very  agreably 
entertained  with  grateful  Sounds  in  the 
natural  Mufic  of  Birds,  the  Fannings  of 
Woods,  the  Purling  of  Streams,  or  the 
Falls  of  Water.  In  Ipight  of  the  mofl 
fullen  Sanftity,  which  would  deprive  him 

ad  mundum  contemplandion  &  imltandum.  De  Nat. 
Deorum.  Lib.  II.  p.  142,  3.  ed.  Dav.  -  Parallel  to 
that  Paflage  in  his  Treatife  de  Scncffute  —  Credo  Decs 
immor  tales  fparfifle  animos  in  corpora  humana,  ut 
oflent,  qui  cseleftium  ordinem  contemplantes,  imlta- 
rentur  eum  vitse  modo  atque  conjlantia  —  ed.  Grecv. 
p.  448.  21.  To  the  fame  purpofe  M..  Antoninus  advifes, 


TV  ^a,«ai  f3»».      Lib.  8.  47.     Ibid.  Lib.  n.  27. 
*  Pfalm.  50.  i. 

E  2  of 


28    ) 

of  the  innocent  Comforts  of  his  Being,  he 
will  be  fometimes  unavoidably  refrelhed 
with  cooling  Breezes,  or  cheared  with  de 
licious  Odours.  The  Benefits  of  Light, 
and  Sunmine,  healthful  Air,  anil  kindly 
Seafons,  mud  force  many  vetyfefifibk  Sa- 
thfaStions  upon  him,  whether  he  will  or 
not  -,  and  by  a  merciful  Violence  often  con- 
ftrain  him  to  be  happy  *.  Even  the  ap 
pointed  means  of  preferring  Life  itlelf  muft 
let  in  upon  him  many  comfortable  Senfa- 
tions;  nor  can  he  fatisfy  the  necelTary  De 
mands  of  his  animal  Nature,  without  a 
Confiderable  Indulgence  and  Gratification  of 
it  -j-.  So  largely  has  an  all-bountiful  Cre 
ator 

*  Non  dat  Dens  beneficia.  Unde  ergo  ifta  quaa 
poflides  ?  quse  das  ?  quas  negas  ?  quse  fervas  ?  quae  ra-» 
pis?  unde  hsec  innumerabilia,  oculos,  aureis,  animum 

mulcentia  ? Si  domus  tibi  donetur,  in  qua  mar- 

moris  aliquid  refplendeat,  &  tedtum  nitidius  auro  aut 
coloribus  Tparfum,  non  mediocre  munus  vocabis :  \\\-. 
gens  tibi  domicilium,  fine  ullo  incendii  aut  ruinae  metu, 
ilruxit,  in  quo  vides  non  tenues  cruftas,  fed  integras 
lapidis  pretiofiffimi  moles,  fed  totas  variae  diftin6taeque 
materiae,  cujus  tu  parvula  frufta  miraris;  tedtum  vero 
aiiter  nocte,  aliter  interdiu  fulgens.  Sen.  de  Ben. 

Lib.  4.  cap.  5.  6. It  is  very  manifeft,  that  the 

Author  of  Nature  is  fo  far  from  forbidding  us  Enter 
tainments,  that  he  has  put  it  out  of  our  power  not  to 
enjoy  them  in  great  plenty  and  variety,  by  making 
almoft  every  thing  about  us  fo  gay  and  delightful. 
Campbell  APETH-^AOFIA,  p.  no.  and  elfewhere.— 
Spe£t  Vol.  5.  N°.  387.  393. 

•f  Unde  ilia  luxuriam  quoque  inftruens  copia  ?  ne- 
que  enim  iieccilitatibus  tantumaiodo  noltris  provifum 

eft; 


ator  provided  for  the  Happinefs  and  Good 
of  every  jenfiti've  Being,  that  no  Efforts  of 
moroje  andpeeyifo  Virtue  can  entirely  over 
rule  the  Benevo/enf  Conftitution  of  Nature, 
but  even  the  moft  ingenious  Artificers  of 
their  own  Mifery  (hall  be  often  unavoidably 
difappointed  *. 

eft  :  ufque  in  delicias  amamur,  tot  arbufta,  non  uno 
mode  frugifera,  tot  herbae  falutares,  tot  varietates  ci- 
borum  per  totum  annum  digeftas,  ut  inerti  quoque 
fortuita  terrae  alimenta  praeberent.  Jam  animalia  omnis 
generis  -  ut  omnis  rerum  naturae  pars  tributum  a- 
liquod  nobis  conferret  —  unde  ifta  palatum  tuum  fapo- 
ribus  exquifitis  ultra  fatietatem  laceffentia  ?  unde  haec 
irritamenta  jam  laffe  voluptatis  r  Sen.  ubi  fupra.  - 
Neverthelefs  the  fenfual  Pleafures  of  Tafte  are  the 
leaft  part  of  that  Happinefs  to  which  our  Appeiitu;  of 
Hunger  and  Thirft  are  intended  to  lead  us.  They 
are  the  Foundation  of  many  focial  Exercifes,  and  mo 
ral  Entertainments.  Cb  'yy-P  w?  otFyetov  r,x.n  xo/xj^wy 
£W7rA>i(r«t  TTOO?  TO  $znrwu  o  uxy  E^COV,  aAAai  xzi 


,o3,y.y,Asi  T 

o-sc-S-at.  Plut.  con.  fept.  Sap.  147.  - 
O  -xw  icyov  STI  T»  Aswjtra  ^xtS-ii  KXI  on;!^,  aAA*  r-j 

CtUX.  TKTWV   (ptAo^^OT'JVTJV,     V.y.\    7TO$OVj      K%i    0[Al- 

cxt  iTVlH&SKitV  TTooq  aAA>iAKf.  ibid.  156.  As 
a  Proof  of  this,  could  any  Man  be  pleafed  with  a 
Company  of  Statues  furrounding  his  Table  fo  artfullv 
contrived  as  to  confume  his  various  Courfes,  and  in- 
fpired  by  fome  Servant,  like  fo  many  Puppets,  to  give 
the  ufual  trifling  Returns  in  praife  of  their  Fare?  /«- 
quiry  into  Orig.  &c.  p.  236. 

*  This  Profufion  of  the  fineft  Delights  fpread  all 
over  the  Heavens  and  the  Earth  can  never  be  counted 
vicious  or  criminal,  fince  the  Author  of  Nature  has 
made  it  plainly  inevitable.  APETH-  AOTIA,  p.  no. 

ONE 


(30) 

ONE  would  think,  (interpofed  I)  Hor- 
fiuSy  that  Happinejs  was  not  fo  very  un 
inviting  a  Form,,  that  Men  fhould  need  to 
be  thus  over-ruled,  as  it  were,  to  imbrace 
it.  Yet  fuch  is  the  perverfe  Blind  nefs  of 
Superftition,  that  it  even  takes  a  Merit  to 
itfejf  in  rejecting,  as  far  as  may  be,  the  of 
fered  Goody  and  throwing  back  the  Favours 
of  indulgent  Heaven  upon  its  hands  as  not 
worth  acceptance.  A  ftrange  way  of  re 
commending  itfelf  to  the  Deity  ,  by  right 
ing  as  it  were  continually  againft  him  *  ! 
Whilft,  as  you  rightly  have  obferved,  if 
there  be  any  Meaning  in  natural  Language, 
the  whole  Voice  of  things  univerfally  re~ 
claims  to  the  prepofterous  Devotion. 

WE  may  imagine  (replied  he)  that  the 
kind  Author  of  the  Univerfe,  forefeeing 
what  uncouth  Pains  fome  gloomy  Spirits 
would  take  to  bring  Mifery  upon  them- 
felves  under  a  fond  Perfuafion  of  doing 
him  fervice  by  it,  has,  in  pity  to  their  de 
luded  Apprebenfions,  constituted  almofl 

*  Superftitio  error  infanus  eft  :  amandos  timet,  quqs 
colit,  violat.  Sen.  Epift.  123.  ap.  finem.  For  what 
elfe  is  it  but  to  affront  and  injure  the  Deity,  for  the 
Super  flit  ious  to  imagine,  as  Plutarch  fpeaks,  fceCs^OT 
TO  TroiTpixov  j  x«t  ^AaSscov 


De  Super.  167. 

every 


(3'  ) 

every  thing  about  us  a  necefiary  Source  of 
Pleafure  to  the  human  Breaft,  on  purpofe 
in  fome  degree  to  counterbalance  the  Effects 
of  fuch  unnatural  Perverfenefs :  infomuch 
that  a  Man  muft  throw  up  his  very  Being  it- 
felf,  who  would  intirely  exclude  everyjoyous 
fenfation.  And  thus  does  the  Afcetic-Prm- 
ciple  at  laft  defeat  its  own  ends  -,  fince  it  can 
no  otherwife  fill  up  the  Meafure  of  our 
Mortification,  than  by  depriving  us  of  the 
very  Capacity  of  it.  The  fame  extravagant 
Self-denial  that  gives  t\\e  final  Stroke  to  our 
Happinefs,  by  a  fortunate  Inconfiftence 
with  itfelf,  determining  our  Virtue  like- 
wife. 

BUT  we  are  by  no  means  got  to  the 
bottom  of  this  Argument.  Hitherto  we 
have  dwelt  only  on  the  Surface  or  Outfide 
of  things.  If  we  defcend  a  little  into  the 
Philofophy  of  thofe  feveral  delightful  Per 
ceptions  which  Nature  fo  liberally  admi- 
nifters  to  us,  we  mall  difcover  a  more 
exquifite  Apparatus  in  the  O economy  of 
our  fenfible  Pleafures  than  is  generally,  I 
believe,  apprehended.  There  is  no  one  of 
our  Senfes  that  affords  us  fo  large  a  Variety 
of  pleafing  Ideas  as  our  Sight.  'Tis  to  this 
we  are  indebted  for  all  that  abundant  Pro- 
fufion  of  natural  Beauty  that  adorns  the 
whole  vifible  Creation.  Now  what  are 
the  feveral  Colourings  of  outward  Objects, 

thofe 


(  32  ) 

thofe  magnificent  Shews  and  Apparitions 
that  on  all  hands  prefent  themfelves  to  our 
View  ;  thofe  Lights  and  Shades  of  Nature's 
Pencil,  that  fo  agreably  diverjjfy  the  gene 
ral  Face  of  the  Univerfe?  what,  I  fay,  are 
they,  Philemon^  but  a  fet  of  arbitrary  Mo 
difications  of  the  perceiving  Mind,  to  which 
the  feveral  Objects  themjehes  have  not  the 
leaft  Re/emblance*  *  For  what  Agreement 
is  -there  in  the  nature  of  the  thing  between 
a  certain  particular  Bulk,  Figure,  or  Mo 
tion  of  the  infenfible  parts  of  external 
Matter,  the  only  real  Qualities  of  the  fe 
veral  vilible  Bodies  that  fo  varioufly  enter 
tain  our  Sight,  and  our  Ideas  of  Light  and 
Colours?  and  yet  what  a  joylefs  and  un 
comfortable  Figure  would  thefe  things 
make  to  us,  if  we  faw  them  in  their  naked 
a.nd  philofophic  Realities !  What  a  large  field 
of  Pleafure  and  Admiration  would  be  loft 
to  us,  were  all  the  majlerly  Touches  of  na 
tural  Painting,  the  variegated  Scenery  of 
Heaven  and  Earth,  at  once  to  difappear, 
and  an  undijlinguifoed  Blot  to  overfpread 
the  univerjal  Syftem !  To  what  purpofe 
then  fuch  a  prodigal  Expence  of  Art  and 
Ornament  in  the  Furniture  of  this  ftupen- 
dous  Theatre  of  Nature,  but  to  charm  the 
ravijhed  Senfe  of  the  intended  Spectator  by 

*  See  Locke  $  EfTay  con.  Hum.  Und.  chap.  8. 

the 


(33) 

the  profpect  of  thefe  imaginary  Glories  *  ? 
We  may  purfue  this  Speculation  yet  far 
ther The  Perceptions  of  our  Tafte  and 

Smell,  the  Ideas  of  Sounds,  from  which 
are  derived  all  the  inchanting  Powers  of 
Harmony,  an  Entertainment  which  fome 
have  thought  worthy  of  Heaven  itfelf,  the 
Senfations  of  Heat  and  Cold,  and  divers  o- 
ther  Affections  of  our  Touch,  are  quite  o- 
ther  things  in  our  Minds  from  what  they 
are  in  the  feveral  exciting  Objects.  Provi 
dence,  as  if  the  real  Qualities  of  Bodies 
were  toofcanty  a  Foundation  of  Pleafure 
to  the  human  Senfe,  has  fuperadded  to 
to  them  many  imaginary  Properties  and 
Powers  of  affecting  us,  in  order  to  inlarge 
the  Sphere  of  our  Bleffings,  and  in  a  more 
eminent  Degree  to  indear  to  us  the  Relifh 
of  our  prefent  Being  -f-. 

T  o  take  the  matter,.- Philemon,  in  a  dif 
ferent  light, it  is  obfervable  that  fome  of 

the  greateft  Beauties  of  Nature  are  at  the 
fame  time  the  greateft  Benefits  of  it.  Fruits 
which  are  moft  agreabk  to  the  Eye,  are 
often  the  pleajante/i  to  the  Tafte  likewife. 
There  is  nothing  that  affords  a  greater 

*  Speft.  Vol.  6.  N°.  413.  Our  Souls  are  at  prefent 
delightfully  loft  and  bewilder'd  in  a  pleafing  Delufion, 
and  we  walk  about  like  the  Hero  of  a  Romance. 
Alfo  NQ.  387.  Vol.  5. 

f  Lock,  Sptft.  as  before. 

F 


(  34) 

fupply  of  Comforts  to  human  Life  than 
the  Improvements  of  Agriculture  j  and  at 
the  fame  time  there  is  not  a  finer  piece  of 
Landfcape  than  the  View  of  &  fertile  Coun 
try  richly  diver/iff  d  with  the  feveral  Pro- 
duels  of  natural  Grain  ;  whofe  agreable 
Waving*  add  Novelty  to  their  other  Charms, 
and  entertain  us  no  lefs  with  the  Variety  of 
the  Scene,  than  with  the  inimitable  Beauty 
of  it.  The  feveral  kinds  of  Plantation  are 
at  once  ujeful  and  entertaining  to  the 
Owners  of  them.  They  not  only  throw 
a  Mans  whole  Eftate  into  a  Garden,  as  the 
Spectator  fpeaks,  but  by  a  happy  Union 
of  the  agreable  and  beneficial  improve  his 
foffeffions,  as  well  as  his  Projpetf.  Who 
fees  not,  as  the  fame  Author,  I  remember, 
goes  on,  that  a  Mountain  Jhaded  with 
Oaks,  or  a  Marjh  overgrown  with  Wil 
lows,  are  both  more  advantageous  and  more 
beautiful^  than  either  of  them  in  their  un 
cultivated  State  *  ? 

AND  yet  (I  could  not  avoid  interrupt 
ing)  Hortenjius,  fo  careful  has  the  great 
Difpofer  of  things  been  that  no  part  of  his 
Works  mould  pafs  unrecommended  to  us, 
that  even  the  feeming  WildneJJes  and  Im- 
perfections  of  Nature,  as  Marfhes,  Defarts, 
Rocks,  Precipices,  are  not  withouf  their 


.  Vol.  6.  N°.  414. 

Charms  $ 


(  35  ) 

Charms ;  they  entertain  us  with  their  No 
velty,  and  Magnificence  at  leaft,  if  not 
Xvith  their  Beauty  *.  And  moreover  they 
may  be  conlidered  as  Foils  to  the  more 
graceful  parts  -,  or  as  Di/cords  happily  in* 
terfperfed  in  the  Compofition  of  things,  to 
render  the  general  Harmony  of  Nature 
more  exquifite  and  inchanting. 

IT  may  be  added,  (returned  he)  that 
not  only  Irregularities  and  Jeeming  Imper* 
feffiions,  but  even  Horrors  themfelves,  when 
Reafon  or  Experience  has  removed  the 
firfl  Impreflions  of  our  Fear,  are  no  fmall 
Foundation  of  Pleafure  to  us  :  as  Fire± 
Rui?is,  Hurricanes,  a  Jiormy  Sky,  a  trou 
bled  Ocean,  a  wild  Bea/i  in  chains,  or  a 
dead  Monfter  -f- :  either  from  the  natural 
Magnificence,  or  Novelty  of  the  Objects 
that  excite  them,  as  in  the  laft  Article ; 
or  from  the  agreable  Contemplation  of  our 
own  perfonal  Safety  ;  whilft  they  are  con- 
fidered  by  us  as  at  once  dreadful and  harm- 


*  Sptff.  Vol.  6.  412.    5.  387. 
•f-  Hutch.  Inquiry,  p.  72. 

\\{Spetf.  Vol.  6.  Nc.  418.  Lucretius  was  well  ac 
quainted  with  this  Source  of  Pleafure,  as  may  be  feen 
in  his  fecond  Book : 

Suave  marl  magno,  turbantibus  aquora  ventis, 
E  terra  alter lus  magnum  fyett are  laborem: 
Non  qula  vexari  quemquam  eft  jucunda  voluptas, 
Sedj  quibus  Ipfe  mails  (areas,  quia  (ernerefuave  eft. 

Lib.  II.  i. 

F  2  WHAT 


(  36  ) 

WHAT  an  amiable  Scene  of  things,  (faid 
I)  do  thefe  Reflections  open  to  our  View ! 
thofe  parts  of  Nature  which  are  more  im 
mediately  adapted  to  our  Entertainment  or 
our  U/e,  are  as  common*  as  they  are  benefi 
cial.  The  feeming  Deviations  from  either, 
(befides  that  it  is  probable  they  have  a  raz/, 
tho'  more  remote  Connection  with  both) 
are  not  only  few,  and  extraordinary^  but 
moreover  this  very  Circumftance  of  their  be- 
ingyp,  by  gratifying  our  Tafte  of  Novelty, 
gives  them  a  fort  of  relative  Agreablenefs. 

IF  the  feeming  Imperfections  of  exter 
nal  Nature  (refumed  Hortenfius)  are  thus 
beautifully  inftrumental  to  our  greater  Plea- 
fure,  much  more  may  this  be  faid  of  thofe 
of  our  own  private  and  perjbnal  Syftem, 
the  Imperfections  of  our  Senjes  and  Powers 
of  Perception.  It  has  been  often,  and  very 
juflly,  obferved  by  Writers  in  behalf  of  a 
Providence,  that  a  more  improved  State  of 
our  bodily  Organs  would  in  the  prefent 
Situation  of  things  not  only  deprive  us  of 
feveral  Advantages  we  are  now  poffeffed  of, 
but  convert  fome  of  our  greatefl  Pleajures 
into  the  moft  exquiiite  Torments.  Whilft, 
as  it  is  admirably  reprefented  by  the  in 
comparable  Author  of  the  Eilay  on  Man, 
were  our  feeling  increafed  to  a  more  delicate 
Senfe,  we  mould  only  become 

tremblingly 


C  37  ) 

tremblingly  alive  all  o'er, 
To  fmart  and  agonize  at  ev'ry  Pore. 
Or  quick  Effluvia  darting  thro'  the  Brain, 
Die  of  a  Roje  in  aromatic  Pain  *. 

What  a  delightful  and  entertaining  Scene, 
Philemon,  is  even  now  difplaying  itfelf  to 
our  Obfervation,  in  this  fpacious  Canopy 
of  Heaven  inriched  with  an  Infinity  of 
foining  Orbs  that  fhed  their  benign  In 
fluences  upon  our  heads,  and  make  Night 
aufpicious!  and  yet  we  are  indebted  for  all 
this  beautiful  Reprefentation  of  things  to 
the  Imperfection  of  our  Sight  in  difcerning 
Diftances.  How  elfe  could  we  delude 
ourfelves  with  imagining  the  feveral  Bodies 
that  compofe  it,  Bodies  of  fuch  infinitely 
varied  Magnitudes,  and  Diftances  from 
each  other,  to  be  as  fo  many  lucid  Points 
in  the  Circumference  of  a  great  concave 
Sphere  -j-  ?  But  however  we  are  deceived 

*  Pope's  Eflay  on  Man,  I.  189.  How,  fays  an  e- 
minent  Writer,  could  we  fuftain  the  PrefTure  of  our 
very  Clothes  in  fuch  a  Condition  ;  much  lefs  carry 
Burthens  and  provide  for  Conveniences  of  Life  ?  we 
could  not  bear  the  AfTault  of  an  Infect,  or  a  Feather, 
or  a  Puff  of  Air  without  Pain.  There  are  Examples 
now  of  wounded  Perfons,  that  have  roared  for  An- 
guim  and  Torment  at  the  Difcharge  of  Ordnance, 
tho'  at  a  very  great  diftance :  what  infupportable  Tor 
ture  then  fhould  we  be  under  upon  a  like  Concuffiou 
in  the  Air,  when  all  the  whole  Body  would  have  the 
Tendernefs  of  a  Wound  ?  Bent/ey's  Boyle  $  Led.  Serm  3. 
p.  99. 

f  Hutch,  Inquir.  p.  20, 

by 


(  38  ) 

by  this  Appearance,  'tis  a  Deception  great 
ly  in  our  favour  -,  and  whoever  fhould  in- 
large  the  Sphere  of  our  Vifion,  would  lefTen 
that  of  our  Entertainment  *. 

To 

*  This  Obfervation  may  be  carried  much  farther  ; 
'tis  to  the  Imperfection  of  our  Sight  that  a  great  deal 
of  that  Beauty  we  difcern  in  outward  Objects  is  ow 
ing.     If  our  Eye  was  fo  acute  as  to  rival  the  fineft 
Microfcopes,  it  would  make  every  thing  appear  rugged 
and  deformed :  the  moft  finely  polifhed  Cryftal  would 
be  uneven  and  rough ;  the  Sight  of  our  own  felves  would 
affright  us.     Bent.  p.  97. — So  likewife  was  our  Hear 
ing  increafed  proportionably,  every  Breath  of  Wind 
would  incommode  us :  we  mould  have  no  Sleep  in  the 
filenteft  Nights  and  moft  folitary  Places :  we  muft  in 
evitably  beftruck  deaf  or  dead  with  theNoife  of  a  Clap 
of  Thunder.     Bent.  p.  98. — Nay  the  Author  of  the 
excellent  Effay  goes  yet  farther,  and  fays  of  Man, 
If  Nature  thunder' d  in  his  opening  Ears, 
Andftunrid  him  with  the  Mufjc  of  the  Spheres^ 
How  would  he  wijh  that  Heav'n  had  left  him  ftill 
The  whifp'ring  Zephyr,  and  the  purling  Rill? 

I.   194. 

There  is  a  very  material  Ufe  of  the  prefent  Conftitu- 
tion  of  our  Senfes  yet  behind.  Had  we  a  microfcopic 
Eye,  we  could  not  fee  at  one  view  above  the  Space 
of  an  Inch,  and  it  would  take  a  confiderable  time 
to  furvey  the  mountainous  Bulk  of  our  own  Bodies. 
Bent.  p.  97.  We  mould  be  literally,  what  a  ludi 
crous  Author  makes  his  fabulous  Voyager  to  have  ap 
peared  to  the  Inhabitants  of  a  certain  Ifland,  to  our- 
felves  and  one  another,  fo  many  Men-Mountains. 
We  might  infpeff  a  Mite  with  great  Curiofity,  but 
could  neither  comprehend  the  Heavens^  nor  any  other 
Obje6ts  of  our  prefent  Sight.  Or  if  our  Hearing  were 
more  exquifite,  what  Confufion  and  Inconvenience 
would  it  introduce  into  civil  Life  ?  Whifpers  might 
then  be  as  juftly  criminal,  as  they  have  been  made  fo 

bv 


(  39  ) 

T  o  pafs  on  to  another  Topic.—— We 
have  already,  Philemon ,  confidered  the 
Love  of  Novelty  as  it  is  calculated  to  give 
pleafure  to  certain  Objects,  that  have  other- 
wife  little  or  none  in  themfelves  *  >  let  u^ 
inquire  next  how  it  feems  to  affect  fuch  as 
confefledly  have  the  greateft.  JTis  a  well- 
known  Truth,  that  the  Eye  is  not  fatisfied 
with  feeing,  nor  the  Ear  with  hearing  •f-. 
Pofleffion  foon  cloys  and  fatigues  the  Senfe, 
and  Change  is  a  neceflary  Requifite  to  laft- 
ing  Satisfaction,  Nay  fo  intoxicated  are 
we  often  with  this  fickle  Pallion,  as  to 
give  up  a  greater  good  in  purchafe  of  a 
left,  meerly  becaufe  it  is  an  untried  one. 
In  the  mean  while,  however  we  may  per 
vert  the  Paffion  to  our  detriment  in  par 
ticular  Inftances,  the  general  Ufe  and  De- 
iign  of  it  is  remarkably  beneficial  to  us. 
Providence,  having  made  every  thing  in 
feme  way  or  other  the  means  of  Good  to 
Man,  forbids  him  to  dwell  long  upon  the 
Jame  Ohje&s,  in  order  that  he  may  more 
•fully  experiment  this  comfortable  T^ruth^ 
and  by  different  Applications  tafle  the  •va 
ried  Good  that  is  fo  liberally  provided  for 
him. 

by  fome  mercilefs  Tyrants. — What  Affairs  that  moil 
require  it,  could  be  tranfa&ed  with  Secrecy  ?  Bent, 
Pope-t  as  before. 

*  Spe£l.  Vol.  6.  N°.  412. 

f  Ecclef.  ch.  I.  v.  8. 

You 


(40) 

You  was  hinting,  (faid  I)  Hortenfius, 
fome  time  ago  at  the  fingular  Kindnefs  of 
our  Creator  in  annexing  a  fenfible  Delight, 
Refrefhment,  and  Complacency,  to  the 
Ufe  of  thofe  ordinary  Means  of  Subfiftence, 
by  which  particular  and  individual  Life  is 
appointed  to  be  fuftained.  The  Obferva- 
tion  is  yet  more  eminently  true  of  thofe 
more  myfterious  ones  by  which  is  provided 
for  the  Continuance  and  Propagation  of 
the  Species  of  Mankind.  Nature  has  given 
a  very  high  Relim  of  Pleafure  to  the  Con 
currence  of  the  Sexes,  in  order,  no  doubt, 
to  counterbalance  the  unavoidable  Incon 
veniences  of  Marriage ;  to  fweeten  the 
Pangs  of  Child-birth,  to  recommend  the 
Fatigues  of  domeftic  Concerns,  of  the  Care 
of  Offspring,  of  the  Education  and  Settle 
ment  of  a  Family ;  and  moreover  to  be  the 
Foundation,  and  the  Cement  of  thofe  num- 
berlefs  tender  Sympathies,  mutual  Indear- 
ments,  and  Reciprocations  of  Love  be 
tween  the  married  Parties  themfehesy  which 
make  up  not  the  Morality  only,  but  even 
the  chief  Happinefs  of  Conjugal  Life  *  j  and 
at  the  Envy  of  which,  in  fo  remarkable  an 
Exemplification  of  it,  as  the  Condition  of 
the  firft  Parents  of  Mankind  is  reprefented 
to  have  been  by  the  tender  and  paffionate 
Milton,  'tis  no  wonder  their  great  Enemy 

*  Hutch.  Inquir.  256,  257. 

fhould 


(  4*   ) 

ftiould  turn  afide  from  beholding  their  mu 
tual  CarefTes,  as  unable  to  indure  the  Pain 
of  his  malicious  Refentment  at  fachjupe- 
rior  Delicacy  of  Injoyment. 

Afide  the  Devil  turiid 

For  E?2vy,  yet  with  jealous  leer  malign 
Efd  them  ajkance *. 

An  Image  of  fuch  exquifite  Force  and 
Beauty  this,  that  the  fondell  Lovers  of 
Antiquity  may  be  challeng'd  to  produce  its 
Parallel  in  the  moil  approved  Writers  of 
any  Age  or  Country ! 

AND  yet,  Philemon^  (replied  he)  as  care 
ful  as  our  Creator  has  been  to  keep  off  any 
unjuft  Stain  from  an  Inilitution  fo  wifely 
adapted  to  all  the  Purpofes  of  human 
Condition,  and  which  draws  us  no  lefs 
forcibly  by  the  Charm  of  the  higheft  moral, 
than  fenfible  Pleafures,  he  has  not  been  able 
to  fcreen  it  from  the  Reproaches  and  Ca 
lumnies  of  fuperftitious  and  enthufiaftic 
Zealots  in  all  Ages,  who  have  done  their 
utmoft  to  depreciate  Marriage  as  a  low 
and  carnal  State,  unworthy  the  pious  He- 
roifm  of  thole  refined  Spirits,  who  fcorn- 
ing  to  act  their  part  well  as  mere  Meny  af- 
pire  to  the  Life  of  Angels;  and  renouncing 
the  dull  zn&fottijh  Pleafures  of  Senfe,  af- 
fecl:  a  more  acceptable  Obedience  to  Heaven 

f  Milton's  Par.  Loft.  B.  IV,  1.  502. 

G  in 


(  42  ) 

in  imaginary  Exercifes  of  greater  Purity. 
and  Perfection  *. 

OUR 

*  This  Notion  feems  to  have  been  pretty  general 
amongft  the  earlieft  Chriftian  Writers  :  at  leaft  this 
is  the  moft  favorable  Conftru6lion  one  can  put  upon 
many  of  their  very  harfh  Expreffions  upon  this  Sub 
ject.  Thus  Juftin  Martyr  calls  Marriage  rov  $i  err&v- 
pizc  &wtj.Gv  ytzuov.  Spicileg.  Tom.  2.  p.  180.  And 
again  tells  us,  xzi  o  Kvpj^  ?i  r.pw  I/KTK? 

Ji     aAAo    Tl     SK    TraS-fVJ*     rrrS-TI       aAA'    MX 


vjj?  owotrov  suzi  rw  0.:uj  rriv  ay 
Ibid.  p.  180,  181.  &  alibi.  -  Irentsus 
fpeaking  of  the  Law  of  Divorce  amongft  the  Jews  as  a 
matter  indulged  them,  becaufe  of  the  fiardnejS  of  their 
Hearts,  not  limply  right  in  itfelf,  confiders  Marriage 
under  the  new  Teftament  in  the  fame  light.  -  Et 
quid  dicimus  de  Veteri  Teftamento  haec  ?  quandoqui- 
dem  &  in  novc  Apoftoli  hoc  idem  facientes  invenian- 
tur  propter  praedicl:am  caufam,  flatim  dicente  Paulo  ; 
btfc  autem  ego  dico,  ncn  Dorpinus.  Et  iterum.  hoc  au- 
tem  dicofecundum  indulgenham,  nonfecundum  pr&ceptum  ? 
Lib.  4.  cap.  15.  (vulg.  29.)  to  the  fame  purpofe  A- 
ihenagoras.  To  £v  wap^fvja  Y.OU  tu  £uv»^ia  [AUVZI  px'A- 
Xou  7n-apjf-»J(rt  TU  0;co.  Legat.  Cap.  29.  ed.  Qxon. 
Methodius  in  his  Banquet  of  Virgins  finds  this  Senti 
ment  in  the  very  Word  which  in  Greek  fignifies  Vir 
ginity  (Trap&tvia)  by  a  very  flight  Alteration  ;  as  does 
'Jerom  afterwards  in  the  Latin  Word  c  celeb  3.  -  Cce- 
libes  (fays  he)  unde  &  ipfum  nomen  inditum  eft, 
quod  coelo  digni  fmt,  qui  coitu  careant.  Hieron.  Op. 
Tom.  4.  p.  228.  ed.  Par.  both  probably  with  equal 
Authority,  that  of  their  own  extravagant  Fancy  only. 
•  -  Of  the  fame  Opinion  was  T'ertidllan.  Nihil  tale 
Paulus  indulfit,  (fays  he)  qui  totam  carnis  neceffita- 
tem  de  probis  etiam  titulis  obliterare  conatur.  indulget 
nuptias,  parcit  fane  matrimon'iis.  '  hoc  ei  fupererat, 

carnem 


(  43  ) 

OUR  Poet,  (faid  I)  than  whom  no  one 
feems  to  have  had  a  tenderer  fenfe  of  the 
more  improved  Felicities  of  wedded  Love, 
has  painted,  I  remember,  thefe  fantaftic 
Refiners  in  their  proper  Colours  in .  the 
following  Lines  of  the  fame  incomparable 
Poem • 

-Hypocrites  aufterely  talk 


»/  J.  *S  »' 

Of  Purity,  and  Place ',  and  Innocence ', 
Defamifig  as  impure,  what  God  declares 
Pure,  and  commands  tofome,  leaves  free  to  all. 
Our  Maker  bids  increaje — who  bids  abftain, 

But  our  Deftroyer Foe  to  God,  and  Man  ? 

Hail  wedded  Love 

Founded  in  Re  a/on,  loyal,  jujl,  and  pure, 
Far  be  it,  that  IJhould  write  thee  Sin,  or 

blame  ! 

Or  think  thee  unbefitting  holiejl  Place, 
Perpetual  Fountain  of  dome/lie  Sweets  *  / 

VERY  different  (returned  he)  was  the 
Opinion  of  fome  grave  Fathers  of  the 
Church,  who  were  for  banifliing  the  Rites 

carnem  vel  a  fordibus  purgare,  a  maculis  enim  non  po- 
teft.  De  Pud.  568,  569.  ed.  Load  in  1689.  The 
Diftinction,  it  muft  be  owned,  is  fomewhat  nice,  but 
the  comfort  is,  'tis  Tertullians  Diftin6lion,  and  not 
St.  PauFs.  The  falfc  Reafonings,  as  well  as  grofs 
Mifapplications  of  Scripture,  to  be  met  with  in  the 
generality  of  the  Fathers  upon  this  Article,  are  end- 
kfs. 
*  Milton's  Par.  Loft.  B.  IV.  744, 

G  2  myfterious 


(  44  ) 

myfterious  of  connubial  Love*9  as  our  Au 
thor  calls  them,  from  the  State  of  primi 
tive  Innocence  -j~  ;  and  fuppofe,  that  if 
Man  had  preferved  the  original  Perfection 
of  his  Nature,  Providence  would  have 
found  out  fome  purer  way  of  propagating 
the  Species  than  hy  the  grofs  Senje  of  Touch  \\  ; 
a  Happinefs  vouchsafed  to  the  Brute  Cre- 

*  Par.  L.  B.  IV.  742. 

•f  So  St.  Bajil.  Et  Jit    jw»)  ?x  •nrapjpJ'S  xat  XOC.TCX,  TOV 


T»IV 

8XW/w<rtv  T»  TH-apa^tio-y,    TOTE  TTIU 
De  vera  Virginitate.  p.  771.  ed. 
Par.     Of  the  fame  Opinion  was  St.  John  Chryfoftom. 


o       a^u.,   »x  au  fntrs  TXTJ<.      xat 
at  TO<rauT«j  jtAUpiajff  fywovro  ;  —  EJTE 

»X  fW   AfEiV.        TO        a 


5/n?  av3-pw7r«?.  D^  ^?r£.  p.  331.  ed.  Par.  vid.  &  p.  328. 
So  St.  Jerom  writing  to  Eujiochtwn,  Eva  in  Paradifo 
virgo  fuit:  poft  pelliceas  tunicas  initium  fumpfif  nup- 
tiarum.  p.  35.  And  in  his  firft  Book  againft  Jovi- 
'n'tan.  Ac  de  Adam  quidem  &  Eva  illud  dicendum, 
quod  ante  offenfam  in  Paradifo  virgines  fuerint  ;  poft 
peccatum  autem,  &  extra  Paradifum,  protinus  nup- 
tiae.  Lib.  I.  p.  160.  If  this  Father  ever  commends 
Marriage  'tis  upon  this  very  indirect  view  of  it. 
Laudo  nuptias,  laudo  conjugium,  fed  quia  mihi  virgi 
nes  generant.  (Epift.  ad  Eujl.  ub.  fup.)  lego  de  fpinis 
rofam,  de  terra  aurum,  de  concha  margaritam. 
||  Milton,  B.  VIII.  579. 

3  ation, 


C  45  ) 

ation,  in  common  with  ourfelves,  as  a 
Mark  of  its  pretended  Unwofihinefs  ;  where 
as  the  Angels,  a  nobler  Clafs  of  Beings,  and 
to  whom  it  is  faid  we  are  one  day  to  be 
equal,  are  reprefented  to  us  neither  to  marry  y 
nor  be  given  in  Marriage  *  j  as  an  inftance 
of  their  fuperior  Perfection  and  Dignity. 

ADMITTING  it  to  be  fo,  (interpofed  I) 
I  fee  no  Merit  in  our  afpiring  to  be  as  the 
Angeh  before  our  time  ;  'tis  rather  a  Defer- 
tion  of  our  proper  Poft  and  Duties,  and  a 
kind  of  breaking  in  upon  the  natural  Order 
of  things  -j-. 

THAT  (returned  Hortenfius)  is  the  ob 
vious  Tendency  of  all  fuch  fanciful  Re- 

*  Mai.  9.  30.     Luk.  20.  36. 
f  This  {hews  the  Weaknefs  of  St.  Eafd'^  Reafoning 
upon  this  Point.  E*   ^ap  sv  -r/i  avxTcta-H  «re  ycn^.v^t 
XTE  iya,[Ai(^MTa^  aAA   et<ny  w?  a^fsAoj,  xai  ci  rr,v  Tr^p- 
«y  a<rx»VT£f    af^Aci   f«rtv,    su  £u(p3-aproi?   crap^i  TOV 
av3"pw7rwv    Sjoy  iD'£p»7roA»VTEf.      xai  afyiXoi  ovx  ct- 


aveu  (rapxojy  xara  roy  oupauov  TTIV  a'ap-rtay,   T&TTCJ 

<riAei  r 
*)Jbweif 


TW  inroj?iT>i 

-.  p.  767.  And  yet  this  is  a  very  com 
mon  Topic  amongft  the  Fathers  in  commendation  of 
Virginity,  that,  quod  alii  poftea  in  ccelis  futuri  funt, 
hoc  virgines  in  terra  efle  cceperunt.  S.  Hier.  adv. 
Jw.Lib.  I.  178. 

finements. 


(  4-6  ) 

finements.  They  remove  us  out  of  our 
appointed  Province,  and  put  us  into  a  dif 
ferent  Clajs  of  Being  from  that  which  God 
and  Nature  have  defigned  us  for.  And 
where  can  be  the  Excellence  of  thus  in 
truding  ourfelves  into  a  Character  that  does 
not  belong  to  us  ?  In  reality,  Philemon^  I 
fee  not  how  it  can  be  faid  to  be  a  Perfec 
tion  in  Angels  to  live  above  thofe  Injoyments 
of  Senje  for  which  they  have  neither  Ca 
pacity  ',  nor  Inclination:  at  the  moft,  it  is 
rather  a  Privilege  or  Confequence  of  their 
incorporeal  Nature,  than  any  meritorious 
Act  of  their  Will  *.  Certainly  however  it 

cannot 


*  For  that  the  Angels  py 
T«I,  St.  Chryfoftom  gives  a  very  fufficient  Reafon,  (ais 
different  as  his  Application  of  it  may  be)  when  he 
adds  that  an  EKH  GVfji.'n-sTrXs'y^syoi  votpxi  xat 


.  DeFirg.  p.  322.  Tho'  indeed  to  reconcile 
this  with  the  Sentiments  of  another  more  antient  Fa 
ther  I  cannot  fo  well  undertake,  who  explains  a  Paf- 
iage  in  the  fourth  Chapter  of  Genefis,  and  another  in 
St?  Paul's  Epiftle  to  the  Corinthians,  of  Angels  enter 
taining  a  Pafiion  for  Women.  Si  mulier,  fays  Ter- 
tullian,  poteftatem  habere  fuper  caput  debet,  (  I  Cor. 
n.  v.  10.)  vel  eo  juftius  virgo,  ad  quam  pertinet 
quod  in  causa  eft.  ft  enifn  propter  arigelos,  fcilicet  quos 
legimus  a  Deo  &  ccelo  excidifle  ob  concupifcentiam  fee- 
minarum  ;  quisprasfumerepoteft  tales  angelos,  maculata 
jam  corpora,  &  humanse  libidinis  reliquias  defideraffe, 
ut  non  ad  virgines  potius  exarferint,  quarum_^w  etiam 
humanam  libidinem  excufat?  nam  &  fcriptura  fie  fug- 
gerit,  &c.  Tertutt.  de  Virgin,  veland.  177.  The  Fa 
ther,  we  fee,  has  a  very  refined  Notion  of  angelical 

In- 


(  47  ) 

cannot  be  fuch  in  Man  to  forego  any  of 
thofe  natural  Pleafures  which  his  Creator 
has  marked  out  for  him  in  the  very  Con 
dition  of  his  Being,  as  proper  Means  of  his 
prefent  Happinefs ;  and    accordingly    has 
made  his  Duty  to  confifl  not  in  the  Re 
nunciation  of  his  Senfes,  but  in  the  regular 
life  and  good  Government  of  them.     'Tis 
the  Excellence  of  any  Being  not  to  foar 
above  its  natural  Sphere,  but   to  act  well 
and  wifely  within  it.     Human  Perfection 
is  the  Perfection  of  a  Man,  and  not  that 
of  an  Angel.     Had  Men   fufficiently  at 
tended  to  this  plain  and  obvious  Diftinction, 
what  a  Multitude  of  illiberal  Superftitions, 
and  uncouth  Practices  in  Religion,  had  ne 
ver  been  heard  of?  but  the  quite  contrary 
Notion  has  generally  prevailed  where  Re 
ligion  has  been  any  part  of  Men's  Concern; 
and  accordingly  the  World  has  been  pretty 
much  divided   between  fuch  as  have  had 
too  much  Religion,  and  fuch   as  have  had 
none  at  all*  ;  the  latter  of  thefe  Charac 
ters  being  indeed  a  natural  Confequence  of 

Intriguing.  Serioufly,  I  know  not  whether  it  be  more 
abfurd,  thus  to  bring  down  the  Angels  to  the  level  of 
human  PafKons,  or  to  affect  to  exalt  the  human  Na 
ture  into  the  State  and  Condition  of  Angels  :  both,  I 
am  fure,  are  without  the  leaft  Foundation  either  in 
Reafon  or  Scripture.  But  Fathers  are  net  always  the 
beft  Friends  to  either  of  thefe. 

*  It  was  the  juft  Complaint  of  Plir.y  in  his  time, 
aliis  nullus  eft  deorum  refpectus,  aliis  pudendus.  Nat. 
Hifl.  Lib,  III.  cap.  7. 

the 


(48  ) 

the  former  *  :  for  whatever  an  over-for 
ward  Zeal  may  fuggeft  to  People  of  more 
Piety  than  Under/landing,  all  Attempts  to 
raife  any  part  of  Duty  too  high  are 
in  effect  fettino-  the  whole  much  too  low, 

o 

whilft  by  indeavouring  to  fetter  Men  with 
too  great  Reftraints,  we  only  provoke 
them  to  throw  off  all-,  and  fly  to  abfolute 
Irreligion,  as  the  only  Security  againft  the 
Incroachments  of  Bigotry. 

THE  Exchange  ({aid  I)  is  very  ram  and 
unwarrantable.  Neverthelefs,  fuch  are  the 
Abfurdities  of  fome  religious  Syftems,  that 
one  cannot  wonder  that  a  ftrong  Difguft 
to  thefe  mould  fometimes  tranfport  Men 
of  freer  Spirits  too  far,  whilft  by  a  hafty 
Affociation  of  Religion  itfelf  with  their  own 
nurfery  Prejudices  concerning  it,  they  are  led 
to  difcard  both  at  the  fame  timer]-.  Upon 

any 

*   'H  Js  &i0>i&ijuovi&  rr,  aS-so-rnr;   y.xi  'yevstr&oti  Trot,- 


ay.    Plut.de  Sup.   p.  171. 

f  Whilft  fome  Opinions  and  Rites  (fays  an  excel 
lent  Writer  of  our  own)  are  carried  to  fuch  an  im 
moderate  Height,  as  expofes  the  Abfurdity  of  them 
to  the  view  of  every  body  but  them  who  raife  them, 
not  only  Gentlemen  of  the  Belles  Lettres,  but  even 
Men  of  common  Senfe,  many  times  fee  thro'  them  ; 
and  then  out  of  Indignation,  and  an  exceflive  reni- 
tence,  not  feparating  that  which  is  true  from  that 
which  is  falfe,  they  come  to  cbny  both,  and  fall  back 

into 


(49  ) 

any  other  Hypothecs  it  feems  difficult  to 
account  for  fome  men's  irreconcileable  En 
mity  to  Religion,  whofe  natural  Difpofi- 
tions  are  fuch  as  might  incourage  one  to 
hope  much  better  things  from  them.  But 
the  miftaking  Reverje  of  wrong  for  right  is 
a  very  common  Deceit;  and  Men  have 
need  of  great  Caution  and  Sobriety  of 
thinking  to  keep  clear  of  it. 

For  what  tojhun  will  no  great  Knowledge 

needt 
But  what  to  follow,  is  a  Tajk  indeed  *, 

'Tis  this  (returned  Hortenjius)  that  is 
the  very  Delufion  of  thofe  Refiners  we 
were  fpeaking  of.  Becaufe  they  are  not 
left  at  liberty  to  purfue  all  the  Extrava 
gancies  of  their  natural  Appetites,  therefore 
they  will  not  allow  of  any  innocent  Gra 
tifications  of  them:  as  if  there  was  no 
middle  way  between  Voluptuoujnefe  and  In- 
fenfibility  \  and  a  Man  muft  either  renounce 
his  animal  Nature,  or  be  a  Slave  to  it. 
What  is  this,  Philemon,  but  to  miftake  re- 
ver/e  of  wrong  for  right  in  the  moft  glaring 
inftance  ?  and  for  fear  of  degenerating  into 
Brutes,  to  difdain  to  act  in  Character  as 
Men  ?  For  certainly  if  there  had  been  any 

into  the  contrary  Extreme,  a  Contempt  of  all  Religion 
in  general.  Rel.  of  Nat.  del.  p.  60,  61. 

*  Mr.  PopSs  Epift.  to  my  Lord  Eathurjl,  20 1. 

H  Crime 


Crime  in  Senfuality  as  facb,  our  Creator 
would  never  have  placed  us  in  fuch  Cir- 
cumftances,  as  to  fall  under  inevitable 
Guilt  this  way,  by  the  neceffary  Condition 
of  our  very  Being,  every  moment  of  our 
Lives :  a  Confideration  which  fome  rigid 
Affertors  of  Mortification  would  do  well 
to  attend  to,  before  they  impofe  their  own 
Vifions  upon  the  World  under  Pretences 
of  fuperior  Sanctity. 

I  fuppofe  (faid  I)  they  are  only  fome 
particular  kinds  of  Senfuality,  which  are 
ufually  taxed  as  immoral;  for  otherwife 
the  neceffary  Condition  of  our  very  Being 
itfelf  were  a  State  of  perpetual  Immorality. 
An  Imputation  that  would  reflect  no  fmall 
Dishonour  upon  the  Author  of  it ! 

THEY  are  fo,  (replied  he)  but  'tis  the 
Effect  of  a  very  fhort  and  fcanty  way  of 
thinking.  For  fince  thefe  particular  Spe 
cies  of  Senfuality  are  condemned  as  immo 
ral,  without  any  regard  to  civil,  orfoczal, 
or  perfonal  Inconveniences  that  may  arife 
from  them,  it  muft  be  only  as  they  have 
the  Nature  of  Jenfual  Indulgences.  And 
then  what  hinders  but  every  other  Indul 
gence  of  this  fort  mould  be  equally  con 
demned  with  thefe  ?  And  thus  we  are  re 
duced  to  this  unavoidable  Dilemma Ei 
ther  there  is  no  Evil  in  Senfuality  as  fucb, 

or 


(sO 

or  there  is— —If  the  former  be  true,  then 
we  rnuft  give  fome  other  Account  of  the 
Immorality  of  the  forbidden  kinds,  than 
what  arifes  from  their  Senfuality ;  and  fo 
indeed  we  mall  have  a  fair  way  open  to 
proceed  in  5  but  withal  fuch  an  one  as 
muft  intirely  deftroy  the  Foundation  of 
thefe  pretended  Refinements  in  Morality. 
—If  the  latter,  then  will  it  become  us  to 
take  care,  left  by  indeavouring  to  throw 
off  an  imaginary  Blemifo  from  ourjehes, 
we  caft  a  real  one  upon  the  Purity  and 
Perfection. of  our  Maker. 

WHAT  think  you  (faid  I)  of  the  Paf- 
fion  of  Shame ,  that  is  an  Attendant 
upon  Jbme  kinds  of  fenfual  Indulgences  ? 
Does  not  this  feem  to  argue  an  intrinfic 
Turpitude  in  the  Acts  themfelves  ?  a  fort 
of  confcious  fenfe  of  fome  moral  Incon~ 
gruity  in  the  very  Nature  of  the  particular 
Pleasures  ?  And  yet  Grotius^  I  remember, 
Ipeaks  of  the  Pudor  circa  Res  Veneris^  as 
one  of  the  moft  general  Principles  in  our 
Nature*.  And  indeed  the  Character  of 
Senfuality  feems  to  have  been  in  a  peculiar 
degree  appropriated  to  Pleafures  of  this 
kind  ;  and  they  are  ufually  branded  by 
moral  Writers  with  fuch  particular  Epi 
thets  of  Infamy r,  as  if  they  were  of  a  more 

*  De  ver.  Re!.  Cbrijt.  Lib..  I.  Se&.  7. 

H  2  grofs 


(  52   ) 

grofs  and  debating  nature  than  any  of  the 
other  Pleafures  of  Senfe. 

WITHOUT  entering  (faid  Horten/ius) 
into  the  Original  of  this  Paffion  of  Shame, 
or  determining  whether  it  be  natural,  or 
acquired,  a  Queftion,  as  I  apprehend,  not 
without  its  Difficulties;  the  U/e  of  it,  I 
think,  in  Society  is  very  evident.  It  lays 
a  commodious  Reftraint  upon  a  violent 
Paffion,  the  public  Gratification  of  which 
would  be  attended  with  many  civil  Incon 
veniences;  whilft,  inftead  of  participating 
of  the  Myfteries  of  Love,  as  the  incompara 
ble  Mr.  Wollajlon  fpeaks,  'with  Modefty,  as 
ivithin  a  Veil  or  facred  Inclojure  *,  we 
fhould  be  in  the  Situation  of  thofe  de- 
fcribed  by  the  Poet, 

H$uos  Venerem  incertam  rapientes  morefe~ 

rarum 
Tiribus  editior  ctedebat  -j-. 

A  Circumftance  happily  prevented  by  the 
means  of  this  ufeful  Paffion. 

You  are  not  then  of  the  Opinion  of  that 
learned  Cafuift,  (returned  I)  who  accounts 
for  the  Shame  attending  thefe  Pleafures  of 
Senfe,  as  he  is  pleas'd  to  call  them, 


~*  Rel.  of  Nat.  p.  180, 

t  Hor.  Sat.  Lib.  I.  Sat.  3.  109. 

from 


(53  ) 

from  their  difangelical  Nature.  Not  that 
they  have  any  intrinjic  Turpitude  in  them ; 
but  being  below  the  Dignity  of  the  Soul 
of  Man  defigned  for  an  angelic  Life,  u  Na^ 
<c  ture,  fays  he,  has  taught  her  tojheak, 
f *  wheny/6^  being  Heaven-born  demits  herfelf 
"  tofuch  earthly  Drudgery  *. 

IP  I  was  to  give  any  further  Account  of 
this  matter  than  I  have  already  done,  (re 
plied  Hortenftus]  I  mould  think  the  Hy- 
pothefis  of  the  very  ingenious  Mr.  Hutcbe- 
Jbn  the  moft  natural :  who  fuppofes  that 
an  Opinion  of  the  Selfijhnefs  of  thefe  In 
dulgences,  ariling  from  their  confined  Na 
ture,  is  the  Ground  of  our  being  amamed 
of  them  }  and  that  this  Jirft  introduced  I- 
deas  of  Modefty  into  polite  Nations  -f-  :  but 
however  they  firft  came  there,  certain  it 
is,  they  deferve  the  Incouragement  of  every 
Society ;  nor  can  the  Public  be  too  cau 
tious  in  keeping  up  a  tender  fenfe  of  them 
in  the  Minds  of  Men,  as  a  Guard  to  their 
Virtue  j  and  in  difcountenancing  whatever 
Difcourfes,  Books,  Reprefentations,  &c. 
are  found  to  have  a  contrary  Effect  But 
this,  as  I  before  obferved,  upon  a  merely 
civil  or  focial  Account  j  the  only  juft 
Ground,  as  I  apprehend,  of  the  Unlawful- 

*  Letters  Phil.  &  Mor.  between  Mr.  Norris  and 
Pr.  Mort,  p.  153,  168. 
t  Hutch.  Inq.  3*57  Sea.  5. 

nefs 


(  54-  ) 

nefs  even  of  \h^  forbidden  Species  of  Senfu- 
ality.  It  being  better  upon  the  whole, 
that  particular  Men  mould  be  under  Jbme 
Reftraint  in  the  Gratification  of  their  na 
tural  Appetites,  than  that  much  greater 
Mifchiefs  fhould  happen  to  Society,  in 
Confequence  of  a  general  Licentioujhefs. 
For  as  to  the  dijangellcal  Nature  of  thefe 
particular  Pleasures,  befides  that  it  muft 
hold  equally  of  the  moft  allowed  Instances 
of  them,  as  of  the  prohibited  ones,  it  is 
with  me,  I  mult  own,  of  very  little  weight 
againft  any  cf  them  ,  and  that  for  this 
plain  Reafon,  becaufe  Men  are  not  Angels  ; 
and  therefore  no  fuppofed  Perfections  of 
their  State  of  Being  can  be  proper  Matter 
of  Example  to  us,  who  are  placed  in  quite 
different  Circumftances  *.  The  Cafe  is 

the 

*  It  feems  a  very  odd  way  of  depreciating  the  Plea- 
fures  of  the  fixth  Senfe,  as  they  are  called,  to  fay  they  are 
dif  angelica  I:  for  is  not  this  as  true  of  thofe  of  the  other 
five  Senfes?  Whatever  the  learned  J)o£lor  may  think 
of  the  Food  of  Angels  ,  which  he  fomewhere  fpeaks  of 
as  literally  fuck,  or  the  fragrant  Odours  of  Paradifet 
(p.  169.)  we  have  the  Authority  of  a  reverend  Father 
of  the  Church  to  produce  againft  him  in  this  Point. 
Speaking  of  the  Angels,  «<&  wr*  (fcoyrai  (fays  he)  Y.M 


a-jT  ,  , 

AaaTrpa,   v$s  aAAo  rwy  TOIXTWV  xoev, 


x<*;  A*/*7rp«?.    S^Cbryfoft.  de  Virg, 

P« 


(55  } 

tlie  fame  in  the  moral  World,  as  it  is  ex 
cellently  reprefented  by  the  Poet  to  be  in 
the  natural  -, 

On  fliperwr  Powers 

Were  ive  to  pref's,  inferior  Might  on  ours ; 
Or  in  the  full  Creation  leave  a  void, 
Where,  one  Step  broken,  the  great  Scale's  de~ 

ftrofd. 
From  Nature's   Chain  whatever  Link  you 

ftrike, 
tfenth,  or  ten  tkoufandth,  breaks  the  Chain 

alike  *. 

As  to  thofe  reproachful  Epithets  with 
which,  as  you  obferve,  moral  Writers  af 
fect  to  ftigrviatize  fenfual  Pleafures,  as  if 
the  fault  lay  in  the  things  themfehes,  and 
not  rather  in  the  Degree,  or  other  Circum- 
ftances  of  them  :  I  anfwer  with  the  inge 
nious  Mr.  Norris  in  his  Theory  and  Re- 

p,  322.  The  great  Pagan  Poet  had  likewifc  jufter 
Notions  of  Immateriality. 

Ou  J'ap  (TJTOV  EcW  »  Trtvatr   ai3"OTa  oivov, 
TVi/EJt  avoMjuoyj?  £i<n,   jtai  K&a,votroi  jcaAsoyraj. 
Hem.  II.  IV.  341,  was  his  Account  of  his  Heathen 

Divinities. So  that  were  we  to  indeavour  after  a 

Lifey?n'#/y  angelical,  (and  if  we  are  required  to  do  fo 
in  one  Inirance,  why  not  in  another  ?)  we  muft  be 
come  in  very  truth  like  the  Idols  of  the  Heathen  (Let 
ters  as  before)  have  Eyes  and  fee  not,  Ears  and  hear 
not,  Nofes  and  fmell  not,  Palates  and  tafte  not,  Hands 

and  handle  not A  Scheme  of  Perfection  I  am  not 

enough  fpiritualiz'd  to  envy  any  Man, 
*  E-Jfey  on  Man,  I.  233. 

gulation 


(56) 

guktion  of  Love,  that  "  herein  is  theif 
"  Mi  flake.  And  if  Men  will  talk  con- 
"  fuiediy  of  things,  and  affignjfa^?Caufes 
"  for  true  ones,  who  can  help  it  *  ? 

I  am  glad  (interpofed  I)  you  have  the 
Authority  of  ib  approved  a  Divine  to  bear 
you  out  in  this  Notion ;  otherwife  was  you 
to  communicate  your  Thoughts  to  many 
People  I  could  name,  you  muft  expecl: 
to  be  charged  with  the  moil  abandoned 
Epicurifm. 

I  hope  (returned  he)  I  have  a  better 
Authority  for  my  Opinion  than  that  of 
any  great  Name  whatfoever,  the  Autho 
rity  of  Truth  and  good  Senfe.  For  to  go 
a  little  farther  into  this  Subject— — Who 
ever  will  be  at  the  pains  of  examining  in 
to  the  Nature  and  Reafons  of  moral  Obli 
gation,  may,  I  think,  foon  fatisfy  himfelf, 
that  the  proper  Duty  of  any  moral  Agent 
is  nothing  elfe  but  its  proper  Happinefs. 
The  Terms  are  convertible,  and  imply 
each  the  other.  If  with  this  view  we 
confider  Man,  as  he  is  in  himfelf,  a  Crea 
ture  of  a  mixed  Conftitution,  made  up  of 
zfenjible,  zfocial,  and  a  rational  Principle, 
'tis  obvious  that  the  proper  Happinefs  or 
Good  of  fuch  a  Being,  or  which  is  the 
fame  thing,  the  greateil  Perfection  of  his 

&c.  P.  98.         -         N 


(57  ) 

Nature,  muft  arife  out  of  fome  certain 
Scheme  of  Action  at  once  fuited  to  all  the 
parts  of  this  compound  Character.  Here, 
Philemon,  commences  the  general  Reafon 
of  all  human  Morality  and  Religion.  It 
is  not,  as  we  are  too  often  taught  to  think 
it,  a  fet  of  arbitrary  Injunctions  impofed 
upon  us  at  the  mere  voluntary  Appoint 
ment  of  a  capricious  Superior  :  but  a  Rule 
of  Conduct  founded  in  our  very  Je hes,  and 
refulting  out  of  the  Make  and  Con  ft  i  tut  ion 
of  our  Nature.  Away  then  with  all  thofe 
viiionary  and  fantaftic  Refinements  which 
Would  teach  us  to  build  our  Virtue  upon  the 
Ruins  of  our  Itumanity^  and  eradicate  one 
of  the  effential  Parts  of  our  Nature  to  ac- 
complim  the  other.  'Tis  in  fome  juft  Ba 
lance  of  our  whole  Conftitution,  not  in  the 
Deftructioh  of  any  Branch  of  it,  that  our 
main  Perfection,  becaufe  our  main  Happi- 
nefs,  confifts.  The  Gratification  of  our 
.Senfes  and  Paffions,  merely  asjuch,  is  no 
more  a  Crime,  than  the  Exercife  of  our 
Reafon,  or  the  Offices  of  focial  Affection  * : 
for  each  of  thefe  were  alike  given  us  by 
the  great  Author  of  our  Faculties,  as  fo 

*  Even  the  Defire  of  public  Good  may  be  too 
ftrong  in  fome  heroic  Tempers,  whilft  the  Agent  ne 
ver  thinks  he  can  do  enough  to  promote  it,  but  with 
out  reflecting  upon  his  paft  Conduct,  like  the  ambi 
tious,  goes  on 

Nil  aftum  ffputanS)  ft  quid  fuperejfet  agendum. 

Lucan. 

I 


(58  ) 

many  diflintt  Principles  of  A&ion,  fo 
many  jeveral  means  of  Happinefs  -y  and, 
Philemon, 

What  compofes  Man,  can  Man  dejlroy  *  ? 

It  then  only  becomes  wrong,  when  either 
from  an  undue  Meafure,  or  improper  Cir- 
cumftanceSj  it  breaks  the  Harmony  of  our 
internal  Frame  j  and  by  too  great  an  In 
dulgence  of  one  of  thefe  Principles  offers 
violence  to  either  of  the  other.  We  are 
not,  as  the  incomparable  Mr.  Wollajlon 
fpeaks,  to  "  give  up  the  Man  to  humor 
"  the  Brute,  nor  to  hurt  others  to  pleafe 
"  ourjehes  -f-  $"  but  where  we  can  keep 
clear  of  fuch  accidental  Inconveniences, 
there  the  Pleafures  of  Senfe  are  as  allowable, 
as  they  are  made  necerTarily  grateful  to  us. 
They  are,  like  the  Trees  of  Paradife,  not 
only  fair  to  the  Eye,  but  good  for  Food. 
For  indeed,  as  Mr.  Norris,  I  remember, 
very  juftly  ftates  the  Point ;  "  Where 
"  there  is  no  Malice  in  it  either  againil 
<c  God,  Himfelf,  or  his  Neighbour,  I  can- 
<{  not  imagine  how  it  fhould  be  at  all  a 
"  moral  Incongruity  for  a  Man  to  pleaje 
"  bimjelf\\. 

BUT 

*  EffaymMan,  II.  164. 
t  Rel*  of  Nat.  del.  p.  180. 

II  Letters  Phil,  and  Mor>  p.  149.     Excellent  are 
the  Sentiments  of  the  Author  before-cited  upon  this 

Head, 


(  59  ) 

BUT  does  not  Scripture  itfelf  (faid  I) 
feem  to  authorife  a  different  way  of  Rea- 

foning 

Head.     Temperance^  fays  he,  permits  us  to  take  Meat 
and  Drink  not  only  as  Phvf  ~  for  Hunger  and  Thirft, 
but  alfo  as  an  innocent  Cordial  and  Fortifier  againft  the 
Evils  of  Life,  or  even  fometimes,  Reafon  not  refufmg 
that  Liberty,  merely  as  matter  of  Pleafure.     Cbafiity 
does  not  pretend  to  ext'tnvuifa  our  tender  Paflions,  or 
cancel  one  part  of  our  Nature,  it  only  bids  us  not  in 
dulge  them  againft  Reafon  and  Truth.     Frugality  in 
deed  looks  forward,  and  round  about ;  but  ftill  it  for 
bids  no  Inftance  cf  Genero/ity,  or  even  Magnificence ', 
which  is  agreable  to  the  Man's  Station  and  Circum- 
ftances.     Rel.   of  Nat.  del.  p.  179,   1 80.    as  before. 
Within  thefe  juft,  and  neceffary  Regulations,  founded 
in  our  very  Nature  and  Conftitution,  we  may  admit 
the  Pleafures  of  the  Senfes  to  be  really  defirable,  with 
out  that  falfe  Confequence  in  'fully  of  wifhing  in  vo- 
luptate  maxima,  nullo  intervallo  interjecto,  dies,  noc- 
tefque  verfari ;  cum  omnes  fenfus  dulcedine  omni  quafi 
perfufi  moverentur :  for,  as  the  PafTage  goes  on,  quis 
eft  dignus  nomine  hominis,  qui  unum  diem  totum 
velit  efle  in  ifto  genere  voluptatis  ?  de  Fin.  Lib.  II. 
p.  1 88.  ed.  Dav.     Such  a  Happinefs  as   this  is   the 
Happinefs  of  a  merely  fenfible  Being  only,  not  of  a 
focia^  or  a  rational  one.     How  contemptible  an  Idea 
does  the  Pagan  poetic  Theology  give  one  of  the  fu- 
preme  Jupiter^  when  it  reprefents  him,  as  Seneca  has 
it,  voluptate  concubitus  delinitum  duplicafle  no&em  ! 
De  Beat.  Vit.  516.     It  was  the  want  of  this  Diftinc- 
tion  that  gave  rife  to  the  different  Extravagancies  of 
the  Stoics  and  Epicureans,  upon  this  Article  of  fenfible 
Pleafure.     "  Neither  fide  confidered  Men,  as  Men, 
"  but  as  it  were  divided  human  Nature  between  them. 
"  The  latter,  forgetting  themfelves  to  be  moral  A- 
"  gents,  regarded  only  Senfibility ;  the  former,  for- 
'*  getting  themfelves  to  be  fenfible  Beings,  regarded 
I  2  "  only 


.6o 

foning  upon  this  Queftion  ?  does  it  not 
frequently  charge  Immorality  upon  fome 
kinds  of  fenfual  Pleafure,  as  /itch,  without 
any  mention  of  Confequences  ?  and  acr 
cordingly  fpeak  of  them  in  terms  that  car 
ry  an  Imputation  of  Bajenejs  and  Turpitude 
in  the  very  Nature  of  the  Acts  themjefoes, 
as  if  they  were  not  fo  much  Offences  a- 
gainft  the  focial  Interefts  of  Mankind,  as 
againft  the  perfonal  Dignity  of  human  Na 
ture?  Thus  they  are  repreiented  under  the 
Character  of  Lufts  which  war  again/I  the 
Soul*,  tfflthy  Lufts  -|-,  of  vile  Afj'ettiom  |, 
and  the  like.  And  Fornication  is  fliled 
the  Sin  of  Unchannefs^  and  treated  as  a. 
Dejilement  cf  a  Man's  Jelf,  rather  than  as 
an  Injury  done  to  his  Neighbour  J. 

WHERE 

"  only  Morality.''  J5^«/s  Trafts,  p.  204.  A  wife 
Man  may  very  well  be  of  that  noble  Sentiment  in 
Tully^  ne  malum  quidem  ullum,  nee  fi  in  unum  lo 
cum  conlata  omnia  fmt,  cum  turpitudinis  malo  com- 
paranda,  (T'ufc.  Dif.  ed.  Dav.  132.)  without  carrying 
the  Point  to  fuch  an  extreme  as  that,  laetetur  in  per- 
ierendo;  or  thinking  there  is  no  Difference  between 
being  in  Phalaridis  Tauro,  and  in  Le<5tulo.  Ibid.  p.  121, 
Plutarch.,  with  his  ufual  Good  Senfe,  has  excellently- 
decided  this  matter,  'H$o 


cv    £O,    •ar 
xzi  TjavTw?     ayaicr-iTov.     Con.  fep.  Sap.  150. 


* 

-j~    MoAu<ru»  trapx^.      31  Cor.  7.  I. 
Rom.  I.  26. 


f  61   ) 

WHERE  this  is  the  Cafe  (replied  Uor- 
tenfius)  we  muft  always  fuppofe  the  Cafe 
of  inordinate  Affeffiion*  to  fenfual  Pleafure 
to  be  taken  into  the  Account  j  and  fo  the 
fault  will  lie  not  in  the  Kind  of  Indulgence, 
but  in  the  Meafure  of  it.  For  otherwife 
the  fame  kind  of  Pleafure  could  not  be 
lawful  under  any  Circumftances,  and  Mar* 
rtage  itfelf  would  be  as  immoral  as  Forni- 
cation^  contrary  to  an  exprefs  Precept  of 
one  of  the  infpired  Writers  -jr.  Unlefs  it 
may  rather  be  thought,  that  the  facred 
Writers  fpeak  of  thefe  Matters,  as  they  are 
known  to  do  of  many  others,  with  Accom 
modation  to  popular  Ufage,  and  common 
ways  of  Expreffion  j  being  more  follicitous 
to  guard  Men  againfl  the  Breach  of  their 
Duty,  than  to  inftruct  them  in  the  pre- 


OIVTUV.  Rom.  I.  24.  -  Hop~ 
x,p<rKz.  Eph.  5.  3.'  $.-u- 
ytTt  TW  •zsropwtay.  o  -sropveuuv  «j  TO  tJioy  vupot,  apotp- 
TXVU.  i  Cor.  6.  1  8. 

*  See  Norris's  Theory  and  Reg.  p.  99. 
t  For  fo,  I  think,  that  Paflage  in  the  Hebrews 
(hould  be  rendered,  ri^t©-  o  yot,^  tv  ra-ao-i,  Ut 
Marriage  be  honourable  in  all  Men  ;  with  Analogy  to 
the  preceptive  Stile  of  the  whole  Chapter.  Thus  it 
begins,  «  (piWsApia  JUEVCTW  TJJJ  (p*Xe|«i«?  /*»)  tizr^ 
S-e.  v.  i,  2.  and  fo  it  goes  on  throughout. 
13.  v.  4. 

Ctfi 


(62    ) 

rffeReaJonsofit*.     And  indeed  to  inforce 
the  Practice  of  Morality  was  a  bufinefs  of 

much 

*  It  muft  be  owned  there  is  a  very  great  Autho 
rity,  that  of  the  able  and  judicious  IVtr.  Locke  in  his 
Comment  upon  the  following  Words  of  St.  Paitly  I 
Cor.  6.  1 8.  o  •nropvEuwv  fi?  TO  fjtov  (rco//.a  a|W,apTaujj, 
againft  this  Opinion.  He  fuppofes  the  Apoftle  to 
make  ufe  here  of  an  Argument  againft  Fornication 
to  Chriftians,  taken  from  their  particular  Relation  to 
Chrift,  confider'd  in  his  glorified  State.  His  Expofi- 

tion  is  this "  He  who  committeth  Fornication 

"  fmneth  againft  the  end  for  which  his  Body  was 
"  made;  namely,  to  be  a  Member  of  Chrift,  and  to 
44  be  raifed  to  the  fame  Power  which  he  has  now  in 
"  Heaven,"  (Locke's  Works,  Fol.  2  vol.  p.  168.)  for 
fo  he  underftands  the  fourteenth  Verfe,  xa»  u'wa?  E£- 

f^epH  <J»a  T»J?  Juva/AEw?  aur*.- But  if  this  be  a 

good  Argument  to  Chriftians  againft  Fornication, 
It  muft  be  fo  too  againft  Marriage  :  for  the  mere  Aft 
of  corporal  Indulgence  is  the  fame  in  both  States,  and 
there  is  only  a  Difference  in  the  Circumftances  of  it, 
•which  is  here  no  part  of  the  Apoftle's  Confutation. 
He  reafons  upon  the  Nature  of  the  A61  itrelf ;  but 
0  xoAAco (j.zv(&  T'/I  •srcflVTi  tu  (TWjua  £r~jv»  is  as  true  or  9 
*  TJ)  j/'juatxt  j  fo  that  in  both  Cafes  it  is 
ra.  ptXv\  T«  Xpif~«  xrA  equally  ;  if  this  be  indeed 
the  true  Ground  of  the  Accufation.  But  with  all 
due  Deference  to  fo  judicious  an  Interpreter  in  moft 
Cafes,  I  think  he  has  here  miftaken  the  Apoftle's 
Meaning.  I  fhould  rather  incline  to  underftand  by 
Body,  the  Body  of  Chri/lians,  the  myjlical  Body  of 
Cbrifti  fo  often  mention'd  in  Scripture;  againft  which 
Fornication  is  in  a  peculiar  fenfe  a  Crime  from  its  near 
Connexion  with  the  impure  Services  of  Pagan  Idolatry; 
into  many  of  which  it  had  been,  as  it  were,  incor 
porated.  So  fays  Tertullian,  who  introduces  Idolatry 
thus  reporting  of  herfelf,  Ego  quidem  Idololatria  fae- 

piflime 


(63  ) 

much  greater  moment  to  them,  thatl 
nicely  to  adjufl  the  T'heory  of  it.  This 
was  rather  the  Province  of  Philofophy, 
and  improved  Reafoning  ;  and  had  accor 
dingly  given  Imployment  to  the  feveral 
eminent  Matters  of  it  in  different  Ages 
and  Countries ;  but  the  other  was  a  Point 
of  too  great  difficulty  for  any  human  Au 
thority  to  compafs;  and  therefore  was  the 
peculiar  Affignment  of  thofe  who  flood 
inverted  with  divine :  who  came  not,  as 
they  themfelves  inform  us,  with  the  Arts 
of  Eloquence,  the  inticing  Words  of  Mans 
Wifdom,  but  with  Signs,  and  Wonders,  and 
divers  Miracles,  Detnonftratious  of  the  Spi 
rit,  and  of  Power  *.  But  this  is  a  mat 
ter  that  will  fall  more  immediately  under 
Confideratioh  in  the  Sequel  of  this  Argu 
ment  5  for  the  prefent  it  may  fuffice  to 

piffime  moechiae  occafionem  fubminiftro  ;  fciunt  luci 
mei,  &  mei  monies,  &  vivae  aquae,  ipfaque  in  urbibua 
templa,  quantum  evertendae  pudicitiae  procuremus. 
De  Pud.  p.  557.  It  was  yet  more  eminently  crimi 
nal  in  this  view,  when  pra&ifed,  as  we  are  informed 
it  too  often  was,  by  Chriftians,  in  their  religious  Af- 
femblies  themfelves,  in  their  Night-Meetings  at  the 
Tombs  of  their  Martyrs ;  infomuch  that  an.  early 
Council  thought  fit  to  injoin,  t4  that  Women  fhould 
*'  not  frequent  thefe  Coemeteries  by  Night ;  eo  quod 
faepe  fub  obtentu  orationis  latenter  fcelera  commit- 
tantur.  35  Can.  Cone.  Elibs  ••  But  if  this  be  not  ad 
mitted,  we  muft,  I  think,  have  recourfe  to  popular 
Accommodation  in  this  Paflage. 

*  i  Cor.  ch.  2.  v.  i.  &  4.     Heb.  2,  4. 
*  ;  have 


have  juft  hinted  at  it  in  paffing,  in  bar 
to  fuch  Objections  as  might  be  fuppofed  t6 
arife  from  the  Quarter  of  Revelation  againft 
the  main  Tenor  of  thefe  Reflections. 

T  o  proceed  to  fome  farther  Obferva- 
tions  that  more  directly  confirm  it.  We 
have  already  confidered  the  State  and  Con- 
ftitution  of  Nature,  as  it  is  an  immediate 
Occafion  of  many  pleaiing  Perceptions 
to  the  human  Senfe.  Nevertheless  the 
Pleafures  of  the  Senjes  are  by  no  means  the 
only  ones  to  which  it  is  fubfervient  5  there 
are  others  of  a  more  elegant  kind,  that  a- 
rife  out  of  thefe,  and  open  a  ft  ill  wider 
field  of  Entertainment  to  us;  the  Pleafures, 
I  mean,  of  the  Fancy  or  Imagination. 
Under  this  Head  I  comprehend  thofe  fe- 
veral  delightful  Perceptions  which  arife 
from  the  Contemplation  of  either  natural, 
or  artificial,  or  even  imaginary  and  ideal, 
Objects,  confider'd  as  beautiful^  regular^ 
harmonious.  That  thefe  are  fomething 
very  different  from  the  fimple  Senfations 
of  our  Sight,  or  Hearing,  is  generally,  I 
believe,  acknowledged;  infomuch  that  a 
celebrated  Writer  upon  the  Subject  is  for 
confidering  them  as  a  dijiinft  Clafs  of  Per-* 
ceptions  ;  and  calling  our  Power  of  re 
ceiving  them  an  internal  Senfe  *.  Thus 
much  is  certain,  that  a  Man  may  enjoy 

*  Hutch.  Inq.  p.  17, 

all 


65 

all  his  ordinary  Senfes  in  great  Perfection 
without  any  of  thofe  tranfporting  Pleafures 
that  gratify  a  refined  Imagination.  In 
Mufic  we  feem  to  admit  a  Diftinction  of 
this  fort  in  our  common  Language ;  by 
fliling  a  Capacity  for  the  Pleafures  of  Har 
mony,  a  good  Ear.  And  yet  the  Organs 
of  Hearing  feem  to  be  by  no  means  lefs 
perfect  in  People  of  no  Genius  for  Mufic, 
than  in  others  of  the  greateft  and  moft  im 
proved  Fancy  this  way.  And  why  a  good 
Eye  might  not  found  full  as  well  of  a 
Judgment  in  Painting,  Statuary,  Archi 
tecture,  or  natural  Landfcape,  I  can  fee 
no  reafon  but  want  of  Ufe  and  Cuftom. 
Doubtlefs  thefe  are  as  diftindl  Ideas  from 
the  fimple  Perceptions  of  Colour,  Figure, 
and  particular  Extenfibn,  as  the  others  are 
from  the  particular  Tones  of  Jingle  Notes. 
A  Man  may  be  able  to  diftinguifh  thefe 
with  great  Accuracy,  may  know  all  the 
Varieties  of  harfher,  fofter,  higher,  lower, 
flatter,  fharper,  when  dilHnclly  founded 
to  him,  and  at  the  fame  time  have  no  Ear 
for  good  Compofition  in  Mufic.  In  like  man 
ner  he  may  know  with  fufficient  Accuracy 
the  particular  Dimenfions  of  any  Body,  its 
Length,  Breadth,  Height,  Bale,  Surface, 
Angles,  Circumference,  and  yet  have  no 
Relifli  of  that  general  Proportion  which  is 
the  Refult  of  the.  whole,  and  charts  the 
Virtuofo  Spectator  without  any  previous 
K  Inquiry, 


(  66  ) 

Inquiry.     So  again  in  a  Piece  of  Painting 
he   may  difcern   all    the    feveral   Objects, 
their  diftinct  Figures,  their  Attitudes,  their 
Colourings,  with  the  different  Boundaries 
and  Degrees  of  Light  and  Shade  ;  and  yet 
have  no  Senfe  of  its  general  Beauty.     It  is 
this  that  fets  the  Man  of  Tafte  in  the  fe 
veral  polite  Arts  fo  much  above  the  mecha 
nic  Performer.     Both  of  them  may  have 
the  fame   number  of  feparate  Ideas  from 
the  feveral  Parts  of  any  Object ;  and  yet 
the  former  {hall  have  a  quite  different  Per 
ception  of  the  Whole -,  from  what  the  latter 
has  any  notion  of.     As  to  the  Foundation 
of  this  Senfe  of  Beauty,  'tis   obferved,   I 
think,  very  juftly  by   the  ingenious  Mr. 
Hutchejon  to  be  "  Uniformity  amid  ft  Fa- 
<c  riety"  or  the  Contemplation  of  an  Ob 
ject    as  at    once  regular,  and  diver fified. 
Whether  there  be  any  real  Excellency  in 
the  particular  Forms  we  call  regular  to. the 
Eye  of  a  fupreme  Intelligence  is  not  fo 
eafy  to  determine ;  tho'  was  I  to  declare 
for  either  fide  of  the  Queftion,  I  mould 
rather  do  it  for  the  negative.     Thus  much 
however  is  very  certain,  that  the  Conftitu- 
tion  of  Nature  is  every  way  as  much  ac 
commodated  to  the  Entertainment  of  our 
internal  Senfe  of  Beauty,  as  it  has   been 
Ihewn  under  a  former  Article  to  be  to  that 
of  our  ordinary  Senjes.     The  Univerfe,  as 
its  very  Name  imports  in  the  Language  of 

the 


67 

the  Antients,  is  a  Syftem  of  Beauty,  Regu 
larity  >  and  Order  *.  But  the  Pleafures  of 
Imagination  are  of  a  much  wider  extent 
than  the  real  Compafs  of  external  Nature  5 
for  having  once  received  the  Ideas  of 
Beauty  and  Proportion  from  the  feveral 
Objects  of  immediate  Senfe,  it  finds  with 
in  itfelf  a  Power  of  inlarging,  compound 
ing,  and  altering  them  at  pleafure  to  any 
affignable  Degree,  and  of  figuring  to  itfelf 
new  Combinations  and  Forms  of  beautiful 
Objects,  to  be  as  fo  many  Models  of  Prac 
tice  in  the  different  Branches  of  Art,  which 
not  only  adminifter  freih  Acceffions  of 
Delight  to  the  Imagination  of  the  Curious, 
but  alfo  contribute  much  to  the  better  Ac 
commodation,  or  Imbellimment  of  human 
Life.  And  here  again,  Philemon^  as  if 
Providence  could  never  enough  manifefr. 
its  kind  Intentions  for  our  Happinefs,  it 
has  net  only  form'd  an  intire  Univerfe 
with  reference  to  our  Tafte  of  Beauty,  and 
put  us  into  a  capacity  of  multiplying  the 
Sources  of  this  Pleafure  to  ourfelves  by 
numberlefs  artificial  Combinations,  and 
Models  of  our  own  Invention ;  but  more 
over,  by  a  flill  more  complicated  Benevo- 

*  So  Pliny  tells  us  in  his  fecond  Book  of  Natural 
Hiftory,  chap.  4.  Equidem  &  confenfu  gentium  mo- 
veor,  nam  quem  xo<ru.ov  Graeci,  nomine  ornament?, 
appellaverunt,  eum  nos,  a  perfe&a  abfolutaque  ele- 
gantia,  mundum. 

K  2  lence, 


(  68  ) 

lence,  has  fuperadded  to  the  feveral  Objects 
of  original  Beauty,  neceflarily  agreable  to 
us  in  their  own  Nature,  a  power  of  be 
coming  yet  farther/0  by  after  Defiription; 
and  made  the  apt  Reprejentattons  of  pleafing 
Forms  a  diftintf  Ground  of  Entertain 
ment  from  the  Pleafure  of  the  Forms 
themfelves.  Tis  to  this  we  owe  much 
of  the  Entertainment  of  Poetry,  painting, 
Sculpture,  Statuary,  and  other  defcriptive 
Arts  *. 


very  remarkable,  (faid  I)  that  this 
comparative  Beauty  from  the  Aptnefs  of 
'Defcription  is  no  fmall  Foundation  of  Plea 
fure  to  the  Imagination,  even  where  the 
Objects  defcribed  are  rather  difagreable,  or 
even  terrible,  in  themfelves.  Thus  parti 
cular  Deformities  either  of  Perfon,  or  in 
natural  Objects  ;  the  decrepit  Figure  of  Old 
Age,  rude  Rocks,  Mountains,  Precipices, 
Tempefts,  may  by  a  good  Representation 
be  turn'd  into  very  confiderable  Beauties  in 
Painting,  however  otherwife  in  their  Re 
alities.  And  no  one,  I  believe,  ever  read 
Virgil's  Defcription  of  Mneas  his  Defcent 
to  Hell  without  a  very  fenfible  Delight, 
tho'  the  feveral  Scenes  he  was  to  pafs  thro' 
in  his  Paflage  thither  were  confidered  by 
his  Conduftrefs  as  ib  full  of  Horror,  that 
ihe  would  not  permit  him  to  ingage  in  the 
t  See  Hutch.  Inq,  Sett  4. 

unpa- 


69 

unparallel'd  Enterprize,  'till  flie  had  given 
him  this  very  feafonable  piece  of  Caution 
along  with  him 

^uque  invade  viam,  vagindque  eripeferrum*, 
Nuncanimisopus,  Mneay  nunc  peftorefirmo  *. 

Tho'  it  muft  at  the  fame  time  be  owned, 
the  Pleafure  is  ftill  greater,  when  we  at 
tend  him  to  the 

Locos  Itetos,  G?  amcena  vireta 
Fortunatorum  nemorum.  ledefcue  beatas  4-. 

'  c/  J   J. 

Becaufe  there  the  Obje&s  themfehes  are  no 
lefs  agreable  to  the  Imagination,  than  the 
Poet's  fingular  Happinefs  in  reprefenting 
them.  The  Speftator,  I  remember,  has 
the  fame  Obfervation  of  our  own  divine 
Countryman  Milton ;  f £  that  his  Defcrip- 
"  tions  of  Hell  and  of  Paradife  are  both, 
"  perhaps,  equally  perfeft  in  their  kind ; 
"  but  in  one  the  Brimflone  and  Sulphur 
<c  are  lefs  refrefhing  to  the  Fancy,  than 
a  the  Beds  of  Flowers,  and  Wildernefs  of 
"  Sweets  in  the  other  ||. 

How  inlarged  and  amiable  an  Idea  (in- 
terpofed  Hortenftus)  does  this  give  us  of 
the  beneficent  Contrivance  of  the  Author 

*  Mneld.  Lib.  VI.  260. 

f  Ibid.  638. 

j|  Vol.  VI.  N°.  418.  The  intire  Eflay  on  the  Plea- 
fures  of  the  Imagination  is  well  worth  perufing  upon 
this  Subject. 

of 


of  our  Faculties  ?  that  in  the  Syftem  of 
the  Univerfe  he  fhould  have  obferved  the 
fame  Rule  which  we  ourfelves  do  in  re 
gard  to  our  own  perfonal  Syflem :  having 
give?i,  as  an  infpired  Writer  has  it,  ncr-e 
abundant  Honour  to  that  part  which  lacked  ? 
infomuch  that  even  thofe  Objedts  in  Na 
ture,  which  <we  think  to  be  left  beautiful, 
upon  theje  are  be/lowed  an  adventitious  kind 
of  Beauty  y  and  its  uncomely  Parts  have 
thus  a  relative  Comelinejs  *. 

BUT  is  not  this  after  all  (obferved  I)  as 
rnuch  as  can  be  faid,  according  to  your 
Hypothefis,  of  the  mod  confeffedly  beau 
tiful  Objeds  in  Nature  ?  for  you  fcemed 
unwilling,  I  remember,  to  admit  of  any 
fuch  thing  as  abjblute  intrinfic  Beauty  j  and 
were  for  refolving  all  into  a  certain  arbitrary 
Accommodation  of  things  to  our  particular 
manner  of  Conception :  fo  that  what  I 
have  fometimes  heard  remarked  of  a  par 
ticular  Species  of  Beauty,  that  of  Face,  or 
Perfon,  is  as  true,  I  perceive,  of  every  ci 
ther  kind  of  it  j  and  our  Men  of  Gallantry 
are  better  Philofophers,  than  they  them- 
felves  are  generally  aware  of,  when  in  de 
fence  of  fome  fmgular  Paffion  they  tell  us, 
that  "  all  Beauty  is  Fancy."  But  furely, 
Hortenfms,  this  cannot  be  the  Truth  of  the 
Cafe  j  that  there  mould  be  no  fettled  Cn- 

*   i  Cor.  12,  23,  24. 


terion  of  Beauty,  Order,  Proportion,  in 
the  Nature  of  things  themfelves,  indepen 
dently  of  fomejpecial  Appointment.  Who 
can  imagine,  that  a  rude  Heap  of  Stones 
confufedly  thrown  together  fhould,  to  the 
Eye  of  any  Being,  appear  equally  beauti 
ful  with  a  fine  piece  of  Building,  the  Pro 
portions  of  the  moft  regular  Architec 
ture  ? 

THIS  is  a  mere  Prejudice  of  our  Ima 
gination,  (returned  Hortenfius.}  Can  you 
feparate  all  Thoughts  of  U/e  from  the  par 
ticular  Models  of  Architecture,  which  you 
call  beautiful  ?  or  is  not  this  latter  Con 
ception  a  Confequence  of  the  former,  in 
fome  fecret  Method  of  Aflbciation  ? 

BY  no  means,  (faid  I)  as  I  apprehend. 
How  often  do  we  commend  an  Object  as 
beautiful,  where  Ufe  is  quite  out  of  the 
queftion  ?  where  there  is  not  any  Appea 
rance  of  this  kind  to  determine  our  Appro 
bation  ? 

NOR  any  Comparifon  (replied  he)  made 
•with  fome  other  Object  of  like  Beauty,  that 
is  confeffedly  ufeful  ? 

I  think  not,  (faid  I)  at  leaft  I  have  often 
done  fo,  without  being  aware  of  any  fuch 
Comparifon. 

PERHAPS 


(72  ) 

PERHAPS  fo,  (returned  Hortenfius.) 
But  this  is  not  the  only  Inftance,  in  which 
Comparisons  are  formed  by  the  Mind 
without  any  immediate  Attention  to  its 
own  Act  in  doing  fo.  What  think  you, 
Philemon,  of  that  Propeniity  we  all  natu 
rally  have  to  run  to  the  Affiftance  of  Peo 
ple  in  any  fudden  and  immediate  Circurri- 
jftance  of  Danger  or  Dirr.refs  ?  Could  you 
fee  a  Man  accidentally  falling  into  the  Fire, 
or  down  a  Precipice,  in  danger  of  Drown 
ing,  Suffocation,  Strangling,  or  the  like, 
and  not  mechanically  indeavour  to  refcue 
him  ?  And  yet,  perhaps,  this  piece  of  ne- 
ceffary  Compaffion  may  be  only  a  more 
difguifed  Inflance  of  Self-Love  grounded 
upon  a  fudden,  and  therefore  uribbfertied 
Subflitution  of  oitrfehes  into  his  Place  and 
Circumftances.  'Tis  the  Quicknefs  of  the 
Tranfition  in  fuch  Cafes  that  makes  us 
overlook  it.  And  hence  probably  feveral 
other  acquired  Propenfities  in  our  Nature 
either  to  perform  certain  Actions,  or  to  re- 
lifh  certain  Objects,  without  a  formal  At 
tention  to  the  precife  Reafons  of  either, 
have  been  diftinguimed  by  the  Name  of 
Injlinfts,  whereas  in  truth  they  are  only 
Habits.  Tho'  at  the  fame  time  it  mufl 
be  acknowledged,  that  they  have  all  the 
Ufe  and  Force  of  fo  many  feveral  Inftincts; 
and  therefore  the  particular  Facts  that 

arife 


f  73  ) 

hrife  out  of  them  are  not  affected  fjy  anj£ 
difference  in  accounting  for  the  Original 
of  the  things  themfelves.  May  not  this 
explain  in  fome  meafure  your  approving 
certain  Objects  as  beautiful,  where  you 
can  fee  no  Ufej  namely,  from  fome  un= 
obferved  Comparifon  with  like  regular 
Forms,  which  are  experienced  to  have  a 
very  manifeft  one?  For  indeed,  Philemon^ 
to  talk  of  abftracl  Order  and  Proportion  is 
to  me  very  unintelligible  Language.  As 
far  as  Order  and  Proportion  are  real  Ra 
tifies  of  Bodies,  and  not  arbitrary  Modifi 
cations  of  our  Senfe,  they  belong  equally 
to  all  poffible  Combinations  of  Matter. 
For  the  moft  deformed  irregular  Objects 
have  a  certain  Order  and  Relation  of  their 
Parts  to  one  another,  as  well  as  the  molt 
beautiful  and  uniform  ones.  Let  a  heap 
of  Stones  be  thrown  together  never  fo  con- 
fujedly  as  to  our  Apprehenfion,  there  will 
yet,  as  an  ingenious  Writer  expreffes  it  *$ 
"  be  as  real  a  Proportion  in  their  Sizes 
"  and  Diftances,  as  if  they  had  been 
"  ranged  by  the  niceft  hand ;"  and  the 
Reafon  why  they  appear  confufed  to  us  is 
not  becaufe  they  want  Order  and  Propor 
tion  in  them/elves,  but  becaufe  they  have 
hot  that  particular  Order  and  Difpofition. 
of  Parts  that  is  accommodated  to  our  par- 

*  Author  of  a  Pamphlet,  intitled,  Divine  Benevo 
lence,  in  1731,  printed  for  /.  Noon,  p.  46. 

L  ticular 


(  74  ) 

ticular  manner  of  Conception.  "Tis  not 
Order  and  Proportion  as  fuch  that  confti- 
tutes  Beauty  3  for  then  all  Objects  that 
may  be  compared  as  to  Situation  and  Quan 
tity  muft  be  beautiful ;  and  there  could  be 
no  fuch  thing  as  Deformity  in  the  World. 
We  are  indeed  apt  to  pronounce  of  certain 
difagreable  Objects,  that  they  want  Order 
and  Proportion  5  but  the  ExprelTion  isjuft 
as  improper,  as  the  fore-mention'd  Author 
obferves,  as  when  we  fay  a  Body  is  fhape- 
lefsy  which  appears  to  us  ill-Jhaped*.  If 
you  was  to  invert  the  Pofition  of  the  beft- 
proportioned  Door-Cafe ,  and  make  its 
Perpendicular  its  Bafe,  would  it  not  ap 
pear  extremely  awkard  and  unnatural  ? 
Now  what  is  it  that  is  here  changed,  but  its 
particular  Relation  to  the  human  Stature  ? 
the  fame  Number  of  Parts,  and  the  fame 
Order  and  Proportion  of  one  of  its  Di- 
menfions  to  the  other,  fubfifts  as  before  -, 
Upright  and  Parallel  are  mere  Prejudices  of 
our  Senfe.  The  only  thing  that  is  really 
affected  by  this  Alteration  is  its  Ufe  or  Con 
venience  -,  and  yet  when  it  lofes  this  it  is 
no  longer  beautiful :  a  Circum fiance  that 
feems  to  make  Beauty  and  Ufefulnefs  more 
nearly  allied  to  each  other,  than  you  are 
willing  to  allow.  And,  to  fay  the  truth, 
Philemon,  I  am  of  opinion  this  way  of 
Reafoning  holds  equally  good  of  the  fe- 

-*  Div.  Ben.  p.  47. 

veral 


75  ) 

veral  Forms  of  Beauty  in  Nature,  as  in 
the  Combinations  of  Art.  The  wife  Ar 
chitect  of  the  Univerfe  has  framed  every 
part  of  it  with  exquifite  Contrivance  tQ 
promote  the  general  Good  of  the  whole. 
The  Configurations  of  the  heavenly  Bo 
dies,  their  Order,  Magnitudes,  Diflunces, 
Revolutions,  are  all  of  them  accommodated 
to  their  refpective  Ufes  in  the  Creation. 
The  Structure  of  Plants,  Trees,  Animal 
Bodies,  &c.  is  fuch  as  their  feveral  Na 
tures  require  it  mould  be.  Were  we  let 
into  the  whole  Secret  and  Oeconomy 
of  Nature,  we  lliould  find  none  of  them 
could  be  altered  but  for  the  worfe.  Our 
Reajon>  and  our  Intereft,  from  a  general 
View  of  the  Cafe,  would  approve  their 
prefent  Constitution,  tho'  we  had  no  Senfe 
of  Beauty  in  any  particular  Mechanifm 
more  than  another.  And  yet  fuch  is  the 
Abundance  of  Divine  Goodnefs,  that  not 
fatisfied,  as  it  were,  to  have  formed  things 
for  the  beft  in  a  rational  Eftimate,  it  has 
given  them  a  /'upermtmerary  Recommen 
dation  to  us  from  a  Principle  of  Beauty ; 
and  made  the  Contemplation  of  fuch  Forms, 
Orders,  and  Difpofitions  of  Bodies,  as 
would  mofr,  approve  themfelves  to  our  Rea- 
fon  as  t/Jeful,  an  immediate  Source  of  Plea- 
fure  to  our  Imagination  as  beautiful.  For 
this  I  take  to  be  the  real  State  of  the  Caiej 
and  it  is  an  effectual  Anfwer  to  thofe  who 
L  2  tell 


(  76  ) 

tell  us,  that  upon  fuppoiltion  there  is  nq 
intrinfic  Beauty  in  the  Nature  of  Things 
themfelves,  but  all  is  matter  of  arbitrary 
Appointment,  the  Profufion  of  Art  and 
Skill  obfervable  in  the  Mechanifm  of  the 
Univerfe  is  a  mere  Wajle  of  Workmanfhip-, 
and  a  Chaos  would  have  anfwered  the  Cre 
ator's  Purpofe  as  well  as  a  regular  Syftem  * ; 
a  Notion  that  can  never  be  maintained, 
'till  it  can  be  proved  that  all  Conftitutions 
of  Things  are  as  indifferent  in  refpect  of 
their  U/es  and  Applications,  as  I  have  been 
indeavoring  to  mew  they  are,  in  refpect 
of  the  particular  Confukration  of  their 
Beauty. 

BUT  will  not  this  way  of  Reafoning, 
(faid  I)  Hortenfius,  lead  us  to  fome  very 
odd  Concluiions?  particularly,  if  there  be 
no  Reality  in  Beauty,  and  nothing  can 
appear  to  the  diyine  Mind  otherwife  than 
it  really  is  in  itfelf,  will  not  this  feem  to 
caft  a  made  upon  the  univerfal  Syftem  in 
tht  ^ye  of  its  own  Maker  ?  Shall  then  the 
lovely  Face  of  Nature,  fo  liberal  of  its 
Charms  to  the  human  Senfe,  appear  not- 
withilanding  to  its  Author,  the  only  un 
erring  'Judge  of  it,  without  Form  or  Come- 
llnefs  -j-  ?  A  {hocking  Reflexion  this  on 
that  Divine  Geometrician,  as  an  ancient 

*  Divine  Rectitude,  by  Mr.  Balguy*  p  16. 

t-rr  •  i  '     J  *  J '  * 

liaiah  53.  2. 

Author 


(  77  ) 

Author  calls  him,  who  has  ever  been  con- 
iidered  by  the  wife  and  thoughtful  of  all 
Ages,  as  eftabliming  the  Univerfe  in  Num 
ber,  Weight^  and  Meajiire ;  and  who  tells 
us  of  himfelf,  by  a  more  authentic  De 
claration,  that  upon  a  deliberate  Review 
of  the  Works  of  his  Hands,  newly  gone 
out  of  them,  he  found  reafon  to  pronounce 
of  every  thing  he  had  made,  that  it  was 
very  good*.  And  indeed  I  have  always 
been  uied  to  conceive  of  the  Beauty,  Or 
der,  and  Regularity  of  external  Nature, 
as  the  Production  of  thofe  perfect  Models 
of  Beauty,  Proportion,  and  Symmetry  into 
actual  Exiftence,  which  before  fubfifted 
in  the  divine  Ideas  from  all  Eternity.  But 
you,  it  feems,  will  neither  allow  them  to 
fubfift  there,  nor  any  where  elfe,  but  in 
the  deluded  Apprehenfions  of  weak  Mor 
tals. 

MAY  I  ever  be  thus  agreably  deceived, 
(refumed  Hortenjius  /)  and  with  Gratitude, 
inftead  of  repining,  fubmit  to  a  Deluiion 
of  fo  great  Confequence  to  my  Happinefs! 
For  what  is  Happinefs,  Philemon,  but 
Idea  ?  and  if  unbracing  a  Cloud  can  give 
me  equal  Satisfaction,  need  I  complain  of 
its  being  jubjlitiited  in  the  room  of  the 
Queen  of  Heaven  ?  But  to  come  more  di 
rectly  to  the  Point :  You  are  concerned, 

*  Genefis  i.  31, 

it 


it  teems,  that  the  Works  of  the  Deity 
fhould  appear  to  him  without  that  parti 
cular  Relation  we  call  Beauty.  But  do 
they  not  likewife  appear  to  him  without 
the  relation  of  Deformity  ?  and  does  not 
that  in  fome  meafure  fatisfy  you  ?  Should 
I  tell  any  of  the  Vulgar,  that  there  is  no 

j  O         ' 

fuch  thing  as  Colour  to  the  divine  Appre- 
henfion,  would  not  their  Prejudices  rife 
ftroog  ag-ainft  the  Truth  of  this  Affertion? 
and  yet  you  and  I  are  perfuaded  of  this, 
and  think  it  no  Diminution  of  the  divine 
Happinefs,  however  the  contrary  may  be 
an  Improvement  of  our  own.  Do  but  con- 
ilder  Beauty,  as  you  are  ufed  to  do  Colour, 
Philemon^  and  you  will  be  as  little  con 
cerned  to  defend  the  Reality  of  one,  with 
regard  to  the  Deity,  as  you  are  of  the 
other  *. 

BUT  not  to  urge  you  with  lefs  impor 
tant  Objections,  (replied  I)  Hortenfius,  I 
have  one  which  ftrikes  deep  at  your  main 
Principle,  taken  from  Fact  ;  namely,  that 
the  Constitution  of  Things  is  itfelf  Juch  as 
plainly  fpeaks  the  Deity  to  have  had  a  re 
gard  to  the  greater  Order  and  Harmony 
of  the  World,  as  a  diflinft  End  from  the 
Happinefs  of  its.  Inhabitants.  What  elfe, 
as  a  very  ingenious  Writer  upon  this  Sub 
ject  reafons,  means  that  Scale  and  Subor- 

*  Div.  Ben.  p.  45. 

dination 


f  79  ) 

dination  of  Beings  eftablifhed  in  the  Uni- 
verfe,  "  afcending  from  inanimate  and 
"  flupid  Matter  to  Human-Kind,  and 
<c  reaching  beyond  it  higher  and  farther 
"  than  our  Faculties  are  able  to  follow 
"  them  *  r"  A  more  nearly  equal  State  of 
their  Powers  and  Perfections  would  have 
been  more  conducive  to  their  common 
Happinefs,  but  would  at  the  fame  time 
have  deftroyed  that  Order  and  Regularity 
which  prevails  in  the  prefent  Syftem  j  ail 
End  too  f  acred  for  the  Deity  to  break  In 
upon  for  any  other  Confederations -f-!  Had 
Happinefs  been  the  only  Defign  of  the 
Creator,  whence  that  mighty  Difference 
to  be  obferved  in  the  Capacities  and  In- 
joyments  of  the  feveral  Ranks  of  fenfitive 
Beings  ?  why  were  they  not  all  placed  in 
the  bigbeft  Degree  of  Perfection  ?  why  not 
•3\\  intelligent?  why  not  indued  with  the 
Powers  and  Faculties  of  Angels?  but  the 
eternal  Laws  of  Order  and  Proportion 
forbid  fuch  an  unvaried  Difpofuion  of 
Things  |J. 

THIS  (returned  Hortenfius)  would  be 
an  infuperable  Difficulty  indeed,  were  it 
but  built  upon  any  folid  Foundation  in 
point  of  Fact  :  but  what  if  the  quite 

*  Div.  Retf.  p.  13. 
f  Div.  Refl.  p.  22. 
|  Div.  Rttf.  p.  15,  22,  23. 

contrary 


8o 

contrary  be  true  ?  What  if  the  fame  Confli- 
tution  and  Oeconomy  of  things  ihat  makes 
them  thus  beautiful  and  regular  to  our  I- 
magination,  be  at  the  fame  time  calculated 
to  ferve  the  Purpofes  of  the  greateft  pof- 
fible  Happinefs  upon  the  whole  ?  How  do 
you  know  but  the  higheft  Order  of  intel 
ligent  and  happy  Beings  may  in  the  pre- 
fent  Syftem  be  as  full,  as  the  Nature  and 
Circumftances  of  fetch  Beings  can  admit  of? 
Would  you  then  have  no  inferior  Degrees 
of  Happinefs  communicated  to  other  ClafTes 
of  Beings,  becaiife  a  jarther  Communica 
tion  of  that  which  is  moft  perfect  is  alto 
gether  impracticable  ?  Surely  this  would 
be  to  break  in  as  much  upon  the  Happi 
nefs  of  the  Univerfe,  as  it  can  be  fuppoied 
to  be  upon  its  Order  and  Regularity.  Se- 
rioufly,  Philemon,  I  am  fo  far  from  think 
ing  the  Scale  of  Beings  you  mention  ari 
Objection  to  the  Creator's  Goodnefs,  that 
to  me  it  appears  to  be  the  noblen:  Difplay 
and  Confirmation  of  it;  inafmuch  as  it 
feems  probable  the  Sum  total  of  Happinefs 
is  much  greater  in  this  Conftitution  of 
things,  than  it  could  have  been  in  any 
other  *  :  efpecially  if  this  very  Circum- 

ftance 

*  This  Notion  is  well  explained  and  defended  by 
the  learned  and  thoughtful  Archbifhop  King,  in  his 
Treatife  of  the  Origin  of  Evil ;  and  his  Reafonings 
upon  this  Subjeft  have  been  ftill  farther  inforced  by 
his  very  ingenious  Translator;  who  in  this,  as,  I  think, 

in 


ftance  of  a  regular  Subordination  in  the 
Univerfe,  at  the  fame  time  that  in  the  na 
ture  of  the  thing  itfelf  it  is  productive  of 
more  general  Happinefs,  be  likewife  calcu 
lated  to  give  Pleafure  in  its  Contemplation 
from  a  Sen/e  of  Beauty  to  other  parts  of  the 
rational  Creation,  as  we  experience  it  to  do 
our/elves  in  particular;  a  Notion  which  I 
do  not  think  improbable:  however,  it  muft 
be  owned,  the  Conftitution  of  our  Senfe 
of  Beauty  may  feem  to  have  been  in  many 
reipefts  more  peculiarly  accommodated  to 

in  many  other  Inftances,  has  greatly  improved  upon 
ah  excellent  Original.  See  Chap.  3,  4,  5.  Subfeft.  5. 
with  the  Notes ;  from  which  I  will  take  the  liberty 

of  tranfcribing  the  following  Paffage "  From  the 

"  foregoing  Obfervation,  that  there  is  no  manner  of 
u  Chafm  or  Vold^  no  Link  deficient  in  this  great  Chain 
"  of  Beings,  and  the  reafon  of  it,  it  will  appear  ex- 
"  tremely  probable  alfo,  that  every  diftincl:  Order, 
"  every  Clafs,  or  Species  of  them,  is  as  full  as  the 
"  Nature  of  it  would  admit,  and  God  law  proper. 
*'  There  are  perhaps  fo  many  in  each  Clafs  as  could 
*'  exift  together  without  fome  Inconvenience  or  Uneaji- 
"  ncfs  to  each  other.  This  is  eafily  conceivable  in 
"  Mankind,  and  may  be  in  fuperior  Beings ;  tho'  for 
"  want  of  an  exacl:  Knowledge  of  their  feveral  Na- 
"  tures  and  Orders,  we  cannot  apprehend  the  man- 
*'  ner  of  it,  or  conceive  how  they  affect  one  another ; 
«  only  this  we  are  fure  of,  that  neither  the  Species, 
*'  nor  the  Individuals  in  each  Species,  can  pollibly  be 
*'  infinite;  and  that  nothing  but  an  bnpoffibility  in 
*'  the  nature  of  the  thing,  or  fome  greater  Inconve- 
<c  nlence^  can  reftrain  the  Exercife  of  the  Power  of 
*'  God;  or  hinder  him  from  producing  ft  ill  more  and 
"  more  Beings  capable  of  Felicity."  Laufs  Tranflat. 
p.  95.  Note  35.  at  the  end. 

M  Creatures 


(  82  ) 

Creatures  of  our  particular  Make  and  Cir- 
cumftances.  Thus  the  Manner  of  know 
ing  by  general  Theorems,  and  of  operat 
ing  by  general  Principles,  or  Caujes,  as 
'tis  well  obferved  by  Mr.  Hutchejbny  as  far 
as  we  can  attain  it,  muft  be  moft  fuitable 
to  Beings  of  limited  Understanding,  and 
Powers  of  Action  ;  the  one  preventing 
Diftra6tion  to  their  Minds  by  a  Multipli 
city  of  particular  Proportions,  and  the  o- 
ther  Toil  and  Wearinefs  to  their  active 
Faculties  from  a  Variety  of  feparate  Ap 
plications  *.  Now  'tis  obvious  that  our 
Senfe  of  Beauty  coincides  intirely  with  what 
a  rational  Conviction  of  Intereft  would  re 
commend  to  our  Choice  in  both  thefe  In- 
ftances.  Again,  the  Comprehenfion  of  re 
gular  and  uniform  Objects  is  much  eafier  than 
of  irregular  ones  j  inafmuch  as  here  a  Know 
ledge  of  one  or  two  parts  leads  us  into  that 
of  the  whole  -,  whereas  the  Ideas  of  con- 
fufed  Heaps,  and  difuniform  Combinations 
are  neither  afcertained  to  the  Imagination, 
nor  retained  in  the  Memory,  without 
coniiderable  Difficulty  -f-.  And  yet  here 
likewife  a  Senfe  of  Beauty  comes  in,  and 
determines  us  in  favour  of  Uniformity, 
Regularity,  and  Order  in  the  Difpofition 

*  Hutch.  Inq.  p.  98. 
f  Hutch,    p.  99. 

of 


of  Objects    previoufly    to  all  Reafons  of 
Convenience  *. 

IT  may  be  obferved  here,  that  however 
it  mufl  be  acknowledged  that  none  of  thefe 
Reafons  have  any  Force  as  to  the  fupreme 
Being  himjelf^  fince  all  ways  of  knowing 

are 

*  The  Meaning  here  is,  that  from  an  actual  Ex 
perience  of  the  Benefits  of  Order,  Uniformity,  Re 
gularity,  in  many  particular  Inftances,  wo  are  led  to 
place  a  kind  of  Value  in  regular  Objects  as  fuck,  in 
the  way  of  Habit  and  AfTociation.  For  that  this  is 
the  very  truth  of  the  Cafe  in  natural  Objects  we  may 
reafonably  conclude  from  the  Analogy  of  artificial 
ones  ;  in  which  it  is  very  evident  that  Beauty  is  no 
thing  elfe  but  experienced  Ufefulnefs.  Many  of  the 
Ornaments  in  the  different  Orders  of  Architecture  were 
at  firft  only  very  fimple  Contrivances  for  the  conve 
nient  Adjuftment  of  Beams,  Rafters,  Props,  and  o- 
ther  neceffary  Materials  in  building  ;  as  may  be  feen 
in  Fitruvius^  and  other  Writers  of  Architecture :  by 
decrees  Ufe  came  to  be  converted  into  Beauty ;  and 
indeed  the  latter  feems  now  wholly  to  ingrofs  the  Paf- 
fion  of  the  Firtuo/i,  as  it  were  for  its  own  lake.  Thus 
the  Corona  or  Cornljh  particularly  was  at  firft  only  an 
Invention  to  keep  off  Wet  from  the  Sides  of  Walls,  or 
Bodies  of  Pillars;  and  yet  we  fee  it  is  now  eftablim'd 
into  an  Ornament :  fed  projeftura  Coronarum  rejiciet 
extra  perpend iculum  ftillas,  &  ea  ratione  fervaverit 
integras  laterit!orum  parietum  ftrucluras.  Fitruvii  de 
Architectura  Lib.  2.  Cap.  8. So  again  the  Pro 
portions  between  the  Bales  of  Pillars  and  their  Heights 
were  at  firft  adjufted  from  that  of  the  Foot  to  the  in-* 
tire  Stature  in  the  human  Body.  Cum  voluiflent  co- 
lumnas  collocare  (fays  Wtrnvius}  fpcaking  of  the  firft 
Inftitution  of  the  Doric  Pillar,  non  habentes  fyrnme- 
trias  earum,  &  qucerentes  quibus  rationibus  efficcre 
poffent,  uti  &  ad  onus  ferendum  effent  idonese,  &  in 
M  2  afpeclu 


(84) 

are  equally  eafy  to  an  infinite  Comprehen- 
fion,  and  all  ways  of  ading  to  infinite 
Power;  neverthelefs,  he  having  determined 
for  the  Reafons  already  mentioned  to  con- 
ftitute  our  Senfe  of  Beauty  Jiich  as  in  fad: 
it  is,  an  Accommodation  of  external  Nature 
to  it  is  what  might  reasonably  be  expedled 

from 

afpe&u  probatam  haberent  vcnuftatem  (a  manifeft 
Conlequence  this  of  the  other]  dimenfi  funt  virilis  pedis 
veftigium,  &  cum  invenifTent  pedem  fextam  partem 
eife  altitudinis  in  homine,  ita  in  columnam  tranftule- 

runt. The  Proportions  of  the  Ionic  and  Corinthian 

Pillar  were  adjufted  much  upon  the  fame  Principle. 

Fitrnv.  Lib.  4.  Cap.  I.  de  Gen.  Columnartim. And 

in  another  Place  he  tells  us,  that  all  Proportion  in 
Build'ng  is  relative  to  that  of  the  human  Figure.  Non 
potefr  sedes  ulla  fine  fymmetria  atque  proportione  ratio- 
nem  habere  compofitionis,  nifi  uti  ad  hominis  bene  fi- 
gurati  membrorum  habuerit  exaftam  rationem.  Lib.  3. 
Cap.  i.  And  indeed  that  the  Ancients  were  wholly 
governed  by  the  Views  of  the  greateft  Ufe  or  Con- 
veniency,  when  they,  omnia  certa  proprietate,  &  a 
veris  naturae  de:!ucl:is  moribus,  traduxerunt  in  operum 
perfcdiic/nes,  (Vhruv.  Lib.  4.  Cap,  2.)  appears  from 
hence,  fhat  later  Architects  have  in  vain  attempted 
to  reniic  upon  their  Models,  or  to  introduce  any  new 
Orders  of  Building.  The  French  King,  we  know, 
was  very  defirous  to  have  had  the  Reputation  of  bring 
ing  fome  new  Order  into  ufe ;  but  it  was  found  im 
practicable  without  manifjft  Inconvenience. 1  may 

here  juft  note  by  the  way,  that  what  has  been  faid  of 
natural  Beauty,  that  it  is  all  relative  to  fome  Ufe,  is 
as  true  of  moral,  or  the  Beauty  of  Actions.  Some 
Scheme  of  Action  there  is  which  anfwers  all  the  Pur- 
pofes  of  fetch  a  Creature  as  Man  ;  which  accomplishes 
every  Point  he  can  be  fuppofed  to  aim  at.  This  is 
what  is  called  moral  Virtue,  and  it  is  the  Duty  of  every 
Man,  bccaufe  it  is  his  true  Inter cjl  upon  the  whole,  to 

act 


Ms  ) 

from  his  Goodnefs  *.  Accordingly  we 
find  the  Univerfe  has  been  a  perpetual 
Source  of  Delight  and  Entertainment  to 
the  Imaginations  of  the  Curious  in  all  Ages. 

act  in  Conformity  to  this  Rule  of  Life  and  Conduct, 
eftablifhed  in  the  neceflary  Relations  and  Habitudes 
of  things.  The  Senfe  of  Beauty  in  Actions  is  nothing 
elfe  but  their  apprehended  Subfervicncy  to  this  great 
End  ;  which,  according  as  it  is  jufl  or  dthepw'ife,  con? 
ftitutes  (as  the  Senfe  of  external  Beauty  does  like  wife 
in  natural  Objects)  a  true  or  a  falfe  Tafte  of  Life, 
This  accounts  for  the  many  otherunfe  unaccountable 
Perverjions  both  of  the  internal  and  moral  Senfe  ob- 
fervable  in  Fact  and  Experience ;  as  it  likewife  points 
out  the  true  Remedy  for  them,  namely  to  confider 
impartially  the  real  Nature  and  Confequcnces  of 
Things,  to  inlarge  the  View  of  the  Mind,  to  take  in 
many  more  Particulars  into  the  Account,  and  by  that 
means  correct  the  vicious  Relifh,  or  Gothic  Taftc. 
Thofe  who  cannot  give  up  the  favourite  Terms  of 
abftratt  Beauty,  and  abftrafl  Fitnefs,  may  poflibly 
have  lefs  Prejudice  to  this  way  of  thinking,  when 
they  are  pleafed  to  obferve,  that  what  they  call  beau- 
tiful,  or  foy  and  the  like,  that  I  only  defire  leave  to 
call  ufcful,  or  convenient  ;  we  mean  the  very  fame 
things,  and  differ  only  in  Expreffion  :  a  Circumftance 
I  chufe  to  mention,  in  regard  to  the  many  excellent 
Writers  who  have  feemed  to  oppofe  the  inter ejted  Scheme 
of  Morality.  I  have  as  great  a  Contempt  for  what  is 
commonly  underftood  by  Selfjhnefs^  as  they  can  poilibly 
have ;  and  I  am  lefs  inclined  to  differ  from  them,  be- 
caufe,  I  take  it,  it  is  the  Excefs  of  their  Genercfity  a- 
lone  that,  to  my  Apprehenfion,  mifleads  them ;  this 
having  been  the  Error,  if  fuch  it  is,  of  fome  of  the 
moft  valuable  Perfons  in  the  World  of  Letters ;  as  no 
one  can  doubt,  who  confiders  that  Dr.  Clarke^  Mr,. 
IVollaJlon,  Mr.  Hutchcfon,  Mr.  Balguy,  and  others  of 
great  Merit  have  declared  for  this  Opinion. 
*  See  Hutch.  Inq.  p.  102. 

That 


(  86  ) 

That  admirably  Jimple  kind  of  Mechanifm, 
by  which  are  brought  about  fome  of  the 
moft  confiderable  Effedls  in  Nature  is  ex- 
quifitely  adapted  to  our  Tafte  of  Beauty 
in  'Uniformity  amidft  Variety.     Such   are 
the  Principles  of  Gravitation,  of  Heat,  of 
Elafticity;  the  feveral  Operations  of  which, 
befides  their  numberlefs  good  Ufes  in  the 
Creation,  have  moreover  a  peculiar  rela 
tion   of  Accommodation  to    the   human 
Mind,  from  their   obferved  Agreement  in 
one   general   Caufe   of  their   Production. 
The  obvious   Face  of  the  World,  Phile-* 
mon,  is  beautiful  and  regular $  the  Forms 
of  the  heavenly  Bodies,   their  Difpofition 
in  an  imaginary  concave  Sphere,  their  Pe 
riods,  and  Revolutions  in  equal  Times  j  the 
Returns  of  Day  and  Night,  Seed-time  and 
Harveft,  Summer  and    Winter  3  the  Ar 
rangements  of  natural  Objects;  the  gra 
dual  Riling  of  Hills,  their  extended  Ranges 
with   regularly    interfperfed   Valleys ;  the 
beautiful  Level   and    polifhed   Surface  of 
Rivers ,  the  uniform  Majefty  of  the  Ocean ; 
the  fimilar  Structure  and  Configuration  of 
the  parts  of  Flowers,  Plants,  Trees,  and 
above  all  of  animal  Bodies,  are  Inftances 
of  a  governing  Order  in  Nature  equally  no 
torious  and  agreable.     But  this  beautiful 
Simplicity,  Regularity,  and  Order  in  the 
Constitution  of  things  is  not  intended  merely 
to  indulge  us  in  the  lazy  Pleafure  of  Con 
templation, 


temptation,  but  to  fuggeft  to  us  many  ufe- 
ful  Principles  of  Adlion  and  Imployment. 
The  feveral  kinds  of  natural  Forces  above- 
mentioned  by  a  dextrous  Application  are 
made  fubfervient  to  various  good  Purpofes  in 
the  Accommodation  of  Life*.  To  them  we 
are  indebted  for  the  Cohefion  of  the  feveral 
Parts  of  artificial  Compofitions  of  Bodies ; 
for  the  Theory  and  Application  of  the  me 
chanic  Powers ;  for  many  ufeful  Operations 
in  Chymiftry,  Phyfic,  Surgery ;  the  feveral 
Engines  imployed  in  the  raifing,  projec 
ting,  or  drawing  off  Water  and  other 
Fluids ;  the  Invention  of  Clock-work,  and 
the  different  Ufes  of  Springs ;  with  feveral 
other  Particulars  too  numerous  to  be  here 

*  It  is  to  be  obferved  here,  as  I  find  it  well  repre- 
fented  by  Mr.  Campbell,  that  we  do  not  in  fuch  Ap 
plications  create  to  ourfelves  any  new  Powers  or  Fa 
culties,  which  we  had  not  before  from  the  Author  of 
our  Being ;  nor  do  we  furnifh  external  Objects  with 
other  Qualities,  than  what  they  have  from  the  firft 
Caufe  of  all  things.  And  where  is  the  Crime  of  my 
collecting  and  difpofmg  particular  things  together,  fo 
as  to  gratify  my  Mind  with  greater  Variety  of  plea- 
fmg  Perceptions  than  can  be  had  in  common  thro'  the 
World  ?  All  thefe  things  are  fitted  and  appointed  by 
the  Author  of  Nature  to  entertain  me  with  fuch  Gra 
tifications  :  and,  I  hope,  there  is  no  Guilt  in  exerting 
my  natural  Powers,  and  making  ufe  of  my  own  La 
bour,  Skill,  and  Induftry,  in  procuring  for  myfelf 
thofe  Pleafures  which  I  have  a  natural  Tafte  to  injoy ; 
or  in  applying  things  to  thofe  Purpofes,  to  which, 
not  finful  Man,  but  the  Deity  himfelf  has  fo  well 
adapted  them.  APETH-AOFIA,  p.  111,112. 

diftindly 


(88  ) 

diftinclly  infifted  on  *.  Our  Tafte  of 
Beauty  in  the  Order  and  Regularity  of  na 
tural  Objects  is  the  Foundation  of  all  that 
Pleafure  we  receive  from  the  more  elegant 
Devices  of  Art ;  fuch  as  Architecture,  Ma 
fic,  Gardening,  Painting,  Statuary ;  to 
which  we  may  add  likewife  the  Pleafures 
of  Drejs,  Equipage,  Attendants,  Furni 
ture.  Without  fome  or  other  of  which 
Purfuits,  Life  would  want  many  of  thofe 
Conveniences,  and  moft  of  thofe  Amufe- 
ments,  for  which  alone  it  is  chiefly  valu 
able,  in  the  Opinion  of  fuch  as  would  be 
efteemed  to  have  the  trueft  Relifh  of  it. 
Strike  off  the  artificial  Improvements  of 
Life,  and  you  leave  little  or  no  Advantage 
in  a  great  Fortune  above  a  very  fmall  one. 
The  Beauties  of  Nature  lie  open  to  all  in 
common  :  the  fubflantial  part  of  all  fen- 
fual  Gratifications  is  attainable  by  a  very 
moderate  mare  of  Wealth  and  Power: 
nay,  even  Scarcity  often  recommends  thefe 
things  to  us  much  more  than  Abundance. 
Would  we  refine  upon  the  common  Satif- 
factions  of  Life,  and  ftrike  out  into  a 


*  The  Appointment  of  general  Principles  in  Na 
ture  is  farther  ufeful  in  a  higher ',  a  moral  Account. 
For  were  there  no  general  Laws  eftablifhed,  "  there 
"  could  be  no  Prudence  or  Defign  in  Men,  no  ra- 
"  tional  Expectation  of  Effects  from  Caufes,  no 
"  Schemes  of  Action  projected,  nor  any  regular  Exe- 
"  cution."  Hutch.  Inq.  p.  103. 

more 


more  varied  Scene  of  Injoyments  than  lie 
within  the  reach  of  the  Vulgar,  we  muft 
call  in  the  Improvements  of  Fancy,  as 
what  alone  can  compafs  this  Point  for  us. 
Accordingly,  if  we  look  abroad  into  the 
World,  arid  reflect  a  little  what  it  is  that 
fo  attracts  our  Eyes  and  our  Envy  in  the 
higher  Stations  of  Life,  mail  we  not  find 
it  to  be  only  the  iliperior  Capacity  they 
give  to  People  of  more  diftinguim'd  Rank 
for  injoying  the  feveral  Pleafures  of  De 
cency,  Regularity,  Beauty  ?  Why  elfe  is 
the  Pride  and  Magnificence  of  a  Palace 
preferred  to  the  Humility  of  a  plain  and 
cleanly  Cottage?  a  Piece  of  Painting  to 
an  ordinary  Sign-Pofl  ?  a  Suit  of  Em 
broidery  to  a  Covering  of  Prize  ?  a  Service 
of  Plate  to  a  Set  of  earthen  Dijhes  ?  a  nu 
merous  Attendance  to  a  rfable,  or  a  Dumb- 
Waiter'?  a  Concert  of  Mujic  to  a  Company 
of  niftic  Scrapers  ?  an  Opera  to  a  Village- 
Wake  ?  If  you  fay  that  Confideratlons  of 
Property  determine  our  Choice  here,  I  an- 
fwer,  Property  alone  cannot  do  it;  for  then 
a  Mijer  would  be  thought  equally  harpy 
with  a  Man  of  the  moil  accomp/tjbcd  T^e. 
it  muft  be  Property  applyed  to  fome- 
thing  we  efteem  Happinefs.  Even  the 
Mifer  himfelf,  tho'  at  prefent  by  a  ftrange 
Infatuation  in  the  PafTion  of  Avarice  his 
Thoughts  look  no  farther  than  Poflefiion, 
commenced  fuch  probably  at  firft  from  a' 
N  Profpea 


(90  ) 

Profped  of  Happinefs.  'Twas  the  Ap- 
prehenfion  of  Want,  that  is,  of  not  having 
the  Means  of  injoying  Life  in  his  power, 
that  ingaged  him  in  this  facing  Regimen  : 
unlefs  we  may  fuppofe  that  even  yet  he 
has  an  eye  to  the  making  a  Family,  as  'tis 
call'd  -y  that  is,  laying  a  Foundation  for  o- 
thers  to  tafte  thofe  very  Pleafures  of  Or 
der,  Regularity,  Beauty,  from  which  the 
Wretch  himfelf  is  eternally  precluded  from 
a  cherimed  Horror  of  Expence  *. 

WHETHER  this  be  any  part  of  his  In 
tention  or  not  I  cannot  tell,  (interpofed  I) 
but  it  certainly  often  fucceeds  fo  in  Fact. 
Profufion  in  the  fubfequent  Generation  is 
generally  a  fort  of  Retribution  to  the  Pub 
lic  for  the  Mifchiefs  of  Avarice  in  the  pre 
cedent  one.  I  remember  Mr.  Pope  in  his 
Epiftle  to  my  Lord  Bathurft  has  given  this 
Thought  a  very  beautiful  Drefs  in  the  fol 
lowing  Lines 

Riches,  like  Infeffs,  when  conceal*  d  they  lie, 
Wait  but  for  Wings,  and,  in  their  Seafon, 

' 


Who  fees  pale  Mammon    pine    amidft  his 

Store, 
Sees  but  a  backward  Steward  for  the  Poor; 

*  See  this  Subjeft  well  treated  in  Hutch.  Inq.Sea.8. 
P-  93>  &c. 


This  Year  a  Rejervoir,  to  keep,  andfpare; 
The  next,  a  Fountain  fronting  thro  his  Heir*. 

But  after  all,  (continued  I)  Hortenjjus,  if 
Self-Denial  be  fo  neceflary  a  Token  of 
Virtue  as  'tis  fometimes  reprefented,  who 
knows  but  the  Mifer^  as  deteftable  a  part 
as  he  is  generally  efteemed  to  act,  may 
yet  have  a  fort  of  Claim  to  the  Character 
of  the  moft  conjummate  Virtue?  a  ftrange 
Paradox  this !  But  yet  it  is  certain  he 
practifes  as  high  a  Degree  of  Abflinence 
from  all  the  Comforts  of  Life,  as  the  moft 
mortified  Afcetic  can  pretend  to.  He  fa- 
crifices  his  a/I,  Hortenjius,  and  can  the  o- 
ther  boaft  of  doing  more  ?  nay,  in  one  re- 
f peel,  he  is  even  the  greater  Rigorift  of  the 
two  ;  for  he  facrifices  at  leaft  one  Pleafure 
more  than  the  Afcetic  himfelf  does ;  the 
Pleafure,  I  mean,  of  Liberality. 

As  far  as  Intention  is  concerned  (faid 
Hortenfius)  I  am  of  opinion  he  may  do  fo. 
Neverthelefs,  Philemon,  the  Conjequences 
both  of  the  Mifer,  and  the  AJcetic-P of- 
fion,  are  nearly  the  fame  j  both  thefe  forts 
of  People  may  be  faid  to  leave  their  Wealth 
to  others  -J-,  and  give  up  their  own  Right  in 
their  PofTem*ons,  that  fomebody  elfe  may 
be  the  better  for  them.  How  different  are 

*  Epift.  of  the  Ufe  of  Riches,  1.  170. 
f  Pfalm.  49.  10. 

N  2  the 


(  92  ) 

the  Caufes  that  may  thus  bring  about  the 
fame  Effects?  No  one  is  apt  to  fufpect  a 
Mifer  cf  Liberality,  or  an  Afcetic  of  Cove- 
toufnefs  j  and  yet  they  both  ad:  the  very 
fame  part  in  Life,  tho'  upon  quite  con 
trary  Principles  ;  they  both  deny  themjehes 
in  the  very  fame  Inflances.  To  fuffer 
Want  thro'  the  Fear  of  Want,  which  is 
the  Cafe  of  the  former,  is,  it  may  be,  the 
more  flagrant  Abfurdity  ;  but  to  imbrace 
it  voluntarily,  and  for  its  own  fake,  as  does 
the  latter,  is  furely  no  inconfiderable  one; 
efpecially  in  a  Conftitution  of  things,  as 
has  been  mewn,  no  ways  favourable  to 
funh  an  auftere  Sentiment  of  religious  Per 
fection. 

BUT  would  you  carry  this  Notion  fo 
far,  (laid  I)  Horte?ifiusy  as  abfolutely  to 
condemn  the  forward  Zeal  of  thofe  mor 
tified  Pietifts,  who  taking  the  evangelical 
Precept  of  Jelling  all  ive  have,  and  giving 
to  the  Poor  *,  in  a  ftrictly  literal  Senfe, 
imbrace  the  Severities  of  voluntary  Poverty, 
as  if  it  was  as  formally  impoffible,  as  it  is 
fomewhere  by  a  ftrong  proverbial  Expref- 
lion  in  Scripture  declared  to  be  extremely 
difficult,  in  certain  Circumftances,  for  a 
rich  Man  to  enter  into  the  Kingdom  of 

TT        "  L9 

Heaven  y? 

*  Mat.  19.  21.  compare  with  Mark  10.  21. 
f  See  as  before. 

INDEED, 


(  93  ) 

INDEED,  (faid  he)  Philemon,  I  would. 
There  cannot  be  a  greater  Injury  to  the 
Honour  of  the  facred  Writings  than  to  fup- 
pofe  them  capable  of  an  Interpretation,  in 
any  particular  Pafiage,  fo  repugnant  to 
Common  Senfe,  no  lefs  than  to  the  general 
'Tenor  of  thofe  very  Writings  themfelves. 

BUT  may  not  this,  and  other  like 
Places  of  Scripture  (I  interrupted)  be  un- 
derftood  as  certain  Counjeh  of  eminent  Per- 
fetfion  to  Jome  People,  no  ways  obligatory 
as  matter  of  ft  r  151  Duty  upon  all?  I  think 
I  have  fomewhere  met  with  this  Diftinc- 
tion  in  religious  Writers. 

POSSIBLY  you  may,  (replied  he)  but  'tis 
a  Distinction  without  the  leaft  Founda 
tion  of  Reafon  to  fupport  it.  Whatever 
the  Scriptures  propofe  as  a  Counfel  of 
real  Perfe&ton,  muft,  to  all  who  believe 
them,  be  matter  of  ftricl:  Duty,  for  all 
Chriftians  are  bound  to  become  as  perfeffi 
as  they  can.  Admitting  then  that  volun 
tary  Poverty  is  any  part  of  Chriftian  Per- 
fettion,  there  will  be  a  real  Obligation  upon 
all  Chriftians  to  fubmit  to  it  *.  And  thus 

muft 

•  The  learned  Barbeyrac  obferves  well  upon  this 
point,  Chretiens,  comme  tels,  ne  pourront  qu'  afpirer 
a  une  telle  perfe&ion.  Us  le  devront  meme,  centre  ce 

que 


(  94  ) 

mufl:  the  whole  Chriftian  World  be  re 
duced  to  a  level,  all  obliged  to  a  State  of 
Beggary  j  and  the  feveral  Diftm&ions  of 
Civil  Society,  with  the  relative  Duties  a- 
rifing  out  of  them,  mufl  intirely  vanifh 
wherever  the  Gofpel  is  once  introduced. 
A  ftrange  Reprefentation  of  things,  Phi 
lemon,  and  moft  unworthy  the  fuppoied  Au 
thor  of  Revelation !  And  yet  unlefs  this  be  al 
lowed,  I  fee  not  how  it  can  be  any  Merit 
in  People  to  whom  Providence  has  allotted 
the  Diftindions  of  Birth  and  Fortune  to 
quit  their  proper  Poft  and  Duties,  and  beg 
gar  themjehes,  in  order  to  adminifter  to, 
what  upon  their  own  way  of  Reafoning 
they  mufl  needs  think,  the  fuperfluous  In 
dulgences  of  other  People.  I  remember  to 
have  read  of  a  very  rigid  Pietift,  the  cele 
brated  Mademoijelle  Bourignon,  who  upon 
this  very  Principle,  tho'  me  made  little  ufe 
of  her  Wealth  in  her  own  Perfon,  would 
never  be  prevailed  upon  to  diftribute  it  in 
Charity  to  any  body  elfe.  She  could  find 
no  Jit  Objects  upon  whom  to  beftow  her 
Liberality  ;  none  who  would  not  make  an 
ill  ufe  of  it  in  adminiftring  to  their  Idk- 
nefs,  or  their  Vices-,  "  nullos  adhuc  inveni 

que  Ton  fuppofe.  car  toutes  les  exhortations  des  Ecri- 
vains  facrez  tendent  a  impofer  1'obligation  indifpenfable 
de  fe  perfe&ioner,  &  de  fe  rendre  chacun  de  plus  en 
plus  agreable  a  Dieu.  Traite  de  la  Morale  des  Peres, 
chap.  8.  feft.  15. 

"  vere 


(95  ) 

"  vere  pauperes,"  was  her  conftant  Reply 
to  all  Requefts  of  this  nature  *.  Tho'  the 
Principle  me  went  upon,  as  indeed  moft 
of  her  other  Principles,  was  extremely 
wrong,  yet  fhe  certainly  reafoned  right  in 
conference  of  it.  For  what  it  becomes  me 
to  renounce  myfelf,  I  can  have  no  Autho 
rity  to  transfer  to  other  People.  And  yet 
certainly,  Philemon,  this  is  not  the  Mean 
ing  of  the  Apoftle,  where  he  exhorts,  that 
to  do  good)  and  to  communicate,  <we  Jkwld 
forget  not*\ :  nor  in  another  of  his  Epiftles, 
where  he  charges  them  that  are  rich  in  this. 
World,  that  they  do  good-,  that  they  be  rich 

in  good  Works-,  ready  to  diftribute\\. 

So  different  is  the  Morality  of  the  Gofpe) 
from  the  Refinements  of  fanciful  Enthu- 
fiafts. 

BUT  to  go  a  little  farther  into  this 
Point.  Admitting  that  the  only  lawful 
Ufe  of  Riches  is,  as  our  Apoftle  fpeaks,  to 
do  good,  to  be  rich  in  good  Works,  I  fuppofe 
it  can  be  no  Diminution  of  any  Act  of  Be- 

:  Vellem  ut  occafiohem  haberem  bona  mea  ad  glo- 
riam  Dei  impendendi  j  tune  ne  uno  quidem  die  retine- 
rem ;  fed  nullam  hucufque  inveni :  multi  funt  qui  ea 
acciperent,  fed  non  impenderent  ad  gloriam  Dei,  ut 
ego  facere  deftino.  ap.  Seckend.  Apobg.  Relatio.  p.  78, 
79.  See  Bayle's  Dift.  Vol.  i.  under  the  Article  Bou- 
rignon,  Remark  M. 

f  Heb.  13.  1 6. 

11  i  Tim.  6.  17,  18. 

neficence, 


(96  ) 

neficence,  that  it  is  contrived  fo  as  to  be 
at  once  a  Benefit  to  the  Author,  no  lefs 
than  to  the  ObjeEl  of  it.     If  at  the  fame 
time  that  I  am  fupplying  the  Wants  of 
others,  I  can  fo  order  the  Matter  as  to  an- 
fwer  many  good  Purpofes  to  myfelf  in  the 
way  of  private  andjperfonal  Accommodation, 
is  the  Charity  of  fuch  a  Proceedure  at  all 
lefTened  by  its  thus  turning  to  a  double  Ac 
count  ?  Surely,  Philemon,  there  can  be  no 
Pretence  to  think  fo.     Now  'tis  in  this 
View   that  I  would  look  upon  Men  of 
Rank  and  Fortune  in  Life,  as  Inftruments 
in  the  hands  of  a  kind  and  good  Provi 
dence  to  adminifter  to  the  Neceffities  and 
Occasions   of  tbofe  who  move  in  a  lower 
Sphere,  from  the  united  Principles  of  Ge- 
nerojity  and  private  Interejl.    Their  perfonal 
Recreations   and    Amufements,    the    Ex- 
pences  of  their  Station  and  Circumftances 
in   the  World,  their  very  Luxuries,  and 
moft  elegant   Superfluities,    (if  you   will 
needs  call  every  thing  by  that  Name,  that 
is  not  immediately  neceffary  to  our  very  Be 
ing)  tho'  they  are  far  from  what  a  celebrated 
Author  calls  them,  private  Vices ,  zsfuch, 
do  anfwer   however  to  the  other  part  of 
his  Defcription   of  them,  and  both  are, 
and  ought  to  be  imployedas,  public  Benefits  *. 

They 

*  Fable  of  the  Bees,  or  private  Vices  public  Benefits* 
This  falfe  Notion  of  confounding  Superfluities  and  Vi 
ces, 

I 


(  97  ) 

They  are  the  proper  Incouragements  of 
boneft  Induftry ;  a  kind  of  Tax  upon  the 
Liberality  of  thofe  who  are  exempted  by 
their  fuperior  Situation  in  Society  from 
the  Drudgeries  of  its  more  fervile  Offices. 
They  find  Work  and  Maintenance  for  the 
labouring  Poor,  fo  neceflary  in  all  Com 
munities  ;  are  the  Support  of  many  ufeful 
Trades  and  Imployments  in  the  middle 
Stations  of  Life;  the  Foundation  of  a  more 
extended  Commerce  both  at  home,  and 
with  foreign  Nations;  of  that  general  Cir 
culation  of  Property,  by  which,  in  the 
wife  Appointment  of  things,  the  Abun 
dance  of  a  few  is  made  fubfervient  to  the 
Exigencies  of  the  many.  Where  this  View 
takes  place,  fuch  2. generous  O  economy  of  our 
Pleafures  fanffiifies,  as  it  were,  the  very 
Nature  of  them  :  it  adds  a  Merit  to  Ex- 
pence,  converts  Ornament  into  U/e,  and 
Elegance  into  Charity.  For  my  part,  Phi- 
lemony  I  know  not  a  more  enviable  Cha 
racter  than  that  of  a.  truly  great  Man  who, 
by  a  Generofity  of  thinking  anfwerable  to 
his  fuperior  Capacity  of  doing  good,  im- 
ploys  his  Fortune  to  all  the  Purpofes  of  a 
magnificent  Liberality  ;  like  a  good  Angel, 
a  kind  of  guardian  Deity,  to  his  Fellow- 
Creatures,  diffuiing  Happinefs  far  and  wide 

ces,  is  what  runs  thro'  that  whole  Piece  ;  otherwife, 
(as  all  that  Author's  Pieces  are)  very  ingenioufly 
written. 

O  thro' 


(  98  ) 

thro'  a  numerous  Circle  of  grateful  Depen- 
pendents  j  whilft,  at  the  fame  time,  by  a 
wonderful  Provilion  in  Nature  to  reward 
fo  ferviceable  a  Benevolence,  the  very  Ob- 
jefts  of  his  Bounty,  are  the  Inftruments  of 
his  moil  valuable  Gratifications.  There 
is  nothing,  Philemon,  I  have  obferved  to 
be  more  generally  miftaken  in  a  religious 
Account  than  the  Notion  of  Charity  : 
many  People  feem  to  confider  Alms  as 
what  alone  deferves  that  Name.  As  if  it 
was  not  a  greater,  a  more  godlike  Bene 
volence,  to  put  the  fame  Perfons  above 
the  hard  Neceffity  of  afking  our  Alms, 
than  it  is  to  relieve  them  upon  their  actual 
Application  for  them  *.  To  be  touched 
with  the  imwediafeSymptomsof  Wretched- 
nefs  is  no  very  high  Degree  of  Excellency : 
he  is  a  Scandal  to  his  Kind  who  is  not  fo. 
But  to  concert  calmly  zn&fedately  the  moft 

effectual 

*  The  humane  Moralift  Seneca  was  of  a  very  dif 
ferent  opinion Optimum  eft,  fays  he,  antecedere 

defiderium  cujufque  :  proximum  fequi.  illud  melius, 
occupare  antequam  rogemur :  cjuia  cum  homini  probo 
ad  rogandum  os  concurrat,  &  iuffundatur  rubor,  qui 
hoc  tcrmentum  remittit,  niultiplicat  munus  fuum. 
Nontu lit  gratis,  qui  cum  rogafiet,  accepit.  De  Ben. 
lib.  2.  cap.  I.  And  again,  cap.  2.  Moleftum  verburq. 
eft,  onerofum,  oc  demiflb  vultu  dicendum,  rogo.  Hu- 
jus  facienda  eft  gratia  amico,  &  cuicunque,  quern  a- 
micum  fis  promerendo  faciurus.  fero  beneficium  dedit? 

qui  roganti  dedit. It  may  perhaps  be,  that  that  very 

circumftance  is  the  chief  Recommendation  of  this  kind 
£f  Charity,  which  with  many  People  is  made  an  Ob 
jection 


(99  ) 

effectual  Meafures  of  doing  good,  as  it  were, 
before  it  is  even  fought  for,  to  cherifh  the 
fair  Idea  in  our  Minds,  and  by  friendly  Pre 
cautions  of  Benevolence  to  hinder,  as  far  as 
may  be,  the  very  Entrance  of  Mifery  into 
the  World,  this  is  indeed  a  truly  heroic  In- 
ftance  of  Virtue.  And  yet  this  is  the  very 
part  which  every  Man  of  Diftinction  and 
Affluence  is  called  upon  to  act,  if  he  does 
but  rationally  confult  his  own  greateft  En-^ 
tertainment  and  Happinefs.  Such  is  the 
Morality  even  of  Plea/ure,  Philemon,  in  a 
true  Eitimate  of  things  !  fo  wonderfully  are 
Virtue  and  Self-Gratification  complicated 
together !  I  might  add  here,  what  has  been 
already  obferved  more  at  large,  that  the 
very  Purfuit  of  Pleaiiue  itfeli  in  the  In- 
ftances  now  fuggefted,  in  the  ieveral  Ob 
jects  of  Decency,  Beatify,  and  Order,  is  not 

jeff ion  to  it,  "  that  ic  does  not  appear  to  be  fuch."  It 
puts  People  upon  acquiring  for  themfelves  a  comfortable 
or  convenient  Subfiitence,  which,  becaufe  it  is  the  Re- 
fult  of  their  own  Labour  and  Induftry,  they  confider 
as  a  Reward  not  of  Grace,  but  of  Debt.  (Rom.  4.  4.) 
A  very  con/iderabie  Inhancement  this  of  the  Value  of 
it !  To  be  the  Authors  of  our  own  Happinefs,  being 
a  much  greater  Pleafure  to  us,  than  to  receive  the 
fame  Proportion  of  Good  at  the  arbitrary  Will  of  an 
other. We  may  add,  that  this  is  therefore  the 

true/}  kind  of  Goodnefs,  becaufe  it  is  indeed  the  Me 
thod  of  the  Deity  himfelf  to  all  his  Creatures,  He 
gives  them  the  Capacities  of  Happinefs  and  of  Virtue, 
and  leaves  the  aflual  Acquifition  of  both  in  a  great  mea- 
fure  to  themfelves,  that  they  may  fet  the  greater  Value 
upon  them. 

O  2 


only  convertible  in  the  Method  already 
propofed  into  an  atfual  Exercife  of  Virtue, 
but  moreover  has  a  natural  Tendency  to 
carry  us  on  to  ftill  higher  Degrees  of  it:  it 
being  fcarce  poffible  but  that  to  a  confide- 
rate  Man  the  fame  Principle  of  good  'Tofts 
which  regulates  his  Amufements  muft  ir- 
refiftibly  make  its  way  into  the  Oeconomy 
of  his  Mind  and  Temper  ;  and  lay  the 
Foundations  of  folid  Worth  in  his  inward 
and  moral  Character  *. 

I  am  afraid,  (interpofed  I)  Hortenfius, 
this  is  too  liberal  a  Method  of  Inftruction, 
thus  to  recommend  Virtue  as  the  Perfec 
tion  of  good  Tafte,  and  fend  us  to  the 
School  of  our  moil  refined  Pleafures  to 
learn  it  in,  ever  to  pafs  with  our  rigid  In- 
ftructors  in  Morality  for  a  right  one  :  Im- 
pofition,  Command,  and  arbitrary  Ap 
pointment  are  the  Leffons  they  choofe  to 
teach  us  5  and  indeed  they  are  the  only 
ones  that  can  be  at  all  fitted  to  introduce 
the  Rigors  of  their  extravagant  Syftems. 
Submiffion  and  Reftraint  is  with  them  all 
in  all;  and  there  is  always  the  more  of 
Grace  in  any  Practice,  the  lefs  there  is  of 
Nature.  To  cultivate  a  Tafte  of  moral 
Worth  and  Excellence  from  a  Principle  of 

*  See  this  Notion  treated  with  the  ufual  Elegance 
of  that  noble  Author,  in  the  Chara&eriftics,  Voi.  III. 
Mifcel.  3.  Chap,  i,  2. 

Decency, 


(    101    ) 

Decency,  Proportion,  ?aid  Beauty  in  AcYions, 
is  a  Piece  of  rank  philojbphic  Pridey  rather 
than  of  religious  Humility.  Our  Conduct 
is  then  moft  valuable  in  itfelf,  when  there 
is  the  lead  Ground  to  think  it  fo  in  our 
Apprehenfion  of  it.  This  Pride  of  Vir 
tue  is  the  Ruin  of  it  j  they  can  allow  no 
thing  to  be  fuch,  that  flows  from  fo  cor 
rupt  a  Principle. 

YET  the  Principle  of  Reverence  to  a 
Man's  Jelf  *  (returned  Hortenfms)  was 
thought  fit  to  be  inculcated  by  one  of  the 
wifeft  Moralifts  of  Antiquity  ;  and  it  will 
ever  be  a  very  juft  Foundation  of  moral 
Merit,  in  fpight  of  all  the  vifionary  Con 
ceits  of  fpiritual  Mortification.  Pride,  Phi 
lemon,  is  one  of  thofe  Qualities  in  our  Na 
ture  that  is  either  good  or  bad>  according 
as  it  is  applied.  To  be  -proud  of,  or  ap 
prove  in  ourfelves,  what  is  really  excellent, 
is  only  to  form  a  true  Eftimate  of  things  : 
and  can  there  be  any  Merit,  as  Mr.  Norn's, 
I  remember,  fomewherc  obferves,  in  being 
miftaken-^?  'Tis  then  only  wrong,  when 
it  is  placed  upon  wrong  Objects  ;  when 


Was  one  of  the  capital  Precepts  of  Pythagoras^  Mo 
rals,  and  perhaps  (Skys  Mr.  Norris]  one  of  the  beft 
too  that  ever  was  given  to  the  World.  Nor.  Mifcel. 
8vo.  351. 

f  Acr.  as  above,  p.  346. 

we 


we  conceit  ourfelves  of  imaginary  Worth, 
and  neglect  what  is  real  and  genuine.  If 
it  be  faid  that  every  Degree  of  Pride  is  cri 
minal  in  the  prefent  imperfect  State  of 
human  Nature,  what  is  this  but  to  fay 
that  it  is  impoiTible  for  Man  to  arrive  at 
any  Degree  of  moral  Worth  ?  an  Opinion 
which,  as  fallen  as  he  is  reprefented  to  be, 
cannot  be  maintained  without  a  manifeft 
Dijkonour  to  his  Maker.  But  to  flate  this 

Matter  yet  more  clearly If  Compuljion 

be  of  the  ElTence  of  Virtue,  as  it  is  inii- 
nuated  in  the  Objection  you  mention,  the 
Conduct  of  the  fupreme  Being  himfelf  has 
much  \Q&  Merit  in  it  than  that  of  the  mofl 
difingenuous  of  his  Creatures  j  other  wife, 
what  is  a  Perfection  in  the  Deity,  cannot 
but  be  fuch  in  Man  too,  as  far  as  he  is  able 
to  imitate  it.  Now  to  practife  Virtue, 
the  higheft  Degrees  of  Virtue,  without 
Conftraint;  to  purfue  it  upon  a  Principle 
of  free  Choice,  for  the  mere  Pleafure  and 
Approbation  of  the  thing  itfelf,  as  his 
Glory r,  and  his  Happinefs,  is  what  confti- 
tutes  our  Idea  of  the  divine  Perfection :  and 
ihail  the  fame  thing  which  gives  fuch  a  fu- 
perlative  Grace  and  Luftre  to  the  divine 
Char  after,  caft  a  Shade  upon  the  human  ? 
So  that  after  all,  Philemon^  Conftraint  and 
Self-Denial  is  fo  far  from  being  necejjary 
to  Virtue,  that  'tis  mere  Weaknefs  and  Want 
of  Virtue  that  gives  them  either  Ufe  or  Ex 
pediency. 


103 

pediency.  They  are  a  Derogation  from 
the  true  Merit  of  Virtue,  as  far  as  they 
are  fhevvn  to  take  place  in  it :  and  the 
higbeft  State  of  moral  Excellence  is  that 
where  there  is  nothing  of  Diflatisfatfion, 
nothing  of  Difficulty ;  where  Virtue  is,  as 
it  ever  ought  to  be,  a  Service  of  perfect 
Freedom,  generous  Aff'effiion,  and  unallaytd 
Complacency.  But  this  perhaps  may  be 

thought  refining Enough  however  has 

been  argued  from  other  lefs  abftracted  To 
pics  to  eftablijfli  this  general  Conclulion 
upon  the  whole,  "  that  however  the 
"  Purfuits  of  Pleajure  and  Virtue  are 
"  often  reprefented  as  inconfiftent,  the  na- 
l-f  tural  Conftitution  of  things,  a  moft 
"  certain  Teftimony  of  the  Intention  of 
"  their  Author^  is  fuch  as  never  can  be  re- 
"  conciled  with  this  gloomy  Principle/' 
Providence,  which  does  nothing  in  vain, 
would  not  have  fo  exquifitely  adapted  the 
Works  of  his  hands  to  the  Entertainment 
and  Service  of  Man,  if  Mifery  of  any  kind 
had  been  his  determined  Portion  and  Af- 
fignment  in  the  prefent  Life.  The  Dif- 
cipline  of  Virtue  is  then  an  eafy  and  a  li 
beral  Difcipline.  They  are  Strangers  to 
the  lovely  Form,  who  reprefent  her  to  our 
view  with  a  forbidding  Afpecl:,  with  no 
thing  but  Clouds  and  Frowns  upon  her 
Brow.  The  Practice  of  our  Duty  is  in 
the  ftrieteft  Senfe  to  follow  Nature :  and 

the 


the  way  to  recommend  ourfelves  to  a  kind 
and  good  Deity  is  not  to  hara/s  and  ajjtiffi 
that  Being  he  has  in  his  gracious  Bounty 
beflowed  upon  us;  but,  upon  a  rational 
and  judicious  Eftimate  of  things,  to  con- 
fult  in  the  moil  effectual  manner  at  once 
the  greateft  Ea/e,  Happhiefs,  and  Improve 
ment  of  it.  How  different,  Philemon,  has 
been  the  general  'Turn  of  Religion  in  the 
World ! 

You  promifed,  (faid  I)  Hortenjius,  to 
give  me  fome  Account  of  this  Matter:  but 
we  have  dwelt  fo  long  upon  fome  previous 
Points,  that  we  are  got,  I  perceive,  almofl 
to  the  End  of  our  Walk ;  and  the  Evening^ 
is  too  far  advanced  upon  us  to  think  of 

flaying  abroad  any  longer.- 1  hope, 

however,  you  will  be  as  good  as  your  word 
at  fome  other  Opportunity. 

WHENEVER  you  pleafe  to  call  upon 
me,  (returned  he)  I  mall  be  ready  to  an- 
fwer  my  Ingagement.  We  have  efla- 
bliflied  a  good  general  Foundation  to  pro 
ceed  upon  in  this  Queftion  ;  and  may  re- 
lerve  the  farther  Difcuflion  of  it  to  our  fu 
ture  Leifure  or  Inclination. 

AND  thus,  my  Hydafpes,  I  have  brought 
you  to  a  very  commodious  Refling-Place 
in  this  Argument :  and  fhall  accordingly 

take 


•take  my  leave  of  you  for  the  prefentj 
with  a  Promife  of  continuing  my  Re 
port  of  our  farther  Conference,  if  you 
{hall  think  it  worth  your  while  to  require 
it  of  me. 


FINIS. 


. 

t  i  w  a 


/5  / 


PHILEMON   tof  HYDASPES  -,   rekting 
Converfation   with   Hortenfius  on    th« 
Subieft  of  FALSE  RELIGION. 
PART    I. 


PHILEMON.3 


T  O 


HYDASPES; 


RELATING 


A  Third  CONVERSATION  with 
HORTENSIUS,  upon  the  Subject  of 
Falje  Religion. 


IN    WHICH 


Some  GENERAL  ACCOUNT  is  indeavoured  to 
be  given  of  the  Rife  and  Conftitution  of  Falfe 
Theory  in  Religion  in  the  earlier  Pagan 
World. 


tv  Trotvtv   ovroe, 

,    xat  TOUTOW   ftxorw?  Atcr   rcoy  AfJ'Ji- 
Eufeb.  Praep.  Evan0",  lib.  7. 
cap.  13. 


LONDON: 

Printed  for  M.  STEEN,  in  the  Inner -Temple-La^. 
M.DCC.XXXIX. 


V 


ERRATA   3  i-L 

PA  G  E  5.  line  6.  firjl  Origin,  for  Origin.  P.  i  r . 
1.  10.  ganeral,  for  general.  P.  14.  1.  16.  ordinary* 
for  ordinarily.  P.  25.  1.  2.  6/»/j,  fur  bint.  P. 30.  1.  I. 
againtt  for  again/I.  P.  32.  1.  8.  at  Empire,  ;  for  .  P.  33. 
in  the  Note,  1.  i.  TfAsus'rti'rai')  forTtAev<ravT«!'.  P.  34* 
in  the  Note,  1.  2.  eoadita,  for  conditu.  P  38.  in  the  Note, 
L  3-  w;0«po$>  for  Ovewjos.  P.  49.  in  the  Ref.  to  Sbuftforefo 
Cotv.  ^90^  4.  at  large,  for  5a^  5.  />.  3.19,  and  foil.  P.  52. 
in  the  Note,  I.  3.  A.  M.  2267,  for  2276.  P.  62.  in  the 
Note,  1.  8..  fixth  Krng,  forfixth  Pa/tor  King. 

P.  63.  in  the  Note,  1.  16.  after  Matter,  the  Reader  is  de- 
fired  to  go  on  thus — Determines  the  fuppofed  requifite  Ad 
dition  to  the  original  Egyptian  Year  to  be  juft  a  feventy  fe- 
cond  Part  of  it.  That  is,  five  Days  only,  without  a 
quarter  of -a  Day  over 

P.' 63.  in  the  Note,  1.  24,10  iG<frfjwx.Q<rw>  add  cfct"7T#»'. 
I-  25»T£iajwc76«i  for.  Te*aKoerr«<f.  P-/H  in  the  Note,  1. 
forraT&'V.  P.  85.  I.  2.  diftinfion, 


PHILEMON 

T  O 

HYDASPES. 


HAVE  been  doubting,  Hydafpes, 
with  my  felf,  confidering  the  very 
favourable  Reception  you  have 
given  my  two  late  Addrefles  to 

D  » 

you  in  this  moral  kind,  whether  it  was  re 
ally  fafe  for  me  to  proceed  any  farther  with 
them.  The  moral  Relim,  as  itfeemed,  was 
gaining  too  faft  upon  you.  A  certain  Habit 
of  more  than  ordinary  Serioulhefs  towards 
which  J  could  not  but  obferve  you  inclining, 
however  it  might  improve  you  as  a  Philofo- 
pher,  would  go  near  to  fpoil  you  as  a  Man 
B  of 


(  2  .) 

jof  the  World  j  as  threatning  to  difturb  that 
jeary  Infignificance  of  Manner,  and  Relax- 
lation  of  Thought  and  Temper,  which  is  the 
'admired  Excellency  and  Distinction  of  that 
:  Character.     But  here,  methought,  the  Scru 
ple  began  to  remove,  when  upon  Recollec 
tion  it  appeared,  that  the  whole  Foundation 
of  it  was  laid  in  a  grofs  Fallacy  and  Miftake. 
"  That  Solemnity  is  a  neceffary  Branch  of 
, "  true  Serioufnefs"     For  if  indeed  the  two 
Ideas  were  perfectly  different,  there  could  be 
no  occalion  for  your  renouncing  any  part  of 
theagreable  Sprightlinefs  of  your  Polite  Cha 
racter,  in  order  to  fave  the  Dignity  of  your 
Philosophic  one.     They  might  yet,  for  any 
thing  I  could  difcern  to  the  contrary,  main 
tain  with  perfect  Confidence  their  diftinct 
Provinces,  and  each  have  its  Privilege  of 
Turn.     In  many  Cafes  it  might  even  be  ne- 
ceflary  they  mould  unite  in  one  common 
Caufe  and  Intereft  j  and,  with  equal  Propri 
ety,  and  Advantage  to  each  other,   demand 
a  joint  Interpofition  and  Authority  in  the  very 
fame  Article  of  Life.     The  Caution  of  the 
Philofopher  might  fometimes  be  of  fingular 
Ufe  to  reftrain  the  Indecencies  of  a  too  licen 
tious  Freedom  5  and  the  Sprightlinefs  of  a 
well  conducted  Freedom,  to  temper  the  Ri 
gors  of  a  too  fcrupulous  Philofophy.     Par 
ticularly,  if,  in  thecourfe  of  feverer  Thought, 
Religion  mould  fometimes  fall  under  con- 
fideration,  there  feemed  here  aft  indilbenfa- 

ble 


(3  ) 

ble  NecefTity  for  playing  certain  fprighttier 
Fancies,  and  Ideas  of  a  more  cheerful  Aipeft, 
again  ft  the  varioufly  difqideting  Phantoms  'of 
devout  Jealoufy ;  and  fuch  morofe  and  un 
friendly  Exhibitions  of  Divinity,  as  a  melan 
cholic  Imagination  might  be  apt  to  form  to 
itfelf  from  a  Nature,  powerful,  but  imper 
fectly  comprehended.  Religion,  in  plain 
Truth,  from  the  mere  Weight  and  Impor 
tance  of  its  Subject  runs  fo  naturally  into  the 
tragic  Vein,  that  we  muft  arm  ourfelves  with 
a  competent  Pleafantry  of  Difpolition,  and 
Stock  of  good  Spirits,  before  we  fet  about  it, 
or  we  mail  certainly  make  a  thorow  Tragedy 
of  it  in  the  End.  Thus  indeed  it  has  too 
often  ended  in  Fact ;  as  the  Poet  long  ago 
complained*,  and  you  will  have  too  fre 
quent  Examples  in  th#t  Report  of  itsHiftory, 
which,  Hor ten/Ius,  if  you  continue  to  require 
it,  has  inftructed  me  to  make  to  you.  What 
you  have  now  before  you,  is  a  kind  of  ge 
neral  Introduction  to  this  Subject.  In  which, 
Hortenfms,  by  way  of  Key  to  the  more  con- 
iiderable  Articles,  he  had,  you  know,  in- 
gaged  himfelf  to  fpeak  to,  offalfe  Praffii.ee, 
has  examined  briefly  into  the  Origin,  and 
primitive  Conftitution  of ' falj'e  Theory  in  jRp- 
ligion,  in  the  Pagan  World.  The  particular 
Occaiion  of  which  Difquilition  was,  Ihaflen 
to  acquaint  you,  as  follows. 

*  Tantitm  Relligio  potult  fuadere  malorum. 

Lucret.  lib.  r. 

B 2  PART 


(4) 


PART    II.        ; 

FI N  D I N  G  my  felf,  one  Morning,  after 
Breakfaft,  alone  in  the  PofTeffion  of 
Hortenfius  in  his  Study  j  we  have  now  (faid 
I  to  him)  an  excellent  Opportunity,  if  you 
have  no  particular  Engagement  of  your  own 
upon  your  hands,  to  refume  the  Subject  of 
our  Converfation  the  other  Night  *.  You 
then  abundantly  convinced  me  of  the 
wretched  Abfurdity  of  Falje  Religion  j  I 
wifhyou  would  now  proceed  to  the  Execu 
tion  of  your  Promife  to  me  in  conclufion,  of 
running  over  with  me  the  general  Hiflory 
of  it  in  the  World. 

THE  Hiftory  ofFalJe  Religion  (faid  he) 
Philemon,  is  the  Hiftory  of  all  thole  num- 
berlefs  Mifapplications  to  which  the  Appre- 
henlion  of  fuperior  invifible  Agency  in  the 
Univerfe ;  as  reafbnable,  as  it  is  natural,  to 
precarious  and  dependent  Humanity  ;  is  lia 
ble,  from  the  ignorant  and  cowardly  Credu 
lity  of  one  Part  of  our  Species  ;  and  the  fub- 
til  enterprizing  Sagacity,  and  Invention  of 

the 

*  See  a  Pamphlet  intitled,  Phil,  to  Hyd.  Part  II. 


(  5  ) 

the  other.  'Tis  a  Subject  of  equal  Extent, 
in  the  religious  Confideration  of  Mankind, 
with  all  that  Folly  has  ever  been  weak  e- 
nough  to  fubmit  to ;  or  Knavery  artful  e- 
nough  to  authorize.  To  trace  it  back  to  its 
J»ft  Origin  in  the  World,  is,  in  a  manner, 
to  trace  back  human  Abfurdity  and  Corrup 
tion  to  a  firft  Period.  It  is  to  detect  all  the 
multiplied  Delufions  of  the  Miftaken  ;  and 
the  Stratagems  of  the  Defigning  :  To 
difclofe  all  the  fecret  Occafions  of  Mifappre- 
henfion  to  the  Simple ;  all  the  correfponding 
Opportunities  of  Impofture  to  the  Crafty. 
Such  in  general  is  the  Hiftory  of  Falfe  Reli 
gion a  Hiftory,  I  need  not  obferve  to  you, 

fo  connected  with  that  of  Mankind  in  gene 
ral,  that  an  accurate  Delineation  of  the  one 
preiuppofes  an  exact  Knowledge  of  the  other. 
Nor  need  I  fuggeft  to  you  the  neceffary  Con- 
fequence  of  this  Obfervation  ;  the  Allowance 
required  to  be  made  in  a  Re-fearch  of  this 
Nature  for,  what  you  are  too  well  acquainted 
with,  to  be  here  informed  of,  the  doubtful 
and  defective  State  of  more  ancient  and  re 
mote  Hiftory.  The  truth  is,  a  great  part 
of  the  Ritual  of  ancient  Superftition  lies  bu 
ried  in  impenetrable  Obfcurity.  An  At 
tempt  to  explain  it  would  now-a-days  be  as 
fruitlefs,  as  of  old  it  would  probably  have 
been  held  irreverent  or  criminal.  But  not- 
withftanding  in  the  Progreftive  Advance 
ments  of  its  Empire,  we  may  be  too  often  at 


(6) 

a  lofs  to  adjuft  the  true  Reafon  and  Meaning 
of  particular  Ihftitutions,  we  may,  I  think, 
diicern  enough  of  its  more  general  Scope  and 
Tendency,  to  fatisfy  ourfelves  upon  competent 
Evidence  and  Obfervation  in  this  regard, 
*c  that  however,  in  the  variety  of  Seafons, 
"  and  Circumftances,  the  Engines  of  itsTy- 
"  ranny  have  been  almoft  infinitely  diverii- 
<£  fied,  the  Spirit  of  it  has  been  always  one 
"  and  the  fame."  It  has,  in  fhort,  been 
ever  doing  juft  what  it  is  at  this  day  ;  in- 
flaving  the  Minds,  perverting  the  Affections, 
haraffing  the  Perfons,  and  ingroffing  to  its 
felfthe  Properties  of  Mankind. 

-  Servatur  ad  imum 
£>ualis  ab  incepto  procejjerit  - 
To  fix  fome  Method  to  oar  Inquiry,  Phi- 
lemon,  you  muft  give  me  leave  to  tranlport 
you  for  a  while,  from  the  <nore  familiar 
Scenes  of  European  Slavery  of  this  fort,  to 
that  favourite  Realm,  and  if  not  originally 
Parent-Soil  of  Superftition  (as  it  was  by 
fome  of  its  own  fanciful  Naturalifts  faid  to 
be  of  the  Species  of  Mankind  *,)  yet  doubtlels 
'wonderfully  fuccefeful  one  in  the  univerlal 
Culture  and  Improvement  of  it  j  Egypt  -)*. 

If 


zvxpatnav  TJJC  p/wpa?,   jcai    ix   -mvpWrt  TOD 

Diod.  Sic.  Bib.  Lib.  I.  p.  9. 
•f*    AjJ'UTrltoi  Ssovtfiteg   $s    T3-£(>Kr<rcas    wAs? 
Av9^w7rwv.     Herod.  Lib,  2.  cap.  37* 


(7) 

If  {lie   had  not  in  ftrict  Truth  the  proper 
Merit  of  original  Invention y  me  has  engrofled 
to  herfelf  however,  almoft  the  whole  Glory 
of  Example  in  the  kind  j  having  by  early  Ex- 
portations  of  her  Natives  to  foreign  Coun 
tries,   efpecially  to  Greece,  and  the  Afiatic 
Iflands,  circulated  her  Superftitions  together 
with  her  Difcoveries  of  a  happier  Influence, 
as  her  own  proper  Growth  and  Produce, 
thro'  the    far  greateft  Part  of  the  weftern 
World.     We  have  moreover,  by  means  of 
the  frequent  Communications  of  Greece  with 
Egypt,  in  the  more  advanced  Periods  of  Gre 
cian  Literature,  an  Opportunity  afforded  us 
of  knowing  much  more  of  the  religious  Cu- 
ftoms  of  Egypt,  than  of  any  other  Nation  of 
equal  Antiquity.     Her  Reputation  was  very 
high  for  Wifdom,  both  in  facred  and  profane 
Eftimation,  from  the  earlieft  Monuments  we 
have  of  either.     And  one  great  Inftance  of 
this  Wifdom  me  fo  much  excelled  in,  we 
have  good  reafbn  to  believe,  was  the  Science  of 
Religion  apply'd,  as  (he  thought,  tothePur- 
pofes  of  2j  more  improved  Legiflation.     It 
was  the  Credit  oitbis,  together  with  that  of 
her  Philofophy  in  general,  that  drew  over 
the  more  inquilitive  Wits  of  Greece  to  a  Par 
ticipation  of  her  important  Secrets  in  both 
kinds.     Her  Colleges    were   efteemed    the 
great  Repoiitories  of  ufeful  Knowledge.    And 
Travelling  was  in  thofe  times,  as  it  is  flill  in 

our 


(8) 

our  own,  Philemon,    reputed  the  finishing 
Article  of  a  refined  Education. 

THERE  cannot  be  a  flronger  Image  of 
Ridicule,  (I  could  not  help  here  interrupting) 
Hortenfms,  than  arifes  from  the  Companion 
of  certain  modijh  Travellers  of  later  Ages, 
with  the  traveled  Literati  of  Antiquity. 
Methinks,  'tis  great  pity  we  mould  frill  re 
tain  a  Reverence  for  the  mere  outward  Cere 
mony  of  this  Practice,  whilft,  as  it  is  too  of 
ten  managed,  it  ferves  little  other  purpole, 
than  to  reproach  us  with  having  altogether 
forgot,  or  miftaken  the  main  End  and  Rea- 
fon  of  it.     It  was  the  Improvement  of  the 
Mind,  not  barely  the  forming  a  Perfon,   or 
acquiring  only  a  little  fprightly  Impertinence, 
and  modim  Addrels,  that  was  thought  worth 
travelling  for  in  the  Judgment  of  ancient 
Wifdom.     Had  any    of  the   Travelled  of 
thofe  Days  been  found  to  have  returned  to 
their  own  Country  with  the  Importation  only 
of  foreign  Vice,  Folly,  and  Extravagance,  in- 
ilead  of  ufeful  Information,  improved  Cud- 
ofity,    and  real    Knowledge  j    they  would 
have  been  efteemed  to  have  done  fomething 
much  worfe  than  barely  making  a  foreign 
Tour  ridiculous. 

THEY  certainly  would  ib,  (returned Hor~ 
tenfius)  but  the  mifchief  is,  we  are  come  to 
look  upon  Travelling  as  an  Accomplishment 

merely 


(9) 

merely  of  the  polite  Kind,  inftead  of  what 
the  Ancients  did,  as,  principally  at  leaft,  of 
the  learned  one.  And  as  both  our  Notion 
of,  and  Preparation  for  it,  are  extremely  dif 
ferent  from  theirs,  'tis  no  wonder  our  Suc- 
cels  in  it  mould  be  Ib  too.  They  fet  out, 
as  you  have  rightly  obferved,  upo»  quite  other 
Views  than  a  bare  famionable  Ramble,  or 
Opportunity  of  genteel  Expence.  If  they 
vilited  an  Egyptian  Convent,  it  was  not  only 
to  be  able  to  report  \\$>Situation>Gt  \teArchi- 
teffure,  but  to  learn  its  Myfteries,  To  ac 
quaint  themfelves  with  the  Subftance  and 
Hiftory  of  its  Difcoveries  either  in  Science  or 
'Religion  ;  and  obferve  the  real  Ground  and 
Foundation  of  that  awful  Reverence  from 
the  Populace  of  its  particular  Diftridt,  which 
fupported  both  its  Wealth  and  Dignity. 
This  was  penetrating  into  the  intire  Secrets 
of  the  Order  j  and  would,  if  comparTed,  as 
it  was  only  to  be,  by  certain  preparative 
Difciplines  of  Sacerdotal  Appointment,  and 
fometimes  very  tedious  Applications  to  the 
Interefts,  or  Vanity  of  the  Priefthood,  afford 
them  that  Light  into  the  general  Theory  and 
Conllitution  of  the  popular  Wormip  of  the 
Country,  which,  with  due  Referves  to  the 
.profound  Sa?iffity  of  the  important  Subject, 
in  many  Cafes  to  be  ado? -ed  only,  v/ithout  be 
ing  publickly  comprehended ;  they  have  feve- 
ral  of  them  transmitted  to  Pofterity. 

C  IT 


(.10    ) 

IT  was  a  remarkable  Inftance  (faid  I)  of 
this  referred  Manner  ,   and  uncommunica 
tive  Clofenefs  of  the    'Egyptian  Hierarchy, 
._  what  Strabo  relates  of  Plato  and  Eudoxus  j 
that  in  a   flay  nf-*1miy  Years  in  Egypt, 
"  and  a  cou/fe  of  coriftant  Application  and 
"  Obfequioufnefs  to  the  Prieils  o£Heliopolisy 
"  they  at  length  with  great  Difficulty  extort- 
"  ed  from  them  the  Difcovery,  that  the  true 
"  Meafure  of  the  Yearconfifled  of  fix  Hours 
"  over  and  above  the  common  Reckoning 
"  then  ufed.in  Greece  *."     One  would  have 
thought,  the  Reputation  of  being  the  Dif- 
ccverers  in  this  Cafe,  mould  have  inclined 
them  to  a  readier  Communication  of  what 
could  not  but  heighten  their  learned  Character, 
If  they  elteemed  the  Oblervation,  as  it  cer 
tainly  was,  a  very  important  one  to  the  Service 
of  common  Life,  it  was  furely  a  nioft  unbe- 
nevolent  Policy  in  them  to  affect  to  make  a 
Myftery  of  it  ;  a  Narrownefs  of  Thinking 
not  eaiily  to  be  forgiven  in  fuch  knowing 
^vAj  acred  Characters. 

AN 

try'   -STipcr/cu?  y&y  ov1«?  xofltz  TW    iK\Ty\[j.ry 

o( 
SXrfi  niitic  fuv 


T//K 

Geog.  Lib.  17.  p.  806. 


AN  Affectation  ofMy/tery  (returned  Hor~ 
tenjius]  even  in  Subjects  where  one  would 
leaft  expert  it,  was  the  prevailing  Charafte- 
rift  ic  of  Egyptian  Literature,  as  well  as  Re 
ligion.  I  believe"  the  fingular  Ule  they  ex 
perienced  it  to  be  of  in  the  Purpofes  of  the 
one,  introduced  the  Practice  of  it  into  the 
other.  They  had  /<?  many  Occalions  for  the 
referred  Manner  in  their  Theological  Con 
cerns,  that  the  Habit  by  degrees  became  ga- 
neral,  and  extended  it  felf  to  their  Conduct 
in  other  matters.  The  Difficulty  with  which 
Pythagoras  ^  long  before  the  Times  you  have 
been  {peaking  of,  obtained  the  Honour  of 
Admittance  to  the  Arcana  of  the  facred  Tribe, 
is  at  large  related  by  Porphyry  from  Anti- 
phon  *.  Even  with  the  Recommendation  of 
a  royal  Mandate  for  the  Purpofe,  obtained 
at  the  Reqneft  of  Polycrafes  from  King  A- 
mafis,  he  could  hardly  at  laft  fucceed  in  the 
Execution  of  his  Defign ;  but  was  turned 
over  from  one  College  to  another,  upon  cer 
tain  Punctilio's  of  Ceremony  between  the  le- 
veral  Eftablimments ;  from  Hdiopolis,  to 
Memphis,  and  from  thence  again  to  Thebes ; 
where,  when  for  fear  of  incurring  the  Dif- 
pleafure  of  the  King,  the  Priefts  -durft  not 
trifle  with  him  any  longer;  they  hoped  how 
ever  to  difcourage  him  from  his  Purfuit,  by 
the  barbarous  Severity  of  their  preparatory 
C  2  Dif- 

*  Porph.de  Vita  Pythag.  p.  183, 


(    '2    ) 

Difciplines,  and  Rites  .of  Initiation  *.  But 
finding  him  itill  refolute  and  perfevering, 
they  at  length  fairly  took  him  into  their  Se 
cret  ;  and,  as  appears  by  his  After-  Conduct, 
made  a  thorow  My  flic  of  him.  But  in  truth, 
Philemon,  they  had  a  better  Reafon  than 
merely  an  ajequired  Morofenefs,  or  Referve 
becoming  the  Statelinels  of  a  more  raijed  and 
dignified  Character,  for  adopting  this  foy 
Manner,  and  cautious  Ceremony  into  their 
Pbilofophic  teaching  ;  iince  in  reality,  the 
very  foundation  of  their  injlituted  Religion, 
and  all  its  important  Myflerics  was  laid  in 
certain  Dogmata  or  Principles  of  their  Phi- 
lofophy.  *'  It  was  theWorlhip  of  the  feveral 
<e  Powers,  and  Pa/flons  of  external  Nature 
"  exemplified  by  an  artificial  Accommoda- 
ic  tionin  theHiftory,  Adventures,  and  SuiFerr- 
<£  ings,  of  certain  of  their  ear  liejl  Heroes,  and 
<c  great  Men  of  Antiquity  j  whole  Benefac- 
£<  tions  to  their  Country  and  commoneft  Paf- 
"  Higes  of  Life,  were  by  Time,  and  a  fuc- 
*£  ceiTively  heightened  Tradition,  wrought 
ce  up  to  that  critical  Meajure  of  Obfcunty, 
"  which  in  the  Language  of  a  late  polite 
*c  Author  of  your  Acquaintance,  is  tbe  be/I 
"  Light  to  place  a  Wonder  in  -J-  :  that  in  the 

"due 


rr.g 

Ubi  fupra. 
f  The  Life  of  Homer,  p.  277. 


(  '3  ) 

<c  due  Progrefs  and  Refinement  of  Regal  and 
*c  Sacerdotal  Politics,  made  up  \hsjlanding 
*l  Body  and  complete  Syftem  of  Egyptian  au- 
"  thorized Theology*."  It  was  a  Work  of 
much  time,  Philemon,  and  required  no  or 
dinary  Reach  of  Thought,  and  Subtilty  of 
Invention  to  bring  it  to  that  approved  Per- 
feftion  in  the  kind,  as  to  give  the  Law  to  all 
fucceeding  religious  Eftablifhments  of  Pagan 
Antiquity  ;  and  having  drawn  over  the  Wif- 
dom  of  Greece  to  an  Examination  of  its  Con- 
dutt  and  Genius,  to  fend  them  back  to  their 
own  Country  refblved  within  their  refpective 
Influences  to  introduce  its  Praffiice.  The 
Origin  of  all  this  Parade  of  elaborate,  and  too 
often  barbarous  Heroe-fiby/io/ogic  Super  ftition, 
was,  if  you  will  take  the  word  of  a  Right 
Reverend  Gm^Hiftorian  ofChriftian  times, 
fupported,  \ijlich  a  Character  can  need  a  Sup 
port,  in  his  Affertion  by  the  unanimous  Suf 
frage  of  the  befl  Pagan  Authorities  in  the 
Point,  extremely  fimple  and  popular.  Be 
ing  indeed  nothing  elfe  but  the  artlefs  De 
motion  which  Minds  naturally  apprehenlive 
of  piperior  aflive  Power  in  the  Universe, 
^nddefirousat  the  fame  time,  for  the  eafe  both 
of  Conception  and  Addrefi,  to  affign  it  ibme 
particular  vifible  Refidence,  could  not  avoid 

paying 

*  QyipPe  Sacerdotes  Hiftoriae,  ac  Naturae  gnari,  at- 
tendebant  in  re  Gefta  quid  fimile  foret  in  Natura  :  ac 
pro  utroque  formabant  facra  fua.  Faff",  de  Idol.  Lib.  2. 
-Cap.  56.  p.  617.  4to. 


'paying  to  the  moft  ftr  iking,  operative ,  and 
ufefui  Objects  they  had  any  acquaintance 
with,  the  Sun,  Moon,  and  Hofl  gf  Hea 


ven 


* 


OF  all  the  various  kinds  of  idolatrous  Wor- 
'fhip  (interpofed  I)  this  furely,  Hdrtenfius,  is 
the  moft  innocent,  or  at  leaft  excufable  one. 
*Tis  well  for  us,  even  in  thefe  Ages  of  im 
proved  Light  and  Information,  that  the  Fa 
miliarity  of  thefe  Objects  has  a  natural  Effect 
to  abate  the  Wonder,  and  awful  ImprerTion 
of  them;  or  I  queftion,  whether  our  Reli 
gion  itfelf  would  be  fometimes  found  a  fuf- 
ficient  Check  to  prevent  our  relapfmg  into 
Paganifm  in  this  Article.  Scrioully,  Hor- 
tenjius,  a  Man  had  need  be  of  a  more  than 
ordinary  cautious  and  philofophic  Make,  or 
ail  infinitely  ftupid  and  infcnfibic  one,  to  at 

tend 


AAA'  on  ftsvoi  •srpo.'Tot  xxi  -sr 
ovls  VSLUV  ot 
OUTTW  roll 


owe 


.,  .  '  1 

ciu.y.i  OV.oyiCdptvto  oVrAty  Etvat*     CUT    ovv  TIJ   ^v  uvlotc 

Z?v?,    ou  Kpovoc,  ou  rioa-£i^wj,  c'jx  ATr^AAwv,    OVK  'HpJi, 

ovjc  A6w-'#,    cu  Aioi/vcro?,    cuJ1;  T;C  trfpo?  SrjAEia    T?  x«* 
ojot  (Mt1a  raula    jaypio;   •srapa  T£  BzpjSapcjj- 
'EAArcrtv'    aAA'  ouJ's   (Jatftwv  rt?  aJ/jsOo?,    ?]  lp«uXoy 
n'C!?  fSau^a^flo*    juova  ^f  ra  (paivojM.£va  TWV  o-j- 
af-pwv,    israpa  Toy  3-ffiy,  tTTEp  so  rp?^av,  S-fwv 
TE    7«rpo(r*i7/op*a»f,    «?  'avloi    (pacrjv,    /L'^avE.    .  Eufeb. 
.  Evang.  p.  30. 


(    15) 

tend  the  illuftrious  Solemnities  of  opening 
Sunfhine,  without  fome  -warmer  Emotions 
than  a  merely  fpecuiative  Admiration ! 
Struck  with  the  furpafling  Splendor  and  Ma- 
jefly  of  the  Appearance,  and  cheared  by  the 
gladfome  Influences,  and  intimate  Refrefh- 
ment  of  the  all-inlivening  Beam,  how  hard 
is  it  to  fupprefs  the  riling  Tranfports  of  a  too 
eager  Gratitude,  and  guard  againft  the  Incli 
nation  to  fomething  of  immediate  Devotion, ! 
How  difficult,  even  with  the  Help  of  his 
Phyfics,  as  well  as  of  his  Creed,  to  repel  the 
Infection  of  that  univerfal  Chorus  of  Joy, 
and  Ieemingly-rai]g702w  Acclamation  of  the 
aiifyicious  Prejence,  of  which  all  inferior 
animated  Nature  affords  him  the  inticing 
Example !  But  happily  for  the  Faith  of  the 
politer  World,  Hortenfius,  who,  it  mu  ft  be 
own'd,  are  moft  in  Danger  from  Tempta 
tions  to  renounce  it,  they  are  in  no  peril  of 
being  flagger'd  in  it  from  this  Quarter.  A 
certain  falfe  Refinement  of  Living,  fuppofed 
the  Privilege  of  higher  Birth  and  Education, 
has  thrown  a  Difcrea"it  upon  the  Entertain 
ment  of  this  imbellijhed  earlyScene,  as  being 

in  the  Poet's  Language, Uju  plebcio  frit  a 

voluptas  * a  Species  of  Pleaiure  difgraced 

by  vulgar  Ufe ;  and  its  being  acceilible  to 
all  who  have  Senfe  enough,  or  Nature  e- 
npugh  left  in  them,  to  partake  of  it !  a 
Scene,  Hort.cnfim^  which,  becaufe  it  affords 

the 
.*  Petrott.  Arb". 


(   16  ) 

the  commoneft,  3oes  for  that  very  Reafon, 
in  the  beneficent  Appointment  of  Things,, 
afford  likewiie  the  moft  exquifite  Entertain 
ment  !  an  Entertainment  of  fuch  unparallel'd 
Beauty,  Delicacy,  and  Magnificence,  that 
the  moft  elaborate  Refinements  of  human 
Art  and  Elegance ;  the  heighten'd  Orna 
ments  and  auguft  Grandeurs  of  a  Palace  j  the 
glittering  Oeconomy  and  wanton  Luftres  of 
an  AfTembly ;  the  ftudied  Pageantry  and 
Decorations  of  a  Theatre  j  hrde  their  dimi- 
nijhed  Heads,  and  ihrink  into  nothing  upon 
the  Comparifon  !  I  am  fallen,  Hortenjiusy 
as  you  fee,  into  a  kind  of  natural  Enthufi- 
afm.  But  really  the  Image  here  is  fo  tranf- 
porting,  even  to  us  who  view  it  in  the  mild 
Lights  of  a  Pbilofophy,  no  lefs  than  a  Reli 
gion,  confpiring  to  weaken  the  Force  of  it ; 
that  in  Ages  far  lefs  improved  in  both,  I  fee 
not  how  it  was  poffible  not  to  be  milled  by 
it,  without  ibme  fupernatural  Affiftance  to 
that  Purpofe.  Nor  can  I  well  conceive  it 
within  the  Capacity  of  more  ignorant  and 
uninformed  Simplicity,*  in  the  firft  Ages  of 
Mankind,  to  withftand,  without  fome  pre 
vious  Guard  from  immediate  Revelation, 
the  Seducements  of  fo  /pecious  an  Idolatry. 
How  naturally  would  the  inquiiltive  Curi- 
oiity  of  recent  and  wondering  Mortals,  e- 
qually  unfurnifhed  with  the  Materials,  and 
unpniclifed  in  the  Arts  of  more  correffi  and 
philofophic  Reafoning,  not  only  addrefs  itfelf, 

as 


(  17  ) 

as  our  Poet  Milton  defcribes  Adam  to  have 
done,  for  the  Refolution  of  this  important 
Queftion, 

How  came  I  thus,  how  here  ? 

Not  of  myjelf * 

To  that  moft  probable  Author  of  Informa 
tion  in  this  Affair, 

'The  golden  Sun — — 

In  the  Judgment  of  one  who  was  Well  ac 
quainted  with  the  great  Object  he  compared 
him  tOj 

In  fplendor  Ukeft  Heaven,  -f- 

Equally  fuited  to  allure  both  their  Eyes, 
and  their  Adoration  :  But  even  prefume  it' 
had  received  a  very  fathfaffiory  Anfwer  in 
the  Point ;  when  it  had  afcribed  the  Ori* 
gin  of  its  own  Exiftence,  and  the  whole 
World's  about  it,  to  this  feemingly  adequate 
Caule,  and  genial  Power  of  the  Syftem ! 
Especially,  would  it  be  inclined  to  do  fo, 
when  having  firft  experienc'd  the  Horrors 
of  his  Abfence,  and  in  the  Gloom  and  Sad- 
nefs  of  the  Night  defpaired  of  any  lajling 
Continuance  of  Being,  it  difcovered  him  at 
his  appointed  Seaibn  returning  again  in  the 
Eaft  -,  the  Reftorer  of  Light,  and  Comfort, 
D  and 

*  Par  /*/?,  BookS.  273,277—8. 
i  Book  3.  572—3. 


_  (  .18  ) 

and  Renewer  of  a  fuj'peffied  perifiing  World! 
when,  as  our  Pott  ipeaks ; 

Fir  ft  in  the  Raft  his  glorious  Lamp  was  feen, 
Regent  of  Day ;  and  all  th'  Horizon  round, 
Irruejled  with  bright  Rays-—'  * 


Under  thefe  Circum  fiances,  Hortenfius,  I 
can  think  of  no  expedient  to  prevent  Men's 
inftantly  falling  down  and  worihipping  him, 
but  an  authoritative  Interpofal  and  Prohibi 
tion  from  His,  and  'Their,  immediate  Maker. 
In  (hort,  Hortenfws,  the  Temptations  in 
new-formed  and  uninrlrucled  Man  to  a 
wrong  Religion  feem  to  be  fo  powerful,  that 
I  cannot  imagine  he  could  of  himjelf\\\  many 
Ages  reafbn  out  a  right  one. 

You  have  given  the  Reins  to  your  Fancy, 
(refumed  Hortenjlus,  with  his  uiual  Com- 
plaiiance)  very  entertainingly,  Philemon. 
I  was  unwilling  to  interrupt  your  Flow  of 
Thought,  and  check  your  agreable  Enthu- 
fiafm,  or  I  could  have  told  you  I-  was  fully 
pofTeii  of  your  Sentiment  fome  time  ago. 
You  would  have  the  firft  Man  fapernatur al 
ly  let  into  the  true  Notion  of  a  Deity,  not  fb 
properly  to  preclude  his  rational  Inquiries  con 
cerning  One,  as  to  direct  them.  To  prevent 
the  Delulions  of  a  too  hafty  Imagination  ; 
and  put  him  upon  a  right  Scent  and  Train  of 

Thinking, 

*  Par.  loft,  Book  j.  370 — I.. 


(  '9  ) 

Thinking.  Rather  to  guard  him  againft 
Error,  than  to  -teach  him  poiitive  Truth. 
Religion,  the  great  Lines  of  it,  were  un 
doubtedly  intended  to  be  the  Deductions,  as 
they  are  fairly  within  the  compafs,  of  found 
Reafon.  If  any  fitptr  natural  Difcovery  of 
them  was  at  nrft  made,  it  was,  we  may  ima 
gine,  however,  of  the  moft  general  Kind  ; 
and  defigned  only  to  fupply  the  Place  of 
that  Reafoning  and  Philofbphy,  which  as 
yet  was  necerTarily  of  impracticable  Attempt, 
thro'  the  Defect  of  thole  requtftte  Materials 
to  it,  a  previous  competent  Acquaintance 

with,    and  Obfervation  of  Things :    How- 

*  *~> 

ever,  in  its  proper  Seafon  and  Opportunities 
of  Exercife,  it  was  manifestly  ordained,  as 
it  is  thorowly  qualified,  of  Heaven,  to  be 
the  Inftrument  to  Mankind,  of  afTuring  to 
themfelves  the  fame  important  Truths  upon 
Principles  of  a  rational  Conviction. 

I  would  not  be  underftoood  (laid  I)  Hor- 
tenjius,  in  any  wife  to  undervalue  the  Evi 
dence  and  Authority  of  Reafon.  Nor  can 
I,  indeed,  fee  any  Difparagement  to  it  in 
fuppofing,  that  it  could  not  go  to  work 
without  necefTary  Inftruments;  or  that  a 
Faculty  of  Judging  upon  examined  Evi 
dence  could  not  exert  itfelf,  'till  fuch  Evi 
dence  was  laid  before  it :  any  more  than  I 
can  difcover  the  Juftnefs  of  that  Concluiion 
which  fome  would  eftablifh  from  hence ; 
D  2  that 


(2°) 

that  Reafon,  new  in  its  Maturity  of  Age 
and  Qbj  foliation  ,  is  no  lafe  Guide,  no  pro 
per  Arbitrator  in  Matters  of  Religion.  It 
feerns  to  me  to  be  averting,  that  becaufe 
Reafon  cannot  proceed  without  Ideas  j  there 
fore  it  cannot  afterwards  with  them.  Be 
caufe  a  Man  has  no  Ufe  of  his  Eye-fight  in 
the  Dark,  therefore  he  is  to  diftruft  the 
Reports  of  it  in  open  Day.  A  Difingenuity 
.of  Thinking,  which  mews  either  a  very 
weak  Caufe,  or  a  very  injudicious,  as  well 
as  unfair  Management  of  it. 

ONE  may,  I  think,  from  hence  difcern 
pretty  clearly  (reply'd  Hortenfitis)  the  high 
Ridicule  and  Abfurdity  of  thole  pompous 
Representations  which  are  fometimes  given 
us  of  the  Juperior  Wifdom,  and  almoft  An 
gelic  Penetration,  of  the  Jirji  Parent  of 
Mankind,  upon  his  new  Introduction  into 
jthe  World.  And  with  how  unwarrantable 
a  Civility  he  is  by  fome  Writers  of  his  HL- 
ftory  complimented  into  a  Degree  of  Under- 
flanding,  and  Force  of  Genius,  fo  much  be 
yond  the  utmoil  Reach  and  Comprehenfion 
of  his  Poflerity.  *  He  had,  it  mould  feerh, 

little 


.   o    Tr 

(TO^OC,   ttq  TTGfJTUV  TWV 

KXI  Tra^ra,  Ka^caoce,  KM  aKi^r,Xst, 
TS  xzi 


xou  tveffltiuv  Tr'^yjaai,  X,XTO. 


little  Caufe  to  be  conceited  of  the  Privilege, 
however  he  had  done  well  to  have  thank 
fully  fubmitted  to  the  Authority  of  a  fuper- 
natural  Guidance  and  Direction  ;  of  which, 
we  fee,  the  whole  Reafon,  Opportunity,  and 
Expedience,  arofe  meerly  from  his  own  per- 
jbnal  Incapacity,   and  natural  Ignorance. 

IF  the  intellectual  Advantages  of  our  firft 
Parent  (interpos'd  I)  had  been  really  fo  much 
fuperior  to  thofe  of  all  his  Defcendents,  as 
they  are  fometirnes  faid  to  have  been  ;  me- 
thinks  all  who  have  any  'Tendernefs  for  his 
Reputation  mould  choofe  rather  to  conceal 
the  Superiority  of  his  Talents,  than  display 
them  to  the  fo  much  greater  Reproach  of  his 
fhameful  Negligence  and  Mifconduct  in  the 
Uje  and  Application  of  them ;  for  which, 

If 

fjo-rrpfX0"  (5u(r*v.  Suidas  voce  Adam.  Upon  which 
the  learned  Editor  very  juftly  remarks,  Au6lorem 
hunc  anonymum  exiguo  Judicio  praeditum  fuifle,  et 
vere  de  eo  dici  potuiile  proverbiale  illud,  "  Flumen 
verborum,  et  gutta  Mentis"  ex  tota  hac  de  Adam" 

Ecloga   fatis  apparet. It  was,  no  doubt,    in 

Virtue'of  thefe  fuperior  Talents,  that  upon  a  very 
flight  Experience  in  the  Kind,  he  was  never thelefs 
able  to  write,  as  the  Rabbins  inform  us  he  did,  de 
omnibus  et  fingulis  Mundanarum  rerum  virtutibus, — 
Unlefs  thefe,  tqgether  with  the  feveral  Revolutions  of 
Nature,  were  part  of  thofe  Inftruclions  from  above, 
which  the  fame  Authors  relate  to  have  been  the  Sub 
ject  of  the  Book  of  the  Generations  of  Adam  ;  men- 
tion'd  Gen.  5.  I.  and  in  which,  it  feems,  were  ex 
plained,  omnia  a  Principle  Mundi  ufque  ad  confum- 
mationem  Ejus.  Vld,  Kirclieri  Obel.  Pamph.  Lib.  J. 
Cap.  j . 


if  it  be  true,  that  he  was  indeed  the  wifefl, 
I  am  fare  it  is  much  more  fo,  that  he  was  in 
comparably  the  iveakeft,  as  well  as  wi eke  deft 
of  his  whole  Kind.     But  after  all,  Horten- 
fmSj    I  think    we '  have   no  Reafon  to  fup- 
pofe  that  he  was  at  all  different  from  the 
Generality  of  his  Species,  either  in  his  na 
tural  or  moral  Accomplimments  j    farther 
than  what  the  neceflary  Difference  of  his 
Situation   and    Circumffonces    made    him. 
Which,  if  they  might  be  in  fome   refpeds 
perhaps  rather  more  favourable  to  the  latter, 
as  adminiftringy^tc'cr  Opportunities  of  Temp 
tation  within  the  few   Relations  he  could 
then  be  fuppoied  to  act  under;    (tho'  the 
Event  ihews  he  yet  found  Means  to  tranf- 
grefs  even  them)  were  certainly  far  lefs  fo  to 
the  former ;  his  natural  Indowments  ;  than 
thofe  of  any  of  his  Pofterity.     Inafmuch  as 
it  was  his  peculiar  Difad vantage,    a  Di fad- 
vantage  arifing  out  of  the  very  NecefTity  of 
his  Condition  j    to  want  all  thofe  Helps  to 
his  Judgment  of  Things,    from  the  Expe 
rience,  "Obfervation,   and  Reafoning  of  pa  ft 
Times,  which  are  in   a  manner  hereditary 
to  later  Ages,  and  fet  them  much  forwarder 
in  Informations  of  all  forts  neceffary  to  the 
Condud  of  Life,  almoft  in  the/r^  Article 
of  it,  than  &  jingle  Individual  could  be  fup- 
pofed  to  be  at  the  conclufion  of  a  very  con- 
fiderable  old  Age.     But  to  leave  our  venera 
ble  Progenitor  to  the  quiet  PoiTeflion  of  all 

that 


(23    ) 

that  really  is  his  due,  of  whatever  Kind  ^ 
let  us  purfue  our  main  Subject  of  Inquiry, 
Hortenjius  -,  in  which,  I  fuppofe,  he  is  very 
little  concerned.  For  whatever  other  Faults 
he  may  be  charged  with,  I  imagine  he  was 
fcarcely  guilty  of  Superftition. 

HAVE  a  care  of  being  toofanguine,  Phi 
lemon  (returned  Hortenfnts)  I  doubt  I  could 
difprove  your  Conjecture,  if  I  was  fo  di£- 
pofed ;  and  produce  Evidence,  fuch  as  it  isy 
of  his  being  not  only  infected  with,  but  even 
Author  of  a  very  prevailing  Superftition  in 
all  Antiquity ;  the  religious  Adoration  of  the 
Moon.  'Tis  true,  the  fame  Authorities  tell 
us,  that  he  had  received 'Obligations  from 
her  as  his  native  Soil  and  Country ;  where, 
prepared  with  requifite  Instructions  for  the 
Ceremony  of  her  Apotbeojis,  he  was  fent  down 
to  the  Earth  to  appoint  in  due  Time  her 
facred  Ritual  and  Liturgy;  in  a  Cha 
racter  he  was  to  fufbin  from  her  previous 
Designation,  of  the  EmbaJJador  or  Apoftle 
of  this  <j$ueen  of  Heaven.  *  His  Son  Setb 
indeed  was  daggered  at  this  new  Doctrine, 
and  Inftitution  j  and  could  not  be  prevailed 

upon 

*  It  was  Part  of  the  Zabian  Creed,  derived  to  them, 
as  we  learn  from  Kircher,  from  the  Family  of  Cham  ; 
to  wit,  Chus^  Phut)  and  Canaan^  the  Peoplers  of 
dfia  and  Africa  ;  Adamum  e  Luna  prodiifle.  Prophe- 
tam  inibi  ex  mafculo  et  faemina  procreatum  ;  atque  in 
hunc  mundum  venientem  primum  cultum 
docuifle.  Vid.  Oedip.  .#!gypt.  />.  i66. 


'.         .      (24) 

upon  to  admit  the  Credentials  of  his  Father's 
Miffion  *  >  but  Cain  was  of  a  lels  fcrupulous 
Make,  and  paid  all  due  Reverence  to  this 
Lunar  Envoyjkip  ;  and  has  accordingly  the 
honor  in  fome  Writers  I  could  name,  of 
{landing  fecond  in  the  Lift  of  Antediluvian 
Idolaters,  -j- 

I  HOPE  (faid  I)  Hortenjius,  this  lunar 
Apoftlefhip  and  Defignation  of  our  firft  Pa 
rent  was  no  Part  of  thofe  Revelations  madd 
to  him  when  he  fell  into  a  deep  Sleep ;  which, 
if  I  miftake  not,  I  have  fomewhere  read, 
he  is  mentioned  by  one  of  the  Fathers,  J  as 
being  reported  to  have  himfelf  committed 
to  writing ;  to  the,  no  doubt,  wonderful 
Information  of  his  Pofterity,  if  we  had  but 
been  fo  fortunate  as  to  have  this  important 
paradijiacal  Viiion  conveyed  fafely  down  to 
us. 

IT  might,  I  think,  be  more  naturally  re 
corded  (replied  Hortenfms)  in  another  Com- 
pofitionof  this  truly  original  Author's,  men 
tioned  by  St.  Aujlln^  The  Book  of  his  Peni 
tence. 

FROM  whence  (faid  I)  as  a  Pattern  of 
Right-primitive  Difcipline,  who  knows, 

but 

*  Seth  contradixit  opinion!  patris  fui  in  fervitie 
Lunae — Ub.  Sup. 

f  See  Biftiop  Cumberland's  Sanchonjatbo, 

£  Epiphanius. 


-   . 

but  the  Father  himfelf  might  take  the  ufeful 
Hints  of  his  own  Confeffions  ?  as,  to  carry 
the  Analogy  a  little  farthet,  from  the  Tra 
dition  I  was  fpeaking  of,  of  the  Protoplaft's 
being  himfelf  fo  powerfully  Vifwh-flruck' 
it  may  poffibly  have  come  to  pafs,  that  moli 
of  thofe  Writers  who  have  attempted  his 
Hiftory,  hive  thought  it  necefTary  to  obtain 
a  proper  Touch  of  the  Vifionary-pafiion. 

THESE    Inftances    (refum'd  Hortenflus) 
of  Conceits  about  our  fir  ft  Parent,  to  which 
numberlefs    others  might  be   added   from, 
Chriftiari  Fathers,    as  well  as  Jewim  Rab 
bins,   or  Arabic  Legendaries  j  if  they  are  at 
firft  fight  more  obvioufly  ridiculous^    are^ 
believe  me,  full  as  well-grounded,  as  fome 
Imaginations  ofjt  ftmchfoberer  Afpecl,  that 
have  been  indulged  by  better  Authors,  upon 
the   fame    Subject.      Serioufly,     Philemon, 
when  one  confiders  the  Volumes  that  have 
been  here  filled   with  Romances,    both  of 
the  grave,    arid  the  lighter  kind,  it  might 
almofh   incline  'one   to   fufpe6t   fomething 
more  than  a  mere  Arabian  Whimfy  in  the 
Hypothefis  of  the  lunar  Apoftolate,  and  that 
the   great  Prophet  of  the  Moon  had  really 
made  very  free  with  certain  Influences  of 
his   principal    Deity,    in    diftempering  the 
Minds  of  his  inlpired  Train  j  were  it  hot, 
that  avoiding   all    unhandfome  Reflections 
either  on  the  Goddefs,  or  her  Minijler^  one 
E  can 


(26) 

can  pretty  eafily  fblve  the  Problem  another 
Way ;  without  fUrring  a  Foot  from  the 
Surface  of  our  Mother  Earth.  In  fhort, 
Philemon,  Men  will  be  concluding  without 
Premifes.  They  firft  devife,  each  according 
to  his  particular  Genius,  a  Syflem  of  Opi 
nions  ;  and  then  torture  both  Fact  and  In 
vention  to  furnifh  out  Proofs.  They  in- 
throne  an  Idol  Pre fence  in  the  Court  of  their 
own  Brain,  and  then  induftrioufly  caft  about 
for  Evidences  to  make  out  the  Phantom's 
Title  to  Adoration. 

•  ••    .    !* 

AND  they  had  need  have  tint  Lynx's  Beam, 
(I  interpofed)  to  difcern  any  Countenance 
to  fome  Idol-Theories  I  could  name,  from 
the  only  Authority  they  have  any  Right  to 
appeal  to  in  the  Cafe  -,  the  few  imperfect 
Hints  afforded  us  of  the  Hiftory  and  Cir- 
cumftances  of  the  new  Creation,  within  the 
compafs  of  three  Chapters  only  of  our  Bi 
ble,  and  thofe  perhaps  of  more  intricate  and 
di{putable  Interpretation,  than  any  others  in 
the  whole  facred  Collection. 

THE  more  obfcure  the  better,  (returned 
Jlortenfius ;)  Are  not  you  aware,  Philemon, 
that  there  is  always  mofr,  room  for  Con 
jecture,  where  there  is  leait  certainty  of 
Fact  ?  and  'tis  that  after  all  that  furnifbes 
Materials  to  the  endlefs  Volumes  we  have 
been  Ipeaking  of  j  and  gives,  as  an  excellent 

Writer 


. 

Writer  has  it,    fuch  a  Roundnefs  to  ibmd 

favorite  Syftems  of  Divinity  *.  A  few 
Hints  well  managed,  with  an  Invention  to 
fupply  Chafms,  and  help  out  Deficiencies, 
will  work  Wonders  in  the  kind. 

FOR  our  Comfort  (replied  I)  we  have 
at  prefent  no  concern  with  thefe  Syftematic 
Gentlemen.  'Tis  true,  I  have  carried  up 
your  Thoughts  to  a  firfl  Man,  whom  I  have 
fuppofed  both  fupernaturally  produced,  and 
instructed.  But  I  have  no  defire  to  ingage 
you  in  any  of  the  Jubjequent  Perplexities  of 
the  paradiliacal  State.  I  am  for  leaving  the 
Solution  of  thefe  Difficulties  to  more  autho 
rized  Expofitors  -,  who  can  talk  as  *  fami 
liarly  both  of  the  natural^  and  moral  Hi- 
flory  of  that  State,  as  if  they  themfelves  had 
been  of  the  Party  with  their  venerable  Pro 
genitor  ;  or  the  feveral  Transactions  fuppofed 
to  have  paffed  there,  were  Matters  of  every 
Day's  Occurrence.  The  Principle  I  am 
pleading  for  neither  requires  their  AfTiitance 
in  its  fupport,  nor  ftands  charged  with  any 
of  their  Abfurdities.  'Tis  fuch  a  one  as 
meie  good  Senfe  would  lead  us  to  acquiefce 
in,  if  an  injpired  Hiftorian  had  not  autho 
rized  it  to  us.  The  Species  muft  have  had 
a  beginning ;  and  an  Effect  of  this  Nature 
could  not  have  been  produced  without  fome 
adequate  Caule ;  and  what  fo  fuitable  Agent 
E  2  caa 

*  War bur -tons  Div.  Leg.  of  Mofss,  />.  402. 


(  28  ) 

pan  we  imploy  here,  as  an  omnipotent  and 
infinitely  benevolent  Deity  ?  Then  as  to  a  di 
vine  InftrucYion,  it  feems  as  neceffary  to  the 
right  Inftitution  of  the  infant  moral  World, 
as  a  divine  Agency  to  the  Being  of  the  natural, 
One.  In  both  Cafes,  I  think,  we  do  not 
bring  in  a  Deus  ex  Machind  only  j  the  In 
troduction  of  him  feems  equally  unavoidables 
as  it  is  important. 

\  AM  in  the  number  of  the  moil  con 
firmed  Believers  (return'd  Hortenfius)  as  to 
the  firft  of  thefe  Articles ;  and  I  think  there 
is  a  ftrong  probability  of  the  fecond.  Yet, 
rnethinks,  I  am  a  little  daggered  to  reconcile 
fuch  a  feeming  tendernefs  and  concern  of 
Heaven  in  the  Caufe  of  true  Religion,  with 
that  early  Introduction,  and  almoft  bound- 
lefs  confequent  Empire,  of  which  \  am  going 
to  give  you  in  fome  fort  the  Hiilory,  of 
Falfe. 

HOWEVER  early  it  came  into  the  World, 
(replied  I)  Hortenfius^  notwithftanding  the 
fcind  Caution  I  am  pleading  for,  it  would 
certainly  have  come  in  earlier  without  it. 
It  muft  indeed  n\  this  Cafe,  as  it  mould 
ieem,  have  been  flriftly  coeval  with  the 
Species  of  Mankind.  And  furely  fuch  an; 
apparent  neceflitating  Men  to  a  wrong  Wor- 
ihip,  is  at  leaft  a  harder  Thought  of  infinite 
\Viidorn  and  Veracity,  than  a  mere  Per-. 

miffign 


miffion  of  them,  in  the  neglect  or  abufe  of 
their  natural  Underftanding  and  Liberty,  to 
fall  off  from  a  prefcribed  right  one.  We  are 
apt,  it  may  be,  to  over-rate  both  the  Meafure, 
and  the  Force,  of  thefe  original  Suggeftions ; 
as  much  as  fome  have  done  the  natural 
Powers  of  the  nrft  Man.  As  if  all  fupe- 
rior  Interpofition  muft  either  be  extended  to 
the  eftablilhing  a  complete  Syftem  of  ipecu- 
lative  Religion  ,  or  prevail  to  the  ablblute 
Determination  of  the  human  Will  to  that 
which  is '  practical.  Doubtlefs  the  Voice  of 
Heaven  in  thefe  early  Notices  to  its  infant 
Creature  was  altogether  of  the  Jlill  fmall 
Kind.  The  Irnpulfe  Was,  as  it  ought  to  be, 
extremely  gentle,  fjited  to  the  natural  Free 
dom  of  the  interefted  Party.  And  the  Ef 
fect  of  it,  we  may  imagine,  was  like  that 
of  the  fam'd  Socratic  Genius,  chiefly  of  the 
retraining  fort :  calculated  more  to  pre 
vent  a  milapplied  Devotion,  than  to  inftitute 
a  perfectly  rational  One.  Perhaps  a  more 
forcible  Application,  or  a  fuperior  Degree  of 
infufed  Light,  would  have  been  incornpatir 
ble  with  that  rational  Liberty  of  Man, 
which  is  the  valuable  Diilinction  of  the  Ho 
mage  of  an  intelligent  moral  Creature, 
from  the  implicit  Subrniiiion,  and  over 
ruled  Obedience  of  a  mere  fenfelefs  Inftru- 
ment,  or  Machine.  Upon  the  whole, 
whatever  be  the  right  Determination  of  this 
Point,  there  is,  I  am  fenjible,  no  difputing 

agajnft 


.    (  3°  ) 

agaihct  Fact.  But  pray,  how  foon  do  you 
fuppofe,  a  falfe  Religion  to  have  actually 
taken  place  in  the  World  ? 

I  WAS  for  giving  the  Difficulty  (return'd 
he)  its  utmoft  force  5  in  order  to  hear  what 
you  would  find  to  fay  in  extenuation  of  it. 
For  to  deal  ingenuouily  with  you,  Philemon , 
I  do  not  believe  the  Introduction  of  falj'e 
Religion  was  near  fo  early  as  it  has  been  fome- 
times  reprefented ;  or  that  indeed  there  w^s 
any  fuch  Thing  in  Being  within  the  fixteen 
hundred  Years  of  the  Antediluvian  World. 
I  am  fenfible,  if  I  was  difpofed  to  pay  any 
great  Deference  to  a  Fragment  of  Phoenician 
Hiftory,  the  Credit  of  which  has  been  fo 
zealoufly  alTerted  by  a  great  Writer  of  Epif- 
copal  Dignity  in  our  own  Country  ;  I  could 
fix  the  Date  of  falfe.  IVorfhip  very  high 
even  in  that  Period.  For  the  immediate 
fecond  Generation  of  our  Kind  is  faid  in  this 
Account  to  have  been  guilty  in  a  'Time  of 
Drought  of  direct  Idolatry  to  the  Sun  *. 
And  our  learned  Voucher  for  the  Pb&ni- 
dan's  Authority  in  the  point,  fuppofes 
Cain  to  have  been  fo  effectually  confirm'd  in 
this  idolatrous  Difpofition,  before  the  time 
of  that  firfl  Innance  of  external  Devotion  in 
the  World,  which  our  iacred  Hillory  has 

recorded, 

*  This  is  reported  of  Genus,  the*Son  of  Protogomis, 
-in  Sanckoniatko,  whom  the  Bifhop  makes  to  be  Galny 
the  Son  of  Adam. 


recorded,  the  Sacrifice  of  the  .two  original 
Brothers ;  that  the  fecret  Apoftacy  of  his 
Heart  from  the  orthodox  Belief  of  his  Fa 
mily,  was  the  true  Ground  of  that  fignified 
Difapprobation  of  his  Offering,  which  in 
the  Event  proved  fo  fatal  to  his  Fellow- 
worfhipper.  He  was,  it  feems,  an  Infidel  of 
the  true  modi  ft  modern  Stamp  j  who  in  his 
Heart  laughed  at  thofe  weak  SuperiHtions, 
which  in  his  Practice  he  thought  it  prudent 
to  comply  with.  Is  not  this,  think  you,  a 
very  extraordinary  Piece  of  Refinement  for 
that  Age  of  primitive  Simplicity  ? 

HE  was  a  Genius  of  the  higher  Order, 
(faid  I)  I  fuppoie ;  and  of  a  much  forwarder 
Apprehenfion  of  Things,  than  his  more 
pious  and  orthodox  Relative  j  and  by  a 
deeper  Penetration  of  Thought,  law  quick 
ly  thro'  the  Weaknefs  of  his  nurfery  Preju 
dices  ;  and  the  Fallacy  of  \hzpopular  Syjiem 
of  his  Time.  I  wonder,  coniidering  how 
ilrong  an  Inftance  he  might  be  made  of  the 
Hazard  of  Free-thinking ;  and  the  dark 
Stain  that  is  fixed  by  die  facred  Hiftorian 
upon  his  fubfequent  moral  Character ;  we 
have  not  feen  him  produced  in  this  View  by 
the  warmer  Advocates  for  Syjiem  in  the 
World,  to  the  Terror  and  Reproach  of  his 
Followers  in  later  Ages ;  who  to  the  unpar 
donable  fcandal  and  difquiet  of  thefe  good 

Men, 


(    32   ) 

Men,  have  prefumed  to  diflent  from  certain 
£  refcribed  Opinions  of  the  eafieft  Digeftion, 
and  moft  unqueftionable  Evidence,  under 
ihtjhameleft  Pretence  of  thinking  for  them-' 
lelves. 


falfe  Religion  (refumed  Horten- 
fus}  had  thus  early  got  footing  in  the 
World,  it  foon,  you  will  imagine,  found 
Means  to  inlarge  its  malignant  Empire  ;  for 
the  great  Luminary  of  Heaven,  the  Sun, 
being  once  exalted  into  the  Character  of 
Jupreme  Lord  of  it,  by  this  fecond  Genera^ 
tion  of  Mankind  j  there  fucceeded  only  two 
more  complete  ones,  before  a  new  Species 
of  Idolatry  was  introduced,  the  Wormip  of 
Fire,  and  a  Windy  or  ^Cempcft^  that  had 
occafioned  the  accidental  breaking  out  of  it* 
The  Celebration  of  which,  we  are  told,  was 
performed  by  fetting  up  Pillars^  or  rather 
rude  unwrought  Stones,  to  the  honor  of 
the  novel  Deities  ;  and  paying  a  religious 
Homage^  accompanied  with  janguinary  Li- 
bations,  at  thcfe  their  Altars  *.  This  hap 
pened  in  the  Jifth  Age  of  the  World  ;  and 
was  thought  fuch  a  Refinement,  we  may 
fuppofe,  upon  the  Idolatry  of  the  preceding 
ones,  that  the  Survivers  of  thefe  Element  ary- 
Hierophants  complimented  them  after  their 
deceafe,  with  ibme  of  the  Honors  of  their 
own  devifing  j  in  a  grateful  return  for  the 

Benefits 

*  Cumb.  Sanch,  p.  236, 


(  33  ) 

Benefits  of  their  new  Infthution  :  confecra- 
ting  to  them  Pofts  and  Pillars,  after  the 
example  of  thofe  they  had  themfelves  erected 
to  the  two  natural  Deities  ;  and  celebrating 
anniixrfary  Fefli'vals  to  their  Memory*. 
And  now  the  Idol-Intereft  was  confiderably 
advancing  :  For  Chryfor,  or  Vulcan,  who 
lived,  in  this  Account,  in  the  next  Age  but 
one,  having  invented  Iron,  and  the  uie  of 
the  Forge,  with  fome  other  Accommoda 
tions  of  Life,  was,  after  his  death,  admitted 
by  the  Men  of  the  immediate  fucceeding 
Generation  to  the  Honors  of  a  more  explicate 
Religion,  and  direff  Apotheojis  ^.  A  De 
gree  of  Guilt,  fays  our  above-cited  Com-* 
mentator  on  the  Fragment,  which  even  this 
wicked  Brood,  of  Cairn  'te  Extraction,  "  fell 
"  not  into  till  the  eighth  Generation  j  till 
"  more  than  a  thoufand  Years  had  harden'd 
"  them;  and  divine  Vengeance  in  the  De~ 
"  luge  was  drawing  near  in  the  next  Gene* 
"  ration  but  one."  A  Judgment  againjl  the 
Jirft  Deifiers  of  Men,  which  he  thinks  wor- 
tby  to  be  remark  WJ.  Sp  important  an  In- 
ftance  of  the  Corruption  of  the  Antediluvian 
World  has  our  infpired  Hiftory  of  this  Pe 
riod  altogether  palled  over  in  filence  ;  and 
F  left 

TOUTCOU    JE   Tf^sucmTc'.',    'TOV? 


x«i  TOUTCJ?  EoaTctf  a^itv  HXT'  frsj.      Ubi  fup. 
*f"  'jfi?  Stcv  aurov  t«€atfl^k^»ii.    Ubi  fup, 
$  Cumb.  Sanch,  p,  245. 


(  34); 

left  to  be  afcertained  to  us  by  a  Phoenician 
Supplement ;  of  an  Age,  doubtful  indeed, 
but,  paft  controverfy,  much  Inferior  to  its 
own  *  :  of  which  moreover  the  original  Au 
thorities  are  more  to  be  fufpeded  than  the 
Age;,  and  the  genuine  Conveyance,  thro* 
the  Hands  of  a  right-reverend  Father,  from 
thofe  of  a  very  late  Pagan  Tranflator  -fy 
more  juftly  queftionable  ftill  than  either. 

^fcxirnoia.ft.  it>d?o  -  .»v  .  ££&**•  -*iJ 

,  ONE  need  not  (interpofed  I)  go  any  far 
ther,  I  think,  for  a  full  Justification  of  the 
divine  Nemefa  in.  the  Deftruclion  of  the 
primitive  World  by  the  Flood,  fuppofing  the 
Fact  to  have  been  as  it  is  ufually  apprehended ; 
than  to  that  incorrigible  Depravity,  and  infa- 
rhous  Corruption  of  Manners  in  thofe  early 
£te,ys  3  which  the  f acred  Hiftorian  points' 
Out  to  us,  as  its  immediate  Provocation. 
Y<jo{ence^?  Iniquity,  profligate  and  unpa- 

rallel'd 

*  Au£lor  Vetuftiffimus,  faj's  the  learned  Marjham9 
fd  Sanchomatho,  fedTyfi  condita,  Trojanifque  Tem- 
poribus  longe  Inferior.  Can.  Chron.  p.  234.  Bo- 
chart  gives  this  Character  of  him — Nomen,  aut  Cog- 
noraen^  inde  fortitus,  ex  quo  animam  ad  fcribendum 
appiilit,  hoc  ipfo  figniflcabat  fe  veritatis  efle  afleclain, 
ct  exquifitioris  doclrinae  curiofum  indagatorem  ;  quod 
ytinam  tarn  re  praeftitiflet,  quam  nomine  profiteba.tur. 
(Canaan  lib.  2.  cap.  17. 

•f-  Phllo  B'ibliuS)  in  the  time  of  Adrian. 

j  We  have  it  reported  of  Seth's  Family,  that  in 
the  days  of  Enos  his  Son,  in  diftindtion  from  the- 
i  they  called  themfelves  by  the  name  of  the 

•t  ,d*n,  Sons 


(35) 

rallel'd  Debauch,  the  reigning  Chara&erifto, 
as  it  appears,  of  the  more  advanced  Antedi 
luvian  Age ;  if  they  had  not  drawn  down 
the  Severity  of  a  fupernaturally  intorpofing 
Vengeance,  to  the  extin&eonofihe  abandoned. 
Race ;  muft  in  the  natural  Tendency  of  the 
Things  themfelves  have  fbon  accomplilhed 
the  univerfal  Mifery  of  it.  A  Deluge  might, 
for  aught  I  knpw,  be  a  very  defirable  Refcue 
F  2  from 

Sons  of  God,  Gen.  4,  26.      So  Aquila's  Verfion  ren«- 
ders  the  Place.     Torf   y^Sn   TOU  xaAety  n   owpxri 
K'^jo-j,    And  the  marginal  fearing  in  our  Bibles  is 
agreable  hereto.     This  PafTage,    however,    has  been 
fometimes  quoted   in   proof,  that  the  very  worft  fort 
of  Idolatry,  the  human  Apotheofis,  began  as  early  as 
the  days  of  Enos.     But  this  Notion  is   intirely  built 
upon  a  wrong  Senfe  of  the  Words  in  the  original. 
The  motive  to  the  Diftin&ion  here  aflumed  in  Setb's 
Line  was  not,    fo  far  as  appears,    the  Idolatry  of  the 
Cainites,  but  their  ill  Lives.     Cain  himfelf  was  of  a 
violent  and  refentful  Difpofition,  and  his  Family  feem, 
many  of  them,  to  have  been  of  a  like  Temper  and 
Complexion.     For  we  read,    there  were  Giants,  or$ 
as  Le  Clerc  underftands  the  Hebrew  Word,  Nephellm^ 
Robbers,  or  Men  of  Violence^  in  the  Earth  in  thofe 
days.      Such  as  afterwards  by  the  mixture  of  Setb's 
Family  with  Cain's,  the  whole  Earth,  except  Noah's 
Family,  was  become,    Gen.  6.  li.     This,  with  the 
fevere  Law  againft  Murder  to  Noah  after  the  Flood^ 
makes  it  probable  that  Violence   was  the  reigning 
Vice  of  the  Antediluvian  World.     And  whereas  in 
the  permiflion  of  Animal  Food,  care  is  taken  to  for 
bid  the  eating  of  Blood  ;  Gen.  9.  3,  4,  5.   poffibly,  the 
tofAotycfyia^   or  feeding  upon  raw  Flefli  with  the  Blood 
in  it,  might  have  been  practifed  before  the  Flood  ; 
and  helped  to  lharpen  the  Spirits  of  Men  in  earlier 
Days. 


, 
from  the  more  dreadful  Overflowings  of  fach 

jncreafing  Wickednefs.  It  might  be  even 
a  kind  Interpolition  in  fach  Circumftances, 
to  difpeople  a  World  of  Beings  fo  refolute  in 
their  own  undoing ;  and  by  a  decifive  Stroke 
of  inftant  Ruin  to  prevent  the  lengthen'd 
Pains  of  a  more  gradual  Execution.  But 
Ib  it  fhould  leem  (Hortenjius]  in  our  Au 
thor's  account,  that  thefe  Enormities  in  An 
tediluvian  Practice  were  not  fully  ripe  for 
Punfthment,  without  the  finifoing  Aggra 
vation  of  a  confirmed  fpeculative  Mif-belief. 
Nor  is  it  indeed  any  new  Doctrine  in  Syfte- 
matic  Theology,  "  That  Errors  in  point  of 
"  Opinion,  are  of  a  more  heightened  Guilt, 
"  than  any  Failures  in  Conduct."  The 
condemning  Duality  is  by  many  of  our  Di 
vines  fb  emphatically  afcribed  to  an  erroneous 
Faith^  that  one  would  think  there  were  no 
Condemnation  to  a  corrupt  Morality.  And 
truly,  if  the  fatal  Diftributions  of  Heaven 
were  at  all  to  be  eftimated  from  ^.temporary 
ones  of  Ibme  who  boaft  themielves  its  com- 
mifTion'd  Embaflador^  a  Man  would  run 
far  lefs  rifque  of  his  Salvation,  who  mould 
break  even  the  plaineft  of  the  Command 
ments  ;  than  fcruple  the  moft  intricate  Ni 
cety  of  an  authoritatively  impofed  Creed, 
merely  becaufe  he  had  not  an  Understanding^ 
to  make  either  Scripture  or  Senfe  of  it. 

ONE 


(  37  ) 

ONE  would  have  hoped,  however  (pro 
ceeded  Hortenfms)  that  the  memory  of  ib 
iignal  an  Interpofition  of  Heaven  againft  the 
jfirft  Deifiers  of  Men,  mould  have  given  an 
effectual  Check  to  the  Practice  for  fome  con- 
fiderable  Time  in  the  fucceeding  World. 
At  leaft,  that  the  chofen  Family  of  Noab^ 
who  were  themfelves  Eye~witneiTes  to  the 
Fad:,  and  owed  it  to  an  efpecial  Providence 
on  their  behalf,    that  they  furvived  the  ge 
neral  Ruin  j    mould  have  been  too  fenfibly 
convinced  of  the  fatal  Confequences  of  it  in 
the  preceeding  Generations,  to  have  ventured 
fettingthe  example  of  it  to  After-Times.  The 
Event  however  was,  as   we  are  told,  quite 
different.     For  they  were  no  fooner  almoft 
preferved  from  the  common  Fate,  to  be  the 
Seed  of  a  renewed  World,  but  they  became 
likewife  the  Seed  of  a  renewed  Idolatry.  For 
Cronus^  or  Ham,  one  of  the  immediate  Pro 
geny  of  Noah,  who  had  been  partaker  with 
him  in  the  affecting  Providence  of  the  Ark, 
after    a   Series   of   many   other  Violences 
to  his  Family ,having  at  length  arrived  to  the 
complete  Infamy  of  moil  unnatural  Parricide, 
had  fcarce  accomplimed  the  favage  Purpofe 
of  his   Father's  Murder,    but  he  proceeded 
to  the  impious  Ceremony  of  his  Apotheofis. 
He  deify'd  him,  we  are  told,  upon  the  very 

Spot 


(  38  ) 

Spet  where  lie  had  difpatched  him  *.  And 
to  eftablifh  the  credit  of  that  Divinity 
he  had  raifed  him  to,  as  well  as  to  provide 
for  his  own  perfonal  Advancement  to  the 
fame  Honors  after  death,  he  contrived  to 
charge  him  with  a  Peftilence  that  foon  after 
raged  in  his  Kingdom  ;  and  to  appeafe  this 
pretended  punijhing  Daemon^^  the  Author 
of  the  then  inftant  Calamity,  poured  out 
the  Blood  of  bis  only  Son  in  Sacrifice  to  the 
Manes  of  his  murdered  Parent  J  :  To  fuch 
an  height  of  favage  Impiety  was  this  imme 
diate 

*  Oupavov  TOV  Trotrtpot,  Pta£wv   (Kaovo?)   £7np£a0iov  tx 

'T£/AVE»    CtVTOV  TX   KlOOilX.   <jVVc'yy\J$  TTrfyuiV  T£   XflU    TTOTa^AWV* 

tvSot  a(fittPU$"yi  ovotawq^  xat  tzTntoTisSri  aiirou  TO  TTDEU- 
pa,'  Eufeb.  praep.  p.  38.  fv3-«  «<pie£w37i,  fays  Bi- 
Ihop  Cumberland,  cc  He  was  confecrated  forthwith, 
<c  upon  that  very  fpot  of  ground.  Cronus  was  of  his 
*e  mind,  who  faid,  fit  Divus,  modo  ne  fit  vivus.  He 
knew  it  would  be  honourable  to  himfelf  to  be  bcliev'd 
the  Son  of  a  Deity ;  and  that  it  might  make  way  to 
his  own  Confecration  when  he  ftiould  die.  And  when 
he  had  thus  deified  him,  nothing  could  fix  his  confe- 
cration  more,  than  that  his  Son,  now  a  great  Prince, 
fhould  facrifice  to  him.  Cumb.  Sanch.  />.  146. 

-f-  Ti^io^e,-  A^a^wv,  fo  O^avoj  is  here  confidered 
by  Porphyry  in  Eufeb.  Book  I.  p.  40. 

J  AotjW-ou  JV  ^eyo/Asyou  y,xi  ty$QjPOt.$9  rev  laiiToy  uou 
p.ovo'ytM  Kooyo?  Ovpavw  Trccroi  oXoxxoiroi.  Eufeb.  prsp. 
lib.  i.  />.  38.  So  confirmed  an  Idolater  indeed  was 
Cronus,  in  our  Author's  Account,  that  the  End  of 
his  Deification  of  Oupvc? ,  or  AW;,  was,  we  are 
told,  to  make  Pofterity  believe  Noah  approved  of 
Daemon- Worfhip  himfelf;  and  by  that  means  blot 
out  the  remembrance  of  his  Piety.  Gumb.  Sanch* 
p.  147- 


(39) 

diate  Spe&ator  of  a  fo  late  delug'd  World, 
for  Crimes  of  the  very  fame  complexion  with 
his  own,    already  arrived !    But,    it  feems, 
however  he  had  efcaped  the  penalty  of  An 
tediluvian  Corruption,  he  had  been  a  confi- 
derable  Sharer  in  the  guilt  of  it.     For  he  not 
only   himfelf  gave  into  many  fuperftitious, 
magical,  and  ajlrologic  Practices  before  the 
Flood  ;  but  plotted  the  fuccefsful  propagation 
of  them  after  it.      "    He    was  unwilling, 
"  we  are  told  by  fome  Writers,  that  Pofte- 
"  rity  mould  lofe  the  Benefit  of  Antedilu- 
"  vian  Ingenuity,    in  thele  kinds ;  and  ac- 
"  cordingly  as  the  Deluge  approached,  ha- 
<£  ving  formed  a  Syftem  of  what  Knowledge 
11  himfelf   was  matter  of    this   way,    he 
f£  infcribed  it  on  Plates  of  different  Metals, 
"  and  the  hardest  Stones  he  could  meet  with 
"  for  the  purpofe.      And  knowing   there 
"  would  be  no  admifiion  for  Doctrines  of 
"  this  fort  into  the  Arkt  he  repofited  thefe 
"  valuable  InfHmtes  in  the  fafefl  Places  he 
"  could  think  of  out  of  itj    and   when  the 
11  Flood  was  over,  went  in  fearch  of  them 
Cl  with  the  diligence  fo  important  a  Difco-" 
**  very  required  ;  till  having  fortunately  got 
<c  them  again  into  his  poflefTion,  he  from 
*<•  henceforward  profefled  a  Mafterfhip  in 
<c  his  Art  j  and  diftinguimed  himfelf  as  the 
J<  great  Magician  and  AJlrologer  of  the  rifmg 

"  Gene- 


(40) 

"  Generation  of  Mankind  *."  An  Author, 
Philemon,  who  could  thus  furviiie  the  Ruins 
of  an  univerfal  Deluge,  might  well  be  ex 
empted  from  thofe  lefTer  Injuries  of  Time* 
and  vulgar  Accidents,  which  have  been  fo 
fatal  to  many  Writers  of  a  much  inferior 
date.  Nor  are  we,  I  think,  to  wonder, 
if  after  fb  fignal  an  efcape  of  this  firft  Sketch 
of  his  Antediluvian  Magics,  fucceeding  im 
proved  Editions  of  the  fame  Work  fliould  be 
extant  as  late  as  the  learned  Bockart's  Age  5 
who  tells  us  of  an  impious  Treatife  of  the 
Elements  and  Praxis  of  Necromancy,  then 
in  being,  under  the  Title  of,  T^he  Scripture 
cf  Cham  the  Son  of  Noah  -f-. 

THIS 

*  Quantum  itaque  antiquae  traditiones  fcrunt, 
Cham  filius  Noe,  qui  fuperftitionibus  illis  et  facrilegis 
arttbus  Infe&us  fuit,  fciens  nullum  fe  pofle  fuper  his 
librum  in  Arcam  prorfus  inferre,  in  quam  erat  una 
cum  patre  jufto,  ac  fan&is  fratribus  ingrcfTurus ;  fee- 
leftas  ^rtes,  ac  profana  commenta  diverforum  metal- 
lorum  laminis,  quas  fcilicet  non  corrumnerentur  in- 
iuria,  ct  duriffimis  lapidibus  infcu]pfit.  Quae,  diluviQ 
peradto,  eadem  qua  ilia  celaverat  curiofitatc  pcrqui- 
rens,  facrilegiorum,  et  pcrpetuae  nctjuiti^  feminarium 
tranfmifit  in  pofteros.  Caffian.  Coll.  8.  cap.  21. 
Kirch.  Ob.  Pam.  lib.  i.  p.  4.  Dico  igitur  fieri  non 
potuifTe,  fays  the  laft  mention'J  Author  elfewhere, 
ut  Cham  peritiffimus  Aftrologia^,  acuniverfas  naturae 
confultus,  ad  inftantiam  fuorum  filiorum  Chus,  et 
Mifrpim,  non  aliqua  fcripferit.  Ciun,  ut  per  regulas 
et  praecepta  in  magica  arte  operand!  lahili  filiorum 
memoriae  confultret ;  turn,  ut  ad  fui  nominis  Fa- 
mam,  &c.  .Ob.  Pain.  cap.  2.  p.  18.  compare  .Qeu\ 
JEg.  p.  84..  alfo  245. 

•f-  Invaluit   opinio  Cbnmum  fuifTe  Magum,  et  car- 


(4!  ) 

THIS  was  probably  a  Copy  only  of 
the  Work  (faid  I)  Hortenfius.  I  wonder 
what  is  become  of  the  true  origmalMa- 
nufcript  ?  Happy  the  Virtuofo  Antiquary, 
if  any  fuch  there  be,  who  has  the  PofTeffion 
of  ib  choice  a  piece  of  antique  Literature  ! 
how  effectually  would  it  fhame  fome  valued 
Treafures  of  Antiquarian  Curiofity^  mere 
Novelties  in  comparifon  ! 


You  are  not,  I  think  (returned  Ho 
fins)  over  fond  of  Domeftic-Hiffory,  Pbi~ 
lemon^  or  I  could  let  you  into  the  true  Se 
cret  of  this  Cronus  §  very  early  and  ilngular 
Apoftacy  from  the  Religion  of  his  Parents 
and  Brethren.  It  was  all  owing  to  an  un 
fortunate  Alliance  he  had  made  by  Marriage 
with  a  Branch  of  the  Cainite  Family.  His 
Wife  was  of  idolatrous  extraction  ;  being 
Naamah,  the  Daughter  of  Lantech,  Sifter  to 
^ubal-Cam.  The  fame  Perfon,  whom  Plu 
tarch  in  his  Egyptian  Antiquities  calls  Ne- 
mausy  Queen  of  Byblus  in  Phoenicia  *  ; 
G  who 

mine  magico  pattern^  dum  dormiebat  nudus,  ita 
devotafle,  et  obligafTe,  ut  deinceps  ad  mulierem  non 
potuerit  affe&ari  ;  et  magicos  Libros  fcripfiflej  nam 
hodieque  extat  impium  opus,  continens  elementa  et 
praxim  artis  necromanticae,  fub  titulo,  fcripturse  Cha* 
mi,  Filii  Noae.  Bocbart.  Phaleg.  lib.  4.  cap.  I. 

*  If  {he  was  one  of  Ham's  Wives,  we  may  give 
a  very  probable  reafon  for  his  falling  into  Idolatry, 
tho'  his  Father  was  fo  free  from  it.  Cumb.  Remarks 
onSancb./>.  107  —  8* 


(42  ) 

who  being  the  only  Female  mentioned  by 
Mofes  in  his  Genealogy  of  Cain's  Line  *, 
muft  be  conceived,  it  is  conjectured,  to  be 
a  Perfon  of  very  diftinguifhed  Confequence-f-. 
Tho'  methinks,  her  memory  is  not  much 
beholden  to  the  Civility  of  thoie  Writers, 
who,  from  this  paffing  notice  of  it,  traduce 
her  as  the  inticer  of  her  Husband  into  the 

bafeft 

*  It  has  occafioned  much  Speculation  amongft 
Commentators,  what  fhould  be  the  reafon  of  Mofes 
his  making  ten  Generations  horn  Adam  to  the  Flood, 
in  Seth"&  Line,  and  feven  only  in  Cains.  Saint  Au- 
Jtin's  Obfervations  on  this  Queftion  are  very  curious, 
and  may  ferveto  raife  our  Idea  of  Fatherly  Interpreta 
tion  of  Scripture — Illud  mihi  nullo  pa&o  praetereun- 
dum  filentio  videtur,  quod  cum  Lamecb  feptimus  ab 
Adam  fuiflet  inventus,  tot  ejus  annumerati  funt  nlii, 
donee  undenarius  numerus  impleretur,  quo  fignifica- 
tur  Peccatum.  Quoniam  Lux  denario  numero  prae- 
dicatur,  profe&o  numerus  undenarius,  quum  tranf- 
greditur  denarium,  tranfgreftionem  legis  fignificat. 
Progenies  ergo  ex  Adam  per  Cain  fceleratum  numero 
undenario  finitur,  quo  peccatum  fignificatur.  Et 
ipfe  numerus  a  Ftzmina  clauditur  ;  a  quo  fexu  initium 
faclum  eft  peccati,  per  quod  omnes  morimur.  Com- 
mifTum  eft  autem,  ut  et  voluptas  carnis,  quae  fpiritui 
refifterit,  fequere'tur.  Nam  et  ipfa  filia  Lamecbr 
Noema,  id  eft,  Voluptas,  interpretatur.  Per  Setb 
autem  ab  Adam  ad  Noe  denarius  infmuatur  legitimus 
numerus.  Cui  Noe  tresadjiciuntur  filii:  unde,  uno 
Japfoi  duo  benedicuntur  a  patre  ;  ut  remoto  reprobo, 
ct  probatis  filiis  ad  numerum  additis,  etiam  duodena- 
rfus  numerus  intimetur;  qui  et  in  Patriarcharum,  et 
Apoftolorum  numero  infignis  eft,  propter  feptenarit 
partes,  alteram  per  alteram  multiplicatas.  Nam  ter 
qtiaterni,  vel  quater  terni,  ipfum  faciunt,  De  Civ, 
Dei  Lib.  15.  cap.  21.  ap.  ^ftn. 

•f  See  Cumb,  as  above. 


(43  ) 

bafeft  Idolatries ;  nor  to  others  of  a  like  con- 
jeftural  Stamp,  who  gather  from  the  fame 
Circumftance,  that  (lie  was  herfelf  the  ori 
ginal  Subject  of  an  Apotheqfis  the  moft  infa 
mous  in  all  Paganifm,  the  Apotbeofis  of /#/?- 
ful  Beauty  *.  But  whatever  was  the  ground 
of  Ham's  religious  Misbehaviour  before  the 
Flood,  the  Rabbinic  Authors  are  no  very 
reputable  Expofitors  of  Scripture,  if  he  was 
not  under  a  fatal  Devotion  to  Offences  of 
this  fort  after  it.  For  fuch,  it  feems,  is 
in  their  opinion  the  import  of  that  Denun 
ciation  which  his  indecent  Levity  extorted 
from  his  affronted  Parent,  upon  an  occafion 
well  known,  againfl  himfelf  and  his  Proge 
ny  ;  "  That  they  mould  not  only  be  in 
"  Slavery  to  their  collateral  Kindred  j  but  to 
"  a  Dominion  of  a  more  debafing  and  op- 
"  probrious  kind,  the  Tyranny  of  the  moft 
"  execrable  Superftition  -f-." 

G    2  I    HOPE 

*  NoemZ)  Filia  Lamechi^  Mofi  memorata  praeter 
morem  Scripturae,  quas  non  folet  in  genealogiis  referre 
faeminas.  Alii,  quia  Noema  venuflum  notat,  eo  ar- 
bitrantur  efie  Venerem  Gentium.  Tantam  enim  ve- 
nuftatem  fuifle  unius  Naama  przedicant,  ut  duo  An- 
geli  Dei,  y/ztf,  et  A%ael,  ejus  forma  capti,  concubuer- 
rint ;  et  ex  ea  Daemones  genuerint,  qui  Be  dim  appel- 
lantur.  Alii  Adamum  ipfum,  illis  centum  et  triginta 
annis  quibus  ab  Eva  fuit  feparatus,  fuifle  cum  Naama. 
VoiT.  de  Orig.  Idol.  lib.  I.  cap  I". 

•f  Gen.  25.  Et  vidit  Cham  pater  Chanaan  verenda 
patris  fui  ;  Gen.  9.  22.  To  which  Rabbi  RaJJt  adds, 
it  was  believed,  quod  caftraverit  ipfum,  et  concubue- 

nt 


(faid  I)  our  venerable  Anceftor 
fpoke  here  by  a  prophetic  Spirit,  declaring 
what  in  the  natural  courfe  of  things  'would 
come  to  pafs  in  this  Branch  of  his  Posterity  ; 
and  not  intimating  any  diipoiition  of  his  own 
what  Jhonld.  Otherwise  his  Anathema 
feems  much  too  fever e  for  the  provocation 
that  drew  it  from  him ;  nor  could  he,  I 
think,  have  well  recovered  his  temperance, 
when  he  uttered  fo  mercilels  an  Impreca 
tion. 

Fo  R  the  credit  of  his  fobriety,  Philemon, 
(replied  he)  I  dare  fay  the  good  Man,  nei 
ther  in  Prophecy,  nor  Refentment,  had  any 
Thought  of  what  he  is  here  charged  with. 
The  Denunciation  had  quite  another  Afpedt, 
and  was  accomplished  after  a  very  different 
manner  *.  Nor  was  indeed  the  fpiritual 
Slavery  here  understood  at  all  peculiar  to  Ca 
naan 's  Pofterity  -3  having,  as  it  mould  feem, 
equally  prevailed  within  the  JLine  of  Shew, 

when 

rit  cam  eo — Cufii,  fays  Abenezra  on  the  Place,  cul- 
tores  fuere  Idolorum,  eo  quod  Noe  C/wwmaledixit — 
We  muft  judge,  fays  Bifhop  Cumberland,  that  even 
this  worft  part  of  Idolatry  (human  Sacrifice)  was  re 
ceived  and  continued  by  Ham  in  Canaan,  and  Egypt, 
and  the  reft  of  his  Dominions.  Cumb.  Sanch, 
/.  147-8. 

*  NM  Cbamum  execratus  pncdixerat  fore,  ut  ejus 
pofteri  fervi  elTent  fervorum.  Atque  id  impletum  in 
Chananaeis  turn,  cum  fubire  coacli  funt  Ifraelitarum 
jugum.  Bccbart.  Phalcg.  lib.  I.  j>-  3. 


(45) 

when  a  particular  Family  of  that  Line  was 
diftinguifhed  by  a  fpecial  Privilege  in  the 
Cafe ;  and  feparated  from  its  idolatrous  Kin 
dred  by  an  immediate  interpolation  of  Hea 
ven  for  that  purpofe.  And  thus,  Philemon, 
by  running  over  with  you  feveral  imaginary 
Eftabliihments  of  Idolatry  in  the  World,  I 
have,  I  am  afraid,  infeniibly  brought  down 
your  Thoughts  to  the  times  of  a  real  one. 
The  particular  Seat  of  it,  I  have  in  view, 
is  the  Chaldean,  or  ancient  Aflfyrian  Empire. 
From  a  City  of  which,  Ur  of  the  Cha/dees> 
Terab,  the  Father  of  the  Patriarch  Abra- 
bam,  fome  time  before  his  death,  which 
happened  in  the  feventy-nfth  Year  of  Abra 
hams  Age,  removed  with  his  Family  to 
Haran  in  Mefopotamia  j  upon  a  diflenfion 
from  the  Urite  Eftablifhment  in  Religion  *. 
What  this  was,  may  be  probably  conjectured 
from  the  Alexandrian  Chronicle;  which 
records  of  Ninus  the  SuccefTor  of  Nimrod 
in  the  Affyrlan  Empire,  and  who  reigned 
'till  the  ninth  Year  of  Abraham^  Life,  that 
he  taught  the  AJJyrians  to  ivorftiip  Fire  -j-. 
He  introduced,  I  would  underltand  the 
Chronicle,  the  Worfhip  of.  artificial  Fire, 
as  a  Symbol  of  the  Fires,  or  Lights  of  Hea 
ven-,  which,  if  the  Origin  of  Chaldean  Ido 
latry  may  be  judged  of  from  that  of  all  other 
Nations,  were,  doubtleis,  as  the  nature  of 

the 

*  Compared. 1 1.  31,32.  I2.4.vrith  Judith  5-7,8. 
f  Chron.  Alex.  />.  64. 


(46  ) 

the  thing  feems  to  point  out,  the  firft  Ob 
jects  of  a  miftaken  Worfhip  in  the  World. 
•Ninus,  we  may  imagine,  thought  to  pro 
vide  a  remedy  againft  the  frequent  abfences, 
2nd  difappearings  of  the  heavenly  Bodies, 
by  appointing  a  medium  of  Adoration  to 
them,  which  might  be  always  at  hand,  and 
ready  to  receive  the  honours  of  thofe  primary 
Divinities.  Or,  poffibly,  fome  farther  In 
novation  here  in  Abraham's  Time  might 
occaiion  the  Rupture  between  his  Family 
and  their  Fellow-Citizens.  For  it  does  not 
appear  that  'Terah^  or  Abraham,  were  at  this 
time  adherers  to  the  true  Worfhip,  tho'  they 
•are  mentioned  as  Separatifts  from  a  particular 
mode  Qijalje  *.  Whatever  was  the  ground 
of  their  Diflenfion  from  the  Urite  Religion, 
the  ye-wt/h  Authors  inform  us  the  quarrel 
in  Abraham's  Cafe  ran  fo  high,  that  he  had 
inevitably  fallen  a  Martyr  to  his  particular 

Scruple, 

*  Mr.  Locke  in  his  Comment  on  Rom.  4.  5.  - 


TOV  ao-f  6n,  Xoyi^rai  4  Trtf  <»  EJ?  Jj«a»o<ruv»iy  —  obferves, 
that  by  thefe  Words  Saint  F^/J  plainly  points  out  Abra- 
ham,  who  was,afftS.»]s-,  ungodly^  that  is,a  Gentile,  not 
a  Worfhipper  of  the  true  God,  when  God  called  him, 
•which  he  explains  by  the  Word  Ka-eZtixv,  being  ufed 
by  the  Apoftle  to  .exprefs  the  State  of  the  Gentile 
World  as  to  their  Atheifm,  Polytheifm,  and  Idola 
try,  at  the  Revelation  of  the  Gofpe-1.  -  «wix»A(/7i- 
IZTXI  yxp  oeyri  S'fou  *T  ou/>avou  e^r*  7r5;cray  acrsbtiat* 
*W^WTWI—  Rom.  I.  18.  See  his-  Com.  on  the  Places. 
As  alfo,  more  at  large  on  Rom.  5.  v.  6  and  8. 


(  47) 

Scruple,  but  that  an  efpecial  Providence  in- 
terpofed  in  his  Refcue.  For  the  Chaldeans } 
it  feems,  were  fo  refblute  in  their  demands 
of  Conformity  to  their  authorized  national 
Religion,  that  Fire-Worfoip,  or  Fire-Di- 
fcipline  were  the  fettled  Alternatives  with 
them ;  and  the  latter  having  been  the  Lot 
of  our  Patriarch,  he  had  certainly  perifhed 
in  it,  had  not  a  Miracle  been  wrought  for 
his  deliverance.  It  was  thought  neceflary 
he  fhould  at  leaft  feel  the  Vengeance  of  that 
Element,  of  which  he  would  not  acknow 
ledge  the  Divinity  *.  \& 

THE  Element  (I  interpofed)  had  fome 
pretence  for  aiTerting  its  own  Apotheofis.  But 
lure  the  zeal  of  later  Ages  for  eftablifhments 
of  a  different  Genius  greatly  exceeds  its 
bounds,  when  it  catches  the  red-hot  Spirit  of 
thefe  Chaldean  Inquifitors ;  and  proceeds  to 
the  Dijbipline  of  Fire,  without  the  previous 
Ceremony  of  its  Deification. 

WHAT- 

*  Pro  eo  quod  legimus,  in  regione  Chaldaeorum, 
(fv  TTJ  p£W|oa  TWV  X*A<Ja»wv)  in  Hebr«eo  habetur,  Ur 
Chafdim,  id  eft,  in  igne  Chaldseorum.  Tradunt 
autem  Hebroei  ex  hac  occafione,  iftiufmodi  fabulamj 
quod  Abraham  in  ignem  miflus  fit,  quia  ignem  adorare 
noluerit,  quem  Chaldaei  colunt,  et  del  auxiiio  libera- 
tus,  de  Idololatrise  igne  protu^erit.  Quod  in  fequenti- 
bus  fcribitur,  egreffurn  efle  Tharan  cum  fobole  fua  de 
regione  Chaldasorum  :  pro  eo,  quod  in  Hebrseo  ha 
betur,  de  incendio  Chaldssorum  :  quod  videlicet,  ig 
nem  nolens  adorare,  igne  confumtus  fit.  Vid.  Hieron. 
Tradit,  in  Gen,  n.  28,  31. 


(48) 

WHATEVER  was  the  particularity  (re- 
fumed  Hortenfius]  of  the  Patriarch's  Reli 
gion  at  his  departure  from  the  City  of  his 
Nativity ;  a  farther  reform  was,  we  find, 
thought  necelTary  to  be  made  in  it,  at  fome 
diftance  of  Time  from  that  period;  when, 
by  a  fpecial  Deiignation  from  Heaven  for 
the  Purpofe,  he  was  to  enter  upon  the 
illuftrious  Character  vouchfafed  to  him  in 
Haran  of  Mefopotamla ;  of  being  from 
thenceforward  not  only  the  Head  or  Father 
of  a  great  and  chofen  Nation ;  that  of  the 
yews,  the  immediate  Dependents  of  Abra 
ham  after  the  Flefh ;  but  of  a  more  honour 
able,  however  figurative  Progeny  j  of  the 
Faithful  to  the  end  of  World  *.  About 
two  Years  after  this  very  important  Inftitu- 
tion,  we  find  him  driven  by  diftrefs  of  a 
Famine  in  Canaan,  the  Country  of  his  ap 
pointed  Refidence  under  it  during  that  Inter 
val,  into  Egypt  -f-.  The  Scripture  which 
records  to  us  his  having  ibjourned  there 
upon  this  occafion,  about  the  fpace,  as  is 

con- 

*  7&<?  Lato,  according  to  St.  Paul,  Gal  3.  i^ 
was  430  Tears  after  the  Abrahamic  Covenant.  The 
Law  was  given  A.  M.  2513.  counting  back  430  Years 
from  hence,  we  come  to  2083,  the  75th  Year  of 
Abraham's  Life ;  or  the  Year  of  his  departure  from 
Haran  ;  at  which  time,  according  to  Rcm.  4.  v  5.  as 
above,  he  was  justified  by  Faith,  being  acrstu?,  ungod 
ly,  or  an  idolatrous  Gentile.  Compare  Gal.  3.  8. 
With  Gal.  12.  2,  3. 

f  Gen.  12.  10. 


(  49  )  • 

conje&ured,  of  three  Months  *,  makes  no 
mention  of  his  having  differed  at  all  from 
the  People  of  the  Land  in  the  matter  of  Re 
ligion.  However  {crapulous  he  had  not 
long  fince  been  as  to  the  Urite  Ritual  an4 
Liturgy,  we  have  no  Intimation  given  us, 
but  that  he  was  now  an.  intire  Conformift 
to  the  Egyptian.  Nor  would  he,  'tis  con 
ceived,  have  been  fo  we II  intreated  •)-  of 
the  Pharaoh  in  whofe  Dominions  he  took 
refuge,  as  we  are  informed  he  was,  upon 
any  other  Terms.  Unlefs  indeed  the  Spi 
rit  of  Egyptian  Idolatry  was  far  lefs  bigot- 
ted  than  that  of  Chaldean ;  and  that  Zeal 
for  national  Ceremonies,  fo  powerful  in  J3- 
gypt  in  later  Ages,  had  not  as  yet  begun  to 
operate.  An  Argument  this,  in  the  opinion 
of  a  very  confiderabk  Writer  j,  that  the 
Egyptians  were  not  at  the  time  we  are  here 
ipeaking  of  materially^  if  indeed  in  any 
degree^  corrupted  in  their  public  Faith  and 
Worfhip ;  fince  other  wife  our  Patriarch 
could  neither  have  conformed  to  their  Efta- 
blifliments  with  innocence,  nor  yet  in  all  ap 
pearance  have  difTented  from  them  $  con- 
iiftently  with  the  only  motive  of  his  Jour 
ney;  the  obtaining  for  himfelf  and  Houfe- 
hold  that  commodious  Subfiftence  in  a  fo- 
H  reign 

*  See  Marfliam's  Can.  Chron.  p.  72. 

t  Gin.  12.  1 6. 

t  Mr.  Shuckford,   Vol.  I.   of  Con.  Book  IV.   at 

Urge. 


(  5°  ) 

reign  Land,  which  the  inclemency  of  the 
Seafon  would  not  afford  him  in  his  own. 
Our  Author  concludes  therefore,  that  the 
Egyptians  were  as  yet  adherents  to  the  tra 
ditional  Religion  of  Noah  ;  and  Worihip-? 
pers  in  common  with  their  patriarchal  So- 
journer,  of  the  one  true  God  *. 

. 

THE  Scripture  (interrupted  I)  Hortm*-. 
Jiusy  is  altogether  iilent  in  this  matter.  It 
neither  determines  one  way,  nor  the  other. 
From  whence,  confidering  the  Genius  of 
the  Mojaic  Hillory  upon  many  parallel  Oc- 
cafions,  little,  I  mould  imagine,  can  be 
concluded  with  certainty  for  either  Side  of 
the  queftion.  There  is  one  Circumflance 
of  the  Relation  to  be  conlidered,  that  feems, 
if  any  thing,  rather  to  make  againfr,  this 
Gentle maris  Conclulion ;  fince  it  may  pofii- 
bly  help  us  to  account  for  the  Patriarch's 
hofpitable  Reception  at  the  Egyptian  Court ', 
even  allowing  him  to  have  been  ever  fo  fcru- 
pulous  a  Separadft  from  the  eftablifhed 
Church.  He  had  with  him,  we  are  in 
formed,  a  fair  Companion  of  his  Travels, 
whofe  Beauty  foon  drew  upon  her  the  Re 
gards  of  the  intriguing  Princes^  or  great  Of 
ficers,  of  Pharaotis  Houfhold ;  and,  upon 
a  report  of  it  from  them  to  their  Matter, 
procured  the  admired  Stranger  an  Admiffion 
into  his  Palace,  and  an  intire  accommodation 

at 

*  See  as  above. 


(.5') 

at  the  royal  Expence  *.  In  fuch  a  fituation 
ihe  muft  have  been  Mifrrefs  of  very  little 
Addrefs,  iffhe  could  not  obtain  for  herfelf 
and  Family  the  privilege  of  a  Toleration  in 
a  feparate  Worfhip  and  Communion ;  and 
the  liberty  of  a  private  Confidence.  Nor 
did  the  Patriarch,  fo  far  as  appears,  in  the 
leaft  diftruft  the  Succels  of  fo  powerful  an 
Apologifl  for  his  Religion  -,  all  his  Care  feems 
to  have  turn'd  upon  concealing  the  real 
nearnefs  of  her  Relation  to  his  Perfon.  A 
Difcovery  of  which,  he  conceived,  misht 
fubjecl:  him  to  the  hazards  of  Violence  from 
a  voluptuous  People ;  and  deprive  him  at 
the  fame  time  both  of  his  Confort  and  his 
Life  -j  whereas  under  the  diflembled  Cha 
racter  of  a  Sifter,  inftead  of  the  genuine 
one  of  a  Wife,  he  could  fecurely  truft  her 
Vertue  amidil:  the  Intrigues  of  a  Court,  nor 
rifque  his  own  perfonal  Safety  amidft  the 
Licence  of  it  -f-.  When  therefore  we  are  ac 
quainted  by  the  facred  Hiflorian,  that  he 
was  well  intreated  of  Pharaoh  for  the  fake 
of  his  female  counterfeited  Correlative  J, 
might  not  a  Toleration  of  him  in  a  foreign 
Worfhip  be  one  inftance  of  this  kind  Intreat- 
ment  ?  And  how  then  will  it  follow  from 
Abrahams  being  at  this  lime  a  Servant  of 
the  true  God,  that  the  native  Egyptians  had 
H  2  not 

*  Gen.  12.  14,  15,  16. 
f  Gen.  12.   v.    II,  12,   13. 
Gen.  12.  16. 


not  before  his  days  apoftatized  to  the  Service 
of  falfe  ones  ? 

Tho'  I  have  all  imaginable  regard  (re 
turned  Hartenjius]  to  the  Opinion  of  the 
very  knowing  Writer,  whofe  Sentiments  in 
this  Matter  I  have  been  reporting  to  you ,  I 
do  not  indeed  fee  but  the  Suppofition  of  a 
Toleration  is  full  as  allowable  in  the  Cafe  of 
Abraham,  as  in  that  of  Jofepb,  a  little  more 
than  two  Centuries  kter  in  the  Egyptian 
Hiftory  *,  it  appears  unavoidable.  For  we 
have  the  Authority  of  the  facred  Text  itfelf 
for  thinking  Jojeph,.  even  in  the  height  of 
his  Egyptian  Advancement ;  at  a  time  when 
he  not  only  flood  before  Pharaoh,  but  had 
enter'd  into  an  Alliance  by  Marriage  with  a 
Family  of  the  national  Priefthood  -j- ;  ta 
have  yet  been  all  the  while  of  a  different 
Religion  from  that  of  the  Eftablifhment. 
For  in  the  account  given  us  of  his  entertain 
ing  his  Stranger-Brethren3fent  by  their  Father 
to  buy  Corn  in  Egypt :,  in  a  general  Failure 
of  it  in  their  own  Land  t  -,  we  are  informed, 
the  native  Egyptians,  who  were  of  the  Invi 
tation,  might  not  eat  Bread  'with  the  He 
brew,  but  were  accommodated  under  a 

feparate 

*  Abraham  fojourned  in  Egypt  A.  M.  2086.  Jofeph 
\vas  fold  into-  Egypt  at  17  Years  of  Age,  Gen.  37.  2, 
?8.  A.  M.  2267.  in  13  Years  after  which,  or  at  30 
Years  of  Age,  >He  flood  before  Pharaoh,  Gen,  41.  [46, 
A.  M.  2289. 

-}-  Gen.  41.    iy.  45,  46. 

1   Gen.  43.    i,  2. 


(  53  ) 

feparate  Oeconomy  j    the  fcrupulous  Genius 
of  their  national  Religion,    even  in   thefe 
early  days,    admitting  none  to  a  common 
Table,    who  were  not  Partakers  of  a  com 
mon  Altar  *;     Our  Author  notwithftanding 
is  fo  far  from  thinking  the  Egyptians   to 
have  been  actually  corrupted  in  their  Reli 
gion  at  the  time  of  Abrahams  fbjourning 
amongft  them,  that  he  makes  the  Patriarch 
himfelf  to  have  been  innocently  the  oceafion 
of  their  firft  becoming  fo  not  long  after 
wards.     This,  in  his  account,  was  brought 
about  by  the  artifice  of  Supbis,    a  Prince 
of  Memphis  j    the   tenth  in  that   Govern 
ment  from  Menes,  or  Mifraimy  its  Founder ; 
who  came  to  the  Crown  about  nine  Years 
before  the  death  of  Abraham  ;    and  above 
fourfcore  after  his  departure  from  Egypt  -f-. 
The  Reputation  of  our  Patriarch  for  parti 
cular  Revelations,  and  a  more  diftinguiihed 
Intercourfe  with  Heaven,    was  at  this  time, 
it  is  fuppofed,    exceeding    liigh   with  the 
Egyptians.     And  gave  Supbts  an  opportuni 
ty  to  innovate  in  the  Sacra  of  his  Country 
under  the  Patronage  of  fo  reverenced  an  Ex 
ample.     He  pretended  therefore,  in  affecta 
tion  of  the  patriarchal  Fame  and  Character., 
to  be  himfelf  a  @MTTJJ?  •    favour'd  with  a 

more 

*  Gen.  43.  32. 

f  Abraham  fojourned  in  Egypt  A.  M.  2086.  Supbh 
began  his  Reign  A.M.  2174.  or  An.  JErx  Theb.  293. 
88  Years  after  Abrahams  being  in  Egypt.  Abraham 
died  in  2183,  t^)e  ™ath  Year  of  Supbis  at  Mempbj:. 


(  54  ) 

more  intimate  accefs  to,  and  nearer  afpect 
of  Divinity.  Upon  the  credit  of  v>  bich,  he 
loon  contrived  to  overturn  the  hith- <•»  o  tra- 
dlt tonal Belief  and  Worfhip  of  his  Subjects  j 
propagating  in  its  Head  a  Syftem  of  his  own 
private  Inftitutions  j  and  infinuating  nimlelf 
by  -this  means  into  the  future  fupreme  Di 
rection  of  the  publick  Faith  and  Confcience  *. 

THE  Pretence,  (&id  I)  HortenfMS,  was 
doubtleis  a  very  good  one  for  the  Purpofes 
of  an  intriguing  Politician.  But  methinks 
I  would  not  readily  charge  the  Abrahamic 
Difpenfation  with  the  Odium  of  giving  the 
firft  hint  to  fo  mifchievous  an  Artifice  of 
Prieftcraft.  Befides  that  had  the  Circum- 
fiances  of  Abrahams  Life  and  Character  at 
this  time  been  fo  well  known  in  Egypf,  as 
this  account  feems  to  fuppofe  ;  he  muit  Ral 
ly  have  been  a  Politician  of  no  ordinary  Ge 
nius,  who  could  wreft  fucb  an  Example  to 
the  Purpofes  of  a  national  Idolatry. 

THE  Egyptians  (replied  Hortcnfius) 
might  poffibly  have  heard  of  the  general 
Fame  of  Abraham's  Revelations,  and  yet 
not  have  been  apprized  of  the  particular  Sub 
ject  and  Contents  of  them.  A  report  thus 
popularly  current,  without  being  accurately 
examined,  might  lead  Supbis  into  the  con 
ceit  of  this  Fallacy,  at  the  feme  time  that  it 

would 

*  See  Sbuckford's  Con.  Vol.  I.  Book  V.  p.  319, 
and  foil. 


(  55  ) 

would  not  at  all  interfere  either  with  the 
Intention,  or  the  Succefs  of  it.     Abufes  of 
the  beft  Things  are,  you  know,  often  un 
avoidable   in  the  natural  courfe  of  human 
Liberty.     Appointments  the  moft  ufeful  in 
themielves,    and  the  moft  beneficially  in 
tended,  are  yet  open  to  the  grofTeft  Mifap- 
plications  by  the  perverfe,  the  felfely-intereft- 
ed,    the  difingenuous.      However,    to  deal 
fairly  with  you,  Philemon,  fince  I  find  you 
are  fcrupulous  of  making  the  Patriarch  at  all 
a  Party  in  this  Affair  >  I  fee  not  but  we  may 
well  enough   difcharge  him  j    and  fix  the 
blame,    where  perhaps  it  is  only  due,  upon 
the  enterprizing  Spirit  of  the  deiigning  Mem- 
phite.     His  eegTna,  in  this  view,  might  pof- 
fibly  be  nothing  more  than  the  boafted  Pre 
tence  of  a  more  improved  Speculation,  and 
profounder  Theory,  in  Subjects  of  Religion. 
The  Subftance  of  which,  in  the  Opinion  of 
an  Author  of  firft  regard  in  the  Antiquities 
of  Egypt,    was    the  projecting  the  famed 
Symbolical  Theology,    and  Embkm-Worflnp 
of  this  Country  *.  An  Hypothecs,  which  he 
grounds  upon  a  Pailage  in  the  Chronology  of 
the  Kings  of  This,    anfwering  to  about  the 

twentieth 

*  Sane  ex  hac  Regis  (Suphidis]  QIOTTTHX,  nova  in 
./Egypto  Religionum  ludibria  excogitata  funt ;  et  facris 
tradita  commentariis.  Nam  ex  Thinitarum  Synchro- 
nidno  manifeflum  eft,  Bouum,  Hircique  aTroS-fwo-ty 
eo  ipfo  tempore  initium  habuifle.  Marjbarn  Can. 
Cbron.  p,  54. 


(  56  ) 

twentieth  Year  of  Suphis  at  Memphis  j 
"  That  in  the  Reign  of  Ceachos,  the  tenth 
"  Thinite  King,  the  Apis  at  Memphis  ,  Mnevif 
"  at  Heliopolis,  and  the  Mendefian  Goat, 
"  were  received  into  the  number  of  the 
"  Egyptian  Gods  *."  A  difcernment  in 
this  Symbol-Science  was  ever,  we  know, 
efteemed  by  the  Egyptians  a  very  high  in- 
ftance  of  facred  Wifdom-j-.  And  the  difco- 
very,  or  firft  inftitution  of  it,  if  generally 
afcribed  to  Suphis  ,  would  naturally  intitle  him 
to  that  honourable  Diftinction  paid  to-  his  Me 
mory  in  the  Memphite  Records  ;  "  That  he 
"  was  a  Prince  eminent  for  a  more  particular 
"  Infight  into  the  Natures  of  the  Gods  £." 
He  left  behind  him,  we  are  farther  inform 
ed,  a  facred  Book,  or  Treatife  of  divine 
Subjects  ;  the  Elements,  we  may  fuppofe, 
of  this  emblematic  Doctrine,  and  Animal- 
Apotheofis  ||  .  Which,  if  it  owed  its  birth  to 
the  Speculations  of  this  Memphite  Prince, 
mightjbefore  the  Age  ofjofeph's  Advancement 
in  a  neighbour  Kingdom,  near  a  Century  be 

low 

*  Sub  hoc,  Apis  in  Memphi,  Mnevis  in  Heliopoll^ 
et  Mendefius  Caper  Dii  funt  habiti.  Marjh,  Tab. 
artic.  Ceach. 


TO   <rt  «?  fAftv  /cat    ruv 
-f  i>i  av    a^ywjixwv 

Porph. 
de  Abft.  Lib.  4.  Sett.  9. 

^  O^TOJ  -arjcK/Trlt;  f»?  Sfouj  JJ/EVETO.  Syncell.  Chron. 

p.  56. 

^  'I«as  {ruvf^at^5  i^'^Aov.,      Ibid. 


(  57) 

low  the  Times  we  are  here  fpeaking  of, 
have  been  fufficiently  fpread,  and  improved 
upon  in  Egypf,  to  account  fully  for  that  re 
ligious  Diilintftion  in  the  accommodation  of 
his  Egyptian  and  Hebrew  Guefls,  obferved 
in  his  Entertainment  above-mentioned  *. 
Nor  will  the  Province  here  affigned  to  the 
Refinements  of  Suphis  appear,  I  think,  at 
all  unfuitable  to  his  Genius  and  Character, 
when  it  is  remembered,  that  he  is  delivered 
down  to  us  in  the  Chronology  of  Egypt,  as 
the  reputed  Founder  of  the  celebrated  great 
Pyramid  -f*.  An  Edifice,  whatever  other 
Ufes  it  might  be  applied  to,  in  its  firft  In 
tention,  there  is  great  Reafon  to  think,  of 
the  IJieroghphic  kind.  The  Figure  of  the 
Pyramid  and  Obeli/k  in  general  being,  we 
are  allured,  in  the  Egyptian  manner  of  Ex- 
prerTion,  emblematical  of  the  Nature  and 
Properties  of  Fire  J  ;  as  was,  I  conceive,  this 

I  par- 

*  Jofepb  Jlood  before  Pharaoh  A.M.  2289  —  Suphis 
died  A.M.  2237,  or  52  Years  before  Jofepb's  Ad 
vancement  —  Suph;s  reigned  63  Years  ;  beginning  to 
reign  A.  M.  2174,  or  according  to  Afar/bam'tTudOi 
An.  JEr.  Theb.  293—  The  Worfhip  of  the  Apis,  &c. 
as  above,  ftands  recorded  pretty  early  in  Suphis  his 
Reign  ;  Ib  that  it  came  in,  probably,  near  a  Century 
before  yofep'Ss  Jlanding  before  Pharaoh. 

f  Hie  (  Suphis  )  maximam  erexit  Pyramidem. 
M.arfl).  Can.  Chron.  p.  47. 


Pprph.  ap.  Eufeb.  Praep.  Evang.  p.  60. 
The  Egyptian  Obelifk  at  Alexandria  had  not  a  Square 
Bafe,  lilce  thofe  we  fee  at  Rome  i  but  an  Hemi- 

fpherical 


(58  ) 

particular  Structure,  (what  I  have  thq 
pleafure  to  find  confirmed  to  me,  by  the 
Judgement  of  a  late  very  learned  and  inge 
nious  Traveller,  who  had  examined  it  upon 
the  fpot) .  both  defigned  for  the  Reprefenta- 
tion,  and  dedicated  to  the  Idolatry,  of  the 
chief  Fire  of  the  Syftem,  the  Sun  *.  But, 

not 

fphcrical  one,  that  was  received  into  a  correfpoftdent 
Cavity  in  the  Pedeftal.  It  is  certain,  that  thefe  Pil 
lars,  by  being  thus  rounded  at  the  Bottom,  would 
bear  a  nearer  refemblance  to  Darts^  and  mijjlve  Wea- 
pons,  than  if  they  were  fquare.  And  confequently 
would  be  more  exprej/ive  of  the  Rays  of  the  Sun  j 
which  they  were  fuppofed  to  reprefent ;  as  it  was  the 
Sun  itfelf  to  which  they  were  dedicated.  Shaw's 
Travels,  or  Obfervations,  &c.  p.  411.  Trabes  ex 
eo  fecere  Reges  quodam  certamine,  Obelifcos  vo- 
cantes;  folis  numini  facratos.  Radiorum  ejus  Argu- 
jnentum  in  Effigie  eft.  Plin.  Hift.  Nat.  lib.  36. 
cap.  8. 

*  As  the  Pyramids,  which  are  Obelifks  only  in 
obtufer  Angles,  were  equally  emblematical  of  Fire, 
fo  they  may  be  coniidered  under  the  fame  religious 
View,  to  have  been  no  Icfs  confecrated  to  the  fame 

Deity.     Shaw's  Travels,  as  above. If  Cheops,  Su- 

pbis,  or  whoever  was  the  Founder  of  the  great  Pyra 
mid,  intended  it  only  for  his  Sepulchre,  what  Occa- 
fion  was  there  for  fuch  a  narrow  crooked  Entrance 
into  it  ?  For  the  Well,  as  it  is  called,  at  the  end  of 
the  Entrance  ?  For  the  lower  Chamber,  with  a 
large  Nitch  or  Hole  in  the  eaftern  Wall  of  it  ?  P'or 
the  long  narrow  Cavities  in  the  Wall  of  the  upper 
Room  ?  Or  for  the  two  Anti-Chambers,  and  the 
lofty  Gallery,  with  Benches  on  each  Side,  that  in 
troduce  us  into  it  ?  As  the  whole  of  the  Egyptian 
Theology  was  cloathed  in  myfterious  Emblems  and 
Figures,  it  fecms  reafonable  to  fuppofe,  that  all  thsfe 

Turnings, 


(  59  ) 

not  to  amufe  you  any  longer,  Philemon, 
with  Conjectures,  either  as  to  the  ./Era,  or 
Authors  of  the  Egyptian  Idolatry;  it  will 
be  more  to  our  Purpofe  to  turn  our  Inquiry 
to  the  general  Theory,  Genius,  and  Conftitu- 
tion  of  it.  Nor  can  we,  I  believe,  here  fet 
out  with  a  better  Guide,  than  the  knowing 
and  inquiiitive  Sicilian,  Diodorus ;  who  in 
the  firft  Book  of  his  general  Hiflory  has  re- 
prefented  to  us  the  Sentiments  of  the  earlier 
Egyptians  upon  the  Matter  of  Religion,  to 

effear,  as  follows "  The  firft  Men,  who 

"  had  their  rife  in  Egypf,    true  born  Sons 

"  of  their  Mother  Earth,    furveying   the 

I  2  "  State 

Turnings,  Apartments,  and  Secrets  in  Architecture, 
Were  intended  for  fome  nobler  purpofe  ;  (for  th? 
Catacombs  are  plain  vaulted  Chambers  hewn  out  of 
the  Rock)  and  that  the  Deity  rather,  who  was  typi 
fied  in  the  outward  Form  of  this  Pile,  was  to  be  wor- 
fhipped  within.  The  great  Reverence  and  Regard 
which  Suphis,  one  of  the  reputed  Founders  is  faid  to 
have  paid  to  the  Gods,  will,  perhaps,  in  the  firft  Place, 
not  a  little  favour  fuch  a  Suppofition.  Yet  even  ii 
this  at  laft  fhould  not  be  granted,  no  Places  certainly 
could  have  been  more  ingenioufly  contrived  for  the 
Adyta^  that  had  fo  great  a  Share  in  the  Egyptian  My- 
fteries.  Shaw's  Travels,  p.  417,  418.  And  indeed 
I  am  apt  to  think,  that  there  are  few,  who  attentively 
confider  the  outward  Figure  of  thefe  Piles ;  the  Struc 
ture  and  Contrivance  of  the  feveral  Apartments  in 
the  infide  of  the  greateft,  together  with  the  ample 
Provifion  that  was  made  on  each  fide  of  it  for  the 
Reception,  as  may  be  fuppofed,  of  the  Priefts  ;  bat 
will  conclude,  that  the  Egyptians  intended  the  latter 
for  one  of  the  Places,  as  all  of  them  were  to  be  the 
Objects  at  leaft,  of  their  Worfhip  and  Devotion, 
Shatu's  Travels,  p.  420. 


(  6°  ) 

"  State  of  the  World  about  them,  and  con- 
"  templating,  not  without  a  fecret  Awe, 
t£  and  Reverence,  the  Contents  of  the  won- 
"  derful  Machine,  concluded  for  the  Divi- 
"  nity  of  the  two  mo  ft  confiderable,  and 
"  commanding  Appearances  of  it,  the  Sun, 
"  and  Moon.  Thefe,  they  conceived, 
"  were  the  great  Principles  of  Life  and  Be- 
*'  ing ;  the  difpenfing,  and  fuftaining  Pow- 
"  ers  of  the  intire  Syftem  *."  A  Conclu- 
fion  fb  natural  to  fuch  early  and  unexpe 
rienced  Realbners  as  are  here  fuppofed,  that 
you  have  been  driven,  you  know,  to  the 
Hypothefis  of  a  Miracle  to  prevent  their 
making  it.  But  whatever  was  the  effect  of 
original  Revelation  in  firft  eftablifhing  a  right 
Religion,  fubfequent  Tradition  was  by  no 
means  iufficient  to  perpetuate  and  maintain  it 
in  the  World.  For  before  the  times  we  are 
now  arrived  at  in  the  courfe  of  this  Speculation, 
Mankind  had  almoft  univerfally  broke  their 
guard ;  and,  as  if  wholly  loofe  and  uncau- 
tioned  in  die  point,  were  with  very  little  ex 
ception,  running  as  greedily  into  the  Infatu 
ation 

Toy?  Jf  oyy  xar'  At^UTrroy  a'.>3^ 


"«?,     xai    S'av^atravraf,    JTTO 
£»:/#*   ODO  ^toiij    ajjjou?  rs    KO.I    Trpwrcur, 

TCV  <ru^7ravTa  Kocrpov  Moutciv,   Tottyovrxf  xoti 

^  /\ 

•  Trairra'xai  o»a  rourwy  irxvrx  Jfsvet<r!jau  x«i  Tps(£ 
Diod.  Sic.  Bib.  Lib.  i,  p.  10,  n.  Ed.  Rhod. 


ation  of  Sabiifm,  or  the  Idolatry  of  the 
bright  Hoft  of  Heaven  j  as  if  in  the  infant 
Simplicity,  and  ignorant  Admiration  of  a 
rifing  World,  they  were  now  firft  opening 
their  Eyes  upon  the  affecting  Spectacle.  The 
Egyptians,  we  may  conceive,  were  the 
more  eafily  feduced  to  the  Worjhip  of  the 
heavenly  Bodies,  as  by  the  nature  of  their 
Climate,  and  circumftances  of  their  Situa 
tion,  they  feemed  to  have  enjoyed  a  more  un 
interrupted  and  advantageous  DifpUiy  of 
them,  than  their  neighbour  Nations  *.  They 
led  moreover  in  earlier  times,  for  the  moft 
part,  'tis  probable,  a  rural  and  much  expofed 
Life.  And,  in  the  imperfection  of  their 
Aftronomy,  having  for  many  Centuries  no 
true  meafure  of  a  folar  Year  -j-,  were  obliged 

to 

*  /Egyptii  in  camporum  patentium  sequoribus  ha- 
bitantes,  cum  ex  terra  nihil  emineret  quod  comtem- 
plationi  caeli  officere  poflet  omnem  curam  in  fiderum 
cognitione  pofuerunt.  Cic.  de  Div.  lib.  i.  cap.  41, 
Ed.  Davies  -  Nam,  ut  re&e  de  his  (jEgyptiis) 
La&antius  Firmianus,  cum  cselo  fruerentur  iereno, 
ono  ad  haec,  et  deliciis,  quibus  univerfa  ./Egyptiorum. 
Tellus  fcatebat,  torpefcerent,  decoram  ca?li  faciem, 
cum  reliquo  ftellarum  ordinatiflimo  exercitu  confide- 
rantes,  &c.  Kirch.  Ob.  Pamph.  p.  157  —  O,a 


Trap   auroK   TTJIUTOH; 


ts-pof  TO  TrAau^ij-Jpov  ooov  ra? 

ac-^sov.      Diod.  Sic.  Eib.  lib.  I.  p.  46. 
f  The  Egyptians  afcribe  the  Correction  of  their 
Year  to  Mercury.      Avxr^iatn   &    ru 


to  efrimate  the  Returns  of  their  Seafons,  and 
adjuft  the  varying  expediences  of  Hufbandry, 

and 


TIJV  TCjauTw  ffotyictv.  Strab.  Geog.  lib.  17.  p.  816. 
This  Mercury  was  undoubtedly  Siphoas,  thirty-fifth 
King  of  Egyptian  Thebes  ;  who,  from  parallel  Cir- 
cumftances  in  his  Hiftory  and  Character  to  thofe  of 
Taautus,  Thotb,  or  Mercury  the  Son  of  Menes,  or 
Mifrairri)  obtained  this  Name.  Syncellus  records  the 
Addition  of  the  five  Days  to  have  been  made  to  the 
Egyptian  Year  by  AJJis,  fixth  King  of  Tanis^  or  the 
lower  Egypt.  OJTO?  TrpocrfS'^xf  ruv  tviavruv  TO,? 


TTMTt  fl4Ujf&  0  AtjAITTnaXO?  fVjatlTO?  * 

tfystowx,  [AO'tiuv  r^^^-o  •STCOTOVTOU  n/,£Tpou|M.£vo?. 
Chron.  />.  125.  But  this  y^7j  being  one  of  the  Paftor 
Kings,  who  were,  in  Jofephus  his  account,  av3-cw7roi 
TO  5/fi/oj  ao-JijWoi,  an  obfcure  ignoble  Race  ;  Sir  John 
Marfoam  very  reafonably  conjectures,  that  Syncel/us, 
in  remarking,  as  above,  to  this  King's  Name,  means 
only  to  fix  the  Correction  of  the  Year  to  the  Time, 
not  to  the  Perfon  of  djjis.  Which  agrees  very  well 
with  what  has  been  already  faid  of  its  being  really  in 
troduced  by  Siphoas)  or  the  fecond  Mercury  —  Chro- 
nologise  noftrae  competit  id  quod  Georglus  Syncellus 
Sexto  Tanitarum  Regi  fubjicit.  OJTO?  Trcoo-fS-wf  H.T.A. 
In  poftrema  hujus  Regis  tempora  initia  Mercurii  in- 
cidunt  ;  ita  ut  huic  ille  fit  fatis  aequalis.  Can.  Chron. 
p.  235.  The  five  Days  then  were  added  in  the  34th 
Year  of  d/fts,  the  fixth  Paftor  King  of  the  lower 
Egypt.  The  moft  probable  Time  of  the  Irruption  of 
the  Paftors  is  the  Year  of  the  World  2420.  About 
209  Years  from  hence  by  Sir  John  Mar/ham's  Table 
began  the  Reign  of  AJfis.  Whofe  34th  Year  is  there 
fore  the  243d  from  the  Paftor  Invafion  ;  or  the  Year 
of  the  World  2663.  This  was  720  Years  from  the 
Time  of  Menes  his  Death,  who  firft  peopled  Egypt  , 
and  founded  the  Yheban  Government.  And  in  about 
15  Years  from  hence,  began  Sipboas  to  reign  at  "Thebes. 

So 


(63  ) 

and  Agriculture,  by  looking  conftantly  up 
to  thefe  fair  Deceivers  j    and  remarking,  as 

accu- 

So  that  the  Corre&ion  might  very  eafily  belong  to 
him.  Siphoas  began  to  reign  near  a  Century  after 
Jo/huci's  Death  ;  who  died  in  2578.  The  Egyptian  Year 
was  not  corrected  'till  above  fourfcore  Years  after 
the  Death  of  Jojhua.  'Tis  remarkable  that  Herodotus 
fpeaking  of  the  corrected  Meafure  of  the  Egyptian 
Year,  mentions  only  an  Addition  of  five  Days,  to  the 
number  360,  without  any  Intimation  of  a  quarter  Part 
of  a  Day  more  being  to  be  added  to  the  reckoning  ; 
whereas  Diodorus^  and  Strabo  both  mention  the  fix 
Hours  ;  which  fhews  they  were  a  later  Improvement 
than  the  five  Days.  Afyvsmoi  &  T^UXOVT^JUE^OU?  a^ov- 
T£f  TOUf  eJuJfxa  [Ar.vxf  £7raJ/ou<rt  civy.'Trotv  ETC?  TTIVTS  ^u,£- 
pct$  irocpffc  ray  ap»3-/xou.  Herod,  lib.  2.  cap.  4.  and 
indeed  the  Fable  in  Plutarch^  which  relates  to  this 
Matter,  fuppofesj$W-D<^  the  exa&  feventy-fecond  Part 
of  the  Year  ;  as  it  is  of  365  Days,  without  the  quarter 
of  a  Day  over.  AcytToii  Jf  o  /Au3-o?  O'UTC?  iv 
wg  fvfo,  f^OiXifx.  Trig  Pw,  (pa<rt, 


ocvrn  aUTf  /ixrjvi  /ATJTE  fwaurw  TEXSJV.  EOWVTX,  je  TOV 
'Ep/xw  TI^  S-fou  (ruvfAS-fju.  Eira  7r«t^avT«  Trnrrioc. 
Trpo?  rr/y  (7£ArjVJiu}  xat  a^fAoyra  TWS;  (pwrcov  fjc*j~ou  ra 


i^ptovrae  xa»  T(naxo<noi?  E7ra)/£n/?  a; 
just/a?  Ai^uTrrtot  x»Aou(r<.  Plut.  de  Ifide,  et  Ofiridc, 
p.  355.  Ed.  Xyl.  'Tis  probable  fome  general  Report 
of  the  Egyptians  having  corrected  their  Year  prevailed 
in  Greece^  before  the  true  State  of  the  Fact  came  to  be 
known  there,  by  means  of  iTjales  his  intercourfe  with 
the  Egyptian  Priefts  ;  as  we  learn  from  Diogenes  Laer~ 
tins.  Tx$  -rs  waa?  TOU  fwaurou, 


TJ  auro'J  xaS'rjJ/jjiraTo,    TrArv  or  ft? 
iVptvir*  <rw?»«TPitJ/sv,     Diog,  Laert.  lib.   i.  p.  7. 

in 


accurately  as  they  could,  the  diverfirled  par 
ticularities  of  their  Relations  and  Alpecls  *. 

This 

in  Thalete.  -  For  Herodotus  reprefents  Solon  a  con-« 
temporary  with  Tha/es^  in  a  Conference  with  Crcefus^ 
to  have  confidered  the  true  folar  Year  as  confiding  of 
375  Days.  For  he  fays  it  was  neceifary  to  intercalate 
every  other  Year  a  whole  Month,  or  30  Days,  Con- 
fequently  the  common  Reckoning  of  360  Days  muft 
have  been  15  inftead  of  5  Days,  fhort  of  Truth.  So 
lon,  it  fhould  feem,  was  aware  the  common  Reckon 
ing  was  wrong;  but  was  not  Matter  of  the  precife 
Reformation  required  in  it.  The  Converfation  is  very 
remarkable.  In  the  Conclufion  of  it  Solon  reckons 
up  to  Crcefus  the  fum  of  Days  in  feventy  Years  to  be 
262*50,  which  is  at  the  Rate  of  375  Days  to  each 
Year.  The  Computation  is  made  by  way  of  anfwer 
to  Crcefus  hjs  very  hafty  and  refentful  Expostulation 
with  the  Sage  upon  his  feeming  to  have  but  a  degra 
ding  Opinion  of  Crcefus  his  Happinefs.  n  %sivs 

OUTO)    TOJ 


upon  which  Solon  lays  before  him  the  Meafure  in  Days 
of  human  Li;e  at  an  Eftimate  of  feventy  Years  - 
TO'JTov  Tojy  'enrot&arj  ypsptav  TUV  £?  TX,  t&fbfj-fxavrot  trstx, 


TO 


isv  -argoo-afyti  irgrtypet,.  In  which  length  of 
time,  and  variety  of  Events,  'tis  impofiible,  he  con 
cludes,  to  determine  rightly  upon  the  Subject  of  :i 
Man's  Hanpinefs,  'till  the  whole  date  is  run  out. 
Herod,  lib!  I.  cap.  32.  Ed  Steph. 

*  Cum  veterum  anmis  parum  cum  mptu  folis  appa- 
rente  congruebat,  ex  dato  die  menfis  quo  fa&um  ali- 
quod  notabant  rion  ftatim  exindc  patebat  qua  anni 
fempeftate  illud  cvenit.  Igitur  quando  Agricolae  in 
Re  Ruftica  aliquod  faciendum  in  ftatp  tempcjre  praa- 
cipiebant,  tempus  illud  non  per  diem  Kalendarii  civil  is 
indicabant  j  quippe  eadem  dies  menfis  non  temper 

quolibet 


. 

This  gave  them  high  imprefTions  of  the 
Dignity  of  thefe  Objects  in  the  mun 
dane  Constitution  ;  and  their  importance  to 
the  Oeconomy  of  Life.  Which  would  be 
ftill  increafed,  by  obferving*  as  to  the  princi 
pal  of  them  in  particular,  the  Sun,  how  in- 
tirely  the  regular,  profperous,  and  flouriming 
Eftate  of  all  inferior  Nature  feemed  to  de 
pend  upon  his  difpenfing  Authority,  and 
genial  Influence.  How  the  unnumber'd 
varieties  of  vegetative  Being,  the  feveral  Spe 
cies  of  Herbs,  Grain,  Plants,  Flowers, 
Trees,  and  Fruits ;  at  once  the  Ornaments 
of  the  Earth's  own  Form,  and  Support  of 
thofe  of  its  animated  Inhabitants ;  were  the 
effects  of  his  prolific  Virtue,  and  fecret 
Operation,  upon  the  differing  contents  of 
her  internal  Subftance.  That  the  whole 
Scenery  'of  the  Univerfe— ^-But  I  forbear, 
Philemon^  confidering  that  you  have  been 
before-hand  with  me  upon  this  Argument ; 
and  have  made  any  thing  I  could  fay  here  as 
comparatively  weak  and  degrading  ;  as  it  is 
fortunately  at  the  fame  time  made  fuperflu- 
ous  and  unneceffary.  ' 


Hor- 

:or  your 


I  WOULD  very  gladly  (returned  I) 
tenfius,  exchange  your  Compliment  fc 
Defcription.     Tho',    to  fay   the  truth,  by 
K  the 

quolibet  anno  in  eodem  anni  tempofe  incidebat.  Sed 
certioribus  opus  fuit  Chara6teribus  ad  tempera  diflm- 
guenda.  Itaque  Agricol*  tempora  per  ortus  et  occa- 
fus  ftellarum  diftinguebant,  Ktil.  Aftron.  />.  264. 


(66) 

the  flight  hint  you  have  here  given,  you 
have  recalled  to  my  thoughts  an  Image, 
which  mufl  have  pleaded  fb  flrongly  with 
our  Egyptian  Ruralifls  for  a  dire£ly  and  un 
qualified  Adoration  of  the  folar  Orb ;  as  in 
great  meafure  to  preclude  the  Apology 
I  was  thinking  to  have  made  for  their  fnil 
addrefles  to  it  of  a  religious  kind ;  by  fug- 
gefting,  that  poffibly  nothing  more  might 
be  intended  by  them,  than  the  Worfhip  of 
the  tranjcendent  Majefty  of  the  invifible 
Creator,  under  the  Symbol  of  his  moft  ex 
cellent,  and  feemingly  nearefl  refembling 
Creature.  They  might  the  readier  err  this 
way,  if  they  had  yet  fubfifting  amongft 
them  fome  imperfect  Tradition  of  the  divine 
Being's  having  vouchfafed  to  converfe  with, 
and  inftrucl:  the  Men  of  elder  Times,  by 
an  Angcl^  a  Glory  t  fome  vifible  Exhibition 
of  his  more  diftinguifhed  Prefence.  A  man 
ner  of  Communication,  which  the  facred 
Accounts  feem,  I  think,  to  fuppofe  j  and 
which  might  be  very  fuitable  to  the  Condi 
tion  of  the  more  early  Ages,  however  ge 
nerally  difcontinued  in  fucceeding  ones.  I 
pretend  not,  with  fome  modern  Vifionaries, 
to  afiert  any  thing  of  the  precife  Form  of 
thefe  Appearances ;  or  to  enter  into  a  dif- 
quifition  of  the  Nature,  and  myitical  in- 
tendments,  of  the  Paradlfiacal  Cherubim  *. 

The 

*  See  a  very  ingenious  Treatife  upon  the  Principles 

of 


(  6?  ) 

The  Fact  in  general  is  all  I  am  concerned 
for.     Of  which,    if  Mankind,  the  bulk  of 
them,  had  now  by  degrees,  either  thro'  neg 
ligence,  or  difperfions,    loft  all  correct  Ac 
counts  j  retaining  ftill  a  confufed  Tradition 
of  Manifestations  of  Divinity  made  to  their 
Fore-fathers  under •,  and  Worfhip  practifed  by 
them  towards,   a  jenfible  Prefence  j    might 
not  this  lead  them  into  an  opinion  of  the  law- 
fulneis  and  expediency  of  religious  Symbols 
in  general  ?     Of  having  before  their  Eyes 
fbme  vifible  Object  of  Adoration ;  fomething 
to  ftrike  the  Attention,  and  ingage  the  Senfe 
of   the   devout  Wormipper  ?       Now  this 
Point  once  fixed,  nothing  in  Nature  furely 
fo   proper  for  the  Purpofe,    fo   every  way 
worthy  of  the  DiftinStion  required  j  as  the 
lignificant   Luminaries  of   Heaven  :     The 
two  greater  Lights  of  it  in  particular  j     in 
fome  Views  of  which,    the  moft  chaflifed 
Philofophy  of  thefe  c older  northern  Climes, 
can  fcarce  forbear  breaking  out  into  unhal 
lowed  Reverence.      Confecrated  thus  fpe- 
cioufly  to  the  Imagery  and  Reprefentation 
of  their  Maker,    they  ibon,   no  doubt,    be 
came  the  Rivals  of  his  Honours  j  and  by  a 
gradation  as  natural,  as  it  has  been  common 
K  2  in 

of  the  late  Mr.  Hutchinfen,  intitled,  Ghrlftianity  al- 
mo/f  as  old  as  the  Creation.  It  muft  be  owned,  this 
Author  has  at  leaft  made  Mr.  Hutc/iin/on's  Scheme  in 
telligible  :  And  has  fhewn  he  has  no  want  of  any 
thing,  as  a  Writer,  but  a  more  reafonable  and  better 
Caufe. 


(68) 

in  the  Cafe,  from  being  applied  to  at  firft  as 
Helps  only  to  Devotion,  were  quickly  after 
wards  advanced  into  the  fupreme  Objects  of 
it. 

I  WILL  notanfwer,  (replied  Horten/ius) 
how  far  any  fuch  mifconjirued  Tradition  as  , 
you  have  been  pleading  for,   might  contri 
bute   to   the   Introduction   of   thefe   firil- 
practifed  Idolatries  9     but  I  am  very   fure, 
the  popular  Artifices  of  an  accommodating 
Philofophy,  deviled  in  its  excuie  and  vindi 
cation  by  the  more  forward  Mailers  in  reli 
gious  Politics,,  did  very  much  tp  its  fupport, 
and  growing  Interefl  in  the  World.     The 
importance   in  general  of  Jbme  Religion  to 
the  Purpofes  of  Society  and  Government, 
could  not  but  ilrike  the  moil  unpractifed 
Thinker.     Whilft  more  improved  Reflection 
would  be  apt  to  fuipect  the  HopeleiTnefs,  and 
Policy  to  fuggeft  the  inexpedience,    of  an 
Attempt  to  retain  the  Bulk  of  Mankind  in  a 
perfectly  rational  One.     The  wifefl  would 
find  it  extremely  difficult ,    to  the  Vulgar  it 
might  be  preiumed  little  Ihort  of  impoffible ; 
tp  jaife  their  Thoughts  above   their  Senfes  \ 
or  to  any  requifite  degree  conceive,  what  they 
were  not  at  liberty  to  imagine  *.     Hence 
that  favorite  Doctrine  in  all  learned  Paga- 

nifm; 

*  Permoleftum  enim  compluribus  videbatur,  In- 
telleftu  tantummodo  Deum  perveftigare,  nonetiana 
vifu  ufurpare.  Kirtb.  Ob.  Pam.  p.  159. 


nifm  -,  no  where  more  fo,  than,  where  it 
was  probably  firft  contrived,  in  Egypt  $  of 
Divinity,  as  it  were,  partially  imbcdied,  and 
made  vifible  to  outward  View,  in  the  varied 
Species  of  its  own  Workman  (hip  *.  A 
Dodlrine,  I  am  inclined  to  fuipeA,  which 
fhe  indeed  Weaknefs  of  popular  Simplicity 

firft 

*  This  is  what  the  Stoic  in  Cicero's  fecond  Book 
of  the  Nature  of  the  Gods,  exprefles  by  Trafta  ratio 
a  Phyficis  Rebus   ad    commenticios  et  fi£ros  Deps. 
Which  however  open  to  Abufe  in  the  popular  and  fa 
bulous  way  of  treating  it ;  as  when  the  Matters  of  this 
Theology,  to  explain  the  Powers  and  Paffions  of  the 
Univerfe,  talk  of  the  Formas  Deorum,    et  States, 
et  Veftitus,  Ornatufque  ;   genera  praeterea,  conjugia, 
cognationes,  omniaque  tradu&a  ad  fimilitudinem  im- 
becillitatis  humans  ;    nam  et  perturbatis   animis  inr 
ducuntur  ;  accipimus  enim  Deorum  cupiditates,    ae- 
gritudines,  iracundias;  nee  vero,   ut  Fabulae  ferunt, 
Di  bellis  praeliifque  caruerunt  :  yet  was  capable  of  a 
very  good  Meaning,  when  considered  as  expreffing, 
Deum   pertinentem  per  naturam  cujufque  rei  j  per 
terras  Cererem,  per  maria  Neptunum  ;  alios  per  alia  : 
qui,  qualefque  funt,  quoque  eos  nomine  confuetudo 
nuncupaverit,  venerari,  et  colere  debemus.     De  Nat. 
Dear.  lib.  2.  cap.  28.     The  Pagans  feemed  to  appre 
hend  a  kind  of  neceflity  of  worfhipping  God  thus  in 
his  Works^  and  in  the  vifible  Things  of  this  World ;  be- 
caufe  the  generality  of  the  Vulgar  were  then  unable 
to  frame  any  Notion  of  an  in  vifible  Deity  5  and,  un- 
lefs  they  were  detained  in  away  of  Religion  by  fuch  a 
Worfhip  of  God,  as  was  accommodate  and  fuitable 
to  the  lownefs  of  their  Apprehenfions,  would  unavoid 
ably  run  into  Atheifm.     Nay,  the  moft  philofophical 
Wits  amongft  them,  confeffing  God  to  be  incompre- 
henfible  to  them,  feemed  themfelves  alfo  to  ftand  in 
need  of  fome  fenfible  Props  to  lean  upon.     Cudworth's 
Intel.  Syftem,  chap.  4.  />.  510. 


_,_       (  7°  ) 

firft  recommended  to  the  Adoption  o 
fophic  Syftem  j  and  Men  were  praftically 
convicted  of,  before  they  were  taught  fpe- 
culatively  to  entertain.  The  Biafs  of  the 
many  drew  ftrongly,  we  may  imagine,  to 
wards  a  fenfible  Object  of  devout  Worfhip  ; 
a  Deity  accommodated  to  their  Apprehen- 
fion  ;  and  indulged  to  their  View.  Ajprt&jng 
Prefence  was  of  fmgular  Efficacy  in  fug- 
sefting  to  them  a  divine  one  *.  And  when 

O  J?         '      '         ' 

by  this  means  the  aEtual  Idolatry  of  the  Sun 
and  Moon  was  growing  into  an  Ufage,  the 
Learning  of  the  Times  foon  fet  itfelf  to  work 
to  authorize  it  as  an  Eftablijhment  j  under 
pretence,  that  the  Benefits  of  Providence 
difpenfed  to  Mankind  by  the  Means  of  thefe 
important  Luminaries,  could  not  be  better 
acknowledged,  than  by  a  Devotion  to  their 
immediate  Beam.  The  feveral  Qualities  and 
Powers  of  which  being  only  fo  many  Deri 
vations  from  the  firft  Cauje^  the  Worfbip 
of  them  was  in  truth  no  other,  than  the 
Worfhip  of  that  Cauje  under-  a  particular 
C'onfideration  of  its  Agency  and  Effect  -f. 

The 

*  Cum  Solem  in  medio  veluti  vivificum  mundi 
Oculum,  ac  harmonic!  ordinisChoragrum,  immorta- 
lem  ilium  Jovem  virtutis  fuae  figillo  Ujiiverfa  tempe- 
rantem  confpicerent,  (^feypjtiij  cum  aliquid  iupra 
jiaturam  cxcellentius,  ni minim  ro  ©.-tsy,  quod  virtu- 
te  fua  omnia  moveat,  mota  diftihguat,  diftindta  ornet, 
galore  veluti  amore  qtiodam  fymnathetico  dirtinita 
uniat,.arbitrati  funt.  Kirch.  Ob.  Pain.  />.  157. 

f  The  Truth  ef  this  whole  Biifinels  feems  to  be 


The  Plea  was  artfully  calculated  ;  at  once 
to  humour  the  Inclination,  and  palliate,  as 
it  might  feem,  in  fome  degree,  the  abfurdi- 
ty  of  popular  Thinking.  Whilft,  in  this 
way  of  Reafoning,  new  Forms  of  Worfhip 
were  continually  arifing  j  and  Deity  became 
every  Day  more  and  more  eafy,  both  of 
Comprehenfion,  and  Accefs*.  For  the 

Sun, 

this;  That  the  ancient  Pagans  did  phyfiologize  in 
their  Theology  ;  and,  whether  looking  upon  the 
whole  World  animated,  as  the  fupreme  God\  and 
confequentiy  the  feveral  Parts  of  it  as  his  living  Mem 
bers  ;  or  elfe  apprehending  it  at  leaft  to  be  a  Mirror, 
or  vifible  Image  of  the  invifible  Deity,  and  confe- 
quently  all  its  feveral  Parts,  and  Things  of  Nature, 
but  as  fo  many  feveral  Manifestations  of  the  divine 
Power  and  Providence  ;  they  pretended,  that  all  their 
Devotion  towards  the  Deity  ought  not  to  be  huddled 
up  in  one  general  confufed  Acknowledgment  of  a  fu 
preme  invifible  Being,  the  Creator  and  Governor  of 
all  j  but  that  all  the  feveral  Manifeftatiom  of  the  Deity 
in  the  World,  confidered  fmgly,  and  apart  by  them- 
fehes,  fhould  be  fo  many  dijlinft  QbjcEls  of  their  de 
vout  Veneration.  Cudworth's  In  tell.  Syft.  p.  228. 

*  By  means  of  what  the  laft  cited  very  leaxncd 
Author  calls,  "  Breaking  or  crumbling  as  it  were 
"  of  the  limple  Deity  ;  and  parcelling  out  of  the 
**  fame  into  many  particular  Notions  and  partial  Con- 
"  fiderations,  according  to  the  various  Manifeitations 
*c  of  its  Power  and  Providence."  />.  531.  -  It 
is  not  improbable,  what  our  Author  obferves,  p.  309. 
That  the  Infcription  mentioned  by  Plutarch  to  the 
GoddeG  Neitb,  or  Minerva  at  Sai  s  in  Egypt  -  :  —  . 
TTOIV  TO  'ye'yovo^  xzi  cv  x»i  eG-0'j.swv  xxt 


TOV  fj«.oy  TfTrXou  outJ'fjj'  TTW  fiyjjroj  oi7r£H«AtixJ/fv.  DC 
Ifide  et  Ofir.  p.  354  -  -might  be  intended  to  ex- 
prefs  the  "  Mind  or  Wifdora  of  the  Deity  diffufmg 

"  itfclf 


(  72  ) 

Sun,  and  Moon  once  conceived  of,  as  the 
•oifible-  Exhibitions  of  Divinity  in  the  Syftem, 

the 

<c  itfelf  thro'  all  Things  ;  or  the  Perfections  of  God 
*'  made  vifible  in  the  feveral  Manifeftations  of  his 
"  Power,  Wifdom,  and  Goodnefs  in  the  material 
*'  Univerfe.  And  that  the  Veil  here  faid  to  be 
<c  thrown  ove*1  this  Goddefs  might  be  a  Symbol  of 
"  the  more  recondite,  and  arcane  Theology  of  the  £"- 
"  £yp**ans*  which  confidered  this  zs  a  Jimple  Principle, 
«c  or  Attribute  of  the  Deity;  tho'  for  the  Eafe  of 
**  vulgar  Conception  confidered  thus  partially  in  its 
"  Effects."  And  this  may  give  us  the  ground  of  the 
Orphic  Doctrine  amongft  the  Greeks  of  the,  'Ev  n  roc, 
itatvTOi.  The  Hermaic  Books,  'tis  more  than  proba 
ble,  by  whomfoever  forged,  are  in  the  main  formed 
upon  the  Principles  of  the  ancient  Hermetic,  or  Trif- 
megijlic  Theology,  preferved  in  traditional  Memory 
in  Egypt  i  and  in  the  Rituals  of  her  popular  Superfti- 
tion.  And  thefe  Books  are  full  of  this  Doctrine. 
From  their  being  the  late  Forgeries  of  Pythagorean,  or 
Platonic  Sophifts,  and  full  of  the  Characters  of  thefa 
Sects  of  Philofophy,  it  will  not  be  evinced,  that  they  are 
of  a  Genius  jntirely  different  from  the  ancient  Egyp 
tian  one  ;  feeing  the  Founders  of  both  thefe  Sects  bor 
rowed  the  main  Principles  of  their  Phjlofophy  from 
Egypt  ;  as  did  the  Greeks  in  general  all  their  Learning. 
So  that  as  Jamblichus  obferves  (and  Cudworth  ap 
proves  the  Obfervation)  they  may 


i.  -  -For  in  the  Language  of  the  incomparably 
ingenious,  and  entertaining  Author  of  the  Archaeolog* 
Phil.  lib.  i.  /».  77.  410.  Revera  quae  fuerint  Mgyp- 
tiorum  Dogmata,  et  quid  alios  docuerint,  ab  eorum 
difcipulis,  Philofophis  Grtscis,  refciendum  efTe  vide- 
tur  ;  qui  ut  notum  eft,  dEgyptum  petere  folebant  ad 
adipifcendas  literas  altiores--  -  and  elfewhere,  Nort 
aliunde  repetenda  eft  fapientia  &gyptiorumy  quam  ab 
eorum  Difcipulis,  Philofophis  Gratis,  idque  potiffi- 

mum 


(   73  ) 

the  feveral  inferior  Orders  of  celeflial  Lights* 
of  which  it  was  obvious  to  think,  that  they 
were  in  general  of  the  fame  Nature  with, 
and  Partakers  in  degree  of  the  leveral  Powers 
and  Virtues  of,    the  fuperior  ones;    would 
fbon  demand  in  their  Place  and  Proportion 
a   like  honourable   Confideration.      At  the 
lame  Time  that,  their  number  not  admit 
ting  feparate  Applications,  and  Philofophy,'tis 
probable,   not  as  yet  fufficiently  entring  into 
their  particular  Diftinctions,  to  appoint  them 
particular  Services;  they  could  not  well  be 
otherwife  adored,  than  either  inclu/rvely  in 
their  Principals ;  or  elfe  in  Sum,  as  it  were, 
together  with  them  ;    by  way  of  comprehen- 
ftve  Addreis  to  that  magnificent  Concave,  in 
which  both  were  alike  feemingly  difpofed. 
Such,  Philemon,    I  take  to  have  been  the 
original  Idolatry  of  the  World.     Whether 
Egypt,  or  Chaldea,  were  properly  the  Au 
thors  of  it,  would,  I  am  fure,  be  a  fruitlels, 
and  is,  I  conceive,  a  very  needlefs  Difquiii- 
tion.     Both  of  them,  we  are  certain,  before 
the  Times  we  are  now  arrived  at,   were  no- 
torioufly  guilty  in  the  kind  ;  and  from  them 
the  Pradice  was  too  foon  propagated  to  all 
the  various  Difperfions  of  Mankind. 

L  OF 

mum  ab  entlqulfftmis ;  nempe  Orpbich,  lonicis^  Py- 
thagoricis,  Platonicifque.  Patrum  imagines  in  filiis  et 
nepotibus  intuemur.  Et  ab  his  Alumnis  Difciplinae 
JRgyptiacte  ipfius  effigiem  qualitercunque  licet  depin- 
gcre  vel  adumbrare.  Ibid.  p.  99. 


(74) 

OF  this  fort  (I  interpbfed)  was,  I  ima 
gine,  Hortenjiits,  the  greatefi  Part  of  thofe 
Idolatries  mentioned  in  the  earlier  Scriptures ; 
to  have  been  practifed  fo  univerfally,  where- 
ever  the  Jewifi  People  had  any  Communi 
cation.  And  to  which,  we  find,  even  the 
chojen  *Sm/themfelves  had  fuch  an  untoward 
Propenfion,  that  not  all  the  Policy  of  a  di 
vinely  fuggefled  Difcipline  for  the  Purpole, 
exercifed  upon  them  for  a  fucceflion  of  forty 
Years,  would,  in  the  opinion  of  their  wife 
and  provident  Legiilator,  a  little  before  his 
Death,  prove  a  fufficient  check  upon  them 
in  this  Regard  :  But,  even  in  polTerTion  of 
Promifes,  whofe  very  tenure  was  a  total  For 
bearance  in  this  kind,  they  would  yet,  he 
very  juflly  fufpecled,  be  here  perpetually 
tranlgreffing ;  and  in  defpight  of  the  moft 
affedting  Mementos  both  in  their  Hiltory, 
and  Ordinances,  of  Power  fuperior  to  the 
Heaven:,  would  be  tempted  by  the  momen 
tary  Argument  of  a  fingle  Glance  to  com 
pliment  them  ever  and  anon  with  fupreme*  3 

mistaking 

*  Dent.  4.  v.  15,  19.  Take  good  heed,  (fays  Mo- 
ffs,  to  Jfrael]  left  thou  lift  up  thine  Eyes  unto  Heaven, 
and  ivhen  thou  feeft  the  Sun,  and  the  Moon,  and  the 
Stars,  even  all  the  Hoft  of  Heaven,  Jhouldeji  be  driven 
to  zuorflnp  them,  and  fcrve  them,  which  the  Lord  thy 
God  bath  divided  (or  as  the  marginal  Reading  has  it, 
imparted)  unto  all  Nations  under  the  -whole  Heaven. 
Ne  toi  te  eleves  oCulos  tuos  in  ca?los,  et  videas  Solem, 
"ct  Lunam,  atque  ftellas,  cum  univerfo  exercitu 
rum,  et  Impulfus -adores  atque  colas  ea. 


(75) 

mifraking  thefe  ufeful  Inftruments  of  divine 
Providence,    for  the   exhibited  Splendors  of 
divine  Majefty.     So  much,  it  fhould  feem, 
was  this  the  prevailing  Doctrine,   and  gene 
ral  Infatuation  of  thefe  Times. 

I  A  M  afraid,    (replied    Hortenfius)    the 
Idolatry  of  this  Age  did  not  by  any  means 
flop  here ;  as  you  will  find  in  the  iequel  of 
our  Inquiry.  But  a  part  of  it  this  undoubted 
ly  was  j  and  one  moreover,  as  appears  from 
our  facred  Accounts  themfelves,    of  by  no 
means  recent  Eftablifhment.     For   in   the 
Book  of  yob,    (who  lived,    'tis  probable, 
fome  Centuries  before  the  j^Era  of  that  Paf- 
fage  of  Mofes's  Hiftory  you  have  been  hint 
ing  at  *)  where  the  illuftrious  Sufferer  is  in 
troduced,    as  appealing  to  the  Sentence  of 
Heaven  itfelf  for   the  general  Integrity  of 
his  Character ;  his  innocence  as  to  the  parti 
cular  Corruption  of  Sabiifm  as  an  impiety 
exceeding  common  in  his  time,    is  diftin&ty 
infixed   on :     The   very  Ceremony  of  its 
Practice,  namely  that  of  Adoration,  or  the 
Idolater's  applying  his  Hand  to  his  Mouth, 
in  token  of  his  religious  Reverence  to  the 
heavenly     Luminaries,     being    particularly 
pointed  out  to  us :  And  the  true  Atbeiftic 
Conftruction  of  it  in  all  Reafon,  and  fober 
Confequence,  at  the  fame  time  very  remark- 
L  2  ably 

*  He  was  probably  contemporary  with  the  Patri 
arch  Ifaac. 


(  76  ); 

ably  afferted  ;  in  oppofition,  no  doubt,  to 
all  fuch  unavailing  Refinements,  as  we  have 
above  fuppofed  (and  are  here,  I  think,  au 
thorized  to  fuppofe)  the  politic  Learning  of 
accommodating  Hierarchs,  or  Statefmen, 
had  propagated  in  its  Apology,  and  Incou- 
ragement  *.  When  by  thefe  means  how 
ever,  as  has  been  faid,  the  Idolatry  of  the 
Heavens  was  become  generally  authorized ; 
the  next  Step  in  the  Progrefs  of  Apotheofis, 
was,  I  imagine,  for  Reafons  above  occa- 
fionally  hinted  to  you,  the  Confecration  of 
artificial,  or  common  Fire-^.  This,  'twas 
obvious  to  think*  was  both  an  immediate 
Communication  from,  and  moft  expreffive, 
as  well  as  permanent  Symbol  of  the  Sidereal 
Splendors.  But  its  chief  Recommendation 
was,  its  proceeding  yet  a  Degree  lower  in 
the  levelling  Scheme  of  popular  Divinity ; 
and  bringing  down  the  Gods,  as  it  were,  to 
the  Earth  j  to  the  very  Habitation,  Fami 
liarity,  and,  in  fome  meafure,  the  good  Of 
fices,  of  their  Worfhippers  J. 

I     AM 

*  Si  vidi  Solem,  quando  fplendebat,  et  Lu- 
nam  incedentem  clare,  et  feduxit  fefe,  (aliter)  Laeta- 
tum  eft,  in  abfcondito  cor  meum,  et  ofculatum  eft 
manum  meam  os  meum,  etiam  hoc  fuiflet  iniquitas 
judicata  j  quia  Abnegah'em  Deum  Defuper.  Job, 
lib.  i.  cap.  31.  26,  27,  28. 

•j"  ToVTCis  ya^    (TO<?  (£>ctiijofA.£VOi<;  ovpavioig  S'sci?)   xai 

TO  ISVp     aSoLVKTOV    tyvi^OUflQfieV    fV    TOtf  /ffOlC,    0V   [AOtXlfCt 

oiuTiZTGY.      Porph.  de  Abft.  lib.  2.  p.  53. 
%  Vulcani  claudicatio,  fays  a  learned  Writer,  n<}- 

tat 


(  77  ) 

I  A  M  afraid  (faid  I)  it  was  bringing 
them  a  good  deal  nearer  in  effect,  than  they 
had  any  reafon  to  defire  to  be  brought.  For 
fo  ftriking  an  Object  as  the  jacred  Fire  once 
placed  before  Men's  Eyes,  as  a  direct  Dif- 
cerplion  from  the  celeftial-,  and  fo  commo- 
dioufly  withal  for  their  religious  Applications ; 
'twas  ,but  to  compliment  the  Subftitute, 
(what  Senfe  and  Imagination  would  very 
readily  come  into)  with  being  too  faithful 
to  the  Honors  of  its  Principals,  ever  to  think 
of  intercepting  them,  however  unguarded  in 
their  Paffage  ;  and  thus,  that  uneafy  Check 
upon  all  zealous  Devotion,  a  confcious  ReJ cr 
eation  in  the  exercife  of  it,  might  loon  be 
thrown  off,  as  a  Reftraint  not  more  incon 
venient,  than  really  unneceilary  in  the  Caie: 
And  the  Mind,  with  the  Eye,  would  be  at 
the  trouble  of  looking  no  farther,  than  to  the 
immediate  Exhibition,  and  nearefc  Species. 

A  N  D  if  the  Subftitute  in  this  Inftance. 
(refumed  Hortenfius]  did  thus  eafily  iniinuate 
itfelf  into  the  Honours  of  its  Principals ;  it 
had  at  leaft  their  own  Example  to  plead  in  its 
excufe ;  they  having  before,  by  a  like  arti 
fice,  diipoileiled  of  all  religious  Regard  and 

Reverence 

tat  ignjs  noftii  irnperfe&ionem.  As  fancifi.il  as  the 
Analogy  here  may  be  thought,  the  Fa&  \vijl  not  be 
difputed,  that,  Niii  ligna  ac  materiem  appofuen's, 
perbrevi  temporc  extinguitur,  f'off]  de  Ong.  Cxjk-. 
lib.  2.  p.  659. 


Reverence  the  only  juft  Object  of  any:  And, 
under  colour  of  affifting  Men  to  a  readier 
contemplation  and  fervice  of  their  Maker, 
well  nigh  banimed  him  from  among  them. 
For  thus  indeed  flood  the  Matter  with  our 
Egyptian  Speculates ;  that,  from  the  times 
we  are  now  fpeaking  of,  being  ever  at  work 
to  exhibit  T)eity  to  the  Multitude  in  new 
Forms  of  its  Effects,  they  by  degrees  quite 
confounded  it  with  them.  At  leafl  to  vul 
gar  Apprehenfion  j  to  which  God,  and  Na 
ture,  foon  became  the  very  fame  Idea  * ; 
and  the  World,  which  ought  only  to  have 
been  regarded,  as  the  magnificent  Theatre 
of  divine  Perfections,  was  itfelf  blajphe- 
moujly  adored,  as  the  independent  Proprietor 
of  them.  The  Doctrine  of  Vifible-Apo- 
theoiis  once  believed  in  Egypt  -,  and  all  Senfe 
and  Obfervation  agreeing  to  direct  her,  for 
thejirft  Examples  in  the  kind,  to  the  hea 
venly  Regions ;  the  Refidence,  'twas  obvious 
to  imagine,  of  the  chief  active  Powers  of 
the  Syftem  ;  the  neceffity  of  fome  conve 
nient  Receptacle  for  the  celeftial  Influences, 
and  Subjefl  of  their  genial  Agency  and 
Operation ;  and  the  manifeft  Accommoda 
tion  in  Nature  of  the  Earth  for  this  Pur- 
pofe  j  in  the  Progrefs  of  her  levelling  Theo- 

logy> 

*  They  were  in  the  Error  mentioned  by  Plutarch; 
and  did,  l^-iot,  Y.M  xaAou?  xxi  a'yxvgocv  rfyusSai  >tu?^u» 
xi  xpox.x<;  Jcpaimiv,    >c<x»  (rsrovofiov  xat 

^rV  »«TpCV.        De  Iflde,    &C.    p.  ^77' 


(79) 

logy,  foan  drew  down  her  Attention,  and 
her  Homage,  to  this  great  paffii}^  Subftance  j 
as  to  the  next  chief  Interefl  in  the  mundane 
Oeconomy  *.  She  accordingly  confidered 
the  Heavens,  and  the  Earth,  under  the  re 
lative  Characters  of  Male  and  Female  -f-.  A 
Relation,  which  her  Matters  of  the  Mytbo- 
logic  Profopoptea  exprefled,  we  may  fuppofe, 
by  giving  them  in  Marriage  to  each  other : 
Since  from  hence,  'tis  highly  probable,  the 
Greek,  and  Roman  Theogonifts,  learnt  to 
do  fo,  under  the  Titles  correlponding  in  their 
refpective  Languages  to  their  original  Egyp 
tian  ones ;  of  Ovf «vo?,  and  IX  or  Gwttf, 
and  Tellus ;  the  Parents  of  Kpow?,  Saturn, 
or  the  whole  regular  Oeconomy  of  the  viiible 
World  J. 

TH  E 

*  Ex  Elementis  ante  alia,  ut  arbitror,  Tellus  divi- 
nos  obtinuit  honores.  Idque  laxe  ea  voce  accepta, 
ut  fignat  hunc  globum  terrae  et  aquas,  qui  opponitur 

caelefti,  hoc  eft  jEthereo  et  Aereo  Corpori Nee 

mirum,  ft  ab  ^Ethe'reis  corporibus  prolapfi  etiam  fint 
ad  cultum  Telluris  :  quando  poft  caslos  ea  princeps  eft 
mundi  Pars.  Etiam  uti  in  caelis  fol  et  fidera,  continuo 
fe  ingerunt  in  fenfus :  ita  in  partibus  mundi  inferiori- 
bus  primo  oculi§  et  corporis  et  mentis,  Telluris  fe  bona 
ofFerebant.  Voff.  de  Orig.  &c.  lib.  2.  cap.  51. 

f  Denique  prope  omnium  ea  eft  veterum  opinio 
Terram  efte  antiquam  matrem,  quam  caelo  nuptam 
dixere,  quia  ut  in  rerum  generatione  caelum  refert 
marem  ;  fie  in  eadem  Tellus  efTet  alma  Mater.  VoJT. 

ub.  fup. Principes  Dei  Cselum  et  Terra.  Varr'a. 

4.  de  L.  L. 

\  S^turnus  quem  Caelu'  genit.  Ennius.  r.  Anna!. 
Saturnus  ipfe  «  cum  tradatur  ordo  Elemento- 

rum, 


(So) 

THE  delation,  (faid  I)  feems  in  fomc 
meafure  to  have  been  approved  by  the  facred 
CofmQgonifl  himfelf ;  who  in  entring  upon 
the  important  Tranfaclion  of  Creation  ;  or 
a  Univerfe  riiing  into  Being  at  the  efficacious 
Fiat  of  its  Maker ;  gives  us  his  firft  general 
PiSture  of  it,  tinder  the  two  comprehenfive 
Diftindtions,  of  Heaven,  and  Earth  *. 
'Does  not  this  Agreement  in  the  Jewtfoy  and 
Egyptian  Phyliology  of  this  matter,  incline 
one  to  think,  they  were  both  derived  from 
one  common  Stock  of  original  Tradition  in 
the  Point  ?  tho'  the  latter  had  fraudulently 
funk  one  main  Article  of  the  primitive  Ac 
count,  in  accommodation,  as  you  have  ob- 
ferved,  to  popular  Prejudice ;  or  as  finding 
it,  perhaps,  agreeable  to  the  Sentiments  of  a 
corrupt  religious  Policy,  to  conceal  one  Part 
of  the  Truth,  in  order  to  a  more  convenient 
Application  of  the  other  -(-. 

THE 

aim,  ternporum  Numerofitate  diftin&us,  luce  pate- 
fa£lus.  Macrab.  Sat.  lib.  I.  cap.  22. 

*  Imo  Deus  die  prima  fecifle  dicitur  Cselum  et 

Terram,  ut  plane  his  debeatur  principatus Caeli 

ac  Terras  nominibus  etiam  in  facris  literis  rcrum  in- 
telligitur  univerfitas.  Vofl".  de  Orig.  &c.  lib.  2. 
cap.  51.  Gen.  J.  I. 

-f-  In  the  beginning  God  created  the  Heaven,and  the 
.Earth.     Gen.  I.    I.     They  failed   in  common  with 
the  earlier  Grecian  Theologers  in  a  very  important 
Article,  of  which  Anaxagoras  is  faid  to  have  been  the 
firftReftorer.    'OJTO?    Jrj    TTCWTO?    <5j*icS-ow5-E   TOV 
ou   'yzp    pww 


8i 


THE  obvious  appearance  of  the  Thing 
itfelf,  (returned  Hortenfius)  may,  I  think, 
fully  account  for  the  Diftinclion  fuppofed, 
without  any  Intimation  from  a  Tradition  on 
its  behalf.  I  am  fenfible,  fome  more  recon 
dite  Articles  of  the  Egyptian  Phyfics,  as  par 
ticularly,  their  early  acquaintance  with  the 
true  Syitem  of  the  World  >  could  be  no 
other  than  wwT^oira^a&Ta  •>  Doctrines  of  Inhe 
ritance  j  whofe  Age,  and  Authorities  were, 
it  may  be,  equally  obfcure.  Inafmuch  as, 
the  national  Acumen  in  Matters  of  more 
elaborate  Miyfical  Reiearch,  was  by  no  means 
equal  to  the  Difcovery  of  them.  But  for  an 
accurate  Obfervation  of,  and  Familiarity 
with,  the  more  obvious  Phenomena  of  Na 
ture,  exclufively  of  any  nice  Difquilition  of 
the  remoter  Caufes  of  them  ;  the  Egyptians 
were  at  all  times  exceedingly  remarkable  : 
as,  probably,  for  other  Reafons  that  might 
be  mentioned  •  fo  efpecially  upon  a  religious 
Account  •  both  the  'Theory  and  Services  of 
their  Worfhip  obliging  them  to  a  very  regu 
lar  Diligence  in  this  kind.  We  have  already, 
Philemon,  (continued  he)  attended  them  in 
the  Courie  of  their  Phyfiologicai  Theology 
to  the  Apotheofis  of  the  two  great  Inftru- 
merits  of  all  natural  Generation  ;  the  opera 
tive  Influences  of  the  Heavens,  and  the  pa£- 
M  live 


o,   wj  01  &OQ   aurou,    aAAa  xa»  Trip*  rou  xwouv- 
<»<T»OV.     tufeb.  praep,  lib.  10.   cap,  ult« 


(82) 

five  Subject  of  them,  or  grofi  terreftrlal 
Mafs.  From  whence,  in  their  Doctrine  of 
honoring  Caufes  in  their  Effects,  they  were 
eafily  led  to  deify  the  IJJue  of  this  important 
Congrefs ;  fyww9  Saturn,  the  ™  ?rav)  or  col 
lective  Contents,  and  Apparatus  of  the  in- 
tire  mundane  Machine  j  as  the  next  Article 
of  their  increafing  Polytheifm  *.  But  the 
Object  here,  taken  at  large,  being  of  fome- 
what  difficult  Comprehenfion,  and  a  Con- 
lideration  of  it  in  Parts ,  not  only  confirm 
ing  its  general  Divinity,  but  even  multiply 
ing,  as  well  as  greatly  aflifting  the  particular 
Offices  of  its  Worfhip ;  'twas  foon  agreed, 
to  branch  it  out,  for  the  convenience  both 
of  common  Conception,  and  Addrefs,  into 
the  feveral  more  confiderable  Divi/ions^ 
Members,  or  conftituent  Principles,  of  which 
it  was  efteemed  to  be  compofed.  And  thus 
we  come  to  thofe  five  primary  Articles  of 
the  intire  natural  Compages,  or  Ingredients 

of 

*\  ^  . , 

*  Hunc    (Saturnurn)    aiunt   abfcidifle  Call   Patris 

pudenda Cum  Semina  rerum  omnium  poft  caelum 

gignendarum  de  caelo  fluerent ;  et  elementa  univerfa, 
quae  mundo  plenitudinem  facerent,  ex  illis  Seminibus 
funderentur ;  ubi  Mundus  omnibus  fuis  partibus 
membrifque  perfedlus  eft,  certo  jam  tempore  finis 
faftus  eft  procedendi  de  caelo  femina  ad  elementorum 
conceptionem ;  quippe  quse  jam  plena  fuerant  Pro- 

creata Propter  abfciflbrum  pudendorum  fabu- 

lam,  etiam  noftri  eum  Saturnurn  vocitarunt :  Trxget 
TW  <ra,Qr,v9  quod  membrum  virile  declarat,  velutt 
Sathunum.  Macrob.  Sat.  lib.  i.  cap.  8.  To 
TOO  M(r[Aov  TTKV,  Diod.  Sic.  lib.  I.  p.  II. 


of  the  unlverial  Compound  ;    mentioned  by 
Diodorits,    as  fo  many  Deities  of  Egypt; 
namely,  Spirit,  or  a  foft,    invifibly  active, 
and  fubtil  Flame,  the  fuppofed  Matter  of  die 
./Ether,    or  heavenly  Regions  ;  and  imme 
diate  Instrument  of  particular  animal,  and 
intelligent  Life.      Elementary,    or  fenfible 
Fire.  Grofs  dry  Subftance,  or  Earth.     Wa 
ter,  or  Humidity.     And  laftly,  the  Air,  or 
Atmofphere  *.    Under  each  of  which  Head- 
Divifions  of  Nature,  thus  feparately,  and  at 
large,  inverted  with  a  divine  Character,  in 
numerable  Orders  uf  inferior  Divinities  by 
Degrees  {prang'  up  ;    as  the  feveral  diftincl: 
Properties,  Effects,    and  relative  Confidera- 
tions  of  each  came  to  be  more  minutely  exa 
mined:  To  fuch  fucceffive  Inlargements  of 

M  2  the 

*   Aio  x$a  TO   j.£v  otTTixv  troja  TTJJ  ruv 


TO   T£    TTVf^aa,     X<Z»     TO     T 
(?£   TO     'JpOV       XiKi    TP  TtAfUTaiOV  TO 


xa» 

5f*vat  xam  TO  oixsioy*  TO  jufu  ouu  mtvpot  Aia 
•STtfotraj/opfuirat  x.  T.  A.  Died,  Sic.  lib.  I.  ^>.  u. 
Rhod.  Chryjtppus  Mundum  Deum  dicet  efle,  ignem 
pneterea,  et  ^Ethera,  Aquam,  Terram,  et  Aera; 
Solem,  Lunam,  Sidera,  Univerfitatemque  Rerum. 
Cic.  de  Nat.  Dear.  Hb.  I.  cap.  15.  Daviest—  -  - 
'Tis  in  the  Conception  here  noted  of  the  ^Ethereal 
Matter,  that  in  the  Greek  Mythology  Jupiter  is  ftilecf, 
froirno  fcvjjnim  S-JWVT?  ,  5^^  Father  of  Gods  and  Men  ; 
or  in  other  Wcrds,  the  univerfally  Life-giving  and. 
informant  Principle,  as  well  to  the  feveral  deified  He- 
rces  of  the  firft  Ages,  as  to  all  the  fubfequent  Gene- 
rations  of  lefs  diftinguifhed  Mankind, 


(  84) 

the  Syftem  of  natural  Apotheofi^  as  it  would 
be  quite  endlefs  to  reprefent  to  you. 

You  need  not,  (I  interpofed  here)  be 
at  the  trouble,  Hortenfius,  of  treating  this 
Subject  any  farther  in  detail.  The  Founda 
tion  Principles  of  Error,  and  falfe  Worihip, 
once  laid,  as  you  have  determined  j  the  Su- 
perftructure,  I  am  fenfible,  might  be  in- 
creafed  to  any  requifite  Degree  at  pleafure. 
The  Mailers  of  fuch  a  Theology  could  ne 
ver  want  a  Pretence  to  inlarge  the  Subftance 
of  it ;  whenever,  in  the  courfe  of  religious 
Politics,  the  quantity  of  national  Superftition 
fhould  be  thought  proper  to  be  augmented  -, 
as  long  as  there  was  any  fuch  Thing  as  Fan 
cy  or  Invention  fubfifting  in  their  Order. 
A  pregnant  Imagination  might,  in  the  way 
of  Thinking  here  fuppofed,  devife  as  many 
different  Species  of  Divinity,  as  there  were 
of  diftincl:  Beings ;  or,  I  may  add,  as  there 
could  be  conceived  diftincl:  Powers  or  Affec 
tions  of  thofe  Beings,  in  the  World. 

F  o  R  a  view  of  this  Scheme  of  multiplied 
and  particularized  Apotbeojis  literally  made 
Fact,  (returned  he)  one  need  but  run  over 
the  Lift  of  Grecian^  and  more  emphatically 
/till,  of  Roman  Deities.  In  the  mean  while, 
to  return  to  our  Egyptian  confeffed  Leaders 
in  the  kind ;  whilft  they  were  fo  religioufly 
attentive  to  the  whole  Conduct,  and  Ap- 
i  pearances 


pearances  of  Nature,  as  has  been  reprefented  j 
Ib  obvious,  as  well  as  important  a  Diftinftion 
in  it,  as  that  of  Goo/l,  and  Evil,  could 
not,  you  may  be  fure,  efcape  their  Notice. 
They  accordingly  deified  each  Branch  of  this 
Difl  inction  in  their  two  oppofitely  perfonated 
Characters  of  Typhon  and  Ofiris  *  5  the  In<- 
famer,  and  the  blacky  er  muddy  River  -(-. 

Expreffing 

*  O'j  'yap  otM'/jpw  cuJE  ayfjwcy,  ouJV  S-aAarlav,  oude 
C>CCTOC,  aAAa  Trav  orou  'f\  G>\j<rit;  CAaSf^ov  x**  f^S-acTi- 
KOV  f%fi  ^/.ofljov,  TOU  TV(pwvc£  ?ov.  P/zrf.  J<r  ^/^  rf 
•OJir.  p.  369.  He  is  called  alfo  S^-91,  fignifying,  lays 
$he  fame  Author,  TO  xo.ra^uv«r-fuov  KOU  xaTabja^o. 
yxfyov  and  to  exprefs  his  general  Character  they  con- 
iecrate  to  him,  TWV  yptpuv  Ltwv  TQV  ajuaS-f  s~arov  cv&v, 
TWV  cTe  aj/pjwv  S'rj^iwJ'ir'aTa,  x^oxo^iAof,  xat  Toy 

/•    37  '*      U^'   ^UP*        T°     ^£ 


ovx  au  <x.p/zgTO!,voi[j.£v.  Ubi  fup.  />.  377. 
f  Quemadmodum  vero  Nilus  Hebreeis  ob  nigrf- 
cantes  aquas,  et  quia  Terram  humedans  earn  reddet 
nigram,  SfcBfT,  five  5-/V,  hoc  eft,  Niger  diclus  eft; 
(7/i.  23.  v.  3.  y^.  ii.  v.  18.)  ita  et  Greeds  eadem 
de  Caufa  vocatus  eft  MsAa?,  Plutarcbo,  et  Eujiatbio, 
teftibus.  Indeque  et  Latinis  veteribus  appellatus  eft 
Mflo,  ut  Feftus,  et  Servius^  tradidere.  Ex  quibus 
etiam  cognofcere  licet,  cur  Mgyptii,  Plutarcho  tefte, 
Oftrin  effingant  nigrum,  nempe  nigrum  NiK  colo- 
rem  attenderunt.  Et  quid  (i  dicamus,  ipfum  nomen 
Ofiris  efle  ex  Schichor,  live,  ut  mollius  pronunciant, 
Star  ?  Nam  S/or,  trajeclis  literis,  fit  OJir  ;  unde,  ter- 
minatione  addita  Giaecanica  ac  Romana^  Ofiris.  Jam 
ante  in  Vocabulis  Ps;<?  x;u  'Hp^i?,  oftendimus,  Gen 
tiles  in  Deorum  nominibus  iftiufmodi  traje6lione 

gavifos,; 


(86) 

Expreffing  thus  the  general  Interefts  of  Mlf- 
chief,  and  Beneficence  in  Nature,  by  a  par 
ticular  local  Exemplification  in  each  kind  in 
their  own  Country :  The  former  Character 
being,  "  Properly  that  of  the  Sun,  confider- 
<e  ed  as  bringing  on  yearly  the  intenfe  Sum- 
"  mer  Heats  in  Egypt  *  ;  the  latter  of  the 
"  Nile,  confidered  in  his  annual  overflow 
"  there  during  the  chief  part  of  the  Summer 
"  Seafon,  as  an  erpecial  Provifion  in  Nature 
"  on  its  Favour,  on  that  Regard."  For  this 
was,  I  need  not  inform  you,  the  Fact  here, 
Philemon ;  that  at  what  time  the  folar  In 
fluences  were  moft  afflicting  to  the  Egyp 
tians,  and  feemed  to  threaten  the  intire 
Defolation  of  their  Country  by  exceflive  and 
increafing  Drought ;  the  Nile,  in  a  kind  of 
Patron  Character  to  a  Land  he  had  himfelf 
given  being  to  as  fuch,  by  repeated  Spoils 
from  a  neighbour  Diftrict  -j~  5  increafed  by 
the  continual  Rains  which  had  for  fome 
Weeks  been  falling  in  Ethiopia  •  regularly 
deluged  a  great  Part  of  its  Surface :  Hereby 

not 

gavifos ;  ne,  fi  vulgata  eorum  rctinerentur  vocabula, 
haut  aliud  viderentur,  quam  Elementa.  I/off,  de 
Orig.  et  Prog.  Idol.  lib.  2.  cap.  74. 

*  It  was  in  this  view  that  they  reprefented  Tru^cv 
ytyowzi  rov  Tu^coya,  x;:;  ovu$r,  rrjy  p^^oau.  Pint,  di 
I/id.  p.  262. 

•f-  E?r4XT>iTOf  Tf  yv\,   x«j  (J'copov  Tou  TTOTa^tov.      Herod. 
Euterpe,  cap.  5.     K.a3oAou  yac  TW  vuv 
teyova-iv  ou  x,wg ay, 
Sic.  lib.  3.  j>.  144. 


(87.) 

not  onjy  abating  in  a  very  fenfibk  Manner 
the  inftant  Diftrefsj  but  likewife,  by  the. 
fame  Methods  he  had  gradually  accumulated, 
ftill  continuing  to  inrich  the  Egyptian  Soil  j 
and  preparing  it  for  an  eafy  and  fuccefsful 
Culture  for  the  Service  of  the  infuing  Year, 
upon  the  Recefs,  or  drying  off  of  the  Flood. 

I  ALWAYS  underflood  (faid  I)  Ofiris 
to  be  the  Egyptian  Character  of  the  Sun,  in 
quality  of  his  being,  as  they  reprefented 
him,  many-eyed  *,  or  overlooking  the  whole 
extent  of  the  Univerfe.  I  am  fur-e,  I  have 
fomewhere  met  with  this  account  of  the 
name. 

THE  other  I  have  been  giving  you,  (re 
plied  Hortenfius)  is,  I  think,  the  truer  ;  that 
it  denotes,  in  rtridt  Acceptation,  the  muddy 
River  j  or  the  Nile.  Tho',  in  compliment 
to  this  fo  friendly  Stream  to  Egypt,  the 
Founder,  as  well  as  Guardian,  and  annually 
improving  Power  of  the  Country  ;  the  Egyp 
tians  make  ufe  of  this  ExpreiTion  to  charac 
terize  the  'whole  friendly  Intereft  in  Nature. 
As  on  the  other  hand,  Syphon  is  for  a  di 
rect  contrary  Reafon,  made  the  general  Cha 
racter  of  Defetf,  Diforder,  and  Mif- 
chiefin.  the  Syftem.  In  this  way  of  Think 
ing,  the  Sun,  in  different  Views  of  his  Ope 


raton, 


fo  Diodorus  interprets  the  name, 
Multoculum,  lib.  i.  bib.  p,  u. 


(88) 

ration,  either  in  Egypt,  or  in  Nature,  may, 
you  will  obferve,  be  both  Typhon,  and  Ofi- 
ris.  Typhon,  as  the  Caufe  of  intenfe  fcorch- 
ing  Heat ;  Ofiris,  as  the  Principle  of  kindly 
and  genial  Warmth ;  the  inlivening,  and 
fertilizing  Power  of  the  whole  Univerfe  *. 
Tho',  as  Fear  is  ever  a  more  powerful  Mo 
tive  to  Obfervation  than  Love,  he  was, 
I  believe,  more  generally  regarded  in  the 
Egyptian  Worfhip  under  his  fyphonic  Cha- 
rafter.  Inafmuch  as  we  learn  from  Plu 
tarch,  they  were  ufed  to  reprefent  mild, 
moderated,  and  generative  Light,  or  Heat, 
as  the  more  peculiar  Difpenfation  of  theyS- 
ber  and  qualified  lunar  Orb  >  as  if  it  were 
neceffary,  me  mould  firft  receive,  and  tem 
per  the  Sun's  Beam,  before  it  could  be  com 
municated  with  any  beneficent  Effect  to  the 
Earth  -f.  Agreeably  to  which  Notion,  of 

the 

*  Cum  duo  olim  ftatuerentur  principia  rerum 
vowny.x,  unum  boni  omnis,  alterum  omnis  mali  j 
^Eo-yptii  in  fole  ipfo  utrumque  fpeclrarunt.  Ac  a  bono 
quidem  principio  efie  dixerunt  vim  beneficam,  quii 
Lunam  illuminat,  ac  vitalem  animantibus  infmuat 
Calorem.  A  malo  autem  principio  efle  crediderunt 
vim  maleficam  ;  quando  fuo  ftirpes  ardore  exficcat, 
animantibus  etiam  peftilitatem,  et  exitium,  nimio 
inducit  aeftu.  Quatenus  igitur  efltt  beneficus,  OJiri- 
dcm  vocarunt  ;  at  quatenus  idem  foret  maleficus,  no- 
minarunt  eum  Typbona.  Voff.  de  Orig.  lib.  2^  cap. 

24. 

OIOVTO.I    rov 

W  /x,?v    y&{> 


the  more  immediate  Agency  of  the  Moon  in 
the  Operations  of  a  kindlier  Warmth  in  Na 
ture,  they  celebrated  an  annual  Feilival  upon 
the  opening  of  their  vernal  Seafon,  to  the 
hopes  of  the  Year,  calling  it  the  Entry  of 
O/irisy  or  benign  and  generative  Virtue,  into 
that  Luminary  *.  In  this  Suppofition,  you 
fee,  the  Moon  becomes  Ofiris.  As  is  fome- 
times,  with  more  particular  Diftinclion  frill, 
the  Full-Moon  -3  or  the  moft  perfect  Exhi 
bition  of  the  Lunar  Phafis  -f-.  In.  oppofition 
to  which,  Typbon  is  either  an  Echpje  hap- 
pening  at  that  Infiant  J  ;  or  the  fucceeding 
Stages  of  the  Moon's  Wane  ||.  Sometimes 

Ofiris 


3-aATTEjyTS    xsti    xotTotvowen  TO, 


X.XI     TO     TTOA'J 

TToisiv  ocownrov  ,  Plut,  de  IJide^  p.  367  '• 
*  E(a€x<7tu  Qriptfa  ft?  rrjv  fftXww.  Ubi  fup. 
'Tis  in  this  differenced  Character  of  the  folar  and 
lunar  Orbs,  that  the  Mythologifts  make  Hercules,  or 
Brutal  Force,  to  have  its  Residence  in  the  one,  and 
Mercury,  or  Counfel,  in  the  other.  K%i  TO  ptv  'vlXia 
rov 


rat  T»I$  (TgAwiif,  Ta   ^'EV  iiAjw  7r\vi'yxtf  wr 
aii;0j0i£v»i?.      P/af.  //f  //?</?,  />.  367. 

E7TJ     (Tf>C«     T»U    OrtfUO^i    ^EVEf^WM   TE 

Ey  r\.  ^uaAjra  ^JVETAI    TrAMpo'jv.fi/n 
^to   xai   oAw?  TOV  cce&pun 
Ubi  fup. 


Pint,  de  Ifid.  p.  367. 

U  In  ttiis  way  of  Thinking,  OJirit  is  faiJ  to  have 
N  reigned 


(  9°  ) 

Ofiris  is  Humidity  in  general,  confiderd  as 
a  neceflary  Condition  to  animal  or  vegetative 
Generation,  and  Life  ;  as  oppofed  to  which, 
Typhon  is  Drought  ;  or  whatever  tends  to 
deftroy,  or  diminim  from,  the  due  Propor 
tion  of  genial  and  radical  Moifture  in  Na 
ture  *.  Sometimes  Ofiris  is  the  Nile  con- 
fidered  as,  by  its  yearly  Precipitations  of  an 
earthy  Sediment  collected  in  Ethiopia  upon 
the  Spot,  having  gained  Egypt  from  the 
Sea  ;  and  Typhon  is  here  the  '  previous  Pro 
perty  of  the  Ocean  in  thefe  Parts  -f-.  Some 
times  Ofiris  is  the  Nile,  as  in  its  yearly 
Overflow  inriching  the  Land  of  Egypt,  and 
Typbon  the  Sea,  as  abforbing  that  River  at 
feveral  Mouths  on  the  northern  Side  of 

it. 

reigned  28  Years.  And  to  have  been  torn  by  Typbon 
into  fourteen  Parts  ;  the  number  of  Days  from  the 
Full-Moon  to  the  New  ;  or  the  Time  of  the  Moon's 
Wane. 

*    'Oi  Si  (rc^wTfpoi  TUV  lipsitv  Ocripw  ptv  aTrAco? 


KOH  Trupcot^fc,  KX.I  £ri(>(x,'vTix.ov  oAw?,  KKI 
T»  fyfttijn.  Pint,  de  Ijide.  p.  364.  This 
was  the  Foundation  of  the  Mythology,  that  the  Phal 
lus  of  Ofiris  was  by  'fypkon  thrown  into  the  Nile,  and 
devoured  by  Fifh.  The  Meaning  here  being,  doubt- 
lefs,  to  exprefs  the  fertilizing  Quality  of  Water. 

f  'Tis  in  this  Senfe,  that,  as  Plutarch  informs  us, 
the  Egyptians  celebrated  the  Vi&ory  of  Or  us  over 
Typhon,  or  the  Expulfion  of  the  Sea  from  their  Coun 
try,  by  the  annually  increafmg  Sediment  of  the 
Nile. 


it  *.     Sometimes  in    a  more  refined,    and 
highly  philosophic  Senfe,  OJiris  is  the  whole 
a5ii<ve  Force  of  the  UniverSe,  coniidered  as 
having  a  Prepollency  of  good  in  its  Effects  ; 
and  Syphon  the  feveral  partial  and  Jlibordi- 
nate  Workings  of  a  malicious  Power  in  the 
SyStem  -f-.     In   all  which   feveral  Views  of 
Ofiris,  Philemon,  the  particular  pafiive  Sub- 
je5l  upon  which  he  is,  in  the  Egyptian  Me 
thod  of  Representation,  fuppoSed  to  operate 
in  accomplishment  of  the  Effect  afcribed  to 
him  under  each  of  them  ;  is  called  I/h.     As 

N  2  is 

'  '  if  ' 

*    0a/\.a<7<ra  yxp  riv  YI  AiVuTrlo?,     o  N.-iAo? 
rvtv  $a\ot<riTKv  avsfyiwe    TO   vt&ot,    xat 
Pint,  de  JJide.  p.  367. 


rot  TV  5/*j,    Tu(p&)y«  JV    TW 

5/A7ri7r7wi/  a^a'jj^JTat  xat  ^ao-'sraTaj.      P/w/.  de  Ifide. 

P-  363- 

f  Ac  ex  eorum  Sententia,    (Egyptiorum}    in  hac 
Rerum  abutroque  principio  miftura,  praevalet  facultas 
rnelioris  numinis  :  attamen  non  in  tantum  ut  deterioris 
opus  aboleat  prorfus  :     quippe   et   vis  ifta    deterioris 
principii  penitiflimis   ihhaeret  corporibus,  faltem  illis 
Tub  Luna  conftitutis  :    atque  inde  eft,    quod  meliort 
Temper   repugnet  Facultati.      faff,  de  Orig.  et  Prog. 
Idol.  lib.  I.    cap.  5.      In  this  View,    the  Egyptians 
ufed  to  reprefent  Typbon  under  the  Figure  of  a  River- 
Horfe,  v/ith  a  Hawk  and  Serpent  fighting  upon  his 
Back.     The  meaning  was,  that  the  evil  Principle  in 
Nature,    tho'  continually  oppofed,    never  gives  way 
wholly  to  the  good  One.     To  Signify,  however,  that 
in  fome  Inftances  he  fubmits  for  a  Time,  the  People 
of  Hermopolisi  had  a  Feftival  to  Ifis  returning  out  of 
Phoenicia  with  the  Body  of  Q/5m,  upon  which  occa- 
fion  they  figured  Typhon  as  bound  upon  their  Cakes. 


(9*  ) 

is  the  refult  of  their  mutual  Congrefs,  Orus. 
Thus  Ifis  is  fometimes  the  Moon,  as  paffrve 
to  the  Light  of  the  Sun  -,    and  Orus,    the 
Computation  of  Time  as  effected  by   the 
Revolutions  of  thefe  Orbs.     Sometimes  Ifis 
is  the  Air,  or  Earth,    as  paffive  to  the  kind 
lier  Influences  of  the  Heartens  in  general; 
or  at  other  Times,  to  thofe  of  the  Moon  in 
particular;    and    the    Effect  of  thefe  two 
Po'vers,  called  Or  us,    is  a  general  Clemency 
of  Seafon,    and  confequent  Plenty  of  all  ve 
getative  Productions.     Sometimes  Ifts  is  in 
a  diftinguimed  Regard,  the  Land  of  Egypt 
watered  and  inriched  into  an  efpecial  local 
Fruitfulnefs  by  the  Overflowing  of  the  Nile. 
Sometimes  {be  is  the  intlre  pajjfae  Nature 
of  Things  in  the  abftract ;    and  Orus,  the 
Off  fpring   of  her  Communication  in  this 
Senfe  with    the  nniverfal  active  Nature,    is 
the  lame  with  the  whole  Conftitution  of  the 
fenfible  World.     Each  of  which  different 
Confiderations  of  thefe  deified  Characters  of 
active  and  paffive  Power  in  the  Univerie, 
and  numbeiiels  others  that  might  be  added 
to  them  *,    are  the  Foundation  of  diftinct 
Ceremonies  in  the  Egyptian  Religion. 

A  N  D  now,    Philemon,  having,  I  think, 
taken  a  general  View  of  the  chief  Articles 
of  the  original   Idolatry  of  the  Egyptians, 
the  Worfhip  of  Nature  5  we  are  next,  to  in 
quire 
'  *  Vicl.  Plut.  de  Ifide  et  Gfiride.     Libellum  pafliro. 


(  93  ) 

quire  a  little  into  the  Grounds  of  that 
bol-Science  in  Religion,  by  which  they  were 
led  to  reprefent  thefe  feveral  Natural  Divi 
nities  we  have  been  fpeaking  of,  under  cer 
tain  animal  or  artificial  Figures,  confecrated 
to  this  Purpofe.  But  as  I  would  not  tire 
your  Thoughts  with  too  continued  an  At 
tention  to  the  fame  Subject,  and  our  Morning, 
I  believe,  is  already  pretty  far  fpent ,  we  will 
referve  this,  if  you  pleafe,  together  with 
the  ftill  farther  and  finifhing  Improvement 
of  their  phyfical  Theology,  by  the  Introduction 
of  the  human  Apotbeofis^  or  Hera-WorJhip 
into  it ;  for  another  Day's  Speculation. 


F    I    N    1    S. 


Jufl  pu&lijhed, 

A  New  Eflay  on  Civil  Power  in  Things 
Sacred^  or  an  Inquiry  after  an  efta- 
blimed  Religion,    confident   with   the  iuft 
Liberties  of  Mankind,  and  pra&icable  under 
every  Form  of  Government. 

Render  unto  Caefar  the  Things  that  are  Ca3- 

far'j,   and  to   God  the  Things  that  are 

God's.     Mat.  xxii.  12. 
And  all  Things  ivbatfoever  ye  would  that 

Men  Jhould  do  unto  you,   do  even  fo  to 

them.     Mat.  vii.  12. 

Printed  for  M.  STEEN,    in  the  Inner- 
Temple  Lane. 


PHILEMON 


T  O 


HYDASPES; 


RELATIN  G 

A  Fourth  CONVERSATION  with 
HORTENS  ius,  upon  the  Subjedl  of 
Falje  Religion. 

IN  WH  ICH 

A  farther  GENERAL  ACCOUNT  is  endeavoured 
to  be  given  of  the  Rife  and  Conftitution  of 
Falfe  Theory  in  Religion  in  the  Earlier  Pagan 
World. 


rr/?  a9-ava<r»a?.     Diod.   Sic.    Bib.    Lib.    I.  p. 

Ed.  Rhod, 


L  O  N  D  0  N: 

Printed  for  M.  STEEN,  in  the  Inner -Temple -Lane. 
M.DCC.XLI. 


n  v 


The  Reader  is  defired  to  corre&  the  following 
Miftakes. 

PAGE  9.  in  the  Note,  1. 4.  for  BtSXtoj?,  read  Bu- 
GXion;.  P.  26.  in  the  Note,  1.  u.  after  -srooffofyXov- 
TE  ?,  inftead  of  a  full  Point  read  with  a  Comma,  and  read 
the  next  Line  as  a  Verfe,  ending  it  with  etirtirjav. 
P.30.  in  the  Notes,  1.2.  for  ^iyo/*fya,  read  £^»vo(a«u«-- 
and  in  1.  32.  for  uvxXrjtiv.,  read  ai;aAv«y,  and  in 
J.  33.  for  v.Xr^icx.Sot,^  read  xAj<na<5a?.  P.  42. 1.  17. 
for  the  Egyptians,  read  ^  earlier  Egyptians.  In  the 
laft  line  of  the  Notes,  p.  44.  for  fyei*9  read  J}^cfavt 
and  in  the  next  line,  for  Eupfrnv,  read  fjperjy.  P.  46. 
in  the  Notes,  1.  13.  for  <T'JV  £7rjS-f^f;o;i!,  read  O-JVE- 
7r&£[j.EiJuv.  In  the  Note,  p.  71.  for  par ta,  readpartu. 
In  Note,  p.  78.  1.  2.  for  p^-mov,  read  pjiTEov.  In 
the  Notes,  p.  84.  1.  6.  for  ETrsvTxppevyV}  read 
P.  86.  1/2.  for  j  read 


PHILEMON 

T  O 

H  V  D  A   S   P  E  S, 


c. 


HERE  is  not,  I  have  often 
thought,  Hydafpes,  a  more  ef 
fectual  Prefervative  againft  th£ 
Pride  of  Learning,  than  to  re 
flect  a  little  on  the  Materials  of  which  a 
great  part  of  it  eonfifts.  What,  for  exam 
ple,  is  the  whole  Science  of  more  ancient 
Hiftory,  even  in  the  moft  favourable  View 
of  it,  but  tracing  back  Human  Nature  to 
its  State  of  Infancy,  and  greatefl  Imper 
fection  ?  and  converfing  with  it  in  fuch 
low  and  childiili  Particulars,  as  can  alone 
B  receive 


t       .  '  '•">"VH-rf 

receive  a  Merit  from  being  confidered  a£ 
the  firft  weak  E  flays  of  Improvement,  the 
Principles  of  higher  Attainments,  and  the 
Introduction  to  a  better  and  more  intereil- 
ing  Scene  of  Affairs  ?  For  thus  it  is,  Hy- 
da/peSy  we  muft  undoubtedly  bring  our- 
felves  to  conceive  of  primitive  Antiquity, 
or  we  mall  never  arrive  at  any  ufeful  Ac 
quaintance  with  it.  Modern  Notions  are 
the  fame  abfurd  Comment  upon  the  Senti 
ments  and  Practices  of  the  firfl  Ages  of 
Mankind,  that  the  correct  Judgments  of 
our  advahc'd  Life  would  be  upon  the  raw 
Apprehenfions  of  our  Childhood.  And  yet, 
ridiculous  as  fuch  a  Procedure  may  appear, 
it  has  the  Credit  at  leaft  of  Numbers  on 
its  Party.  For,  whether  it  be,  that  the 
Reverence  Men  are  ufually  taught  to  pay 
to  Antiquity,  really  blinds  their  Judgment 
of  it ;  or  that  we  are  all  of  us  too  much 
interested  in  the  Portraiture  of  our  Kind, 
not  to  prefer  at  all  times  a  flattering,  to  a 
real  Likenefs  j  or  whether  after  all  the 
mere  Prejudice  of  Cuftom,  and  the  Diffi 
culty  there  experimentally  is  in  exchanging 
Habits  of  manly,  for  th'ofe  of  childifli 
Thinkiug,  is  itfelf  a  fufficient  Solution  of 
the  Point ;  the  Fa6l  however  is  too  noto 
rious  :  "  That  in  no  Subject  has  Truth  fuf- 
<c  fer'd  more  by  an  over-fond  Mixture  oi' 
tc  Imhellifhment,  than  in  that  of  Primitive 

u  Hiftorv."     Writes,  the  molt  cold  and 

tv.-j  ..j  •-  .  ' 

unenter- 


(  3  ) 

unenterprifing  in  other  matters,  have  here 
for  the  moft  part  arTumed  the  Sprightlinefs 
of  Romance ;  and  made  a  general  Sacrifice 
of  Certainty  to  Fiction,  Credibility  to  Or 
nament.  How  much  this  complimenting 
Antiquity  into  Attainments  it  certainly  had 
not,  tends  to  perplex  the  Difcovery  of  thofe 
it  really  had,  there  needs  but  little  Reflec 
tion  to  conceive.  Total  Darknefs  being,  I 
had  almoft  faid,  a  fafer  Guide,  than  a 
falfe  Light,  as  the  one  at  worft  but  leaves 
us  in  Ignorance,  the  other  necerTarily  leads 
us  into  Error.  A  wide  Field,  Hydajpes, 
where  is  fcarce  any  end  of  wandering !  Wit- 
nefs  the  numberlefs  contradictory  Syftems 
of  Pagan  Superflition,  that  fwell  fo  many 
labour'd  Volumes  in  the  learned  World ; 
of  which  'tis  hard  to  determine,  whether 
they  have  more  embarrafs'd  themielves, 
each  other,  or  the  Caufe  in  general.  Out 
of  whofe  multiplied  and  various  Intricacies 
however,  I  know  of  no  Clue  which  will 
fo  commodiouily  lead  our  Thoughts,  as  the 
Application  of  that  lowering  Regimen  above 
mentioned,  A  Remedy  perhaps,  like  many 
others,  therefore  only  fo  generally  over 
looked  or  neglected,  becaule  it  is  indeed 
the  moft  eafy,  natural,  and  obvious  one. 
For,  amidft  all  the  Pains  that  have  been 
taken  to  perplex  this  Subject  under  colour 
of  refining  it,  the  native  Meannefs  of  its 
Original  is  yet  too  vifible  to  an.  unpreju- 
B  2  died 


(4) 

dic'd  Eye,  to  fufter  one  to  doubt  its  being 
indeed  the  Product  of  Ages,  \vhofe  Ac 
quirements  may  better  excite  our  Compaf- 
fion,  than  our  Envy.  A  Point,  Hyda/bes. 

*  J  *  *        J L         * 

you  will,  I  dare  fay,  think  fufficiently 
eflablimed,  when  you  mall  have  perufed 
the  Recital  I  am  going  to  prelent  you  with, 
of  the  Continuation  of  Hortenfius"s  Difcourfe 
to  me  of  the  Genius  and  Conftitution  tiffalfi 
theory  in -Religion  in  the  earlier  Pagan  World. 


YO  U  will  fuppofe  us  met, 
and  uninterrupted,  as  in  my  lalt  Re 
port:  when  Hortenfms,  knowing  the  Biafs 
of  my  Inclinations  this  way,  thus  volunta 
rily  refumed  the  Subject  of  our  Inquiry.—- 
We  had,  (faid  he  to  me)  I  think,  pretty 
well  gone  through  the  Head  of  the  natural 
Theology  of  the  Antients;  *  and  were  next 
to  examine  a  little  into  the  Grounds  and 
Constitution  of  their  Symbolic,  and  Heroic 
Wormip.  But  before  we  go  any  farther, 
Philemon,  1  have  a  previous  Point  or  two 
to  mention  to  you,  which  has  lirice  our 

laft 

*  See  a  Pamphlet  intitled,  Philemon  to  Hydafpest 
&c.    Part  III.  » 


(  5  ) 

Jaft  Conference  occasionally  ftruck  me  irj 
my  private  Thoughts  upon  this  Subjed:.' 
'One  is,  to  give  you  a  Caution  in  regard  to 
that  part  of  our  Inquiry  which  is  pail ;  the 
other,  to  propofe  an  Amendment  orAltera- 
tion  of  Method,  which  I  have  recollected 
with  myfelf  to  be  neceflary,  in  what  is 
yet  to  come.  For  the  former,  Philemon , 
be  pleafed  then  to  obferve,  that,  though 
under  the  Head  of  the  pbyjicaivt  natural 
Theology  of  ancient  Paganifm,  I  chofe,  as 
Well  for  Clearnefs  as  Difpatch,  to  throw 
all  the  feveral  more  diftinguimed  Articles 
of  it  into  one  general  View,  as  Parts  of  an 
intire  Syftem  ;  yet  it  was  by  no  means  my 
Intention  to  reprefent  them  to  you  as  be 
ing  all  of  equal,  or  nearly  equal,  Antiquity 
with  one  another  ;  or  to  have  you  imagine, 
that  many  of  them  were  not  even  of  a 
later  Date  in  Hiftory,  than  fome  parts  both 
of  the  Symbolic  and  Heroic  Worfhip  :  how 
ever  thefe,  as  you  have  heard,  are  ranked 
laft  in  the  general  Divifion  of  our  Subject. 

I  AM  oblig'd  to  you  (faid  I)  Horfenfius, 
for  your  Care  to  prevent  Mi  (takes  j  though 
I  muft  at  the  fame  time  think  your  Cau 
tion  here  rather  fcrupulous,  than  neceffary. 
Every  one  muft  be  aware,  that  fuch  a 
Theology  as  you  defcribed  could  only  be 
the  Work  of  Time,  and  fucceffive  Im 
provement.  Common  Senfe  teaches  one, 

that 


(6) 

that  Sy  items,  as  the  Proverb  tells  us  of 
Cities,  are  not  built  in  a  Day.  All  I  un- 
derflood  you  to  mean  was,  that  fuch,  as  you 
reprefented  it,  was,  fboner  or  later,  the  na 
tural  Worfhip  of  Paganifm  ;  your  Point 
jbeing  all  along  to  mark  out  the  feverai  more 
dilHnguimed  Stages  of  its  Progrefs,  not  to 
fettle  the  exact  Chronologic  Periods  of  it, 

I  AM  glad  (return'd  he)  Philemon^  to 
find  you  are  fo  fully  pofieft  of  my  Mean 
ing  ;  which  I  muft  attribute,  however,  more 
to  your  good  Judgment  in  the  Cafe,  than 
to  my  own  Accuracy.  But  though  my 
paution,  as  I  perceive,  was  needleis,  the 
Amendment  I  have  to  propofe  in  our  Scheme 
of  future  Inquiry  is,  I  arn  fure,  a  very 
neceflary  one.  Which,  in  few  words,  Phi 
lemon,  is  this :  That,  in  reverie  of  the 
Order  hitherto  affigned  to  the  two  remaining 
Articles  of  our  Refearch,  we  firit  take 
into  Confideration  the  Heroic  Worihip  of 
the  Egyptians,  and  then  proceed  to  their 
Symbolic.  For  this,  upon  better  Reflection, 
I  find  to  be  the  real,  hiiloric  Order  of  them. 
Their  Symbols,  as  will  appear  in  its  Place, 
upon  the  united  Evidence  of  Fact  and  Rea- 
fon,  owe  the  whole  of  their  prepoflerous 
Divinity  to  that  of  their  Heroes ;  nor  would 
ever  probably  have  been  taken  into  the 
number  of  the  Gods,  but  upon  the  pre- 
Lib.biifh'd  Apotheofis  of  certain  Deities  of 

Human 


(  7) 

Human  Kind.  An  Hypothecs,  which,  he- 
fides  the  Merit  of  being  founded  in  Hifto- 
ric  Truth,  has  moreover  the  additional  Re 
commendation  of  promiling  us  a  more  na 
tural  Account  of  the  Rife  and  Pfogrefs  of  the 
filmed  Hieroglyphic-Science  of  Egypt  in 
general,  and  of  that  very  remarkable  Con- 
lequence  hereof,  its  Brute- Worfhip  in  par 
ticular,  than  any  of  thofe  fo  differently 
refined  Hypothefes  in  the  Point,  which 
with  an  equally  greater  mew  of  Subtilty, 
and  lefs  Juitnefs  of  Information,  have  been 
generally  offered  to  the  World  in  its  ftead. 

You  are  doubtlefs,  (interpos'd  I)  Hor- 
tenjius,  the  beft  Judge  of  the  Propriety  of 
youf  own  Method  j  and  have  fo  much  a 
more  comprehenfive  Knowledge  of  our 
prefent  Subject  than  I  can  pretend  to,  that 
I  mould  have  no  Objection  to  hearing  you 
in  any  way  you  might  choofe,  even  tho* 
I  could  not  enter  into  the  particular  Rea- 
fons  of  it.  But  in  the  Cafe  now  before  us 
i  can  very  evidently  difcern  thus  much  at 
leaft,  that  one  well-attefted  Fact  in  Anti 
quity  is  worth  a  Volume  of  plaufible  Con 
jectures  about  it,  I  am  moreover  in  gene 
ral,  you  know,  no  great  Lover  of  Re 
finement  ;  and  rather,  it  may  be,  too  apt 
to  fufpect  Delufion,  where  I  meet  with 
over-much  Subtilty.  But  more  efpecially 
and  in  tire ly  am  I  for  baniming  it  in  Que- 

fliona 


8 . 

ftions  of  more  ancient  Hiftory ;  where  in~ 
deed  it  carries  its  Confutation  in  its  own 
Face  j  and  has  too  ftrong  Marks  of  Time, 
and  of  fucceffive  Induftry,  as  well  as  Ac- 
quifition,  upon  it,  to  be  admitted  with  any 
tolerable  Grace  and  Probability. 

FROM  the  Worihip  then,  (refumed  Hor- 
tenfius)  of  the  more  illuilrious  Parts  of  Na 
ture,  let  us  proceed  in  the  Hiftory  of  Pagan 
Apotheofis  to  that  of  Heroes.,  A  Title,  Phi 
lemon,  of  which  I  am  afraid^  we  mufl  not 
a  little  humble  the  ufual  Loftinefs  of  our 
modern  Conceptions,  or  we  {hall  greatly 
exceed  the  true  antique  Standard  and  Qua 
lity  of  it.  The  very  Sound  of  Heroifm  to 
moil  Ears  carries  in  id  fomething  great 
and  venerable  -f  and,  if  it  does  not  imme 
diately  hurry  our  Thoughts  into  all  the  fond 
Extravagancies  of  Romance,  at  lead  engages 
them  in  fome  of  the  more  jhlning  Periods 
of  Hiftory.  The  Founders  of  improved 
Policy  j  the  great  Mailers  of  Arts,  or  Arms ; 
the  triumphant  Invaders  of  foreign  Liber 
ties  ;  or  the  more  enviable  Guardians,  or 
Reftorers  of  their  own  national  ones ;  thefe 
are  fome  of  thofe  glittering  Images  which 
in  our  advanc'd  Days  generally  form  the 
Character  of  an  Hero.  Hardly  indeed  mail 
we  be  brought  to  enter  into  fo  diiparaging 
an  Idea  of  it,  as  yet  Antiquity  afTures  us 
to  have  been  the  true  original  one :  in 

which 


(9) 

which  the  Occupation  of  an  ordifiary  Hufe 
bandman,  Thatcher,  Huntfman  *,  or  Me 
chanic  of  the  moft  fordid  Clafs;  a  mere  com 
mon  Blackfmith,  as  Lucian  has  it,  "  paffing 
*'  all  his  Days  amidft  Sparks  and  Smoke-)-  ," 
was  a  fufficient  Recommendation  toHeroifrn 
in  his  Life-time,  and  to  Deification  after- 
Wards.  For  this,  Philemon^  was  the  gene 
ral  Practice  of  the  ruder  and  more  barba 
rous  Ages  ;  that,  in  the  eagernefs  of  a  too 
forward  Gratitude  to  thofe  firft  Benefactors 
to  their  Kind<  who  had  in  any  Degree  con 
tributed  to  the  better  Accommodation  of 
Life,  they  no  {boner  law  them  remov'd  by 
Death  from  the  Society  and  Commerce  of 
Men,  but  they  exalted  them  to  that  of 
C  the 

*  ATO  TOUTWV  eysiovTO  Irfiotj    wv  c?  pM  A'ypo;  fy.oc.- 
AE~TO,   «  eJs  AT'po'jJ'ieo?  v\  A^OTJJ?,   tu  y.xi   fcoxvov 


'  —  Eira  (PTKT*  TOV   Til/oupavtoy   otxyitrai  Tucov,    >ca- 
af  T?   eTrtvojjirai   a?re  xaAajtAuv  xai  d'puuv  x«t  •zja- 
ww'    crT«<na:<rai    cfe    tzrxio?   TOI/   a^A^ou   Outraov,    05 
7r)]v  TW   <rcojt*atTt  ^wrov  £>c  OfffJuatTUV  wv  i<rp^u£  (ruA. 
v  ewe*   TOUTWU   &   TfAfutravrwy  TOO?  a?ro- 
p»j<r»  paSJouj   auroi;    «{pitpwir»<;      Eufeb* 
Praep.  Evang.  Lib.  I.  p.  35.   Ed.  Parif. 
"f"   cO|tA3t<x  <5s  Touroi?    xat  zj£o<    T»IJ  'Hpa? 

«V£U   Tt]f    TTpOf   TOJ  Ky^pOi  O^UjAia 

^a  yevyirou  TOW  'H^aj^rsv,  ou  jtxaAa 
aAAa  B^vauo-ov,  xast  XaAxsa,  xai  ITu^Trjy^  xat  fv 
xa?rvco  TO  73-av  BiouuTa,  x«*  (TTrjvS'^wu  avaTrA-scov,  Ota* 
<5Vi  Ka^ivrjTiiv,  Vid,  Lucian.  Op*  Edit.  Bourdeloj. 
p.  184. 


the  Gods.*  Nor  was  indeed  the  Gradation 
at  all  unfutable  to  the  Genius  of  thofe 
Times  ;  that  having  firft  worshipped,  as  we 
have  feen,  their  natural  Benefactors,  the 
Sun,  Moon,  and  Stars,  in  gratitude  for  the 
feveral  natural  Benefits  derived  to  them 
from  their  Agency  and  Influence,  they 
mould  next  pay  the  fame  Compliment  to 
their  Civil  ones  :  who  had,  as  it  were, 
improved  upon  what  the  others  had  began  ; 
had  carried  their  firft  beneficent  Defign  into 
ftill  farther  Execution  5  inlarg'd  the  Sphere 
of  human  Happinefs  5  and  inftructed  their 
Contemporaries  at  once  to  multiply  the 
Comforts  of  Life,  and  guard  againft  the 
Inconveniencies  infeparable  from  a  merely 
natural  State  of  it. 

You  are  for  making  the  moft  (I  inter- 
pos'd)  Hortenfius,  of  your  Heroes  Merits, 
I  perceive,  and  dilplaying  them  to  the 
greateft  Advantage.  Tho'  after  all,  the 
Temple  of  Fame  was,  it  fhould  feem,  of 
much  eafier  acceis  in  ancient,  than  it  is  in 
modern  Times  ;  the  fame  humble  Attain 
ments  being  then  fufHcient  to  raife  a  Man 
to  the  higheft  Clafs  of  his  Species,  which 
now  would  fcarce  efcape  Contempt,  even 
in  the  lowefL 

So 


TI  ?TJ,    KXI  (.'.trot.  TJ-- 

©jov;  £  Ti-c-^/juKrav.      Eufcb.  ^PriPp.    Lib,     II. 
cap.  5.  paj.  70. 


S  o  much  (returned  he)  Philemon,  does  a 
difference  of  Circumftances  in  Things  alter 
the  real  Moment,  and  Quality  of  them. 
We  who  are  full  of  modern  Ideas,  and 
ekted  with  the  Privileges  of  a  more  ad 
vantageous  Situation  in  Life,  equally  diftant 
in  Age,  and  Simplicity  from  the  Period 
we  are  fpeaking  of,  are  apt  to  undervalue 
thefe  ruder  Beginnings,  and  firft  Efforts  of 
Human  Art,  and  Induftry ;  as  being  our- 
felves  arrived  at  much  fuperior  Refine 
ments  in  the  Kind.  But  a  Merit  they 
certainly  had  with  thofe  who  were  Mailers 
of  nothing  better ;  and  fuch  an  one,  as,  if 
it  was  indeed  greatly  over-rated  in  the  Ado 
ration  of  paft  Times,  would  be  full  as  much 
undervalued  in  the  Contempt  of  the  pre- 
ient.  And  to  fay  the  truth,  Philemon^ 
I  know  not,  but  the  firft  Step  gain'd  from 
nbfolute  Ignorance  and  Barbarifm  is  in  itfelf 
a  Point  of  higher  Importance  to  Mankin4 
than  any  of  the  fubiequent  Stages  of  Im 
provement.  It  is  perhaps  a  ftronger  Proof 
of  Genius  and  Sagacity  to  have  been  the 
Authors  of  the  firlt  coarfe  Accommodations 
of  Life,  than  to  have  polifhed  and  refined 
them  by  After-thought  and  Skill  into  much 
higher  Degrees  of  Ufefulriefs  and  Elegancy. 
The  one  is  intirely  matter  of  original  Inven 
tion;  the  other  only  improving  upon  Notices 
already  received  in  part  from  without ;  and 
profiting  by  the  Skill  and  Capacity  of  thofe 
C  2  who 


who  have  lived  before  us.  But  whatever 
be. the  Merit  of  thefe  firfl  rude  Artifts  with 
regard  to  later  Times,  they  had,  doubtlefs, 
as.  has  been  obierv'd,  a  very  confiderable 
one  in  their  own.  Having  indeed  railed 
Life,  if  not  to  that  Perfection  of  Accom 
modation  it  has  fince  received,  yet  certainly 
to  a  much  more  commodious  and  comforu 
able  State  than  they  found  it  in ;  and  this 
too  at  a  time,  when  Art  and  Invention 
were  Talents  equally  uncommon  and  ad-, 
vantageous.  A  Senfe  of  which  was  then  fo 
ftrong  upon  the  Minds  of  Men,  that  Apo- 
theofis  after  Death  was  thought  but  a  futa- 
ble  Recompence  to  Perfons  of  fuch  extra-, 
ordinary  Eminence  and  Ufefulnefs  whilft 
living.  Gratitude  for  Benefits  receiv'd,  Phi 
lemon,  is  a  natural  Refult  of  that  inborn 
Self-Love  which  is  the  great  ruling  Principle 
of  Human  Adion.  And  would  operate, 
we  may  eafily  imagine,  with  a  Force  un 
known  to  us  of  later  Days  in  thofe  Ages  of 
rude  undif gulfed  Nature,  the  Simplicity  of 
which  could  only  be  equalled  by  their 
extreme  Helpleffneis.  Under  fuch  Circum- 
ftances,  the  flighteft  Services  to  the  Public 
would  be  received  with  all  the  Rapture  of 
the  moft  important  Obligation  j  and  raife 
the  Reputation  of  their  Author  to  an  Height 
ibmething  more  than  mortal :  As  indeed 
they  might  well  do,  coniidering  the  low 
Standard  of  ordinary  Attainments  in  the 

fame 


(  '3  ) 

lame  earlier  Times.  For  'tis  in  this  view 
I  cannot,  I  muft  confefs,  help  looking  upon 
the  renowned  Labors  of  the  Heroic  Ages, 
tho'  generally  reprefented  to  us  by  Ancients, 
as  well  as  Moderns,  with  a  Pomp  of  De- 
fcription,  which  might  even  do  honor  to 
a  much  more  advanc'd  and  imbellilh'd  Pe 
riod  of  Affairs.  But  the  Truth  is,  being 
complimented  with  Divinity  by  tlie  grate 
ful  Weaknefs  of  their  own  Times,  they  had 
both  the  natural  Uncertainty  of  Tradition, 
and  the  Difpolition  which  moft  People  have 
to  heighten  what  they  do  not  underftand, 
to  exalt  them  into  Wonders^  I  had  almoft 
(aid,  worthy  of  Divinity,  in  fucceeding 
Ages.  Whilft  the  few,  who  were  wife 
enough  to  fee  through  the  Delufion,  were 
at  the  fame  time  crafty  enough  to  let  it  pa(s 
with  the  reft  of  the  World  ;  till  they  had 
by  degrees  extracted  a  Syftem  of  refm'd 
and  gainful  Politics,  out  of  what  was  at 
firft  mere  artlefs  Admiration,  and  ignorant 
Amazement. 

THIS  is  a  much  more  rational  Account 
(faid  I)  Hortenfms,  I  think,  of  the  Intro 
duction  of  the  Human  Apotheoiis,  than 
theirs,who  are  for  refolving  it  into  the  imme 
diate  Artifice  of  Priefts,  or  Politicians.  And 
indeed,  befides  that  the  Reafon  of  the  Thing 
jtfelf  fpeaks  it  to  have  been  the  Creature  of 
Ignorance  and  Barbarifm  j  the  other  Opi 
nion 


(  14 

nion  feems   to    me  not  very  agreable  to 
matter  of  Fad:  and  Hiftory.     Every  body 
knows,    how    very   difadvantageouily    the 
Divinity   of  Alexander  and  Cczfar  ftands 
differenced  from  that  of  the  more  antient 
Heroes   of  the  fabulous   Ages.     And  yet 
furely  the  Merits  of  thefe  two  celebrated 
Perfons  were  every  way  as  equal  to  the  Dig 
nity  of  the  complete  Apotheofis,   as  thole 
of  any  of  their  PredecefTors  in  Heroifm  can 
be  pretended  to  be.     Nor  were,   I  think, 
the  Arts  of  Prieftcraft  and  Policy  ever  in  a 
more  improv'd  State  than  at  the  Periods 
here  mentioned.     What  then  is  the  natural 
Con  {fruition  of  this  fo  remarkable  an  Infe 
riority  on  their  Part,   but  plainly,  I  think, 
this  ?  That  the  Times  of  Alexander  and 
C&far  were  too  much  heightened  to  autho- 
rife  anew,  in  its  full  Latitude,   fo  grofs  an 
Abfurdity  in  their  Religion,  as  the  Wor- 
ihip  of  a  Fellow-Creature.     I  fay  to  autho- 
rife  it  anew,  Hortenfius.     For,  that  they 
kept  to  a  Worfhip  of  the  fame  kind  deli 
vered  down  to  them  from  their  Anceftors, 
was  purely  an  Accommodation  to  popular 
Weaknefs  and  Prejudices ;  from  a  Senfe  of 
the  Hazard  there  is  in  undermining  Foun 
dations  long  laid,    and  a  Fear  of  throwing 
the  Multitude  out  of  all  Religion,  by  en 
deavouring  to  refcue  them  from  the  Re 
proach  of  an  irrational  one.     But  whilii 
they  durft  not  venture  to  reform  the  popur 

lar 


kr  Syftem  of  Superftition,  they  Were  fcfu- 
pulous  however  of  adding  more  Articles  of 
Error  to  it.  And  tho'  they  were  tender 
of  difgracing  the  Divinity  of  their  old  He 
roes,  they  were  not,  it  fhould  feem,  for 
making  the  fame  ram  and  unwarrantable 
Compliment  to  new  ones  *. 

Youfe 


*  With  how  little  Succefs  the  Affectation 
ander  to  be  efteemed  a  God  Was  attended,  even  in 
the  height  of  his  Fame  and  Viftories,  we  have  abun 
dant  Evidence  in  Antiquity.  It  flood  him  in  the 
Fatigue  of  a  long  and  troublefome  Journey,  befides 
the  Expence  of  feveral  coftly  Donations  to  the  Tem 
ple,  and  Priefts  of  the  Libyan  Jupiter,  to  be  nomi 
nally  proclaimed  for  fuch  j  the  ferious  Belief  of  his 
Divinity  was  what  he  was  by  no  means  able  to  efta- 
blifh  —  Igitur  Alexander  cupiens  divinam  Originem 
acquirere,  (fays  Jujlin]  fimul  et  Matrem  infamia 
liberare,  per  praemiffos  fubornat  Antiftites,  quid  fibi 
refponderi  velit.  Ingredientem  Templum  ftatim 
Antiftites,  ut  Hammonis  Filium  falutant.  Comiti- 
bus  quoque  fuis  reponfumj  ut  Alexandrum  pro  Dtoy 
non  pro  Rege,  colerent.  Juftin.  Lib.  xi.  cap.  II. 
How  {lender  a  regard  was  paid  to  the  Mercenary, 
not  to  add  (what  appears  both  from  Diodorus's  and 
Plutarch's  Account  of  the  Matter)  equivocal  Conv- 
pliment  of  the  Oracle  upon  this  Occafion,  appears 
from  our  Heroe's  own  Account  of  the  Anfwer  he 
had  received  from  Pbilotas,  upon  firft  giving  him 
notice  of  it  —  Hie  qaum  fcripfiflem  ei,  pro  jure  tarn 
familiaris  amicitiae,  qualis  fors  edita  eflet  JovisHam- 
monis  Oraculo,  fuftinuit  refcribere  mihi,  fe  quidem 
gratulari  quod  in  numerum  Deorum  relatus  eficm  ; 
ceterum  Mifereri  Eorum  quibus  vivendum  eflet  fub 
eo,  qut  modum  hominis  excederet.  Quint.  Curt. 
Lib.  vi.  27.  The  fame  Author  informs  us  of  the 
flinging  Reproach  offered  to  Alexander,  upon  his 
affecting  Divine  Honors,  by  Hermolam,  in  the  fol 

lowing 


16 

YOUR  Obfcrvation  (return'd  he)  Phik-* 
mon,  is  certainly  a  very  juft  one.     Priefts 

and 

lowing  Words  --  -Tu  Macedonas  voluifti  genua  tibi 
ponere,  venerarique  te  ut  Deum.  Tu  Pbilippum 
ratrem  averfaris,  et  ft  quis  Deorum  ante  Jovem 
haberetur,  faftidires  etiam  Jovem.  Miraris,  ft 
liberi  homines  fuperbiam  tuam  ferre  non  poffumus? 
Quint.  Curt.  Lib.  viii.  cap.  26.  They  had  (till  lefs 
reafon  to  indure  the  Vanity  of  Alexander  here,  if 
they  were  aware,  ai>  Plutar-cb  tells  us  fome  repre- 
fented  the  Cafe,  that  the  whole  Pretence  upon  which 
he  founded  his  Title  to  Adoration  was  a  miftaken 
Pronunciation  of  the  Greek  Language  by  the  Prieft 
who  prefided  at  the  time  of  his  Libyan  Expedition 
in  the  Temple  of  Jupiter.  —  ETJ-SK&  ^f£eA9wy  T*JV  f^n- 

TS^oXtV,     0  JJ.BV    oTCo|>}lT^f    «UTOV    0     A//- 
&1t9  TOO   S-fcW  ^JKJCSiy^     WiJ   K 
0  J"f  fTTnoiTO    a»1TJs    Oi'JTW  IIY) 


a-jrw)    ^XE- 

£7nju9av£To  y.  r  A  —  twoi  Jf  (p«(Tjy,-  TOV  /^£'/ 
EAAnviffri  Bo'jAo^afvoy  7rf9T£t7Te»v^  /x£ra  rt- 
.vof  il^»Ao^co<rui'»iC,  Xi  73raK?K3v^  tv  TW  TfAfurajiw  TWV 
(^fio^fwv  JTTO  BxoSapi/TjU,ou  Wc'oj  TO  s-iy^a,  £'£tv£%fir}~ 
vat,  xa-t  £»7T£»v,  'H  T^aj^jiyg1,  avrt  TOO  y  TO  <r  ^orj-Tiic- 
ct<r[j.&'j)  $£  TV  AAH^a.vJ'paj  TO  (rtp&Xpx  Tng  (pw- 
V£!rS-ai,  xat  (J'taK^osriuat  Ao^ov,  wj  TSCU^X  Atoj 
TOU  ^£ou  -5T£0!7£»7rovTO?"  Plut.  in  Alex*  p.  680. 
Ed.  Xyl.  What  the  wifer,  and  difmterefted  Part 
of  the  Romans,  thought  of  Cesfar's  Divinity,  the 
following  Paflages  will  fufBcientiy  inform  us  —  Prae- 
gravant  tamen  caetera  Fatta,  ut  abufus  Domina- 
tione,  et  jure  Caefus  exiftimetur.  Non  enim  hono- 
res  modo  nimios  recepit,  fed  et  ampliora  humane* 
faftigio  decernt  fibi  patl'us  eft.  Sedem  auream  in 
curia,  et  pro  Tribunal!.  Thenfam  et  Ferculum 
Circenfi  Pompa.  Templa,  Aras,  Simulachra  juxta 

Deos, 


(  '7  ) 

and  Politicians  have  both  of  them  real  Cor 
ruptions  enough  to  anfwer  for,  without 
being  charged  with  imaginary  ones.  'Tis 
a  great  Miftake  to  think,  that  they  firft 
taught  Men  Superftition.  That  would 
probably  have  been  a  Strain  of  Art  beyond 
the  Compafs  of  their  moft  refin'd  and  fub- 
til  Politics.  Nor  was  it  any  way  to  their 
purpofe  to  attempt  this,  when  they  could 
carry  their  Point  full  as  fuccefsfully,  and 
much  more  eafily  with  Mankind,  by  deal 
ing  with  them  as  already  mjlrutted  to  their 
bands.  They  indeed  found  them  abun 
dantly  Jelf-taught  in  the  Bufinefs  of  Super 
ftition.  The  Seeds  of  Religiqn  were  either 
D  by 

Deos,  Pulvinar,  Flaminem,  Lupercos,  appellatio- 
nem  Menfis  e  fuo  Nomine.  Suet,  in  Jul.  Cxf.  cap. 
76.  —To  the  fame  purpofe//W; — Itaqiie  non  ingratis 
Civibus  omnes  honores  unum  in  principem  congefti. 
Circa  Templa  imagines,  in  Theatro  diftinfta  radiis 
Corona,  Suggeftus  in  Curia,  P'aftigium  in  Domo, 
Menfis  in  Crcio — quse  omnia  velut  infulse  in  defti- 
natam  Morti  viclimam  congerebantur,  Flor.  Lib.  iv. 
cap.  2.  Cicero  fpeaks  yet  more  plainly  theSenfe  of 
his  Time  as  to  this  Point — An  me  cenfetis,  Patres 
Confcripti,  quod  vos  inviti  fecuti  eftis,  decreturum 
iuiile,  ut  Paientalia  cum  Supplicationibus  mifceren- 
tur  ?  Ut  inexpiabiles  Religioncs  in  Rempublicam  in- 
ducerentur?  ut  decerncrenturSupplicationesMortuo? 
nihil  dico  Cui.  fucrit  ille  Lucius  Brutus,  &c.  — > 
Adduci  t^men  non  poflum,  ut  quenquam  Mortalium 
conjungerem  cum  immortalium  Religione.  Phil, 
j.  6.  Ed.  Grjev.  and  elfewhere,  Eft  ergo  Flamen, 
ut  Jovi,  ut  Marti,  ut  gbmno,  fie  Divo  Julio  M. 
Antcnius? — Quaeres  placeatne  mihi  Pulvinar  Eflc, 
Faftigium,  Flaminem  ?  milii  vcro  nihil  iftorum  pla 
cet.  Phil.  ii.  43. 


by  the  Hand  of  Nature  or  Tradition  fown 
thick  in  the  Breaft  of  every  Man.  And 
though  for  want  of  proper  Care  and  Cul 
ture  they  might  not  yield  the  good  Pro 
duce  they  were  intended  to  do,  they  would 
not  however  fail  to  fpring  up  in  fome 
wilder  Species  of  a  lefs  valuable  Fruitfulnefs ; 
as  was,  it  muft  be  confefs'd,  too  generally 
the  Cafe.  Now  here  properly  came  in  the 
Art  and  Addrefs  of  the  Hierarch,  and  the 
Statefman.  He  was  to  fall  in  with  the  par 
ticular  Vogue  and  Call  of  popular  Delufion 
in  this  kind  ;  to  cheriih  the  prevailing 
Weaknefs  of  the  Multitude ;  and  by  a 
dexterous  Conduct  and  Application  of  pub 
lic  Failings  to  turn  the  Biafs  of  them  to  his 
own  private  Ends  and  Interefts.  And  ac 
cordingly,  as  under  the  Head  of  the  natu 
ral  Theology  we  had  occafion,  you  may 
remember,  to  obferve  the  Courfe  of  Super- 
ilition  in  that  Channel,  advancing  gradually 
from  popular  Weakneis  into  Philofophic 
Syftem ;  ib  here  again  we  (hall  obferve  a 
parallel  Gradation  in  the  Progrels  of  He 
roic- Worfhip :  in  which,  as  will  be  fhewn, 
what  began  in  the  Simplicity  of  a  few 
artlefs  funeral  Ceremonies,  and  more  ob 
vious  Tokens  of  Concern  for  the  Lofs  of  a 
late  departed  Benefactor,  was  in  a  Succef- 
fion  of  Time  and  Politics  wrought  up  into 
all  the  gainful  Intricacies,  and  elaborated 
Horrors,  of  a  periodical,  and  more  fokmnly 


(   19   ) 

Religious,  Myflery.  And  here,  Philemon^ 
we  may  in  paffing  take  notice  of  the  very 
different  Turns  of  Error  in  the  fame  Sub 
ject.  By  one  Set  of  Men,  whatever  was 
amifs  in  Religious  Paganifm,  the  Priefthood 
in  thofe  Days  is  immediately  charged  with 
being  the  Authors  of  it.  Whilfl  by  thofe 
of  another  Stamp  the  Priefthood  is  mads 
to  have  no  fhare  in  thefe  Corruptions^  but 
the  whole  blame  is  full  as  unjuftly  placed 
to  the  account  of  Pbilojbpby.  And,  for 
fear  we  mould  be  too  free  with  Reafon  in 
Subjects  of  Religion,  we  are  told,  that  from 
thisfole  Principle  fprang  all  the  Abfurdities 
of  a  religious  kind  that  ever  prevailed  in 
Antiquity.  They  had  their  Birth  in  the 
Refinements  of  conceited  Rationalifts  5  were 
the  Product  of  pretended  Speculation  ancj 
Philofophic  Inquiries  into  the  Nature  of 
Things  j  and  aroie  from  a  certain  Infidel 
Humor,  as  prevalent  in  antient  as  modern 
Times,  of  oppofing  Science  to  Faith,  and 
Reafoning  to  Tradition*.  It  was  a  great  Ge- 
D  2  mus 

*If  we  examine,  we  {hall  fee,  that  from  the  Begin 
ning  to  the  prefent  Times,  it  has  always  been  a  vain 
Philofophy,  and  an  Affectation  of  Science  falfcly  fo 
called-,  that  has  corrupted  Religion.  Shuck.  Con. 
Vol.  I.  p.  318.  Compare  with  this,  Con.  Vol.  II. 
p.  290,  291.  They  (Men  of  the  firft  Parts)  fell 
into  thefe  Errors,  not  by  paying  too  great  a  Defe^ 
rence  to  Tradition,  and  pretended  Revelation,  but 
even  by  attempting  to  fet  up  what  they  thought  a 
reafonable  Scheme  of  Religion,  diftin<5t  from,  or  in 
oppofvtion  to,  what  Tradition  had  handed  down  to 
them.  Shuck,  Con.  vol.  II.  p.  30^.  See  alfop.  306. 

Their 


(    20    ) 

nzus  and  Aftronomer  amongft  the  'Egyptians y 
'tis  faid,  <c  thinking  to  fpeculate,  and  hap- 
<£  pening  to  think  wrong,"  who  firft  feduced 
his  Countrymen  into  the  Infatuation  ofSa- 
biifm.  And  in  confequence  of  his  Aftro- 
nomic  Science  taught  them  that  Worihip 
upon  Principles  of  Art,  which  they  were, 
I  mould  think,  fully  qualified  to  learn,  with 
out  his  Inftruftions,  from  the  Simplicity  of 
Rude  Nature  *.  And  the  fame  fruitful 
Source  of  Error  and  Mifbelief,  purfued 
yet  farther  in  After-Ages,  gave  rife,  it 
is  maintained,  to  all  the  fubfequent  Ar 
ticles  of  their  increafing  Polytheifm  -(-.  In 
order  to  make  out  which  Hypothefis,  P/6/- 
lemon,  Syftems  of  Philofophic  Refinement 
even  of  the  loweft  Date  in  Pagan  Antiquity 
mall  be  made  the  Ground-work  of  Idola 
tries  of  the  highefl:.  Salvos  and  Apologies 
for  eftablifh'd  Errors  mall  be  confidered  as 
the  original  Caufes  and  Reafons  of  their 
Eftablimment.  Palliating  and  Accommo 
dation  be  ilrain'd  into  Proofs  of  ftrift  Philo 
fophic  Sentiment.  Tolerating  interpreted 
to  mean  the  fame  thing  with  Inftituting. 

Till, 

Their  great  and  learned  Men  erred  not  for 
want  of  .Free-thinking,  fuch  as  they  called  fo;  but 
their  Opinions  were  in  direct  oppoiition  to  the  true 
Revelations  which  had  been  made  to  the  World, 
and  might  he  called  the  Deifm  of  thofe  Ages.  Shuck, 
vol.  II.  p.  460. 

*  Sec  Shuck.  Con.  vol.  I.  p.  318. 

t  Sec  Shuck, Con.  vol.  II,  p.  278-9,  and  following 
ones. 


(    21    ) 

Till,  as  if  there  wa$  nothing  of  Policy  in 
the  Cafej  but  all  was  genuine  Miftake  and 
Delufion,  it  fliall  at  laft  be  afferted,   "  that 
"  there  never  was  any  thing  fo  extrava- 
"  gant  or  ridiculous  in  Religion,  but  Men 
"  of  the  firft  Parts,  and  eminent  for  their 
"  natural    Strength    of     Underftanding , 
"  when  left  wholly   to  themfelves,    have 
<c  been  deceiv'd  to  imbrace  and  defend  it*." 
Such   merely  /plendid  Weaknefs,  it  feems, 
was  the  mofi   improved  State  of  natural 
Reafon,  unaffifted  by  the  additional  Gui 
dance  of  Revelation.  And  founcandid&Cen- 
furer  was  the  great  Apoftle  of  thefe  Gentiles, 
when  he  reproached  them  with  a  Criminal 
Neglect,  or  Suppreilion  of  that  which  ivasy 
in  tliis  account,  not  to  be  known  by  them 
of  God,  previouily  to  any  fupernatural  Dif- 
covery  of  him-f-.     But  in  Truth,  Philemon, 
and  Syftems  apart,  neither  Priefls,  I  believe, 
nor  Philofophers,  were  properly  the  Au 
thors  of  the  Pagan  Superftitions.      They 
were  the  genuine  Offspring  of  popular  Rude- 
nefs  and  Ignorance.     And  if  Philofophy  did 
not  do    all  it  might  have  done  towards 
giving  Men  jufter  Appreheniions  of  things, 
it  was,  becaufe  it  either  wanted  Courage  to 
oppofe  the  Cheat,  or  was  often  adminifler'd 
by  hands  too  deeply  interested  in  it ;  and 
affords  us,  I  am  afraid,  a  much  more  jufti- 

fiable 

*  See  Shuck.  Con.  "vol.  II.  from  p.  278,  to  307. 
t  See  Rom*  i.  v.  19. 


(    22    ) 

fiable  Prefumption  of  Cowardice,  or  Cor 
ruption  in  the  Hearts  of  its  Profeffors,  than 
of  any  Want  of  competent  Information  in 
their  Undefltandings. 

IF  Accommodations  (I  interrupted) Hor~ 
tenfius,  to  popular  Prejudices  are  any  Proofs  of 
being  onefelf  in  the  common  Delufion,  even 
the  Light  of  Revelation  haS  been  of  no  very 
eminent  Advantage  in  point  of  Religious  In- 
ftruftion  to  a  great  part  of  the  more  know 
ing  Chriftian  World.  For  are  not  Chrifti- 
ans  at  this  day,  in  a  certain  Communion  \. 
could  name,  tolerated  in  Superflitions, 
which  might  have  almofl  contefted  the 
Preeminence  of  Abfurdity  with  the  grofleft 
Pagan  ones  ?  To  fay  here  that  many  things 
are  not  fuffered  to  pafs  with  the  Multitude, 
of  which  the  Learned  evidently  perceive  the 
Ridicule,  is  making  a  Compliment  to  their 
Sincerity,  at  a  much  greater  Difgrace  to 
their  Penetration,  than  they  theinfelves 
would  generally,  I  believe,  be  thankful  for. 
And  thus  without  doubt  flood  the  Fact  in 
Philofophic  Antiquity.  For  the  Nature  of 
Mankind,  and  Reafons  of  Policy,  have  been 
always,  I  fuppofe,  pretty  nearly  the  fame, 
Seriouily  a  Man  muft  read  the  Writings  of 
the  antient  Theiftic  Philoibphers  (and  fuch 
only  can  this  Queftion  concern)  with  a  very 
perverfe  Comment,  who  does  not  fee,  that 
they  knew  much  better,  than  they  fbme- 

times 


times  found  it  prudent  to  teach  ;  and  were 
every  way  qualified  to  have  given  the 
World  a  competently  rational  Theory  of 
Religion,  if  they  had  not  found  them  al 
ready  in  poffeffion  of  a  traditionary  one  of 
a  very  different  Genius ;  and  from  the  Dan 
ger  of  unfettling  Eftablifhments,  and  letting 
in  Light  upon  weak  Eyes,  been  led  to  turn 
their  Thoughts  rather  to  the  palliating,  than 
the  Reforming  Side  in  this  Affair.  And 
indeed  were  not  the  moft  undoubted  Pa 
trons  of  Revelation  fo  fond  of  this  Hypo- 
thefis,  Hortenfius,  one  would  wonder  what 
poffible  Advantage  to  their  Caufe  they  could 
propofe  from  it.  To  me  it  feems  to  be 
not  more  undermining  the  Principles  and 
Foundation  of  natural  Religion,  than  it  is 
thereby  taking  away  the  only  fure  Teft  and 
Criterion  of  the  Merit  of  Revealed.  For 
if  Men  have  no  previous  natural  Notices  of 
a  Supreme  Being  by  which  to  judge  of 
what  may,  or  may  not,  be  fuppofed  to  come 
from  him  in  a  way  of  more  extraordinary 
Communication,  the  Credit  of  all  pretended 
Revelations  is  manifeftly  put  upon  the  fame 
Footing.  Every  thing  is  to  be  received  as 
a  Revelation,  which  a  confident  Enthufiaft 
or  Impoftor  may  call  fuch :  or  rather  the 
very  Suppofition  itfelf  of  any  fuch  thing  is 
render 'd  abfurd  and  ridiculous. 


IT 


IT  would  carry  us  (return'd  he)  too 
much  out  of  our  way  at  prefent,  Philemon, 
to  enter  into  a  more  particular  Cenfure  of 
this  Hypothefis.  Its  Aim  doubtlefs  is  to 
inhance  the  Value  of  Revelation,  by  evin 
cing  the  abfolute  NeceJ/ity  of  it.  But,  be- 
fides  that  Men  mould  be  cautious  how  they 
compliment  Revelation  into  this  fuppofed 
Neceffity  at  the  Expence  of  its  own  pro 
per  Evidences ;  the  Term  Neceffity  here  is, 
I  think,  toojirong  an  one.  Expediency  is 
all  that  is  wanted  in  the  Cafe,  and  all  that 
either  Reafon,  or  indeed  Fact,  feems  to 
juftify  the  AfTertion  of.  For  look  into  the 
fubjecl:  Matter  of  the  Revelation  contended 
for,  and  you  will  find,  that  the  greateft 
part  of  what  are  properly  new  Discoveries 
in  it  are  rather  Inforcements  of  natural  Re 
ligion,  than  Additions  to  it.  For  the  reir, 
it  teaches  little  more  than  what  had  been 
taught  before.  But  then  it  has  the  Ad 
vantage  of  teaching  it  with  an  Authority 
peculiar  to  itfelf ;  and  in  a  manner  fo  much 
more  futable  to  the  Ends  of  popular  Im 
provement,  as  to  giye  it  an  undifputed  Su 
periority  to  every  human  Method  of  Initru- 
dtion.  But  this,  as  I  iaid,  is  a  matter  be 
yond  our  prefent  Compafs.  Nor  need  we 
indeed  entertain  fo  raifed  an  Idea  of  Phk 
lofophic  Antiquity,  as  is  here  contended  for, 
to  fatisfy  ourfelves,  that  the  particular  Er 
ror  in  Religious  Paganifm  we  are  now  con- 

fidering 


fidering,  the  Worfhip  of  the  antient  He 
roes,  was  not  instituted  from  that  Quarter. 
It  had  in  truth  fo  very  little  of  Philolbphy 
in  it  at  its  firfl  Appearance  in  the  World, 
that  the  fubtile  Induftry  of  Mythologifts, 
exercifmg  itielf  probably  for  Ages  together  to 
this  end,  could  with  Difficulty  form  it  to  a 
Philofophic  Air  and  AfpecT:  even  in  its  lateft 
Periods.  No,  Philemon  ;  the  Workings  of 
undifciplined  Nature  are  a  much  better  Ac 
count  of  the  Origin  of  Hero- Worship,  than 
any  Stratagems  of  Art  or  Politics.  Phiio- 
iophy  of  the  humbleft  kind  could  not  but 
have  remonftrated  to  fuch  a  palpable  Ab- 
iiirdity  j  and  muft  have  been  too  fenfibly 
{truck  with  its  Confutation,  to  have  projected 
its  Eftablifhment.  The  moil  that  Policy 
could  accomplilh  in  the  Cafe  was,  as  appears 
from  the  Hiftory  of  later  Deifications  of 
this  kind,  to  extort  a  formal  Teftimony  of 
Apotheofis  from  the  conftrained  and  flat 
tering  Voices  of  the  People,  not  to  procure 
a  real  and  affectionate  Adoration  from  their 
Hearts  *.  And  to  compliment  its  Heroes 
E  into 

*  Jamque  omnibus  praeparatis,  Ratus  (Alexander) 
quod  olim  prava  mente  conceperat,  tune  efle  maru- 
rum,  quonarh.  modo  ccelefteS  honores  ufurparet  coepit 
agitare.  Jovis  filium  non  tantum  dici  fe,  fed  etiam 
credi  volebat.  Tanquam  perinde  avimis  impetare 
poflet,  ac  Linguh.  Itaque  more  Perfarum  Macedonas 
venerabundos  ipfum  falutare  profternentes  humi  cor 
pora  juflit.  Non  deerat  taJia  concupiicenti  perniciofa 
adulatio,  perpetuum  Malum  Regum,  quorum  opes 
fepius  affentatio  quam  Hoftis  evertit.  Qyinc.  Curt. 
Lib.  VIII.  cap,  i;. 


(  26  ) 

into  the  empty  Title  of  Divinity,  without 
obtaining  for  them  either  the  hearty  Per- 
fuafion,  or  the  more  fubftantial  Honors 
of  it.  Thefe  had  been  long  appropriated 
to  thofe  Heroes  of  remoter  Antiquity,  who 
lived  in  happier  Times  for  an  Advancement 
of  this  nature  *.  For  that  their  Advance 

ment 

*   Kai   TO»      sothoa  u,£y   Uuvouyrat  -sraij  £v  A<r- 


,   oAj)/ou      n>   fTTi    -srE^a?  mf  ^n 

^ov*   aAAa  ovo/Aa    xai    /AU»JJM,»]V  B»(T»Afwv 


;  <p»i(nu  o    TlAarwu,    a^xa   vforrjTt   xat  a^voia, 
r»iy  x/uv 


5t£vor?3Ta,   xat 
a?,   xat  tzrafiavO|M,j«?, 


^a.7T£Ta(,  TWV  JEOWV  xat  TWV  Bco- 
i;>  OU^EV  «AA  «  ra  [MnptzTat  KOCI- 
<rtv.  Plutarch,  de  Ifide  &  Ofi- 
ride,  pag.  360.  We  have  a  remarkable  Example 
of  this  in  the  Inftance  of  Semiramis  recorded  in  Lu^ 
fiah's  Treatife  of  the  Syrian^Goddek.  Ev 

TOU    V£W  2£/<ttpa£/,lOJ   ^OavOV  ETTJIXf,     EU    <^£^J>]   TOV 

Tri^EtKuwJirv;?'    av£0"T»i  &  ^i'  anwv   roinuJ'f'    av 

(T»,     0X0(701    SUOIW     0*X£OUffl,    VO/AOV     £7TO»££TO     EWUT^U     jl*£U 


TWV  aAAwu,   xa<   au- 
E     fc$  o't 


a(pixoyro  vouiroi  re,   xjit  fi^u^opv^    xat 

ft.cx.viYi/;    |W,£y    fx£ur>i;    a7r«7ra'j<raTO,    x.^t    S^mi 
c^toAo^Ef,    xai  TOKTJ  UTT^XOOICTJ  auS'if   EXfAEUEV  ff    HfW 

r     TO'JfcXa      <?11    £TJ     TOJJl^E      aVfTTflXf       TOJCTJ   «- 


cux  rwvT»Vj  aAA'  exejvjjv  o//.oAoj/jcu(ra^     Lucian. 

de 


f  27  ) 

ment  was  indeed  the  immediate  Rtcom- 
pence  after  Death  of  their  well-timed  La 
bors  and  Services  to  their  Contemporaries 
in  the  Courfe  of  their  Lives  is  with  me, 
I  muft  confefs,  a  matter  beyond  all  reafon- 
able  Doubt  or  Contradiction.  Nor  can  I 
ever  bring  myfelf  to  fubfcribe  to  their  Hy- 
pothefis,  who  contend,  that  the  firft  Hero 
Gods  of  the  Egyptians,  (the  great  Leaders, 
you  know,  in  Theologic  Paganifm)  were 
not  deified  upon  their  Deceafe  by  the  warm 
Gratitude  of  their  furviving  Countrymen  ; 
but  by  the  Artifice  of  intriguing  Statefmen 
many  Centuries  afterwards  *. 

THIS  is  furely  (faid  I)  a  very  unnatural 
way  of  thinking,  to  place  the  Recompence 
of  their  Benefactions  in  an  Age  fb  much 
below  the  Date  of  them.  When  the  very 
Memory  of  what  they  had  performed  muft 
E  2  have 

de  Syr.  Dea,  p.  1072-3.  Lyjippus  fpoke  the  Senfe 
of  many  People  as  well  as  his  own,  when  he  pro- 
fefled  to  defpife  Alexander  as  a  God,  though  he  ho 
nored  him  as  a  Man.  Eu  Ss  xai  Auo-iTTffo?  o  ?rAa- 
j-tOiTO  rov  cco'paov  on  rrtv  A- 


r;  T»JV  oozv  ovf  £»f 
at  IJIAV  ou<rav.  Plut.  ub.  fup.  p.  360. 
*  In  time  they  (the  Egyptians)  looked  over  the 
Catalogue  of  their  Anceftors,  and  appointed  a  Wor- 
fhip  for  fuch  as  had  been  more  eminently  famous  in 
their  Generations.  Shuck.  Con.  Vol.  I.  p.  336. 
The  fame  Thought  is  purfued  and  explained  more  at 
large  in  vol.  II.  from  p.  281,  to  292. 


(  28  ) 

have  been  in  a  great  meafure  extinguiflied, 
or  retained  only  in  fuch  a  confufed  and 
general  way,  as  to  be  but  a  weak  Foun 
dation  for  that  Perfonal  Regard  and  Grati- 
tude,without  which,  Politicians  would  fcarce 
have  been  able  to  have  procured  them  fuch 
high  Marks  of  Honor  and  DiftindYion. 
Befides  that,  had  their  particular  Services 
been  ever  fo  well  remembered,  ftill  it  mould 
be  confidered,  that  Life  had  now  been  long 
improving  ;  and  the  fuperior  Skill  and  Re 
finements  of  fucceeding  Ages  muft  have 
in  a  great  Degree  eclipfed  the  Merit  of  their 
weaker  Obligations. 

o 

To  what  different  Conclufions,  I  cannot 
help  remarking  here  (returned  Hortenji.us) 
will  the  very  fame  Principles  lead  Men,  ac 
cording  to  the  different  Views  they  have  in 
applying  them  ?  Time,  Philemon,  which 
you  efteem  fo  much  an  Enemy  to  our  He 
roes  Glory,  is  in  the  Conftrudion  of  this 
Hypothecs  made  to  have  been  the  chief 
Friend  to  it.  And  inllead  of  erafing,  as 
yoa  ieem  to  apprehend,  their  Memory, 
becomes  the  immediate  Inftrument  of  their 
Apotheofis.  For  whilft  indeed  it  pre- 
krved  but  little  of  their  true  Character,  it 
infinitely  over-paid  their  Lofs  in  the  fupe 
rior  Advantages  it  gave  them  of  an  imagi 
nary  Reputation.  Improving  the  want  of 
authentic  Records  of  real  Benefactions  into 


a  pompous  Regifter  of  fabulous  ones  ;  and 
railing  at  once  the  Credit  of  their  Services 
from  Fact  to  Fiction,  and  of  thcmfelves 
from  Earth  to  Heaven  *.  For  thus  only, 
we  are  told,  could  they  ever  have  arrived 
at  this  Advancement.  <(  The  Fame  of 
,"  deceafed  Perfons"  being,  it  feems,  a  Plant 
of  fuch  flow  Improvement,  that  it  <c  muft 
"  have  Ages  to  grow  up  to  Heaven  :  And 
<c  Divine  Honors  being  not  with  any  tole- 
"  rable  Decency  to  be  given  to  them,  but 
"  but  by  a  late  Pofterity  -fr." 

A 

*  See  Shuck.  Con.  Vol.  II.  p.  286. 

f  See  as  before,  p.  287.  The  Learned  Writer 
upon  this  Oceafion  fupports  his  Hypothefis  by  the 
Teftimony  of  Plutarch  in  the  feveral  Cafes,  as  above 
reprefented,  of  Semiramis,  Sefojlris,  Cyrus,  and  Alex 
ander.  Upon  which  he  obferves,  "  that  whenever 
**  any  of  thefe  Perfons  affected  Divinity,  they  funk 
"  inftead  of  raifing  their  Character  by  it  ;  their 
*c  Story  was  too  modern  to  permit  them  to  be  Gods." 
It  had  not  enough  of  Extravagancy  and  Romance 
in  it  to  raife  them  to  the  Dignity  of  the  Apotheofis  \ 
a  fabulous  Fame  being  fuppofed  here  a  neceflary 
Condition  to  a  divine  one.  And  accordingly  Plu 
tarch  is  introduced  contending  that  the  feveral  Hero 
Gods  of  the  Egyptians  were  Genii,  and  not  Men,  as 
conceiving  them  to  have  been  of  a  Power  and  Na 
ture  more  than  Mortal.  B«*TKW  ow  o'i  TO.  -srepi  TCV 
Ty^cova,  x«»  O<r*p»y,  xai  Itriv,  wr«pou/MW»,  ^»irf 
^iwv  av«<  vo/xt£ovT£?,  |M,?iT£  av.9-^wwwv,  aAAa  Aa»- 
uovuv  jwt^aAwv  £»vat  vo(«.»^vT£f*  Concerning  whom 
it  is  afterwards  obferved,  that  they  wereefteemed  to 
be, 


jtXKTO 


(  3°  ) 


A  SIMILE  (faid  I)  Hortenfius,  is,  you 
know,  with  many  People  a  much  more 

dif- 

oci<T$"n<r£V$    c- 

x«i  ;  otra,    TOC.VTOUI; 


•STa^  TOU?  fJ^fv  ju.a-.AAoi'j  TOU?  <  Jirl 
Plut.  de  Ifide  et  Ofiride,  p.  360.  But  whoever  takes 
in  the  Context  in  this  Place,  and  attends  to  the  full 
Scope  and  Purport  of  Plutarch's  Reafoning  here,  will 
find,  that  the  true  Motive  to  his  making  Demons  or 
middle  Natures  of  the  Egyptian  Heroes  was  not  their 
being  reprefented  to  have  a6ted  above  the  ordinary 
Powers  of  Men,  but  below  all  rational  Conceptions 

Of   Gods  -  Ei    TXVTCl    -STEflJ      T7!f     [AtX,XX,pHX,<;      XtXl    a^>0«£- 

.TOJ    {pufTfajf,    xx.5'    ?iu    juaAnrra   uosirai  TO  Ghicv,    wj 


Plut.  ubi  fup.  p.  358.  This  was  the 
Difficulty  on  one  Side  of  theQueition.  And  on  the 
other,  'to  go  into  the  Scheme  of  Euhemerus  the  Mef- 
fentan,  and  reduce  the  whole  Syftem  of  Hero-Gods 
to  certain  mere  common  Men  of  the  firft  Ages,  after 
they  had  been  long  in  poileffion  of  a  much  higher 
"Character;  this,  it  was  thought,  was  making  too  free 
with  cftablifhed  Opinions,  and,  as  moft  Men  were 
apt  to  confound  their  own  educational  Prejudices 
about  Religion  with  Religion  itfelf,  might  be  open 
ing  a  Door  to  Atheifm  —  Qmo  cs  pi  TOUTO  n  rx  x- 

on    TW        >ov 


/^.ovov,    -s-oAAcjr    cs    A 
xctro^ois  JTTO  TV;  -crpo?   TO-JJ    S'JO'J?  TOUTOV? 

TOV     £?    OVCX'JO'J 


The  Medium  therefore  approved  by  our  Philofopher 
upon  this  Occafion  was,  as  we  fay,  that  of  confider- 

ing 


difpatchful  Method  of  Conviction,  than  a 
dry  Piece  of  Reafoning.  And  yet,  methinks, 
to  purfue  a  little  the  Comparifon  before  us,. 
could  we  but  happily  find  out  a  proper  Soil 
and  Seafon  for  the  Purpofe,  the  Plant  we 
are  fpeaking  of  might  have  a  much  quicker 
Growth  than  is  here  fuppofed.  For,  may 
we  not  confider  Fame  in  the  intelligent 
World  as  in  fome  refpects  of  the  Nature 
of  what  are  called  Annuals  in  the  vege 
table?  'tis  not  perhaps  a  common  Culti 
vation  that  will  produce  it.  Happier  Sea- 
Ions,  a  more  improved  Receptacle,  and 
much  additional  Power  of  Sunil^ine  are 
necefTary  to  its  fuccefsful  Propagation.  But 
under  thefe  Advantages  it  is  much  fooner 
railed  to  its  Perfection  than  many  a  Plant  of 
an  humbler  Species.  And  thus,  Hortenjitis^ 
with  your  leave,  I  would  anfwer,  as  I  think 
is  the  mod  fuitable  way,  one  Simile  with 
another.  For  the  more  ferious  Part  of  tho 
Argument,  the  greater  Decency  here  afcriT 
bed  to  a  late  Deification  j  that,  I  muft  own> 


ing  the  feveral  Divinities  of  the  Meroic  Clafs  as  fb 
many  middle  Natures  between  Gods  and  Men. 
BrXTioi/  QUV  xrX-  See  Plutarch  de  Ifide,  &c.  p.  359, 
360.  The  Embarafs  which  the  wifer  Antiems  \vere 
under  as  to  tins  Matter  fs"th'j«'excdlentty  reprefent- 
ed  by  our  Author  in  the  Sequel  of  thisTreatife.  -  i 
n  eo-Ti  rxic  .<r/c^.9-pw7rot?, 


:;p?»v  rxt 

wrr&purl&v  virtue  ^  • 
'Je,  p.  378. 


(    32    ) 

ieems  to  ihe  to  lie  wholly  on  the  fide  of  art 
early  one.  For  furely  they  who  lived  under 
the  actual  Senfe  and  Feeling  of  our  Heroes 
Benefactions  had  a  much  better  Apology 
to  offer  for  the  Wormip  of  them,  than  fuch 
as  were  fituated  in  Life  equally  below  the 
Reach,  and  the  Memory,  of  the  firft  He 
roic  Labors.  And  who  therefore  to  the 
Guilt  of  authorifing,  as  is  here  fuppofed, 
the  Practice  of  the  human  Apotheofis, 
muft  have  added  the  Aggravation  of  truft-^ 
ing  altogether  to  fabulous  Tradition,  and 
the  doubtful  Reports  of  common  Fame^ 
for  the  very  Reafons  of  it. 

WE  will  then  proceed  (refumed  Hor- 
tenfius)  upon  this  Point  as  fufficiently  con 
firmed  to  us  both  from  Reafon  and  Hiftory  j 
that  the  proper  Inftitution  of  Heroic-  Wor- 
ihip  was  the  Work  of  remoter  Antiquity. 
For  theparticular  Modification,  and  Conduct 
of  this  kind  of  Wormip,  we  muft  have  re^ 
courfe  to  the£^/»^/««Formularies.  Hiftorians 
are,  I  think,  univerfally  agreed,  that  "  the 
"  Egyptians  were  the  firft  of  Mankind  who 
"  were  known  to  have  been  acquainted 
"  both  with  the  Names  and  Hifrories  of  the 
"  chief  Hero-Gods  of  Paganifm  *."  As 

indeed 


* 


uv    av'-wTrwv     rwv 


y\)7r\ioi  heyovrizt   S"fwv  re   cvmrtv    AajScif*  —  ri^wroi  JE 


xai  Xoyo-jg    oov$    i  Afav* 
Lucian 


(  33  ) 

indeed  they  might  very  naturally  be,  con- 
fidering  that  the  original  Subjects  of  them 
were  themfelves  Egyptian?;  had  been  perfo- 
nally  refident  in  Egypt  ;  and,  in  the  feveral 
Cities  to  which  they  had  given  both  Being 
and  Names,  left  many  ilanding  Monuments 
of  their  once  more  immediate  Power  and 
Prefence  in  this  Country  *.  In  confequence 
of  which  fo  near  and  national  a  Relation 
to  Divinity,  the  Egyptians  are  faid  to  have 
been  the  Original  Authors  of  a  public  Di 
vine  Wormip:  To  have  inftituted  from 
the  earlieft  Memory  amongft  themfelves 
the  Practice  of  ftated  Meetings,  Proceffions, 
and  Solemnities  of  a  Religious  kind  5  and 
to  have  given  the  Example  of  fuch  perio 
dical  Observances,  and  more  pompous  and 
iplendid  Superftitions,  to  moil  other  Parts 
of  the  Pagan  World  -f.  To  them  there- 
F  fore 

Lucian  de  Syr.  Dea,  p.  1057.  ^X,e^°'J  ^  K3ii  ^oivra, 
tot.  ovopocTX  ruv  Sewv  s£  Afy'Jirlov  tXyXvSt  fj  T»iv 
'EAAatJa.  Herod.  Lib.  2.  cap.  50.  Ed.  Steph. 

*   T-/jf  Tffx<Tri?    oixo'jjUfur:?  (tyxviv  Ai^uTrJioi)    xxroc 
u.o\wv  TW  AiJ'VTn 


Diod.  Sic.  Bib.  Lib.  I.  p.   12. 

"j"  Ilay^upia?  $e  upct  xoti  -srb^iTra?  xa» 
yx,<;  TTpcoroi  avS'pwTrcou  AfyvTrlici  ti7i  o't  urowyoc  jWJvoi* 
xat  Tffoiox  ro'JTwv  'EAAw;;  |uf|uaS-*)x«(Tt*  Herod.  Lib. 
2-  cap.  42.  IltfWToj  /xjy  cov  avS"pWB-wv,  TWV  ») 


xa»  Tz-ctvnyvpL&s    aTro^f^^i*      Lucian.   de  Syr. 
Dea,  p.  1057. 


(  34) 

fore  let  us  here  apply  ourfelves,  Philemon  ; 
and  from  a  careful  Attention  to  what  they 
are  reported  to  have  pra&ifed  in  the  Wor- 
ihip  of  their  two  principal  Hero-Deities, 
Ofirisy  and  Ifisy  form  a  kind  of  Theory, 
or  general  Idea  in  our  Minds  of  the  Qua 
lity  of  Hero-Worfhip  at  large.     For  which 
Antiquity  gives  us,  I  may  obferve,  a   fuf- 
ficient  Warrant,  when  it  informs  us,  as  its 
own  Judgment  in  the  Cafe,  that  fome  of 
the   moft  celebrated  Inftances  of  Heroic 
Superftition  in  different  Ages,  and  Countries, 
were  but  the  adopted  Rites  of  the  two  Di 
vinities   juft   mentioned  *  :    An  Evidence 
this,  in  the  lowed  Conftruclion  of  it,  that 
they  were  at  leaft  the  fame  in  kind,  if  not 
ilricHy  fuch  in  Subftance.     All  of  them, 
(what,   I  believe,  we  might  venture  to  af- 
fert  of  every  Inltance  of  Heroic-  Worfhip 
without  referve)  founded  in  the  fame  gene 
ral  Reafons  and  Principles,  and  partaking 
upon  the  whole  of  one  common  Purpofe, 
Defign,    and   Sentiment.     The  Character 
which  Antiquity  has  preferved  to  us  of  the 
Egyptian  Ofiris  and  IJis  is,  that  they  were 

a 

Tw   jusy  yy,o  Ocrtp^bf  TtXerw  r-n  Aiouucw  rtiv 


TWV     oyOjixaTuu     /wovou 
Diod.  Sic.  Lib.  i.  p.  86.      E»<rt  <T«  svtoi  BV£AUOV,  o't 


rov  Owtu  TOD 


•nov*  K«J  rx.  uTfy^ca,  x«t  roe,  oc^/m,  onx  £?  AJ'covjv, 
ctXX  f?  Oo-i^tv  Tzravrac  'sr^'/iirfreo'^a}.  Lucian.  de  Syrc 
Dea,  p.  1058. 


(  35  ) 

a  very  early  King  and  Queen  of 
whofe  Reign  was  one  continued  Series  of 
public  Benefactions,  and  Services  both  to 
their  Kingdom,  and  Neighbourhood  *.  Or, 
what  is  probably  the  more  literal  Truth  of 
their   Cafe,    they  were   two   very  active, 
benevolent,   and  public-fpirited  Perfons  at 
the  Head  of  a  Colony  in  Egypt,   at  the 
Time  of  its  firft  Peopling;    who  taught 
many  ufeful  Inventions  and  Accommoda 
tions  of  Life,  as  well  to  thofe  who  were 
immediate  Sharers  with  them  in  the  Occu 
pation  of  their  new  Territory,  as  to  fuch  of 
the  neighboring  Clans,   and   alike  recent 
Settlements    round  about  them,  as  either 
wanted,  or  would  partake  of  their  Affiftance. 
I  pretend  not  to  adjuft  the  precife  Chro 
nology  of  our  Egyptian  Heroes,  Philemon  ; 
or  to  enter  into  a  Queftion,  the  Intricacies 
of  which  have  long  baffled  the  Induftry  of 
the  ableft  Inquirers  to  determine  :  and  which 
perhaps  is  bed  determined  after  all,  if  one 
may  be  allowed  to  fpeak  fo,  by  being  left 
to  that  impenetrable  Obfcurity  it  is  found  in. 
For  fuch  Barely  muft  be  thought  itsCafe,when 
the  Times  and  Characters  of  the  two  cele 
brated  Perfons  we  are  fpeaking  of  have  been 
F  2  as 

TW  I<nv)   J/rj^avT*  TCV  O- 


£rpo;  tvtp'yssixv  rev  xoivou  |3>ov.      Diod.  Sic,  Bib, 
.  I.  p.  13* 


<  36) 

as  confidently,  as  feverally,  contefted  to  fall  in 
with  all  thofe  of  Ham  *,  Mifralm  -{-,  Efou  J, 

and 

*  See  Marjham's  Chron.  Can.  p.  30.  31. 

f  See  Shuck.  Con.  Vol.  I.  p.  205,  and  following 
ones. 

%  See  Reflexions  Critiques  fur  les  Hiftoires  des  an- 
eiens  Peuples  par  Mr.  Fourmont,  Vol.  I.  Liv.   2. 
chap.  13.     Je  dis  done,  et  je  foutiens  ce  que  touts 
la  terre  a  ignoree,  qu'il  n'y  a  jamais    eu  d'autre 
OfirtSi  qu'  Efau,  Fils  de  Sadid,  c'eft  a  dire  de  Afuf, 
ou  d'Ifaac.  p.  104.     La  Montagne  de  Seir,  ou  il  fit 
fa  demeure  particuliere  lui  donna  le  nom  de  Hofcheiri 
ou  Ofiri,  Phabitant,  <t'eft  a  dire  le  Prince  de  Seir. 
p.  107.     This  Author  is  a  great  Clearer  of  Difficul 
ties  in  the  Chronology  of  the  Heroic  Ages.  He  has  an 
Art  of  reducing  almoft  all  the  Hero  Gods  of  the  Pagan 
World  to  the  Family  of  Abraham.     He  is  fo  fond  of 
this  Hypothefis,  that  he  knows  not  how  fufficiently 
to  applaud  himfelf  for  the  Invention  of  it.    On  trouve 
bien,  fays  he,  que  Jupiter  eft  fils  de  Kronos,  que 
Kronos  etoit  fils  d'Ouranos,  et  celui  ci  fils  d'Ac- 
mon.  Mais,  une  chafe  etonnante,  jamais  aucunMytho- 
logifte  a-t-il  ofe  dire  qu'il  favoit  la  Caufe  de  ces  de 
nominations  ?  Je  dis  mot  que  les  void  decouvertes^,  et 
de    plus    Hiftoriquement.       Thare    a   eu    plufieurs 
noms;  entre  autre  celui  de  Thare,  celui  d'Azar,  &c. 
Son  nom  patronimique  eft  Oypaves,  Ouranos  ;    c'eft 
en  Syrien  Ourano,   Ourien,   ou  Thomme   de  Our. 
-Rien  de  plus  fenfe,  il  y  habitoit.   Reflex.  Crit.  p.  63. 
Kronos )  mot  que  les  Latins  ont  traduit  par  Saturnus^ 
en  Chaldeen  et  en  Syrien  ne  fignV^e-t-il  pas  encore 
1'homme  de  Cbaran^  ou  le  Charanien  ?  et  ce  Cha- 
xanien  eft  13  autre  qu'  Abraham  ?  Voila  done  encore 
1'origine,  &  Vorlgine  indubitable  du  nom  de  Kronos. 
Reflex,  p.  64.     Les  Interpretes  conviennent  prefque 
tous  que  c'eft  le  veritable  nom   de  Sara,  (Ifkah,)  ce 
riom  eft  il  bien  eloigne  de  celui  d'Ifis  ?  p.  88.   Lorf- 
que  Abraham  cut  voulu  facrifier  fon  fils,  ^hiftoire^ 
fcue  dans  toute  la  contree  le  fit  appeller  Sadid,  en 

Araba 


(  37  ) 

Sefoftrh  *.  Whilft  an  Hypothefis  more 
mcxlern  than  all  of  thefe,  and  full  as  fanguine 
as  any  of  them,  denies  both  our  Heroes 
themfelves,  and  the  whole  Family  of  He 
roic  Divinities  from  them,,  to  have  had  any 
real  hiftorical  Age,  or  even  Exiftence  at  alf. 
Gives  them  neither  a  higher,  nor  a  more 
fubftantial  Pedigree,  than  the  mere  Cor 
ruptions,  and  Miftakes  of  the  Hieroglyphic 
Language  of  Antiquity.  Degrades  them 
from  once  living  and  human,  into  a  Set 
of  merely  ideal  and  figurative  Perfonages. 
Makes  them  the  Characters  not  of  Men,  but 

Things : 

Arabe  &  en  Phenicicn  ligatus.  Mais  Zsu?  eft  il 
Sadid  ?  oiii :  &  ccci  meme  devient  un  denouement 
pour  1'Hifloire  du  Monde  la  plus  Embaraffante.  Juf- 
qu'ici  on  a  tire  Zeus  de  Z--«  brouillir,  ou  de  Zww 
vivre.  Mais  enfin  il  reftoit  un  fcrupule  ;  Pour  Zrjf 
les  anciens  difoient  auffi,  Sosv?,  ou  meme  Aft^. 
Et  ce  AEUC  pouvoit  venir  egalement  de  <&w  ligo.  Une 
marque  meme  que  £sw  dans  les  premiers  terns  de  la 
Grece  fignifioit  Her,  c'eft  que  de  ce  verbe  inufite 
etoit  defcendu  le  diminutif  £w«,  d'ou  ^wij  ^uvwu 
ceindre,  en  Latin  Zona.  //  eft  dune  clair  ccmme  le 
Jour,  que  <&y?  a  fignifie  ligatus,  conftrictus.  Reflexi 
ons  Grit.  Vol.  I.  p.  96.  The  feme  Author  proves 
in  much  the  fame  manner  that  Typbon  is  Jacob,  and 
CVm,  Keturah,  and  Proferplne^  a  JDaughtet  of  Abra 
ham  by  Keturah,  fo  called  becaufe  her  Mother  was  of 
Bterjfheba — la  Berfebonienne  ou  la  Perfephonienne — • 
Perfephone  ou  Proferpine  eft  une  femme  prife  dans 
le  pais  de  Berfabee.  Quoi  de  plus  admirable! 
p.  82,  83.  Nothing,  we  fee,  can  exceed  the  Saga 
city  of  our  Etymologift,  except  his  Confidence. 

*  See  Sir  Ifaac  Newton's  Chron.  p.  192,  193,  and 
elfewhere. 


Things:  Expreffions  only  either  of  the 
Courfe  of  Time,  and  of  certain  annual  Oc 
currences  and  Ceremonies  amongft  the  Egyp 
tians  ;  of  the  Order  of  public  Feftivals  and 
religious  Solemnities ;  of  the  Regulations 
of  civil  Policy ;  or  the  mere  Courfe  of  hu 
man  Labour  and  Induftry  in  the  Accommo* 
dation  of  common  Life  *. 

I 

*  Toute  la  Societe  ayant  un   befoin   extreme  de 
regler  1'ordre  de  fes  jours,  &  de  convenir  des  terns 
ou  il    faut  s'aflembler,  fe   repofer,  ou  travailler  en 
commun,  1'ecriture  Symbolique  fut  tout  particuliere- 
ment  utile  a  cet  egard,  par  la  commodite  de  quel- 
ques  marques  qui  etant  expofees  en  public,  annon- 
^oient  les  Fetes  &  les  Travaux  d'une  fa^on  fimple  & 
uniforme.     Hiftoire  du  Ciel.  Tom.  I.  p.  60.    On 
nommoit   le  foleil  Ofiris.     Ce   mot  fignifioit  Tin- 
fpecteur,  le  Cocher  ou  le  Conducleur,  le   Roi,   le 
Guide,  le  Moderateur  des  aftres,  1' Ame  du  Monde,  le 
Gouverneur  de  la  Nature.  Et  c'eft  parce  qu'on  don- 
noit  ce  nom  &  cette  Fonction    au  Soleil,    qu'on 
exprima  par  la  Figure  d'un  homme  portant  un  Scep 
tre,  p.  61,  62.  &  fuiv.     Ce  Gouverneur  purement 
Figuratif  a  etc  prispour  un  homme  qui  avoit  vecu 
fur  la  terre,  &  eft  pris  pour  un  Dieu  dans  1'ecriture 
qui  refte  fur  les  Monumens,  p.  63.     Quand  on  vou- 
lut  fignifier  la  terre  qui  enfante  &  nourit  toute  chofe, 
on  choifit  1'autre  Sexe.     La  Femme  qui  eft  mere  & 
nourice  etoit  une  image  naturelle  de  la  terre.    Celle- 
ci  fut  done  peinte  avec  fes  Productions  fous  la  forme 
d'lfha,  oud'Ifis.     Ce  Symbole  etoit  commode,   parce 
que  les  changemens  de  la  Nature,  &  les  diverfes  pro 
ductions  de  la  terre,  qui   etoient  fans  doute  le  fujet 
des  communes  Actions  de  Graces,  pouvoient  aiie- 
ment  etre  exprimees  par  les  divers  Ornemens  qu'on 
donnoit  a  cette  femme,  p.  68,  &  fuiv.     LesEgyp- 
tiens  defignoient  le  Travail  par  la  Figure  d'un  Enfant, 
.qu'  Ofiris  &  Ifis  affec^ionnent,  d'un  fils  bien-aime 

qu'ils 


(  39  ) 

I  REMEMBER  (faid  I)  to  have  heard  fbmer 
thing  of  fuch  an  Hypothecs  as  you  defcribe 
being  lately  published  to  the  World  by  a 
French  Author  j  which,  with  Allowance 
for  that  {training  Humor  which  is  infepara- 
ble  from  Syftem,  is  not,  I  am  told,  ill  de- 
Fended.  But  pray  what  is  the  Foundation 
of  this  Scheme  ?  for  the  Author,  I  fuppofe, 
would  not  oppofe  his  fingle  Judgment  to 
the  unanimous  Senie  of  Mankind  in  this 
Affair,  without  ibme  cogent  Reafons  for 
doing  fo,  Let  me  hear  what  is  his  No- 

ftrum, 

qu'ils  fe  plaifent  a  combler  de  biens.  Enfuite  par  les 
t'iffe  rentes  formesqu'ils  faifoient  prendre  a  cet  enfant, 
jls  exprimoient  ingenieufement  la  Conduite,  les  opera 
tions  fucceflwes,  les  traverfes,  &  ksSuccesdu  labourage. 
Hift.  du  Cicl.  p.  75.  &  fuiv. — La  pai x  &  la  police 
parmi  les  citoiens  apres  les  recoltes,  &  dans  la  joye 
qu'  infpirele  repos  de  1'  hyver — voila  le  vrai  fens  de 
notre  Symbol  d'Harpocrate.  Hift.  p.  92.  Le  Peu- 
ple  Egyptien  prit  peu  a  pen  1'  Ofiris  pour  ce  qu'il  pre- 
fentoit  a  1'  oeil,  c'cft  a  dire  pour  un  homme.  Us 
prirent  Ifis  pour  une  Femme  j  &  1*  Enfant  qu'elle 
nourit  pour  un  Enfant,  pour  le  fils  d'Ofiris  &  d'lfis. 
'• — Prenant  done  ccs  Figures  au  pic  de  la  lettre,  ils  les 
regarderent  comme  des  Monumens  de  leur  Hiftoire 
Nationale.  Hift.  du  Ciel.  p.  133,  134.  Apres  avoir 
trouve  dans  1'abus  des  Figures  fymboliques  prifes  pour 
des  Objets  reels,  1'origine  des  habitans  que  1'  Egyptc 
a  imagines  &  places  dans  le  ciel,  s'il  fe  trouve  encore 
que  les  Dieux  des  autres  Nations,  &  les  autres  fuper- 
ftitions  dont  nous  n'  avons  point  parle,  foient  une 
propagation  fenfible  des  Idees  &:  des  pratiques  Egyp- 
tiennes,  la  Facilite  de  rappeller  tant  d'  egaremens  a 
un  principe  fort  fimple,  fera  voir  de  nouveau  la  ju- 
ftefTe  du  principe,  quoique  des  a  prefcnt  il  paroifFe 
fuffifamment  demontrc.  Hift.  p.  146. 


(  40  ) 

ftrum,  Hortenfius,  and  upon  what  Princi 
ples  does  he  erect  his  very  new  Explication 
of  Theologic  Antiquity  ? 

UPON  a  Piece  of  falfe  and  exploded  Phi- 
lofophy  (replied  he)  in  the  firft  Place,  Phi 
lemon  *  ;  then  a  Series  of  his  own  Vilions ; 
and  laftly  a  forced  Testimony  of  feveral 
tortured  Fads.  But  the  whole,  I  fhould 
confefs  to  you,  fupported  by  a  copious  Set 
of  Eaftern  Etymologies,  correfponding  fo 
exactly  to  his  Purpofe  -f,  that  one  fhould 
hardly  know  how  to  withstand  fuch  a 
Weight  of  Evidence,  were  not  the  Nature 
of  it  a  little  fufpicious,  as  having  been 
fometimes  known  to  prove  equally  on  both 
fides  of  a  Queilion  J.  But  notwkhftand- 
ing  all  I  have  been  faying,  Philemon^  if 
you  would  coniider  this  Author's  Perfor 
mance 

*  On  a  un  afTez  bon  nombre  de  preuves  qui  ten- 
dent  a  faire  voir,  quc  la  raifon  naturelle  pour  la- 
quelle  la  vie  des  hommes  d'avant  le  Deluge  etoit 
beaucoup  plus  longue  que  la  notre,  venoit  de  ce  que 
le  foleil  ne  quittant  point  alors  1'Equateur,  c'etoit 
une  fuite  necefl'aire  que  la  temperature  d'air  fut  uni- 
forme,  &  la  fecondite  de  la  terre  non-interrompue. 
Hift.  p.  10. 

f  See  Hiftoire  du  Ciel  at  large. 

\  Compare  this  Author's  Derivation  of  the  Name 
O/?m,  from  Ocboft-erets  Dominium  Terrse,  with 
Monfieur  Fourmmt's  as  above  from  Hofcheiri^  1'habi- 
tant  de  Seir.  Both  different  from  the  learned  ^ojjlu3\ 
from  Schicbor^  or  Sior,  one  of  the  Scripture  Appel 
lations  of  the  River  Nile.  See  VolT.  de  Orig.  & 
Prog.  Idol.  Vol.  I.  p.  692. 


4i 

mance  as>  what  it  in  ftritfl  Truth  is,  a 
mere  ideal  Amufement,  or  more  learned 
kind  of  Romance,  the  Perufal  of  it,  I  be 
lieve,  would  not  be  unentertaining  to  you 
at  fome  Leifure  Hour.  The  Scheme  is 
prettily  enough  fancied,  and  the  Execution 
of  it  is  conducted  with  a  good  deal  of  Art 
and  Ingenuity. 

So  much  the  worfe,  (faid  I)  Jiertenfius, 
in  myOpinion.  Art  and  Ingenuity,  tho'  they 
are  no  where  perhaps  better  ihewn,  than  in 
the  Support  of  Paradoxes,  are  yet  certainly 
moil  unpardonably  mifemployed,  when 
they  are  exercifed  to  fuch  a  purpofe.  One 
would  wifh  every  Author  to  be  a  dull  one, 
whom  one  finds  ingaged  in  a  falie  Caule  ; 
fince  going  ingenioufly  wrong  is  too  feldoin 
found  to  be  going  fmgly  fo.  But  what,  in 
the  Name  of  Wonder,  could  tempt  our  Au 
thor,  Hortenfms,  upon  no  better  Grounds 
than  you  have  reprelented,  thus  to  fet  himfelf 
to  refine  away  one  of  the  feemingly  plainefl, 
and  moft  ftrongly  attefled  Facls  in  Anti 
quity  ?  Surely  a  Man  muft  have  an  uncom 
mon  Love  of  Paradox,  to  fuppofe  the  Pa 
gan  Altars  were  thus  univerfally  creeled  to 
unknown  Gods  *.  Or,  that  the  Egyptians 
in  particular  could  fo  far  lofe  the  Meaning 
of  a  Language  of  their  own  compoling, 
and  which  always  continued  to  be  in  fome 
G  degree 

*   A£b  xvii.  23, 


(  42  ) 

cbgree  of  Uie  amongft  them,  as  to  miftake 
a  Set  of  Hieroglyphical  Reprefentations,  for 
fo  many  proper  historic  Characters.  A 
Syftem  of  Emblems,  Creatures  altoge 
ther  of  their  own  Imaginations,  for  a 
Genealogy  of  Heroes  ;  of  whom  they  had 
both  circumftantial  Records,  and  alibj  as 
you  was  obferving,  many  vifible  Memorials 
in  the  feveral  Cities  called  after  their  Names 
in  Egypt,  that  they  were  all,  as  an  inge 
nious  Writer  fpeaks  upon  a  like  Occafion, 
<c  once  fairly  exifting  in  this  World  *." 

THERE  is  moreover  (returned  he)  this 
very  unfortunate  Circumftance  for  this  Gen 
tleman's  Hypothefis,  preferved  to  us  by 
fome  of  the  antient  Writers,  in  the  religious 
Hifrory  of  Egypt  ;  that  the  Egyptians  were 
wholly  Strangers  to  Images  of  human  Form 
in  the  Furniture  of  their  Temples,  or  Places 
of  Worfhip  -j-.  From  whence  tis  obvious 
to  remark,  that  it  could  not  be  fuch  an 
Hieroglypbical  Oftris  and  I/is  as  is  here  fup- 
pofed  that  gave  Birth  to  the  Hiftorical  ones. 

But 

*  Author  of  the  Inquiry  into  the  Life,  &c.  of  Ho 
mer. 

f  Meroe,  Js  rce,  Tuoo-rrvhoua  o  NEW?'  %oxvov  $  t%uy 
oyJsv^.  n  ovx  a.vQsu-7ropop(poV)  aX\a,  TWU  aAoj/wy  ^wwtf 
TWOS'  Strab.  Geograph.  lib.  17.  p.  805.  Ed.  Cafaub. 


^(tivO((rpevof'   EyJbv 
TT.I/J    v  I3j?,     »j 
Lucian.  Imag.  p.  592.  Edit.  Bourd 


(  43   ) 

But  that  the  0 fir  is  and^//>  whom 
•tiam  worshipped  muft  have  been  originally 
two  proper  hijlorical  Perfonages  ;  whom 
they  were  ufed,  as  will  be  fhewn  more  at 
large  in  its  Place,  to  reprefent  by  Animal- 
Symbols,  and  not  by  human  Figures.  Till, 
in  a  Courfe  of  Time,  Mythology,  having 
inverted  them  with  many  phyfical  or  natu 
ral^  over  and  above  their  biftoric  Characters, 
gave  occafion  to  thofe  Grotefque  Reprefen- 
tations  of  them  in  human  Form,  which 
•occur  fo  frequently  in  the  Egyptian  Monu 
ments  ;  and  from  whence  our  Author,  I 
believe,  took  the  Hint  of  his  whole  Hiero 
glyphic  Syftem.  An  Hypothecs,  I  may 
juft  obferve,  which  he  was  the  readier  to 
efpoufe,  as  it  flattered  his  over-great  De 
licacy  in  the  Problem  of  the  human  Apo- 
theoiis,  by  affording  him  a  lefs  grofs  and 
offenfive  Solution  of  it,  than  that  which  is 
generally  received.  He  could  not  think  of 
letting  Men  run  direclly  and  all  at  once  into 
fo  palpable  an  Abfurdity  in  their  Religion, 
and  was  therefore  for  bringing  them  about 
to  the  fame  End  with  fomewhat  more  of 
Compafs  and  Ceremony.  And  now,  Pbi- 
lemon^  having  I  think,  in  paffing  fliffici- 
ently  eflablifhed  the  general  Hi iloric  Truth 
of  our  Heroes  Characters,  let  us  proceed, 
as  we  had  began,  with  the  more  remarka 
ble  Particulars  of  them.  They  are  recorded 
by  the  Egyptians  to  have  been  the  firft  Ci- 
G  2  vilizers 


(  44  ) 

vilizers  of  their  Country  both  in  a  moral 
and  natural  Account.  They  reduced  the 
favage  Barbarity  of  their  Times  to  a  Senfe 
of  Humanity,  Difcipline,  and  public  Order. 
They  taught  the  Practice  of  Building,  Agri 
culture,  and  Plantation,  with  the  Preparation 
and  Ufe  of  Bread-Corn,  Wine,  and  Medi 
cine,  before  unknown  in  Egypt.  They 
made  Laws  for  the  Alignment  of  Property 
amongft  their  Countrymen,  and  for  the 
Reflraint  of  mutual  Violence  and  Injuftice, 
which  they  took  care  to  have  inforced  by 
Hiitable  Penalties  annexed  to  the  Breach  of 
them.  They  were  the  general  Promoters, 
or  Incouragers  of  mechanic  Ingenuity,  and 
manual  Arts  j  and  of  whatever  had  the  Ap 
pearance  in  any  Degree  of  a  public  Im 
provement  *.  At  the  fame  time  their 

Views 

£y  y-cco  fQotfn    rov  Oripw)  Tzraucrai  r»?f 


C7 


w'      Diod.  Sic.   Bib.  lib.  I.  p.  13.     'H?  Jf   T>J 

iVlwi  TOUTW  TW  •nr^wTw  j/ryo/xfvij  B^o-iAfi  ^IOC-Q-J  yi- 
yo'Jtvsn  TO  UTrtip'yfj.i-jyj'  TO-JTOV  pey  ev  KVTU  voXtv  xn- 
v&i  T«UTW,  i)TK  vuv  Me^iff  x»Ae£T«j.  Herod  .  lib. 
2.  cap.  99.  K;JT&J  of  f^acrt  TOU?  TTf^t  TOV  Orjpjy 


Tovf    Je   jUfT 

ewo-j?  <Tf    0.>icar.        Diod.   Sic.  lib.  I.  p,  14.. 

T?iv  Icny  ^f3Maxu;y  TE   ursAAa'y  TET^)? 


(  45  ) 

Views  were  not  confined  to  Egypt  alone  ; 
but  whilft  IJis,  with  the  Afllftance  of  Her 
mes,  or  Mercury  ',  a  Perfon  in  great  Efteem 
with  them  both,  was  appointed  to  prefide 
in  the  Direction  of  Affairs  at  home,  OJiris, 
with  a  Party  of  his  Friends  and  Adherents, 
travelled  much  into  foreign  Parts  5  every 
where,  as  he  palled,  circulating  ufeful  Arts, 
and  Inventions  for  the  Service  of  common 
Life  ;  leaving  Traces  behind  him  of  his  Hu 
manity  and  public  Spirit,  and  introducing  a 
general  Poliih  and  Civility  *.  One  would 

think, 


xaj     T»I?    l 
y     s^vinnoc,y.      Ibid.  p.  22.       Otiuai    os 

TW   ICTJV, 


TOU?  av-fWTro'jj  TO     ix.aiov,   nat  T*if 


ix.  TOV  CX.TTQ  r 
y.      Ibid.  p.  13.  Fcvcrd'ai  ^  (piApj/ewpj^v  TOU  On- 


TO'J  TXVTn;    KCCOTTCV  Trpc 

KOH  fifafai  ro-jg  aAAon? 
v  rr]j  aaTTi'Ao'j,  xat  TW  %t>y<nv  TOV  o;uou, 
x»<  TW  <ruJxoj!AiJf]ti  au-rou  x«i  T>ip>jT<y*   Diod.  Sic.  Bib. 

lib.    I.    p.    14.        r[fiOT;W^!r3-a(     J'e    uTaoa    TO)   OiTJpJOJ  X»t 


?  Ti  TWU 

txv  £up£.9-£i/Ta!y    xJit  ^ytracov,  OTrAa   TE  x 
wu  Ta    S^Jipja  xlfiVOWTaf,    xai  TW 
(^AoT»/*wf   E^r^epw^at   T-/IV  pawpaw.      Ibid. 
p.  14.  Confer  Pint,  dc  Ifide  &  Ofuide  p.  356. 

r   Toy 
<ravTa,    xxi  T^y  ruy   oAwy 


Toy  Ea^W    Ibid.  p.  15.     Toy  4£  Or»;;y  Asj'oviru1,  wo-- 

i 


(46  ) 

think,  a  Perfon  of  this  Character  mould 
meet  with  no  Enemies.  But  the  Event 
proved  otherwife.  For  after  OJtns  had  go 
verned  fome  time  in  Egypt  to  the  Satisfac 
tion  of  all  who  wimed  well  to  their  Coun 
try,  his  Brother  Typhon^  a  Perfon  of  an  un- 
difciplined  and  turbulent  Spirit,  either  thro* 
Envy  of  his  Reputation,  or  upon  fome 
private  Quarrel  to  his  Perfon,  formed  a 
Delign  upon  his  Life;  which,  through  the 
Help  of  a  Faction  he  had  ingaged  to  his 
Purpofe,  he  foon  found  Opportunity  to 
accomplifh  *.  The  Conduct  of  the  Mur 
der  is  fomewhat  differently  related  by  Hi- 
florians  ;  but  in  all  Accounts  it  ftands  at 
tended  with  many  aggravating  Circum- 
ftances  of  additional  Inhumanity  -}-.  The 

Lofs 

"7T£3  svsp'yiTixov    CVTK  Ktxi  ^iAoJb^oy    (rrKTOTrsoov 


v.y.\.       cx-i    TO  'ysvog  rwv  av-pwTrwv  TJJV  T£  TV; 
Cpuretav,   HOU  TOV    GTropov  TOU  TE  TS-VOIVOV    xtxt 
xe&ivov  xapTTou'     J6oAa(aGai/fjv   'ya.o  txurov  on 
coc,<;  TV?  a^iOTflTOf  TOUJ  aucoTrou?,  xai 


.    Ibid.  p.  15. 


* 


rr,i; 

TOV  Oa-jfliv  uVo  TU^WDO?  etvou£t&nyo»  TO-J  a^A^ou,  B*- 
xai  a<r£j3o'j?  OVTOJ*    Diod.  Sic.  Bib.  lib.  I.  p.  i8« 

f   AieAovra  C(pa<ri  TOV  Tv(pava)  TO  a-upx,  TOV  (povsu- 


TOU 
xcet  A  a  TO'JTO  vOtAoyra  <yo  va^awoTa?  e^£jy   xat 


rr;  Bxo-iAeiK?  B;j!wy   .  Ibid.  p.  18.   Toy 


Lofs  of  a  Perlbn  fb  valuable  to  Egypt  as 
Ofiris  raifed  a  public  Concern  amongft  the 
Egyptians,  with  a  futable  Refentment  againffc 
the  guilty  Inftruments  of  his  Death.  Ifis 
immediately  formed  a  Party  on  the  behalf 
of  herfelf,  and  her  Son  Horus,  for  the  re 
venging  her  deceafed  Hufband's  Murder  5 
and,  having  greatly  the  Advantage  of  Num 
bers  in  her  Caufe,  brought  Typbon  and  his 
Faction  to  their  deferved  Punifhment  *. 
Ofiris,  as  the  beft  Teftimony  of  their  Re- 
fpect  the  Egytians  could  now  offer  him, 
had  Funeral  Honors  decreed  him  by  the 
common  Voice  of  his  People  ;  which  were 
performed  with  all  the  Demonftrations  of 
a  national  unfeigned  Mourniner.  In  the 

O  ^_> 

Celebration  whereof,  the  Tranfports  of 
public  Reverence  and  Affection  to  his  Me 
mory  ran  fo  high,  that  the  Ceremony  of 
his  Obfequies  was  concluded  in  that  of  his 

Apo- 

X&Sptx,  TO  <rw(ua,  xat 
Soi;    hxpvaKCt.    xaAw   xa; 
x£»v  fi?  TO 


.s   og  KM 

i  aurw  TX/U  Aa^vaxa'    EjU-Sairra  O- 
Piut.  de  If.  £c  Od.  p.  356. 


T^J     AiJ-^Trroy.      Died, 
Sic.  Bib.  Lib.  i.  p.  1  8. 


(48  ) 

Apotheofis  *.  For  from  an  unwillingnefi 
to  relinquish  all  Intereft  at  once  in  their 
favourite  Hero,  added,  it  may  be,  to  fome 
confufed  Tradition  they  had  amongft  them 
of  a  Life  after  Death,  the  Egyptians  per- 
fuaded  themfelves  upon  this  Occafion,  that 
Ofiris  might  yet  have  it  in  his  Power  (and 
then  they  could  not  doubt  its  being  in  his 
Inclination)  to  be  propitious  to  his  late-loved 
Country,  in  fome  fecret  way  of  Communi 
cation  with  it.  They  accordingly  con  verted  ^ 
as  we  may  fay,  his  Sepulchre  into  hisAltar-f-. 

And 

'  Tw  Jf  I<nv  ((patn)  ava^n-mv  TO  <ro>/xa,  fx  TOU- 
TOU  Je  xat  -nroAAaf  ra^as  Onpi^og  tv  AiJ'UTr'lw  }/£- 
V£<r6»i*  01  Jf  o-j  (fi(X,<riv'  aAAa  fiJtfAo.  -sroioUjaEuriv  A  Jo- 
vat  xaS"  £Ha<rT>)y  TiroAiv  eo?  TO  ira^a  J'lJ'ouirav,  OTTWC 
f^?j  Tipa?.  Plut.  de  If.  p.  358. 
T^atri  TW  Itrtv)  TW  T  avJpoj  T«^J;I» 
»  Tipuptvrjv  T&OCOOC.  -nrafrt  T»JV  At- 
<ruvT£A£(rai  TO  jToav  TOJOUTW  TJVI 


TWV  pepwv  TrfoiTrAairat  auTtiv  TUTTCV  au- 


tx.cwy.xruv 


Jt)Au«rcitf     T>;y     ^bS'JjirOjtAevtju    auToij    WKTTJV'    xar 
OT» 


TO  (Tw/xa,  T^an  wj  S~£ov  TOV  Onpiv.  Diodor. 
Sic.  p.  1  8.  EX  auS-^wTrcoy  fi?  3-fouj  psrotiTTXVTX  TOV 
OTIPIV  ((pa<ri)  TU^IV  UTTO  ItriJ'o?  xa»  E^/uou  3"j<riwy 
xai  Twy  aAAwv  TW»  £7ri!pay£0'TaTwy  S-^WP  Ti/x-wy. 
Died.  loc.  cit. 

"j~  E-;3-£v  auToi;  x^i  01  Twy  ^Eajy  oixoj  VEXCCOV  £»y«» 
Ta^ot  [Awpovtvovrxi.  Eufeb.  Praep.  Evang.  lib.  2. 
cap.  5.  p.  70. 


(  49  ) 

And  having  made  him  the  Offering  there 
of  their  moft  affectionate  Acknowledgments 
for  his  pad  Services,  intreated  of  him  the 
Continuance  of  his  Favour  towards  them 
in  fuch  future  Inftances  of  his  Affiftance, 
as  the  Interefts  of  Egypt  might  require. 
And  as  a  farther  Ingagement  upon  him  to 
this  purpofe,  they  agreed  to  meet  annually 
at  his  Tomb,  at  each  periodical  Return  of 
the  Seafon  of  his  Interment  j  and  to  per 
form  the  like  public  Lamentations,  as  up 
on  the  prefent  Occafion,  to  his  injured 
Manes ;  renewing  at  the  fame  time  upon 
their  Minds,  by  certain  expreffive  Ceremo 
nies,  the  Memory  both  of  his  Sufferings 
and  Benefactions ;  and  recognizing  him  for 
their  Patron  or  Tutelar  Demon  by  more 
folemn  and  explicite  Acts  of  national  Wor- 
lliip  *.  I/is  lived  fome  time  after  the  Dc- 
H  ceafe 

*  Plutarch  informs  us,  that  in  the  Ifland  Ni- 
ftitane^  one  of  the  Places  which  laid  claim  to  the  In 
terment  of  OJirisy  'Evi  >ca»pu  roy?  uottf  £IX.£OUVOVTZ,<; 
ivz.'y^iiV)  xz.1  KZTOKTTffyuv  TO  cyf/,01  urJiKr,;  (purou 
•n-s£Krx»a£o//,£iW  De  If.  &  Of.  p.  359.  j&gypti  Incolae 
in  adytis  habent  Idolum  Ofiridis  fepultum  hoc  annuis 
luftibus  plangunt.  Jul.  Firmic.  de  Error,  prof.  Rel. 
Cap.  2.  K*»  jiAvrjjiAW  TOU  7ra3-£o?  (Afuwfa)  ryTrlov- 

TZl   TE      EXaCTTOU     £T£OJ    (oi     BUoAjO»)     KXl    S'pWEOUTJ,     X<X| 

c(pi(TJ     //.fJ/'aAa    TrtvQstz    avoc    TTW   ^wpr,v    *<rraTa»*— - 

E«7I       Of     £1/101      BybAjWW    C/J     A£j/0'J(Tt    "STOipOf,     (T^HTl     T£- 

Sa^Sai  TOII  Onpii/  TOD  Afyvrrliov'  xaj  roe,  vtv^ex 
oux  «?  AfuWj  *AA'  iq  Oo-ipjy  trffiHwtyQotti  Lucian, 
deSyr.  Dea,  p.  1058. 


{  5°  ) 

ceafe  of  Ofiris  j  and,  continuing  to  indear 
herfelf  all  along  to  the  Egyptians  by  a 
Series  of  repeated  Kindneffes  towards  them, 
was  upon  her  Death  admitted  to  a  Parti 
cipation  with  him  in  his  Divine  Honors  *. 
And  from  henceforth  the  annual  Celebra 
tion  of  the  funeral  Rites  of  thefe  two  De 
ified  Heroes  became  a  {landing  Solemnity 
of  the  Egyptian  Religion.  This  was  the 
true  Meaning  and  Origin  of  that  ajtuGpw- 
?raa>i@-j  as  Plutarch  very  fignificandy 
terms  it,  gloomy  and  difmal  Air,  which 
fome  of  the  chief  religious  Ceremonies  of 
Egypt  carried  with  them  -j-  ;  and  of  the 
Egyptians  performing  many  things  in  honor 
of  their  Gods  refembling  the  common  Prac 
tices  at  a  Funeral  J.  Of  which,  when  the 
once  proper  Humanity  of  thefe  Divine 
Perfons  was  thought  neceiTary  to  be  dif- 
owned  or  concealed,  the  Alleeorifts  of  An- 

o 

tiquity  were  put  to  fo  many  Shifts  and  Re 
finements,  to  give  any  paffable  Reafon  and 

Solution, 


V    ITJV  (5a<rt    jUf-ra   TTJV 
TOV    Aoi7r-;y    TOV    Si 


KCtt     TOi^     £1?      TOU?  Kp')(Op.£<}QVq     f 

'  f    Js    xat 


Diod.Sic.  Lib.  i.p.  18,  19. 

'f'    Kat  JjJwiTiti  o    xajpo?  uVovojav   £?rt  TWV 
TIJ  onroxgu^tj  3/svf<r9tei  TOV  txuSwirKppJN'     Plut.  de 
If.  &  Of.  p.  378. 

'£   rioAAa    ^airTouff-JV  opojflf  xa;  7rfv6o'j<7iU  ETrpalrov. 
PJut.  de  If,  &  Of.  p.  379, 


Solution,  as  the  Times  grew  more  know 
ing  and  fceptical  *. 

FOR  their  Comfort  however  (faid  I) 
Hortenfms,  they  could  frame  no  Solution 
fo  little  defenfible,  as  the  true  one,  of  this 
Matter.  In  which,  by  a  kind  of  judicial 
Infatuation,  as  one  might  be  almoft  tempted 
to  fufpect  in  the  Cafe,  upon  the  Inftitutors 
of  the  human  Apotheofis,  the  Divinity  of 
the  two  Heroes  who  were  the  molt  con- 
fiderable  Subjects  of  it,  flood  effectually 
difproved  by  the  moft  important  Article  of 
their  own  Worfhip. 

MOST  evidently  (returned  he)  h  did 
fo.  And  had  the  human  Apotheofis  been 
the  Work  of  political  Art  and  Contrivancej 
the  Ritual  of  this  Hero-worfhip  would,  no 
doubt,  have  been  more  happily  conftituted, 
But  as  it  took  place  firft  in  rude  and  unin- 
lightened  Ages,  the  Simplicity  of  thofe 
Times  deified  its  Heroes,  juffc  as  it  found 
them,  with  all  the  Circumftances  of  their 
Humanity  about  them  j  and  had  no  fuipi- 
cion  of  Confequences.  But  to  proceed, 
Philemon  ,  with  the  Hiftory  of  our  two 
Deified  Heroes  j  it  being  a  general  Perfua* 
H  2  lion 


EV  xicwnw  irtg(fytf9ff.tyM  cux 

\)7TQ[JI.Virit/.Ol          TOU       TTtpl      QjTtpiJ'o?     TraS'OUf,     «AA' 

wu?  •nrapaxaAsjv    aurouf  ^prff0*»    rot?    irxgrnirw    KSU 

wj    OTavraf    aurtxa  i*&\&  TCJoyrcuf 
f.     Plat,  delf,  &  Of  p.  357. 


(    52    ) 

lion  in  Egypt,  as  has  been  obferved,  that 
they  had  yet  Jomewhere  a  more  fubftantial 
Being,  than  in  the  Breafts  of  their  Survivers, 
Curiofity  naturally  put  the  Egyptians,  fond 
of  dwelling  as  much  as  poffible  upon  a 
favourite  Subject,  upon  conjecturing  where. 
And  the  Refult  of  this  Speculation  was,  to 
affign  them  their  Refidence  in  the  two 
greater  Lights  of  Heaven  ;  thefe  being, 
not  only  in  themfelves  the  nobleft  Scenes  of 
Action  they  could  imagine  for  them,  but 
likewife,  as  might  be  thought,  the  moft 
fuitableones  at  the  fame  time  to  their  diftinct 
perfonal  Characters  *. 

THIS  was  rather  a  piece  of  Compli 
ment,  (faid  I)  I  mould  think,  at  nrft,  tho' 
afterwards  it  might  by  degrees  grow  up 
Into  ferious  Belief.  It  was  a  natural  Topic 
of  Panegyric,  to  fay  of  Ofiris  and  Ifis,  that 
they  had  been,-  as  it  were,  another  Sun 
and  Moon  to  Egypt-,  had  held  forth  in 
their  Conduct  a  kind  of  reflex  Image  of  the 
beneficent  Virtues  of  thoie  divine  Lumi 
naries.  I  am  fenfible  Companions  of  this 
Nature  will  not  relifh  in  our  modern  Days, 
as  having  been  the  (rale  Subject  of  Com 
pliment  to  confiderable  Perlbns  with  every 

cold 


:uu  eTriyuuv      evioiip      a<n    xxi 
xotTSt  rrj'j   &fy\)ii\tfH'    TIUHS    Je  aurwu    j(/,fv  o- 
^irx.^i'.v    TiJif    o'j^avj3»>*    xoti   zzr^WToy    psv 
cra*    TWU    >:ar'    Ai^uTrloy  o^awvy^cv  wroe. 
X&T  tvoavev  aerfu'    Diod.  Sic.  Lib.  X.  p.  12.13. 


(  53  ) 

cold  Invention  from  the  mod  diftant  Me 
mory.  Mr.  Addifon^  with  his  ufual  Deli 
cacy  of  Ridicule,  prettily  rallies  this  trite 
Style  of  panegyrizing,  in  his  fecond  Dia 
logue  of  the  Ufefulnefs  of  antient  Medals. 
"  There  is  fcarce  a  great  Man",  (fays  he) 
in  that  incomparably  entertaining  Piece, 
"  whom  the  Sun  has  fhone  upon,  that 
<£  has  not  been  compared  to  him.  I  look 
"  on  Similes  as  part  of  his  Productions.  I 
"  do  not  know,  whether  he  raifes  Fruits 
"  or  Flowers  in  greater  Number"  *.  But 
when  the  Simile  was  new,  Hortenfius,  it 
was  by  no  means,  I  think,  inelegant.  And 
the  confidering  our  Heroes  in  fuch  a  Cor- 
refpondency  of  Character,  as  is  here  fup- 
poied,  to  the  two  principal  Luminaries  of 
Heaven,  might  ealily  be  improved  into 
giving  them  a  local  Refidence  in  them,  as 
the  Reward  of  their  analogous  Services  to 

Egypt- 

YOUR  Fancy  is  not  amifs  (replied  Hor- 
tenfius)  though,  I  muft  own,  I  chufe  rather 
to  abide  by  my  own  Account  of  this  Mat 
ter.  The  Egyptians^  I  believe,  ufed  more 
the  Language  of  the  Eyes,  than  that  of 
the  Ears,  for  the  Vehicle  of  their  Heroes 
Praifes.  Their  Mode  of  panegyrizing  their 
deceafed  Benefactors  feems  rather  to  have 
been  a  kind  of  Dramatic  Reprefentation  of 
their  Services,  than  a  Rhetorical  Defcrip- 

tion 

*  Addifon's  Works,  4(0.  Ed.  Vol.  I.  p.  492. 


(54  ) 

tion  of  them.  To  fignify,  for  example, 
that  I/is  was  the  Inventreis  of  Bread-  corn 
in  Egyfif,  they  ufed  to  invoke  her  every 
Year  over  the  firft  Reapings  of  their  Har- 
veft  *.  And  in  their  devotional  Solemni 
ties  to  her  Honor  they  mewed  a  Specimen 
of  the  Grain  (he  had  difcovered  for  them, 
as  theRegifter  of  their  Obligations  to  her  up 
on  this  account  -f-.  In  the  fame  dramatic 
Turn  of  Thinking,  when  they  celebrated 
Annually  the  Obfequies  of  0//m,  they  car 
ried  about  a  Cheft,  the  Reprefentation  of 
their  Heroe's-Coffin  J  ;  as  alfo  certain  Sym 
bols  of  Hufbandry  and  Plantation,  to  fignify 
his  having  been  the  Introducer  of  thele 
ufeful  Arts  among  them  ||.  A  Cere 
mony  which  fubiiited  in  the  Rituals  of 

antient 


TWV 

xa^Trwy    TO    TT.po'jfAevov  Tyae   ainroi?   s%  u 

^XOU*     £TJ    'yOC.O    Y.OU    yt/'V,     XXTK    TOV  3-£Ol(7jU,oy,     TOUf    TTpW 

TOU?  Oif^ri^svTxg  <rrap£u?  S-ZVTOCI;  TOU?  av0cw7rouf,  XOTT 
TftrSai  •nrAixrtov  TOD  Spx.'ypcx.Tos,  xzi  TYTJ  Itriy  av« 
xaAno-Qat'  Diod.  Sic.  Bib.  Lib.  I.  p.  13. 

•f-    Hap'   tviciig    3s    TWV    TiroAfcov  KXI   rot;   ITEJOJ?   i 

T71    WCW-TDJ   ^UETa   TWV    aAAwV    (p£5£<r9at      TC'UiS/^El'a?      'CT'J 

pwy  x«i    xotS'&JV,    onrop,wfj.cx.-ra,  TWV    e^    acp£"0£  T^  ^s 

*       Diod.  loc.  cit. 

>tat  TO  J'civci/i'/j.evsv  auto;?  fjJw 

Ar/v  auS-pwsro'j  TE^v/pcorof  ey  xtSwTjw  7a-£ot!^£po/x£vc/v 
K  T  A.  PJut.  c!e  Ifid.  &  Of.  p.  357.  Kai  TW  I^ 


TV?.  £^o^<rav   xiSuTtcu,      Ibid.  p.  366. 

||  Tiie  Van,  and  the  Thyrfus  ufed  in  the  Bacchic 
Rites,  which  were  originally  the  Egyptian  ones  to 
Ofiris.  See  Flat,  de  Ilide  &  Of.  p.  3^4-5. 


( 

antient  Paganifm  to  its  lateft  Periods  ;  tho\ 
when  the  real  Intendment  of  it  was  thought 
advifeable  to  be  fuppreffed,  it  was  contrived 
to  refolve  it  into  a  myftical  one.  From  which 
dramatic  Manner  of  the  Egyptians  in  the 
chief  Offices  of  their  Heroic  Worfhip,  it 
came  to  pafs,  as  I  conceive,  that  all  the 
Capital  Services  of  the  antient  Heroic  Su- 
perftition  in  fuch  other  Pagan  Nations 
as  we  are  beft  acquainted  with,  were 
of  the  nature  of  a  Religious  Drama  ;  con- 
fifting  for  the  mod  part  of  certain  jjuu.*- 
fj.oc.Taj  J'enftble  Rcprefentations  of  particular 
more  remarkable  PaiTages  in  the  Hiftory 
and  Adventures  of  the  Patron  Hero  *.  Of 
this  kind,  for  example,  were  the  Rites 
performed  by  the  Phoenicians  to  Adonis  and 
Venus  ;  by  the  Phrygians  to  Attis  and 
Cybele  ;  the  Tbracians  to  Bacchus  j  the 
Cretans  to  Jupiter  j  the  Inhabitants  of 
Sam  of  brace  and  Lemnos  to  the  Dii  Cabiri  ; 

and 

'H  $£  TiAWo?  OTJOJ^O?  a$eX(n  y.y.\  'vvri  ou  TZTf- 


o'jr  ao'j?  xat   TOD? 
•zrAavaj  aurr?,    xxt    zroAAa    ^tr./    fo^a  <roJp»5i?,  »roA- 
Aa   J*f  auoja?     KAwifTioiv  uVoAa?ouff-a    xai 


uTrovoja?,   xat  jtxiju^ua  TWV  TOTS    Z7ix^]u£trwv  xas- 
J*      Plut.  de  If.  &  Of.  p.  361.    Trjy  ds  jU7]T£- 
pa  TOUTWW  (  HAto'j  xa;   SfA^vrj?)    TO-J?    oj^Aou?  S'EOV  rf 
ai    Bwjtxaf    »c?pii(rao'S«i,    xaj  ratj    ^<oj    TUB 
xat    xu^ujSaAwv  £Vf^£»«»f,  xai  TO»?  aAAoif- 
opiu.w(A£vov$  tot,  ft^i    ai)T»y  o-u^SavTa,  Su- 
<r»a?    xat   ra?   aAAa?   rtjW-a?  CLTrompW   Diod.    Sic. 
Bib.  Lib.  III.  p.  jgo.  191. 


(  56  ) 

and  by  the  People  of 'Sicily  znddtfica  to  the 
fame  divine  Perfons  under  the  more  diftin- 
guifhed  Appellations  of  Ceres,  Pluto,  and 
Proferpme. 

You  are  then  of  opinion  (interpofed  1) 
Hortenfius,  that  the  Mode  of  Worihip 
with  all  thefe  Countries  was  indeed  Egyp 
tian,  but  the  Objects  of  it  certain  of  their 
own,  local  Gods. 

I  AM  fo,  (refumed  he)  Philemon;  and 
the  general  Account  I  would  give  of  the 
matter  is  in  few  Words  this.  The  feveral 
Nations  we  are  here  fpeaking  of  were,  there 
is  great  Reafon  to  think,  at  different  times 
the  Seats  of  certain  originally  Egyptian  Colo 
nies.  Thefe  Colonies,  no  doubt,  carried 
along  with  them  the  Religion  of  their  Mo- 

O  C-' 

ther  Country  throughout  the  whole  Courfe 
of  their  Migrations  into  foreign  Parts.  The 
Rites  of  Ofiris  and  Ifis,  being  a  principal. 
Article  of  this  Religion,  would  of  conle- 
quence  be  punctually  obferved  by  them, 
wherever  they  might  chance  to  reiide  at 
the  ftated  Periods  of  their  Celebration.  Now 
thefe  Rites,  as  has  been  {hewn,  ran  much 
upon  the  dramatic  Strain.  A  Circumftance, 
which  would  naturally  draw  the  Attention 
of  fuch  foreign  Spectators  of  them,  amongfl 
whom  they  might  at  any  time  happen  to 
be  performed.  The  Novel  Appearance  of 

thefe 


(57  ) 

thefe  Solemnities  would  raife  a  ftrono;  Cu- 

O 

rioiity  in  their  Obfervers  to  know  what  was 
the  meaning  of  them.  And  being  told, 
that  the  Celebraters  of  them  came  from 
Egypt,  a  Country,  as  they  might  have  heard, 
much  famed  for  the  Wifdom  of  its  Infti- 
tutions ;  and  that  the  Defign  of  them  was 
to  do  Honor  to  certain  Egyptian  Gods,  by 
a  dramatic  Reprefentation  of  the  chief  Paf- 
fages  of  their  once  Mortal  Hiftory ;  they 
would  from  hence  probably  take  the  Hint 
of  this  Religious  Mimickry  themlelves,  and 
dramatize,  if  one  may  fo  call  it,  after  the 
Egyptian  Mode,  in  the  Worfhip  of  their 
own  national  Divinities. 

BUT  how  (faid  I)  do  you  reconcile 
this  Account  of  things,  Hortenjlus,  which 
you  have  been  here  giving,  with  what 
you  obferved  fome  time  ago,  of  the  an- 
tient  Hiftorians  being  unanirnaufly  agreed, 
that  as  well  the  chief  Gods,  as  Worthip  of 
Paganifm,  came  originally  from  Egypt  ? 

I  AM  not  aware  (returned  he)  Philemon, 
that  I  have  any  fuch  Aikrtion  as  this  to  aiv 
fwer  for.  What  I  obferved  to  you  upon  the 
Teftimony  of  the  antientHiftorians  was,  ttat 
the  Egyptians  were  efteemed  the  firfl  of 
Mankind  whoiifed  the  Jacred  Names ,  ruv 
Sreuv  oyofjiacToc,  or,  as  it  is  elfewhere  exprefled 
by  the  fame  Author,  (Herodotus]  the 
I 


(  58  ) 

s,  ufual  characleriftic  Appellations 
under  which  the  Pagans  vvorfhipped  moil 
of  their  chief  Gods  *  ;  and  who  did  more 
over,  as  Luclan  tells  usr  relate  fayovs  ip»vs 
*f  Hiftories  of  Divine  Perfons.  "  And 
this  they  might  very  naturally  be  in  -as- 
much  as  they  were  a  People  policied,  and 
accommodated  with  the  more  neceffary 
Arts  of  Life,  (the  Inventors  whereof  they 
had  characleriftically  deified  for  their  Re- 
compence)  from  the  molt  diftant  Memory 
of  things  in  Pagan  Antiquity.  But  it  will 
by  no  means  follow,  that,  becaufe  the  Egyp 
tians  were  for  the  moft  part  the  original 
Proprietors  of  the  received  CbaraStenftic 
Appellations  of  the  chief  Pagan  Gods,  they 
were  fo  likewise  of  their  feveral  Perfons  ; 
Thefe  Appellations  being  rather  fpecifk  than 
individual  ;  Titles,  as  one  may  fay,  of  Office, 
not  merely  Names  of  Men;  and  what  might 
therefore  be  applied  in  common  to  different 
Perfons,  who  in  different  Ages  and  Coun 
tries  of  the  Pagan  World  had  acted  under 
a  competent  Analogy  of  Hiftoric  Character-)-. 

To 


xat    'EAATjvaf  9rap<*  <r^fw!/ 
£EJV.       Herod.  Lib.  II.  cap.  4. 

f  Nam  Joves  plures  in  prifcis  Grsecorum  literis 
invenimus.  ap.  Cic.  de  Nat.  Deorum  Lib.  3.  cap.  16. 
Volcaci  item  Complures.  ibid.  cap.  22.  Mercurius 
unus  Coelo  patre,  Die  Matre  naeus.  Alter  Valentia 
ct  Coronidis  Filius.  Tertius  Jove  tertio  natus  et 
JVIaja.  Quartus  Nilo  patre.  Quintus,  quem  cotunt 


f  59) 

To  illuftrate  this  Matter,  Philemon,  by  a 
particular  Inftance — One  of  the  Chara&e- 
riftic  Appellations  under  which  the  Egyp 
tians  deified  their  favourite  Goddefs  IJis^ 
was  that  which  the  Greeks  have  pretty 
nearly  preferved  to  us  in  their  Demeter, 
and  anfwers  in  our  Language  to  the  Mother 
of  Plenty  *.  The  Reafon  of  giving  this 
Appellation  to  her  was  her  having  taught 
the  Egyptians  the  Art  of  fowing  their 
I  2  Lands. 

Pheneatse,  qui  /Egyptiis  dicitur  Leges  et  Literas  tra- 

didifle.  ibid.  cap.  22.     Dianre  item  pJures Venus 

Prirna  Ccelo  et  Die  nata.  Altera  Spuma  procreata. 
Tertia  Jove  nata  et  Diona.  Quarta  Syria  Tyroque 
concepta,  qua?  Aftarte  vocatur,  quam  Adonidi  nup- 
fifle  proditum  eft — Minerva  prima,  quam  Apolltnis 
Matrem  fupra  diximus.  Secunda  orta  Ni!o  quam 
/Egypt  ii  Saitoe  colunt.  T'ertia  ilia,  quam  Jove  gene 
ra  tarn  fupra  diximus.  Quarta  Jove  nata  et  Cory* 
phe.  Qiiinta  Pallantis  >ilia,  5cc.  De  Nat.  Deor. 
Lib.  3.  cap.  23.  Jupiter  igitur  general!  Regum 
omnium  nomine  accipitur.  Voff.  de  Orig.  &  P-'og. 
Idololatriae,  Lib.  I.  cap.  14.  Poftea  tot  prope  Nep- 
tuni,  quot  Principes  Infulares:  quod  ex  Poetarum 
fabulis,  fi  ad  hiftoriam  eas  referamus,  non  obfcure 
cogncfcitur.  Ac  prseter  iftos  et  Continenti  fuere 
Neptuni  fui:  in  his  principes,  qui  arte  equeftri  excel-. 
Icrcnt.  VofT.  Lib.  I.  cap.  15,  Saturnos  didlos,  qui 
nobilium  Regum  Vetuftiffimi  condiderunt  Urbcs  et 
Populos.  Ac  proinde  non  unum  fed  Plures  fuifle 
Saturnos  ;  quorum  Patres  Coeli,  Filii  vero  Joves. 

Nomina   igitur  hsec  fuerunt   dignitatis Analogs, 

potius  quam  ^iquivoca.  Xen.  de  Equivoc.  ap.  Kirch. 
CEd.  /Egypt.  Vol.  i.  p.  180.  Hinc  tot  Coeli,  Sa- 
turni,  Joves,  Kercules,  Rhe3e,Tellures,VefTae,  Juno- 
iaes,  ob  facinorum  quae  perpetrarunt  Similitudinem. 
Kirch.  CEd.  Agypt.  p.  180,  181. 
*  Dimitir. 


(60 

Lands.  Some  Ages  afterwards  Ceres,  hav 
ing  dene  the  fame  thing  to  the  People  of 
Attica  in  Greece,  when  me  came  to  be 
deified  there,  went  under  the  fame  common 
Denomination  with  the  'Egyptian  Ifis.  And 
this  is  what  the  Greek  Writers  mean,  when 
they  fpeak  of  Ifis  and  Ceres  as  the  fame 
Goddefs  *.  Not  perfonally  fuch  to  be  fure, 
for  in  this  refpedt,  their  Hiftories,  as  re 
lated  by  the  fame  Writers,  put  a  notorious 
Difference  between  them  -f-  :  But  merely 
(to  fay  nothing  here  of  their  united  Phyjical 
Characters  in  Antiquity)  in  a  'Theological 
Conception  of  them  ;  as  being  worshipped 
by  the  different  Countries  in  which  they 
lived  upon  the  fame  common  Reafons  of 
Apotheofis  ;  the  one,  as  has  been  already 
obferved,  having  introduced  into  Attica, 
what  the  other  had  before  into  Egypt,  the 
three  invaluable  Bleffings  of  Corn,  Property, 
and  Lcgiflation.  S  o 

*  Jr.?  cc  £<TTI  X.OITX  Try  EAAvjvw./  'yXuvvotv  Afl- 
p'f-'f,%.  Herod.  Lib.  II.  cap.  59.  K>.»  TO-J  fj.iv  Or 
<rr.iv  §a.n  [A&tpfj.ifJt'JOfJ.E'jm  fivai  AiGi/UffW,  rr,y  Si  I- 
<su  s"y&<7Tx  iru?  &r,y.r,Tcx.-j.  Diod.  Sic.  Lib.  I.  p.  13. 


f-x-j  pr,    e-sjxy.vw    £U«ty    rw 

aj     £X    Ti.'V     KU.TZ     TY.'J      A.WIW     XOaT'/!pi,"j     OfjXy(Z~ 

),    £7r£A6fn/  £?Ti    TroAAa  M.£p»)  T*;;    ctJisyafvr;?'     Twv 
Qauiruv   TO-J?    ^aAi<rr«  Ta'^mj    TrpoT^cZx.^?*;  fj- 


TO 


Died.  Sic.  Lib.  5.  p.  288.  The  Diftrefles  we  '  find, 
gt  Crr^  were  wholly  occafioned  by  the  Rape  of  a 
favorite  Daughter  ;  Whereas  thofe  of  Ifis  were  all 
upon  account  of  the  Murder  of  her  H-ufbamJ. 


f  61  ) 

So  that  upon  the  whole  (faid  I)  the 
frrwupiai,  or  Head-Characters  only,  of  the 
Heroic-Theology  of  the  Greeks,  was  all  that 
was  properly  Egyptian  ;  the  Subjects  of  the 
Apotheofis  with  them  being  no  other,  for 
the  moft  part,  than  fuch  of  their  own 
Heroes,  who  had  taught  them  the  firft 
fimpler  Arts  and  Accommodations  of  Life. 


UNLESS  (returned  he)  to  their 
logic-Characters  borrowed,  as  we  fay,  from 
their  fynonymous  Egyptian  Predeceffors  in 
the  Apotheofis,  we  may  add  fometimes  a 
few  Circumftances  of  Hiftory  derived  to 
them  from  the  fame  Quarter.  For  the 
Greeks,  we  know,  were  not  over-nice  in 
the  Chronology  of  their  Heroic-Divinities  5 
but  in  order  to  do  honor  to  their  Reputa 
tion  would  plunder  any  Age  or  Country 
for  the  Materials  of  it  *.  In  the  mean 
time,  to  return  once  more  to  the  f  acred  Af  - 
fairs  of  Egypt  —  The  Dcmonijm,  as  has  been 
related,  of  OJiris  and  IJis,  or  in  other 
Words  their  pofthumous  Superintendence 
over  the  Interefts  of  their  Country,  being 
once  believed  and  eftablimed  there  ;  a  like 
Perfuafion  would  foon  come  to  obtain  of 

fuch 

*  Hie  enim  veterutn  mos  erat,  quo  magis  admi- 
randae  eflent  Virtuteseorum  quos  in  Decs  retuliflent, 
varios  Eximix  Virtutis  in  unum  conflare,  unique 
omnium  Gefta  attribuere,  quod  difficile  non  erat  in 
rebus  ab  yEtate  fua  remotis,  et  geftis  in  Terra  longe 
diflitis.  VofT.  deOrig.  et  Prog.  Idol.  Lib.  i.  cap.  19. 


(  62  ) 

fuch  other  departed  Perfons,  as  had  been 
of  any  confiderable  Eminence  in  their  Ge 
nerations.  And  Death,  as  we  have  ieen  in 
the  Cafe  of  their  two  principal  Heroes,  be 
ing  looked  upon  by  the  Egyptians  as  a 
Change  of  Scene  only,  not  of  Manners  or 
Diipolition ;  hence  it  became  a  general 
Practice  with  them  to  deify  their  favorite 
Dead  under  that  particular  Character  of 
Ufefulncjl  which  they  had  furTained  whilft 
living.  And  accordingly  the  ieveral  deified 
Inventors  of  the  more  neceffary  Arts  of 
Life  were  confidered  by  them  after  their 
D^ccafe  as  the  efpecial  Patron  Gods  of  their 
own  perfonal  Inventions,  As  in  the  Cafe. 
of  tine  Egyptian  Vulcan^  Vefla,  Diana, 
Mercury  and  almoft  every  other  principal 
Character  of  the  Heroic  Divinity;  except 
ing  that  of  Neptune,  as  Herodotus  feems  to 
have  thought  ;  a  Deity,  to  whom  from  their 
religious  Averfion  to  the  Sea,  and  being,  in 
the  ttrft  Settlement  of  their  Empire  at  leaft, 
no  great  Sailors,  they  gave  little  or  no  Share 
of  their  devout  Regards.  And  indeed  ib 
prevailing  was  the  Opinion  with  them,  of 
the  chief  Qualities  of  the  Hero  fubfilling 
in  the  Demon,  that  even  Typbon  himfelf 
had  by  this  means  a  Place  in  their  Syftem 
of  Deity ;  the  Egyptians^  tho'  they  hated 
his  Memory,  yet  dreading  his  Malice,  and 
accordingly  indeavoring  to  divert  or  appeafe 
it  by  fuch  deprecatory  Rites  of  Worlhip, 

as 


as  they  conceived  moil  fuitable  to  the 
pofed  peftilent  Humor  of  this  miichievous 
Divinity. 

'Ti  s  upon  thefe  Grounds  (laid  I)  Hor- 
tenfms,  as  I  fuppofe,  that  the  Antients  have 
been  led  to  exprefs  their  Idea  of  SuperfHtion 
under  the  Word  £eiyi£ctip.ovi<x,  difidemc- 
«///;/,  as  we  may  call  it,  or  the  unreafon- 
able  and  extravagant  Fear  of  Demons. 

UNDOUBTEDLY;  (replied he)  and  when 
you  confider,  Philemon,  that  the  Heroic 
Apotheofis  with  the  antient  Pagans  was 
indeed  nothing  more,  than  tranflating  in 
any  particular  Inftance  the  human  CharaSler 
into  the  Divine  one  j  you  will  from  hence 
eafily  obferve,  that  as  well  the  Faults,  as 
Excellencies,  of  every  fuch  Character,  would 
naturally  accompany  the  Proprietor  of  it 
into  his  Deified^  or  Demon-State ;  and  the 
Imperfections  of  the  Man  make  a  Part  of 
the  Idea  of  the  God.  From  which  low 
and  groveling  Conception  of  their  Divinities, 
fuch  abject  and  illiberal  Services  mull  of 
courfe,  with  all  weaker  and  more  devout 
Tempers  efpecially,  enter  into  the  Worship 
of  them,  that  one  cannot  wonder  the  An 
tients  Ihould  make  that  their  Head  Charac 
ter  of  falfe  Practice  in  Religion,  which 

O  * 

they  would  neceflarily  find  to  be  one  of  the 

capital 


(  64  ) 

capital  Sources  of  it ;  Dijidemonifmy  as  yoiw 
Expreffion  is,  or  an  anxious  Sollicitude  to 
pleafe  certain  fuppofed  Demon  Powers. 

Now  we  are  upon  this  Subject  (inter 
rupted  I)  Hctrtenfius,  there  is  a  favorite 
PafTage  of  mine  in  Lucian's  Treatife  of 
Sacrifices,  which  owes,  I  have  often  thought, 
its  chief  Force  and  Elegancy  to  a  kind  of 
Ltijus  upon  this  antient  Character  of  Su- 
perftition.  <£  There  is  fcarce  any  Man, 
"  (lays  the  Author)  to  be  met  with,  I 
"  mould  imagine,  fo  thorowly  difinclined 
"  to  Mirth,  but  muft  be  provoked  to  laugh 
"  at  fome  of  the  popular  Ceremonies  of 
"  Religion.  But  before  he  would  venture 
"  to  laugh  in  a  Subject  fuppofed  fo  ferious, 
"  he  would  be  apt  to  afk  himfelf,  whether 
"  it  really  was  fitch  ?  and  whether  the 
<c  Zealots  in  thele  unworthy  Sacra  could 
*c  deferve  to  be  called  guo-e£$K,  Pious  Per- 
fc  fons^  or  were  not  more  properly,  S-go/s 
<C  ZX^PM*  ^at  JcaxocTaijU-otas  ?  riot  in 
an  atfive  Uie  of  the  Words  here,  as  his 
Tranflator  coldly  reprefents  him,  <c  Diis 
<c  inimicos,  atque  infelices  ac  Genios  Ma- 
<c  los ;"  but  in  a  much  more  emphatical 
and  paj/ivt?  one-,  "  Perfons  under  the  Dif- 
<c  pleafure  and  judicial  Infatuation  of  the 
<c  Gods,  rather  than  ingaged  in  the  Wor- 
of  them ",  or,  as  we  might  fay, 

<l  Demo- 


(  65  ) 

tf  Demoniacs  inftead  of  Demoni/ls  in  the 
tf  Offices  of  their  Devotion."  For  this  I 
take  to  be  the  true  Idea  of  the  Place  ; 
which  I  the  rather  incline  to  elpoufe,  as  it 
gives  a  more  pointed  and  ludicroufly  fatiric 
Turn  to  the  whole  Sentiment,  agreably  to 
the  known  Manner  of  this  witty  and  fcep- 
tical  Writer  *. 

K  YOUR 


:      A  |W,£y  yxp      £y     T«IC    SwtCUJ'     OJ 

TOIKTI,   xat  TOCIS  looT«i?,    xat  7roo<ro^&ij   TWV 
ot,    atTOUfn,     xoti    a,   fv^oyrat,   x^t    a 
oux  «»Ja,   ft  TJ?  OUTU 

O'J 


Trpo,    e«UTW  E^Erairft,     Trorgaov  £U(r£|3ft5  «!>- 

TOU?  ^J)    JC«A5i'J,     »  TO'JVai/TJOV  ^£0^    ^6^0L»f,     X£t   X«- 
lJ/c     OUTW     T«7T£JVO^     XXt       aJ^£i/£?      TO   3"£jOy 

WOT*  ftvat  atScwTrwu  £V^££f.  xat  xoAa- 
«<,  xa»  aj'scvaxlfiy  oi^s^ov^svov  ;  Lu- 
cian  de  Sacrificiis,  p.  182.  Edit.  Bourd.  —  Compare 
with  this  Pafiage  from  Lucian  the  following  ones 
from  Arijlopbanes. 


&not.      In  Nub,  p.  160.  Edit.  Bifet. 
Blepfid.       Mwu    o-j    >i£^AoCpa?,      aAA     fyftOtis& 
Chremyl.  K*xoJlKtjU,OB«f.  In  Plut.  p.  40. 
Chremyl.      '.Q?  /x£»   '/^o    vvy   iiji/ju  o    Bio?  rot? 


Tt?    ay     oux    JIJ/OIT'  ftvat  jt*avifltv, 
In  Plut.  p.  52. 

I 


(  66  ) 

YOUR  Correction  here,  (refumed  Hor~ 
tenjius)  may  very  probably  be  a  juft  one  ; 
the  Thought  is  certainly  improved  by  it. 
Bat  at  prefent  we  have  other  Affairs  upon 
our  hands,  than  critical  Difquifitions.  We 
have  already,  you  know,  .confidered  the 
fame  Tkeologic  -Character  as  fubfifting  in 
very  different  Perfons  ;  let  us  now,  in  paf- 
fing,  turn  the  Tables  a  while,  and  confider 
the  Jame  Perfon,  as  fometimes  vefted  with 
very  different  Tbeologic-Cbaratiers.  We 
have  the  Teflimony  of  Plutarch,  that  the 
Minerva  of  Sais  in  Egypt,  where  was  her 
Temple,  you  know,  with  the  fo  much 
famed  Inscription,  was  efteemed  to  be  the 
fame  Perfon  with  IJis  *.  And  we  are  told 
by  Herodotus,  that  the  chief  Feflival  of 
this  Minerva  was  that  of  the  Xu%voK<x.iny 
the  Feftival  of  Lamps  ;  celebrated  by  a 
public  Illumination  of  the  City  of  Sais  by 
VefTels  of  lighted  Oil  -J-..  If  we  lay  thefe 
Qbfervations  together,  and  withal  recollect 
what  has  been  remarked  of  the  generally 
dramatic  Turn  of  the  Egyptian  Sacra,  we 
mall  perhaps  find  Reafon  to  conclude,  that 
the  Minerva  we  are  fpeaking  of  was  only 
JJis  under  a  more  detached  and  particula 

rized 


*   To    cT  ev  Sa<   T> 

Ej^W      fJUf      K*    T 


JPiut.  de  If.  &  Of.  p.  354. 

f  Vide  Herod,  Lib.  II.  cap.  62. 


67 

rized  Idea  of  her ;  as  the  Perfon  who  taught 
the  Egyptians  the  Plantation  of  the  Olive 
Tree,  and  the  ufe  of  Oil  for  Artificial 
Lights  to  fupply  the  Abfences  of  the  Sun. 
And  as  I/is  is  thus  abundantly  confirmed  to  us 
to  have  been  the  Minerva  of  the  Egyptians^ 
I  have  fometimes  been  inclined  to  fufpect 
fhe  was  their  Venus  like  wife.  Herodotus, 
Diodorus  Siculus,  and  Plutarch  all  agree  to 
inform  us,  that  the  Egyptians  were  no 
Strangers  to  this  Goddefs.  Plutarch  repre- 
fents  her  as  the  Wife  of  TypbonJ  But  had 
fhe  really  flood  in  this  Relation  to  a  Per 
fon  fo  generally  hated  in  Egypt,  the  Egyp 
tians^  I  am  apt  to  think,  would  hardly 
have  afforded  her  fo  mild  a  Character  of 
Divinity^  as  is  here  fuppofed.  I  am  rather 
therefore  for  confidering  Venus^  as  I  have 
faid,  as  the  divine  Character  of  Ifis,  in 
quality  of  the  great  Mother  of  her  Country ; 
or  as  the  Perfon,  who  by  her  Affiftance  to 
Ofiris  in  forming  the  Egyptians  into  So 
ciety,  and  giving  them  falutary  Laws  and 
Difcipline,  had  laid  the  Grounds  and  Foun 
dation  of  their  national  Strength  and  Popu- 
loufnefs  :  As,  in  the  fame  way  of  Think 
ing,  her  Hufband,  I  perfuade  myfelf,  was 
confidered  by  the  Egyptians,  as  the  leather 
of  his  Country,  in  the  obfcene  Ceremony 
of  the  Phallephoria  ;  a  Practice  probably, 
in  its  firfl  Inftitution,  emblematically  com 
memorative  of  Ofiris,  the  great  Founder  of 
K  2  the 


(68  ) 

the  Egyptian  Polity,  under  this  diftinguifhed 
Notion  or  Regard  *. 

Is  then  (faid  I)  the  chafl  and  continent 
I/is,  the  very  Model,  as  {he  is  ufually  re- 
prefented,  of  conjugal  Affection  and  Fide 
lity,  reduced  at  laft  to  the  Diflblutenefs  of 
a  Venus^  one  of  the  loofcft  Characters  in 
all  Sacred  Antiquity,  and  chief  Scandals  of 
Religious  Paganifm? 

POSSIBLY  (returned  he)  the  Character 
might  not  originally  be  fo  fcandalous  as 
you  feem  to  apprehend.  How  do  you 
know,  but  the  more  difreputable  Parts  of 
it  may  have  been  the  Additions  of  After- 
Ages,  and  owing  to  the  Mifconducts  of 
ibme  later  Subjects  of  it,  than  the  Perfon 
we  are  at  prefent  concerned  with  ?  thor, 
mould  you  infill  upon  it  after  all,  Phile 
mon,  that  a  certain  Mixture  of  Intrigue  is 
abfolutely  neceflary  to  the  Idea  of  a  Venus  ^ 
a  Critic  in  Reputations  might,  for  aught  I 
know,  find  Grounds  of  Sufpicion  even 
againfl  Ifis  herfelf.  This  at  leaft  is  pretty 
remarkable  in  her  Hifiory,  that  during  the 
Abfence  of  OJirh  from  his  Kingdom,  a 
Seafon,  one  would  think,  of  all  others  the 
fitten:  for  a  Rebellion  againfr.  him  to  break 

out 


o'j  A.io;vcrov  TOIUO^OC,    xzi  rnu 
w  TOU  tpaAA&y.      Herod.  Lib.  II.  cap.  144.. 


(  69) 

out  in,  we  hear  nothing  of  Typhon  and  feis 
Faction.  All,  it  feems,  went  well  and 
peaceably  in  Egypt,  fo  long  as  I/is  was  the 
fupreme  Manager  there  *.  Might  not  one 
be  tempted  to  fufpect  here,  that  the  Charms 
of  her  Perfon  were  the  Security  of  her 
Government  ?  and  that  Love  was  the  great 
foothing  Power  which  could  thus  effectually 
compoie  the  reftlefs.  Turbulency  of  Ambi 
tion?  a  Sufpicion,  which  is  increafed  by 
what  Plutarch  reports  to  us,  of  the  un- 
juftifiable  Partiality  of  I/is  towards  lypbon, 
even  after  his  having  been  the  Murderer  of 
O/irhi  when,  upon  Horus^s  delivering  hfm 
up  to  her  as  his  Captive,  me  was  prevailed 
upon  to  give  him  his  Liberty  -j~.  You  fee, 
Philemon  y  there  is  need  of  fome  Candor 
to  believe,  that  even  the  continent  Ifisy  as 
you  call  her,  was  wholly  proof  againft  cer 
tain  tender  Failings  ;  and,  however  affec 
tionate  me  is  reprefented  to  have  been  to 
the  Memory  of  her  Hufband,  had  not  taken 
fome  modifli  Freedoms  in  his  Life-  time. 

BUT 


TO  TW  Iciv   fj    Atzhcx,  (-jXarlia-QM    KCU    Tzroeo-fEjv    ef- 


PJut.  de  If.&  Of.  p  356. 

"|"    TV;  (afy  ovv    jW.«p^iiu    fTr 
crfiaj,    xat  xp2mi<7»i  rov  'fl^ov  TCV  TvQuvx  oe 
ovx  ayjAeiv,   «AA»   x 

•/.*.!. 


(70  ) 

BUT  the  Egyptians  (faid  I)  I 
were  not  over-fcrupulous  in  Chambers: 
or  at  leaft  their  Gratitude  was  too  ftrong 
for  their  Cenforioufnefs  ;  and  they  could 
eafily  overlook  a  few  Slips  in  Conduct,  in 
a  Perfon  of  Ifis's  extraordinary  Ufefulnefs 
and  Beneficence. 

I  S  E  E  (refumed  he)  Philemon,  you  are 
no  Friend  to  I/is  in  the  Capacity  of  a  Venus  ; 
I  will  therefore  change  the  Scene  for  you, 
and  introduce  her  to  your  Acquaintance 
under  a  Character,  you  will  probably  have 
lefs  Exception  to,  that  of  the  Egyptian 
Rhea,  or  Mother  of  the  Gods.  The  Man 
ner  of  reprefenting  this  Divine  Perfonage  in 
a  neighbouring  Country  to  Egypt  ,  was,  as 
we  learn  from  Lucian  in  his  Account  of 
the  Goddefs  of  Hierapolis  in  Syria,  under 
the  Image  of  a  Woman  wearing  a  Turret, 
or  Crown  refembling  the  Fafhion  of  a 
Tower,  upon  her  Head  j  and  fupported  by 
Lions*.  Virgil's  Cybeley  you  know,  is 
alfo  turrita^  and  feated  in  a  Chariot  drawn, 
we  are  to  fuppofe,  by  the  fame  kind  of 

Ani- 


Jf   ' 


OV   OU 


TO  B*tr*A£io-/      Plut.  de  Ifid.  &  Of.  p.  358. 

* 


ff     tj 

5/afl  jitiv  (peooufl"*,  xat  ETTI  TIJ  Hc^p«A>j  •mio'yo- 
(pop££t,  oxoinu  Psw  AV^<"  WOIOIKTJ.  Lucian.  de  Syr. 
Deap.  1062. 


Animals  *.  Whoever  was  the  ibid:  Per- 
fbnal  Subject  of  this  Reprefentation,  I  can 
not  help  being  of  Opinion,  the  Thought  of 
it,  as  one  may  fay,  was  altogether  Egyp 
tian  :  And  that  the  Turret  and  Lions  were 
Emblems  firft  made  uie  of  in  Egypt,  as 
often  as  I/is  was  confidered  there  as  a  Pa- 
tronefs  of  Building  and  political  Aflbcia- 
tion  ;  one  very  important  Confequence 
whereof  to  Mankind  was,  either  taming 
the  Fiercenefs,  or  guarding  againft  the  In 
juries,  of  the  more  dangerous  Species  of 
Wild  Beafts.  That  {he  fhould  be  ftyled  a 
Mother  of  Gods  can  be  no  Myftery,  if  we 
refledt  that  fhe  feems  to  have  led  the  Way 
in  thofe  Inventions  of  more  civilized  Life, 
which  gave  the  firft  Grounds  of  Apotheofis 
to  their  feveral  reputed  Authors.  Not  to 
add,  that  fome  of  thefe  Deifted  Ar tills 
were  probably  in  a  literal  Senie  her  Chil 
dren.  So  that  the  Idea  which  Ifis  gives  of 
hcrfelf  to  Lucius  in  jdpukius,  upon  his  ad- 
:  dreffing  her  to  reftore  him  to  his  Humanity, 
has  poffibly  a  great  deal  of  Theological, 
though  but  little  Hiftoric  Truth  in  it ; 
wfreja  fhe  tolls  him,  "  She  is  that  God- 
'•'  defs,  whom  all  Nations  worfhip  under 
<e  different  Views  of  her  Character.  That 
<c  the  original  Natives  of  Phrygia  called  her 
"  Pejfimmtica,  and  the  Mother  of  the 

<c  Gods. 

* Qualis  Berecynthia 

Invehitur  Curru  Phrygias  tti.rrita  per  Urbes 
Deura  Parta« 


" 


Gods.  Thoie  of  Attica^fas,  Cecropian 
Minerva,  The  People  of  Cyprus.,  the 
c:  FenustfPaphos.  Thofe  of  Crete,  Diana 
"  DiffymWj  or  the  Inventrefs  of  the  Hunt- 
"  ing-Net.  TY&Siciliam^Proferpine.  The 
"  Eleufmians  ,  Ce  res.  Others,  ,juno.  Others, 
"  Bellcna.  Thofe,  Hecate.  Theie,  Rham- 
*.c  mifia.  But  the  Egyptians  only  had  her  true 
"  Name,whicb  was  that  o£  the  0%ueen  Ifis*  " 
To  coijflder  her  again,  Pbikmon^  under 
which  her  more  afcertained  Appellation  —  , 
We  left  her,  you  know,  in  her  departed 
or  Demon-ilate,  removed  by  the  fond  Gra 
titude  of  her  Survivors  from  Earth  to  Hea 
ven,  and  reading  in  their  Imaginations  in 
the  Orb  of  the  Moon  ;  vvhilft  the  Soul  of 
OJiris  was  received,  it  was  conjeclured, 
into  that  of  the  Sun.  Afterwards,  when 
tire  Egyptians  had  applied  themfeJves  to 
aflronomical  Obiervations,  and  it  was  re 
marked  by  them,  that  the  Heliacal  riling 
of  the  Star  Sot.bisy  which  the  Greeks  called 
by  the  Name  of  Aflrocyon^  or  the  Dog-Star, 
uivvays  preceded,  and  ieemed,  as  it  were, 

to 

*  Cujus  numen  unicum  muk'forrai  Specie,  ritu 
vario,  totus  vencratur  orbis.  Me  primigenii  Phry- 
ges  Peinnunticam  .nominant  Deum  Matrem.  Hinc 
Antofthones  Attici  Cecropiam  Mineivam.  Illinc 
fiu£luantes  Cyprii  Paphiam  Venerem.  Crates  Sagit- 
tiferi  Diftymiiam  Dianam.  Siculi  trilingucs  Stygiam 
Proferpinam.  Eleufmii  Vetuftam  Deam  Cererem. 
Junonem  alii.  Bellonam  alii.  Hccatem  ifti.  Rham- 
jiufiam  illi.  Egyptii  vero  nomine  appellant  Regi- 
r.am  Indem.  Apul.  Met.  Lib.  11.  prop.  Init. 


(  73  ) 

to  announce  to  them,the  approaching  annual 
Increafe  of  their  Nile,  they  made  IJis  the 
Compliment  of  fuppofing  her  to  refide  in 
Sotbis,  as  well  as  in  the  Moon  ;  and  to  be  the 
influencing  Caufe  of  that  kind  Admonition, 
which  they  yearly  received  from  this  ufe- 
ful  Luminary  *.  Diodoru*  informs  us, 
that  fome  of  the  antient  Greek  Mytholo- 
gifts  called  Ofiris  by  the  Name  of  Sirius, 
or  the  Dog  Star  ;  from  whence  'tis  not  im 
probable,  but  the  Egyptians  had  given  him, 
as  well  as  his  Confort,  a  Part  in  the  good 
Offices  of  this  their  Celeftial  Monitor  -j-. 
And  in  general,  we  may  obferve  here  once 
for  all,  that  the  Deification  of  the  antient 
Heroes  ufually  parTed  under  the  Notion  of 
their  inhabiting  particular  Stars  J;  whofc 
L  Names 

*  Ln?  Si  T£XO  auroij  ETTIV  atm^a,  AtyuTrfjOTt 
xaAcvjtxEvof  Sa^j?,  EAX*)VWTJ  St  Aoritxuuy'  Horap. 
Hierogl.  Lib.  i.  Hierog.  3.  Asywinv  ol  Ispstg  xx~ 
AfjcrOat  Kova  |W£i>  TT/V  l<nfog  (vp'^rv)  uV  'EAA^vwv,  JTT* 
Aiywirltuv  &  2w9w  Plut.  delf.  &  Of.  p.  359.  'Orc- 
apa  71  jUfy  auarf  A^EJ  TO  ourrpov  o  xvwv,  (n-'vavijr^ej  ap* 
J'f  aurw  rpcTTcv  TIVX  KXI  o  NfiAo?,  xaj  «yap£etTa» 
ty^i  ra?  otgo-jgots.  JElian.  Hifl.  Animal.  Lib.  X. 

Cap.   45.        TwV   T£     Ctfl-TfpWV   TOW  (TflpJOV  IfTtJof  VOUt^O'-O-J, 

J^SK^^ov  ovra'      Plut.  de  If.  &  Of.  p.  366. 

"|"  Twu  Je  TffOO  'EAArjffjy  -zc-aAajwy  jW.uS'oAoJ'wv  Ti- 
»f?  roy  Oirtpty  (Tfjpidv  tKnofAizlwffi'  Diod.  Sic.  Bib. 
Lib.  I.  pag.  ii. 

£  Cb  ]wovov  Jg  ro'JTwy  ot  /ipct?  At^cucrty,  aAAa  x.«4 
Twy  aAAwy  ^fwy  rx  j-iv  (rwara  ura;o  ««T8i;  X€i<r9dft 


«(TTP«.       Plut.  de  If.  &  Of.  p.  359. 


(  74  ) 

Names  they  from  thenceforth  took  them- 
felves,  and  often  returned  the  Favour  in 
kind,  by  giving  them  their  own  perfonal 
ones,  whilft  upon  Earth,  in  requital.  And 
thus  Hero-worfhip  became  as  k  were  in 
grafted  upon  Luminary- worfhip  ;  which  in 
time  produced  frequently,  as  will  here 
after  be  explained,  fuch  a  total  Confufion 
of  the  civil,  with  the  natural  Gods  of  the 
antient  Pagans,  as  to  make  it  extremely 
difficult  to  determine  with  any  Degree  of 
Satisfaction  to  onefelf  what  Part  of  their 
religious  Ritual  had  relation  to  one  Sort  of 
Divinities,  and  what  to  the  other.  Of 
which  no  one  can  want  a  fufficient  Con 
viction,  who  will  be  at  the  pains  of  in 
forming  himfelf,  with  what  puzzled  Induf- 
try  VoJfiuS)  and  other  learned  Writers  upon 
the  Theology  of  the  Antients,  have  labored 

in  this  imbarafled  Subject. But  here, 

Philemon^  let  me  prepare  you  a  little  for  a 
very  confiderable  Change  of  Scene,  which 
in  the  Courfe  of  our  Speculation  you  are 
now  to  expect  from  me.  Inafmuch  as, 
from  having  carried  up  your  Thoughts  to 
the  celeftial  Regions,  as  the  happy  Reli- 
dence  of  the  departed  Ofiris,  and  I/is,  I  am 
next  to  bring  you  acquainted  with  them 
under  a  Conception  more  degrading,  than 
even  their  late  human  State  ;  1  mean, 
<c  as  inhabiting  the  Forms  of  certain 
"  Brute-Animals,  fomeof  the  leafl  honor- 

"  able, 


(75  ) 

*c  able,  and  reptile  Species  themfelves,   in 
"  time  not  excepted  *." 

A  CHANGE  of  Scene,  (interpofed  I)  it 
i-nuft  be  owned,  not  a  little  disadvantageous 
this  to  the  Parties  concerned  in  it.  But 
whatever  Objections  they  might  have  to 
make  to  fuch  a  reduced  Situation  of  Divi 
nity,  I  affure  you  I  have  none  to  attending 
them  in  it ;  as  it  promifes  to  lead  you  into 
the  Article  of  the  Symbolic-Theology  of 
the  Egyptians;  under  which  Head,  you 
know,  you  are  to  let  me  a  little  into  the 
general  Notion  of  their  celebrated  Hiero 
glyphics.  A  Point,  I  am  impatient  to  have 
you  fpeak  to. 

As  far  (replied  he)  as  we  have  at  prefent 
any  concern  with  this  Matter,  that  is,  as  far 
as  the  Hieroglyphics  rtand  connected  with 
the  fymbolic  or  animal  Worfhip  of  Egypt ,  I 
will  give  you  the  beft  Account  of  them 
that  I  can.  For  a  nice  and  critical  Dif- 
quifition  of  the  Hieroglyphic  Science,  befides 
that  the  Subject  itielf  is  not  a  little  dark 
and  perplexed,  and  would  moreover  too 
much  divert  our  Thoughts  from  what  they 
L  2  are 

*  When  Oftris  and  Ifis  came  to  be  confounded 
with  the  Sun  and  Moon,  which  gave  them  an  Tn- 
tereft  in  all  thofe  different  kinds  of  confecrated  Ani 
mals  which  were  confidered  as  Symbols  of  theis 
Luminaries. 

2 


(7*) 

are  here  principally   ingaged  in  j    I  have 
the  lefs  Reafon,   as  well  as  Inclination  to 
attempt  this,  as  I  have  good  Grounds  to 
believe  it  has  already  fallen  into  much  abler 
Hands  j  and  makes  part  of  a  Work  fhortly 
to  be  expected  from  the  Prefs,  the  Second 
Volume    of    lf  the    Divine    Legation    of 
"  Mofes  demonftrated,  &c."    For  our  pur- 
pofe  then,  Philemon,  I  begin  with  obferv- 
ing  to  you,  that,  before  the  Introduction  of 
Alphabetic  Characters  into  the  World,  the 
beft  way  Men  could  think  of  to  fignify  to 
each  other  their  Thoughts  in  Writing  was, 
either  "  by  a  direct  Picture,  wherever  that 
"  was  practicable,  of  the  Object  they  had 
"  occalion  to  defcribe,"  or  in  other  Cafes 
<c  by  fubjftituting  vifible  Objects  for  invifible 
"  ones,  in  the  way  of  Emblem  or  natural 
"  Symbol/'     For  the  Practice  of  writing 
by  immediate  Picture,  the  bare   mention 
is  a  fufficient  Explication  of  it.     For  the 
other  Method,  I  know  not  how  better  to 
reprefent  it  to  you,  than  by  reading  you  a 
ParTage  out  of  Diodorus  Siculus  upon  this 
Subject,  if   you  will  trouble  your  felf  to 
reach  me  down  that  Author  from  behind 

you. 'Tis   here  in   the  fourth  Book  of 

his  Htftorical  Library. "  But  now  (lays 

t:  he)  I  am  to  take  notice  of  the  Etbiopic 
"  Characters,  called  by  the  Egyptians, 
ec  Hieroglyphics*  For  the  Make  or  Faihion 

"  of 


(  77  ) 

"  of  them,  they  referable  the  Forms  of  all 
"  forts  of  Animals  5  certain  of  the  Parts 
"  or  Members  of  the  human  Body  -y  as 
"  likewife  different  kinds  of  Mechanical 
<c  Inftruments.  For  the  Manner  of  Writ- 
"  ing  with  the  People  I  am  fpeaking  of  is 
<c  not  by  Words,  but  Things ,  which  have 
"  their  tropical  Senfes  habitually  affixed  to 
"  them  in  the  Memory.  Thus  they  de- 
"  lineate  a  Hawk,  a  Crocodile,  and  a  Ser- 
"  pent ;  A  Man's  Eye,  Hand,  and  Face ; 
"  With  other  Reprefentations  of  a  like 
"  nature.  By  a  Hawk,  which  is  a  Bird 
"  of  remarkably  fwift  Flight^  they  fignify 
"  Svnftne/s,  or  Expedition  at  large.  Which 
cc  Quality,  in  the  Thing  or  Perlbn  under 
"  Confideration  with  them,  is  by  Ufe  al- 
a  mod  as  readily  fuggefted  to  their  Minds 
<{  by  the  Figure  of  this  Animal, "as  if  it 
"  had  been  exprelTed  to  them  in  Words. 
<c  So  a  Crocodile  is  the  Emblem  of  Ma-? 
tc  lice.  The  Eye  of  Juftice  and  Vigilance. 
<c  The  Right  Hand  with  the  Fingers  ex- 
"  tended  of  Gain.  The  Left  Hand  clofed 
<c  of  Frugality.  And  the  like  is  to  be  un- 
"  derftood  of  all  their  other  Marks.  For 
"  following  with  the  Mind  the  natural 
<c  Significancy  of  each  Object,  and  having 
"  their  Memory  and  Attention  well  exer- 
<c  cifed  to  this  purpole,  they  come  by  de- 
*l  grees  to  a  re^dy  and  immediate  Appre- 

"  henilon 


e£  henfion  of  whatever  is  this  way  expreffed 
cc  to  them  *  ".  You  cannot  but  remark 
here,  Philemon,  (continued  he)  that  the 
Hiftorian  all  along  reprefents  it  as  the 
Work  of  Time  and  Pains  to  acquire  a  Fa 
cility  at  Understanding  this  Emblem  Lan 
guage.  And  indeed  the  obvious  Imper 
fection  in  every  refpect  of  the  emblematic 
Character,  compared  with  the  way  of 
Writing  by  Letters  of  an  Alphabet,  is  to 
jne  fuch  a  natural  Demonstration,  that 
Hieroglyphic  sy  as  I  faid  before,  "  were  both 
"  prior  in  the  Order  of  Time  to  Letters, 

"  and 


sgi    E  ruv 

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TOWJV   TOVS    (A£V   TUTTOUf     UTTOCpyttV      KVTUV 

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TOV  VTroKtiptvov  Xoyov   aTToJi  JWiv,   aAA* 


o?jv,    xaj    TOW    fx    TOU  (rw/xarof  TWV 
|«,oy,    xat 

o  psy  ouy 

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T£     0 

^ea;,    xat    TSJ    TOUTOJJ 
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Diod.  Sic.  Bib.  Lib.  III.  p.  145. 


(  79  ) 

"  and  introduced  at  firft  merely  for  want 
"  of  them,"  that  did  not  the  wildeft 
Whimfies  fometimes  find  their  ferious  Abet- 
ters,  even  amongft  Perfons  otherwife  of  good 
Underftanding,  I  mould  be  tempted  to 
wonder,  how  the  contrary  Opinion  to  this 
could  ever  have  met  with  any  fenfible  Ad 
vocate.  Yet  fo  it  has  proved,  Philemon ; 
"  and  the  comparative  neceffary  Imperfec- 
"  tion  of  Picture,  to  literary  Characters— • 
"  their  want  of  Verbs  and  connective  Par- 
"  tides  — -  the  fuppofed  inaccurate  Way  of 
"  writing  them  in  the  firft  Ages,  eafily 
"  open  to  Miftakes  of  their  Meaning  — 
<f  the  obferved  Intermixture  of  both  forts 
"  of  Characters  in  remaining  Egyptian 
"  Monuments,  the  one  inferted  to  help 
"  out  the  defective  Senfes  of  the  other  — . 
"  (all  of  which  I  cannot  but  think  ftrong 
"  Arguments  of  Letters  being  lefs  antient, 
"  becaufe  fo  much  more  uj'eful  than  Hie- 
"  roglyphics")  are  by  an  Author  of  no  lefs 
Distinction  than  the  knowing  and  ingenious 
Mr.  Shuckford,  in  his  "  Connection  of  the 
"  Sacred  and  Profane  Hiftory"  produced 
as  Evidences  on  the  quite  oppofite  fide  of 
this  Queftion  *.  In  fuch  very  different 
Lights  do  different  Perfons  fee  the  fame 
Objects !  One  farther  Inftance  of  which, 
with  regard  to  myfelf  and  this  Writer, 
(for  whom  neverthelefs  I  have  a  juft  Efteem) 

I 
*  See  Shuck.  Con.  vol.  II.  p.  295-6. 


1  cannot  help  remarking  here,  becaufe  it 
feerns  to  me  a  very  extraordinary  one. 
"  The  Men  of  the  firft  Ages  (fays  he) 
"  could  much  fooner  invent  and  learn  a 
"  rude  Character,  than  they  could  acquire 
ei  Art  enough  to  draw  Pictures.  And 
fc  therefore  fuch  a  Character,  'tis  moft  pro- 
<e  bable,  was  firft  invented  and  made  ufe 
"  of  *."  As  if  the  mere  Eafmefs  of  the 
Writing  or  Figuring  part  was  all  that  was 
here  to  be  confidered,  and  not  rather,  and 
principally,  the  Eafmefs  of  the  Underftand- 
ing.  For  in  this  View  furely,  the  Picture 
of  an  Animal  diftinguimed  by  fome  remark 
able  Quality,  tho'  ever  fo  /'//  drawn,  would 
at  leaft  bid  fairer  to  fuggeft  to  Mens  Minds 
the  Idea  of  that  Quality,  than  a  merely 
arbitrary  Mark  of  the  fame  Quality  can 
be  fuppofed  to  do  :  The  one  kind  of 
Subftitute  relying  wholly  for  its  interpreta 
tion  upon  unaffifted  Memory ;  the  other, 
(though  I  deny  not  but  it  was  liable  to  be 
fbmetimes  miftaken)  having  generally,  as 
we  may  fay,  Nature,  as  well  as  Art,  on 
its  fide  ;  fomething  of  an  inherent  Signi~ 
ficancy  in  it  j  an  Aptnefs  of  itfelf  to  point 
out  its  particular  Meaning. 

TH  is  is  a  flrong  Inftance  (I  interrupted) 
Hortenfius,  of  what  I  remember  to  have 
often  heard  you  complain  of,  "  Mens  in- 

"  terpreting 

*  Sec  Shuck.  Con.  vol.  II.  p.  296. 


"  terpreting  Antiquity  by  modern  Ideas.'* 
And  it  mews  evidently  the  falfenefs  of  this 
Rule  of  Interpretation.  The  Author  pro 
bably  had  his  Eye  upon  Alphabetic  Wri 
ting  in  his  own  time;  of  which  though 
the  Ufe  be  wholly  founded  in  Memory, 
yet  we  are  apt  to  think  but  meanly  of  a 
Man's  Attainments,  who  is  at  a  lofs  to 
read  and  underftand  his  own  Mother 
Tongue  at  leaft.  And  yet  when  one  con- 
fiders  how  much  time  it  actually  takes  up 
to  teach  a  Child,  or  an  abfolutely  ignorant 
grown  Perfon,  the  due  Ufe  of  his  Letters, 
even  now  that  the  Marks  of  them  are  ready 

4 

formed  to  his  hands,  with  a  Compendium 
which  fome  have  thought  fuper-natural  — • 
that  Instruction  this  way  is  reduced  to 
Rale  and  Method  —  and  moreover  that 
Language  itfelf  is  contrived  with  much  arti 
ficial  Affiftance  to  the  Memory  in  the  me 
chanical  Structure  and  Competition  of  it  — 
If  this,  I  fay,  be  well  confidered,  Horten- 
JiuSj  one  {hall  have  but  little  to  expect 
from  an  artlefs  Multiplication  of  rude  Cba- 
rafters,  in  equally  rude  Ages,  towards  car 
rying  on  any  competent  degree  of  literary 
Commerce  amongft  Mankind.  In  which 
way  of  Thinking  one  is  not  a  little  con 
firmed  by  reflecting,  that  in  China,  where 
this  fort  of  rude  Character  is  made  ufe  of, 
a  Man  is  ranked,  as  we  are  informed., 
amongft  the  Learned,  who  under  (lands  a 
M  moderate 


(  82  ) 

moderate  Proportion  of  Words  only  in  the 
vulgar  Language  of  his  Country*.  There 
is  no  quefHon  therefore,  I  think,  to  be 
made,  but  that  Hieroglyphics  were  the  firfl 
Step  Mankind  gained  towards  Writing  :  Or, 
that  the  Original  Way  they  had  of  commu 
nicating  with  one  another  at  a  diftance  was, 
either  by  fuch  a  Picture,  or  Emblem-Cha 
racter,  as  you  have  reprefented. 

NATURE  (refumed  he)  Philemon •,  the 
fureft  Guide  in  all  Queftions  of  Antiquity, 
if  I  have  any  Judgment  this  way,  would 
fuggeft  to  them  a  Communication  of  this 
kind  previoufly  to  any  other.  A  Senti 
ment,  which  is  confirmed  by  Fad:,  as  well 
as  Reafon,  if  it  be  true,  what  fome  Wri 
ters  upon  this  Subject  have  alTerted  to  us, 
"  that  the  original  Famion  of  Letters  with 
"  the  Egyptians"  (a  People  amongft  the 
firfl  who  ufed,  if  they  did  not  invent  an  Al 
phabet) 

*  By  all  I  can  gather  out  of  fo  many  Authors  as 
have  written  of  Cbina^  they  have  no  Letters  at  ail, 
but  only  fo  many  Characters,  expreffing  fo  many 
Words  j  thcfe  are  faid  by  fome  to  be  Sixty,  by  others 
Eighty,  and  by  others  Sixfcore  Thoufand.  The 
Learning  of  China  therefore  confifts  firft  in  the 
Knowledge  of  their  Language.  Sir  W,Templi^ Works, 
Fol.  p.  20 1.  The  Number  of  Letters  they  (the  Cbi- 
nefe]  ufe  is  excefiive — It  is  true  he  who  can  make 
good  ufe  of  Twenty  Thoufand  is  a  good  Scholar. 
Navarfttf's  Account  of  the  Empire  of  Ch'ina^ 
Book  III.  chap,  ii.  In  Collect,  of  Voyages,  &c. 
Vol.  I.  p.  131. 


phabet)  "  was  taken  from  the  Forms,  Mo- 
"  tions,  or  Poftures  of  Animals  before  ap- 
Ct  plied  to  Hieroglyphical Reprefentation  *". 
Thus,  for  Inftance,  the  firit  Letter  of  their 
Alphabet,  'tis  faid,  is  only  the  Beak  of  the 
Ibis  placed  crofs-wife  upon   its  two  Legs : 
As  their  Delta  is  the  Legs  of  the  fame  Ibis 
confidered  together  with  the  Line  of  the 
Earth  which  they  include  in  ftanding  upon 
it  -(-.     But  to  let  this  pafs,  as  a  matter  per 
haps  more  curious,  than  certain  ;  and  with 
out  entering  farther  into  the  Age  of  Hiero 
glyphic  Writing  5    the  Grounds  of   it,   we 
have  feen,  are  laid  in  "  the  practicable  Sub- 
<c  ftituticn  of  one  Thing,  for  another,  upon 
<c  the  account  of  a  certain  Similitude  or 
"  Analogy   of  their   refpective  Qualities : 
<c  Of  prelent,  and  vifible  Objects  for  paft, 
"  or  diftant  ones :  Or,  more  comprehen- 
"  fively,  of  Ideas  of  the  Senfes,  for  thofe 
"  of  Memory  or  Underftanding."  In  which 
View  of  the  matter,  Philemon,  the  natural 
Conception,   I  think,  which  offers  itfelf  is, 
that  in  the  Hieroglyphic,  as  in  every  other 
Species  of  Art,  the  eaiieft  Productions  were 
doubtlefs  the  firft  :  Or,  that  the  moft  firn- 
M  2  pic 

*  Invenimus  primam  literariim  Egyptiarum  <TTOI- 
%£iw<ny  ex  quatuordecim  literis  fuifle  concinnatam, 
ut  re&e  quoque  Clemens,  Euftbius,  caeterique  tradunt, 
^x  facrorum  Animalium  forma,  inceffu,  aliarumquc 
corporis  Partium  fitibus  defumptam.  Kircher.  Obe- 
life.  Pamph.  p.  125. 

f  See  Kircher,  as  before. 


(  84) 

pie  kinds  of  fymbolical  Reprefentation  are, 
generally  fpeaking,  to  be  efteemed  the  moil 
antient  ones.  Thus,  of  two  of  the  Repre- 
fentations  which  the  Egyptians  are  related 
to  have  made  of  a  Month,  the  one  "  by 
*'  a  Moon  with  the  Horns  turned  down- 
"  wards,  and  the  other  by  a  Branch  of  the 
"  Palm-Tree  *  -,"  that  of  the  Moon,  one 
cannot  avoid  thinking,  muft  have  been  firft 
brought  into  Ufe  :  It  being  much  more 
obvious  to  obferve,  "  that  the  Moon  to- 
"  wards  the  end  of  her  Period  always  ap- 
"  pear'd  in  fuch  a  manner,"  which  was  the 
reafon  of  this  Symbol  5  than,  "  that  it  was 
"  the  Nature  of  the  Palm-Tree  to  put  out  a 
'•  new  Shoot  precifely  every  Month,"  which 
was  the  Foundation  of  the  other.  So  again, 
a  Mole  might  much  more  eafily  come  to 
fignify  Blindnefs  -f-  —  Two  Men  joining 
Hands,  Concord  J  —  A  Man  armed,  and 
(hooting  Arrows,  a  Riot  ||  —  -Feet  walking 

upon 


TO    xarw 

am«f    ^«p»y   (<Tta   TO 

OtpcOV     TOV73    UOVC'V   TxU   ixAAcOV,     XfliTOi    T7jV    tX.VXTOA.1ty  TJ]f 

c-fAjji1^;,  ^u«y  lU.y  iysvy:-iy.      Florap-  Hierog.  Lib.  I. 
Hierog.  3.)      SsA^vjjy    Js    iTrsc'Ttx.^ivriv   £i?  TO 

fTTiihy     (fijUlVj     £V    T>5    «V«TOAri    TcTpOf  TO     aVCO    TOiJ 
(TiU      £7^rV'^Tir6iXl,     £U     C^f     TH    a/TO>i.pU-]/£<,     £JC     T 

TO;?  x£,5«j-i  v.-ffiv.  Horap.  Hierog.  lib.  I.  Hierog. 
*h  Horap.  lib.  2.  Hierog.  63. 
t  Lib.  2.  Hierog.  u. 
fj  Ibid.  Hierog.  12. 


upon  Water,  an  Impoffibility  *  —  A  Hog, 
a  Perfon  transformed  by  his  Debaucheries 
into  a  Beaft  -f-  —  or  a  Hawk  upon  the  Wing, 
the  fwift  Courfe  of  the  Wind  J  .  —  The 
Analogies  in  all  thefe  Inftances  being  of  the 
moil  iimple  and  ftriking  Kinds  —  Than  the 
the  Number  1095,  the  Complement  of 
Days  to  the  Term  of  three  Years,  could 
come  to  fignify  Silence,  "  becaufe  a  Child 
M  which  does  not  get  the  ufe  of  its  Speech 
"  in  that  time,  never  afterwards  obtains 
"  it  ||."  Or,  a  She-Panther  to  ftand  for  a 
concealed  Villain,  "  becaufe  that  Animal 
<c  hunts  for  its  Prey  fecretly,  and  keeps  in 
(£  the  Scent  of  its  Breath,  to  avoid  giving 
"  the  Creature  it  has  a  Defign  upon  any 
"  fufficient  notice  of  its  Approach  §."  Or 
again,  than  a  Man's  never  itirring  out  of  his 
own  Doors  could  be  expreffed  by  an  Ant, 
and  the  Wings  of  a  Bat,  "  becaufe  the 

"  Feathers 

*  Horap.  lib.  i.  Hierog.  58. 
f  Horap.  Hierog.  lib.  2.  Hierog.  37. 
Lib.  2.  Hierog.  15. 

£V£V»>COI:T* 


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TQq'   t(p'  ov  %povov  jwrj  AaA^o-OT  TO 

wV  •srctgonrsTrohcrfj.svov    TJJ  3/Aw<r<nj.      Horap.    Hierog. 

Lib.  I.  Hierog.  28. 

§   AU^WTTOV    £,w,(^wAfjovTa  la-j-rw  x«x»av,    xat  a?ro- 
laurov 


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Horap.  Lib.  IL  Hierog.  90. 


(  86  ) 

*c  Feathers  of  a  Bat  placed  at  the  Entrance 
tl  of  an  Ant's  Neft  keeps  all  the  Ants  ftricTty 
"  confined  there  *." — Or  laftly,  than  the 
Cucuba  could  be  made  the  Emblem   of 
Gratitude  "  becaufe    it  was    obferved  of 
"  that  Bird,  that  it  took -a  very  particular 
<c  Care  of  its  aged  Parents  ;  building  them 
"  a  Neft  in  the  fame  Place  where  it  had 
«  been    hatched  and    brought  up   itfelf ; 
"  affifting  them  with  its  Beak  at  the  time 
"  of  lofing  their  old  Feaihers ;    and  fur- 
"  mining  them  with  Food  till  that  Seaion 
"  was  over,  and  they  were  again  able  to 
"  fuppoit  themfelves  -j-" — And  yet,  Phi- 
lemoji)    the  Analogies  here  concerned,  are 
not,  I  afTure  you,  a  fiftieth  part  fo  refined, 
as  numberleis  others  I  could   mention  to 
you,  upon  which  much  of  this  Hierogly 
phic  Language  was  founded.     But  I  the 
rather  inftance  in  the  Particulars  before  us, 
becaufe  they  relate  altogether  to  common 

Life, 


vgutrov   ocirporov     o 


uwu  T(£\>  Ts-spuv  ft?  T'/JU  v£o<r<riu.v  TUM  p'jgpv\KUV)  ou  -srco  - 
ip%iTcii  auTwi/  Tif.  Horap.  Hierog.  Lib.  2.  Hie- 
rog.  64, 

•j"  E'jp^aflKTTtay  ypvtywris,  xoux&'j?asy  ga^Vfl^iUffk' 

TOUTO     jWOVOy    TWW     fi&AoJ'WV    ^WW«      STTHjJ'ay  UTTO     TWV 


%apiy*    «y  w  J^osp  UTT  aurwy  tfcsTpottyri  TOTTU  VSOT- 
v  aural?  -nra;*i8-«?,  TiAAsi  aurwv  ra  wTipat^  rpofyxs  rs 
fAEXfi?  (^u  TO-l£^o(|5u>i(ravT£?  ot    ^ov^ 
ftrSwfrw.     Horap.  Lib.  i.  Hierog.  5«[. 


Life  ;  which  was  unqueftionably  the  firft 
Subject  Mankind  had  occafion  to  write 
about. 

So  that  (I  interrupted)  in  the  times  we 
are  fpeaking  of,  to  be  able  to  write  and  read 
well,  Hortenjius,  a  Man  muft  have  been 
a  very  tolerable  Naturalift.  Methinks,  I 
cannot  help  obferving  here,  the  learning 
one's  Letters  in  thefe  Days  muft  have  been 
a  far  more  agreable,  as  well  as  uieful  Im- 
ployment,  than  it  is  in  our  modern  Ages  j  fmce 
inftead  of  going  to  one's  Horn-Book,  or  one's 
Primmer •,  for  the  Character  and  Competition 
of  A's  and  B's,  the  Scholar  had  the  far  nobler 
Volume  of  Nature  before  him ;  and  could 
not  improve  in  Words  without  a  correfpon- 
dent  Progrefs  in  Things.  'Tis  pity  this 
double  Improvement  is  not  a  little  more  con- 
fulted  in  modern  Education.  Language,  we 
are  very  truely  told,  is  the  great  Key  to 
Knowledge  5  but  as  the  matter  is  too  com 
monly  managed  with  us,  'tis  really  a  great 
while  before  it  opens  any  part  of  it  to  our 
Minds.  How  much  time  is  by  moft  Peo 
ple  in  their  Youth  fpent  in  mere  mecha 
nical  Reciting,  before  any  farther  ufeful 
Information  is  fo  much  as  thought  of  for 
them  !  whereas,  there  is  fomething  of  Fancy 
and  Ingenuity  in  the  firft  Afpecl  of  the  Hie-- 
roglypbic  Science  :  in  being  able  to  improve 
every  Object  one  meets  with  into  an  Inftru- 

3  meat 


(  88  ) 

ment  of  mutual  Correfpondence  -y  and  to 
make  the  mute,  and  even  inanimate  part 
of  the  Creation,  thus  fignificantly  exprefs 
our  Minds  for  us.  I  think  this  Art  is  now 
loft  to  the  World.  We  hear  indeed  fome- 
times  of  Letters  conveyed  to  Perfons  at  a 
Diftance  by  certain  feathered  Meffengers ; 
And  a  Dog,  if  I  miftake  not,  in  a  late  cele 
brated  Inftance,  was  thought  to  fignify  a 
Treafonable  Correfpondence  :  But  neither 
of  thefe  Cafes  are  at  all  equal  to  the  Point 
in  queftion.  We  feem  to  coniider  the1 
World  of  Animals  as  defigned  wholly  for 
grofTer  Purpofes,  than  thofe  of  converfing 
by  them  ;  unlefs  now  and  then  we  fet 
them  on  talking  and  moralizing  in  a  human 
Voice  and  Accent,  and  think  proper  to  give 
a  Lecture  to  our  own  Species  under  fome 
or  other  of  their  borrowed  Forms. 

THE  Ingenuity,  (returned  Hortewfius] 
Philemon ',  of  the  Hieroglyphic  Art  was  in 
time  the  Ruin  of  it ;  as  it  gave  occafion  to 
that  total  Abufe  of  the  Inftitution  of  Sym 
bolic  Writing,  by  which,  what  was  intended 
to  explain  Mens  Thoughts,  became  the 
moft  effectual  Means  of  perplexing  them ; 
and  what  began  in  eafy  and  familiar  Ufe, 
degenerated  in  conclusion  into  unintelli 
gible  Myliery  :  inafmuch  as  Men  of  a  more 
thoughtful  and  fpeculative  Complexion  grew 
by  degrees  to  write  fo  much  a&trve  the  com 
mon 


(   §9   ) 

won  Level,  as  to  be  underilood  by  no  body 
but  themfelves.  Which  was  more  efpecially 
the  Cafe,  after  the  Hieroglyphics,  as  we 
thall  fee,  became  facred  ;  and,  from  being 
practifed  at  firft  in  the  humble  Concerns  of 
ordinary  Life,  were  applied  moftly  to  the 
higher  Subjects  of  Science  or  Divinity.  In 
the  mean  while,  one  Inconvenience  which 
foon  attended  this  Hieroglyphical  way  of 
Writing,  and  which  doubtlefs  affifted  to  the 
Abufe  I  have  been  mentioning,  was  the 
Number  of  equivocal  Sen  fes  which  the  fame 
Word  often  had,  grounded  upon  the  diffe 
rent  Qualities  or  Conceptions  of  the  lame 
fenfible  Reprefentation.  Thus,  as  we  learn 
from  the  fixth  Hieroglyphic  in  the  Collec 
tions  of  Horapolht  "  a  Hawk  was  either 
'<  the  Sun,  or  Exaltation,  or  fome  extraor- 
"  dinary  Fall,  or  Preeminence,  or  Blood, 
"  or  Vidlory.  The  Sun  ;  r;S  being  an  Ani- 
"  mal  remarkably  prolific,  and  long-lived  ; 
"  and  moreover  from  its  great  Strength  of 
"  Sight  feeming  to  be  a  kind  of  natural 
"  Image  of  him.  Exaltation;  becaufe  the 
"  Hawk  by  his  perpendicular  Flight  eafily 
<c  rifes  above  any  other  Bird.  Falling ; 
"  from  the  quick  and  immediate  Defcents 
"  he  is  obferved  to  make  from  the  greateft 
"  heights.  Preeminence;  becaufe  he  is  of  a 
"  fuperior  Nature  to  other  Animals  of  the 
"  Feathered  Kind.  Blood ;  becaufe  that 
"  is  thought  to  be  his  Drink  and  Nourifli- 
N  ment. 


(C 


(90  ) 

merit.  Victory  5  becaufe  he  has  the  Art 
"  to  overcome  any  Bird  who  encounters 
ee  him,  though  fuperior  to  him  in  Strength, 
"  by  turning  himfelf  upon  his  Back  in  the 
"  Air,  whenever  he  is  in  danger  of  being 
"  worded  by  his  Antagonift."  So  again 
the  Hieroglyphic  of  the  Beetle  flood  "  for 
"  any  thing  produced  from  a  fingle  Caufe ; 
"  for  Birth  ;  or  the  beginning  to  exift ; 
<c  for  the  World  ;  a  Father  5  and  a  Man." 
The  Reafons  may  be  feen  in  the  tenth 
Hieroglyphic  of  the  Author  juft  mentioned. 
In  like  manner  the  Vidtur  was  made  to  iig- 
nify  "  a  Mother ;  or  Sight  ;  or  a  Boundary 
"  of  Land  j  or  Prefcience  ;  or  a  Year  ;  or 
"  the  Heavens ;  or  Mercy ;  or  Unity  j"  as 
the  fame  Writer  informs  us  in  his  eleventh 
Hieroglyphic. 

THE  being  fometimes  thus  equivocal 
(faid  I)  is  but  a  Defect  which  the  Hiero 
glyphic  Language  has  in  common  with  moft 
other  Languages ;  efpecially,  if  the  Orien- 
talifts  are  to  be  relhd  on  in  this  matter, 
with  the  more  Antienc  and  Eaftern  ones ;  in 
v/hich,  I  am  lure,  the  fame  Word  has 
often  as  many  feveral,  and  fometimes  widely 
different  Meanings,  as  the  moft  complicated 
Hieroglyphic  you  can  pitch  upon.  But  the 
Context  in  fuch  Inftances  of  both  kinds  is 
the  Rule  by  which  to  alcertain  the  Senie : 
and  in  moft  Cafes,  I  mould  think,  would 

3  da 


(  9'  ) 

do  it  with  tolerable  Exactnefs.  But  after  all, 
Hortenfius,  it  was  but  an  idle  fort  of  Oeco- 
nomy  in  the  Coiners  of  this  Hieroglyphic 
Language,  to  be  thus  frugal  of  their  Words, 
when  they  had  the  whole  compafs  of  Na 
ture  in  their  power*  to  furnifh  themfelves 
with  a  fufficiently  copious  Expreffion. 

THEY  were  like  other  Framers  of  Lan 
guages,  (replied  he)  more  ftudious  of  Abridg 
ment  than  Perfpicuity ;  and  willing  more 
over,  I  fuppofe,  to  fave  the  Trouble  of 
writing  more  than  was  abfolutely  necelTary. 
Tho',  on  the  other  hand,  Philemon,  if  one 
confiders,  a  little  Parfimony  here  is  at  leaft 
more  excu  fable  than  in  Alphabetic  Lan 
guage  ;  fince  it  was  a  far  eafier  matter  for 
them  to  acquaint  themfelves  with  the  united 
Properties  of  the  fame  Objects,  than  to 
diftinguim  to  a  fufficient  Degree  the  appro 
priated  Peculiarities  of  different  ones.  And 
yet  again,  upon  fecond  Thoughts,  I  know 
not,  but  it  had  flood  them  in  almoft  as  lit 
tle  Expence  of  Time  and  Obfervation,  (and 
I  am  fure  it  had  been  a  far  more  ufeful 
Application  of  both)  thus  to  have  inlarged 
in  many  Cafes  their  Stock  of  Words  in  this 
Emblematic  Language,  as  it  muft  have  done 
to  contract  them  in  the  Method  they  have 
taken,  by  attending  to  fuch  nice  and  intri 
cate  Analogies  of  Objects  to  one  another,  as 
are  the  Ground  of  thefe  Hieroglypbical 
N  2  Equi- 


(   92    ) 

Equivocations  *.  Bat  this,  tho'  it  would 
have  added  greatly  to  the  Uiefulnefs  of  Hi* 
eroglyphical  Writing,  would  haven  taken 
off  much  from  the  Myftery  of  it  :  An  End, 
to  which  the  Hieroglyphics  came  in  time 
to  be  fo  almoft  univerfally  applied,  that 
many  People  have  been  led  to  believe  they 
were  originally  invented  for  this  very  Pur- 
pofe  j  and  that  the  Progrefs  of  them  was  not, 
as  I  have  repreiented  it,  from  common  Life, 
into  Subjects  of  Religion,  but,  on  the  con 
trary,  from  Religion,  into  common  Life. 

THE  Courfe  you   have  afligned  them, 
({aid  I)  is,  I  think,  both  the  moft  natural 

in 

* 


vK;  uty,   on  cc'jro'yfvs;  I<TTI  TO     w0v 


rrju    'yivta-w    tirojeiTat'—  —    irsav     o    otp<rr,v 
n:ou$07roiri<raa'Qcut     Eooq    a.' 


*yas  XTTOU  TO  TOU 

oejrog  ^ap  «TTO  TOU  a?rr/AiwTO'j  gtf 
'  o  Jt  TWJ  tzrriguv  $fO[4W  XTTO  Ai,3o?  ft? 
Ta'JT'/;v  ouv  T'^V  atyevpow  KXTOpvfcatf  EIJ 
Ta;i  f?rj  Jiafjaj  £jxo<r»  ox/Co,  fv  oVaif  xat 


<T£Ar;i*>)    ^UEai?   ra  <Jw&x« 


B»AAf»*  TauTnu   5^*^    T^ 

xa»  JIAJOU,   m  ^e  x«»  J'c'Vti 

'     Horap. 


Hierog.  lib,  I,  Hierog.  10, 


(93  ) 

in  itfelf,  and  the  moft  fuitable  to  the  known 
referred  and  involved  Manner  of  the  Egyp 
tian  Priefthood  ;  who,  had  the  Hierogly 
phics  been  originally  a  learned  or  facred 
Character  only,  would  hardly,  I  perfuade 
myfelf,  have  fuffered  them  to  be  afterwards 
proftituted  to  common  and  ordinary  Sub 
jects. 

AN  D  yet,  (returned  he)  in  the  Accounts 
we  have  of  the  Obelifks  of  Sefoftris  and 
Rameffes,  Perfbns  who  lived  long  after  the 
Introduction  of  Symbolic,  or  Animal  Wor- 
fhip  into  Egypt,  we  meet  with  Hierogly 
phics  applied  to  very  different  Purpofes  from 
Religious  ones.  Of  two  of  thofe  of  the  for* 
mer  of  thefe  Princes,  we  are  informed,  that 
their  Infcriptions  fet  forth,  "  the  Extent  of 
"  his  Power,  the  flouriming  Condition  of  his 
"  Revenue,  and  the  Number  of  his  Vic- 
<f  tories-f-.  "  And,  wherever  he  made  any 
Conqueft,  we  are  told,  his  Practice  was  to 
erect  Pillars,  upon  which,  together  with  o- 
ther  Infcriptions  proper  to  the  Occafion, 
he  left  behind  him,  "  certain  obfcene  Em- 
"  blems  of  the  manly  or  effeminate  Tem- 
"  per  of  the  conquer'd  Nation  *."  For 

the 

"t    Ton  fj.iryiQog  Ttt 


v.     Diod.  Sic.  Bib.  Lib.  I.  p   37. 
*  Diod.  Sic.  Bib.  Lib.  I.  p.  35, 


(94) 

the  Infcriptidn  of  the  famed  Obeliik  of* 
Rameffftj  now  ftanding  at  Rome,  you  are" 
not  to  be  informed,  Philemon,  that  it  is 
of  the  Kind  we  are  now  fpeaking  of; 
and  yet  we  know  from  Hermapiorfs  Tranf 
lation  of  it,  that  it  is  a  mere  Piece  of  ful- 
fome  Panegyric  to  that  vain  Monarch ; 
fuch  as  gives  one,  I  have  often  thought,  a 
much  more  contemptible  Idea  of  his  Sub 
jects,  than  it  does  a  great  one  of  himfelf*. 
I  am  fenfible  the  learned  Kircher  condemns 
Hermapion's  Tranflation  here,  as  contrary 
to  the  whole  Tenor  and  Genius  of  the  Hie 
roglyphic  Character ;  which,  as  he  tells  us, 
"  was  never  uled  to  record  the  Praifes 
"  and  Victories  of  Kings,  but  confined 
"  wholly  to  ideal  and  intellectual  Mat- 
"  ters  -(•."  But  Antiquity,  a  much  better 
Judge  doubtlefs  in  the  Cafe,  is  unanimous 
in  thinking  otherwife :  And  this  Author, 
'tis  well  known,  has  his  head  fo  full  of 
the  myfterious  Wifdom  of  the  Egyptians, 
that  he  will  needs  wreft  every  thing  to  fome 
recondite  Meaning  with  them.  As  if  a 
Darknefs,  like  that  which  was  once  provi 
dentially  brought  upon  their  Country,  had 
univerfally  fpread  itfelf  over  their  Under- 
ftandings ;  and  becaufe  their  Hieroglyphics 

had 

*  Vide  Am.  Marcell.  Lib.  17. 

f  Kirch.  Obelifc.  Pamphyl.  p.  151,  Doclrinam 
Hieroglyphicam,  non  Reg.um  laudes  &  vi&orias 
concinere,  fed  folas  res  ideales  &  intelledtuales. 


(  95  ) 

had  too  often  an  intricate  In tendment,  there 
fore  they  could  never  poffibly  have  an  obvious 
one.  But  'tis  amuling  enough  to  obferve,  how 
Men  will  labor  for  a  Favorite  Hypothefis. 

As  the  learned  Author  ( interpofed  I) 
was  fo  determined,  it  feems,  to  afTert  the 
every  where  high  and  important  Con- 
ftrudtion  of  the  Hieroglyphic  Writing,  I 
think  he  had  fully  anfwered  his  pur- 
pofe  here,  by  confidering  the  Infcription 
we  are  fpeaking  of  as  of  a  more  raijed 
and  dignified  kind,  from  its  relation  to  the 
Subject  and  Conduct  of  Majefty  ;  inftead  of 
going  thus  again  ft  the  Senfe  of  Antiqui 
ty,  no  lefs  than  that  of  the  Tranilator,  to 
fupport  his  recondite  Syftem. 

To  fay  the  Truth,  Philemon,  (returned 
he)  I  have  often  thought  the  Monument 
in  queftion,  with  thofe  other  Egyptian 
Monuments  which  remain  to  us,  inscribed 
in  the  Hieroglyphic  Character,  to  be  fo  far 
from  Evidences  of  the  univerfally  fublime 
and  myfterious  Senfe  of  the  Egyptian  Hie 
roglyphics,  that  I  would  not  deiire  a  Wron 
ger  Evidence  of  the  contrary  :  Inafmuchas 
they  give  us  good  Reafon  to  believe,  that 
Hieroglyphics  in  their  firft  Inftitution  in 
Egypt,  were,  as  has  been  faid,  nothing 
more  than  the  Original  Character,  or  com 
mon  Writing  of  the  Country  ;  which,  ha 
ying  obtained  a  Reverence  from  this  very 

Cir- 


(96  ) 

Circumftance  of  its  Antiquity,  was  for  this 
reafon  ufed  in  all  Public  Infcriptions,  even 
after  the  Introduction  of  Alphabetic  Wri 
ting  for   more   ordinary  and  familiar  In-* 
tercourfe.     But  however  the  Hieroglyphics 
may  have  been  fometimes  indifferently  ap 
plied  to  Civil,  or  Sacred,  fo  they  were  but 
Public  Ufes,    'tis  time    for    us  to  confi- 
der    them  under  the   more   diftinguimed 
Notion  of  a  Religious  Character  or  Expref- 
lion  ;  the  only  one,  as  has  been  before  ob- 
ferved,  in    which    they  properly   relate  to 
our  prefent  Speculation.     And  here,  amidft 
the  leveral  ridiculous,  inadequate,  or  unna 
tural  Accounts  which  have  been  given  us 
of  the  Origin  of  Symbolic  Worfhip  in  E- 
gypf,  the  Principles  we  have  been  eftablifh- 
ing  will  afford  us,  I  think,  the  only  true, 
however  iimple  a  Solution  of  this  Problem. 

THE  fimpler,  (faid  I)  Hortenfms,  cer 
tainly  the  more  probable.  The  beginnings 
of  Science  never  lie  very  deep :  Subtilty 
and  Refinement  are  laborious  Operations, 
and  require  Time  and  repeted  Thought 
for  their  Production. 

You  will  obferve  then,  (proceeded  he) 
that  as  Hieroglyphics  with  the  Egyptians 
were  the  Original  Writing  of  common  Life, 
one  of  the  Subjects,  which  would  often 
occur  to  be  expreffed  by  them,  would  be 

Perfonal 


(  97  ) 

Per 'final  Characters.     Accordingly  in  the  * 
Collection  of  them  by  Horapollo^  we  find 
certain  char  act  eriftic  Emblems  appropria 
ted  to  exprefs  almoit  all  the  more  common 
and  ordinary  Turns  of  the  human  Temper, 
and  Paflages   of  human   Conduit.     Thus 
to  lignify  a  Woman's  continuing  in  her  firft 
State  of  Widowhood,  the  Egyptians  de- 
feribed  a  particular  kind  of  a  black  Pidgeon  *;' 
as  they  did  a  Swallow  for  a  Man  who  had 
left  all    his   PorTeffions  to   his  Children  -js 
To  have  been  naturally  of  a  meek  and  com- 
poled  Difpofition,  but  provoked  by  ill  Ufage, 
was  reprefented  by  the  Emblem  of  a  Pid 
geon  with  its  Tail  erected  J.      To  have 
deferted  one's  Family  thro'  Want,  by  that 
of  a  She- Hawk  which  had  juft    laid    its 
Eggs  || .     The  attempting  things  beyond  a 
Man's  Ability,  was  fignitied  by  a  Bat  **. 
The  having  brought  Inconveniences  upon 
himfelf,  by  a  Beaver  *-J4.     The  being  ir- 
refolute  and  unequal    to  himfelf,    by  an 
Hyaena  *  J.     When  they  would  characte 
rize  any  Perfon  who  had  never  been  out  of 
his  own  Country,  or  District,  they  figured 
O  him 

*  Horap.  Hierog.  Lib.  2.  Hierog.  32. 

f  Ibid.  Hierog.  31. 

%  Ibid.  Hierog.  48. 

||  Ibid.  Hierog.  99. 

**  Ibid.  Hierog.  52. 

*f  Ibid.  Hierog.  65. 

*t  Ibid.  Hierog.  69* 


him  with  the  Head  of  an  Afs  *.  When 
a  Fuller,  two  Feet  ftanding  in  Water  -j*, 
The  being  of  a  morofe,  unfociable  Spirit, 
was  emblematically  expreffed  by  an  Eel  J. 
The  having  lived  to  a  good  old  Age,  by  a 
dead  Raven  ||.  A  reformed  Debauchee,  by  a 
Bull  tied  to  a  wild  Fig-tree  **.  A  gluttonous 
Perfon,  by  a  Scare-nm  *•)-.  A  Murderer 
brought  to  Repentance  by  Punimment,  by 
a  Fork-fim  taken  with  a  Hook  *  J.  This 
Article,  Philemon,  might  be  infinitely  in- 
larged,  and  the  Analogies  in  every  In  (lance 
dif tinclly  noted  and  explained  ;  but  it  would 
take  up  too  much  of  our  Time,  and  is  the 
lefs  needful,  after  what  has  been  already 
difcourfed  of  the  general  Nature  of  the 
Hieroglyphic  Writing. 

You  may  proceed  in  your  own  Method 
(faid  I)  Hortetifius  5  I  cannot  but  fay  I  could 
have  ibme  Pleafure  in  having  thefe  feveral 
Analogies  pointed  out  to  me ;  but  perhaps 
this  is  not  the  place  for  them :  And  I  would 
not  give  you  more  Trouble  than  is  necef- 
fary,  or  divert  you  too  much  from  the 
principal  Scope  of  our  Inquiry. 

THE 

*  Horap.  Hierog.  Lib.  I.  Hierog.  23. 

t  Ibid.  Hierog.  65. 

j  Lib.  II.  Hierog.  103. 

il  Ibid.  Hierog.  89. 

**  Ibid.  Hierog.  77. 

*f  Ibid.  Hierog.  109. 

*J  Ibid.  Hierog.  j  12. 


f  99 

THE  Emblems  (refumed  he)  I  have  hi 
therto  mentioned,  might  be  applicable  to 
many  different  Perfbns,  as  relating  all  along 
more  to  the  Character  concerned,  than  the 
particular  Subject  of  it.  Perfbns  However 
of  more  eminent  Rank  and  Confideration 
with  the  Egyptians,  had,  we  mutt  fuppofe, 
as  the  Reafon  of  the  Thing  required,  their 
more  diftinguijhing  and  fdf -appropriated 
Emblems  affigned  them.  Thus,  Taau- 
tusy  or  the  Egyptian  Mercury,  is  by  San- 
chviatbo  faid  to  have  exprefied  the  Cares 
ana  Vigilance  of  Magistracy,  in  the  Perfon 
cr  j>  ;<••»,  "  by  an  Image  of  him  with 
^  it  r  Eyes,  two  before,  and  two  behind, 
<f  tis  like  wife  two  clofed,  and  two  open,  in 
*'  his  H-ad ;  and  with  four  Wings,  two 
<c  expanded,  and  two  lying  flat  upon  his 
"  Shoulders  :  The  Symbol  of  the  Eyes 
"  fignifying,  that  Saturn  in  the  Admini- 
**  ftration  of  his  Authority,  was  often  to  fee, 
*'  what  he  appealed  not  to  fee  ;  and  often 

<c  to  wink  at  whac  he   manifeftly  faw 

"  That  of  the  Wings ;  that  Saturn  was 
<c  often  to  have  Intelligence  of  what  paf- 
"  fed,  even  where  he  could  not  be  pre» 
<c  fent  at  it ;  and  often  to  feem  ignorant 
"  of  what  he  was  nevertheless  fully  ao 
*'  quainted  with  *  ".  I  am  aware,  Phile 
mon,  you  may  think  this  Reprefentation  a 
C  2  little 

*  Eufcb.  Praep.  Evangel.  Lib.  I.  p.  39.  Ed.  Par. 


(    100    ) 

little  too  refined  for  fo  early  an  Age  as  that 
of  'Taautus.  I  do  not  therefore  infill  here 
on  its  being  litterally  his  Invention  ;  (for  I 
am  fenfible  he  has  the  Credit  of  many  In 
ventions  afcribed  to  him,  which  were  none 
of  his)  but  mention  it  only  as  an  liluftra- 
tion  of  the  more  confined  perfonal  Hie 
roglyphic.  Poffibly,  the  Symbol  of  Mer 
cury  himfelf,  which  was  that  of  the  Dog, 
was  of  an  earlier  Introduction,  as  it  is  a  much 
fimpler  Inftance  in  the  fame  Kind  :  "  Not, 
'  *c  fays  Plutarch  upon  this  Occaiion,  that  the 
"  Egyptians  efleemed  Mercury  to  refemble 
"  a  Dog  in  any  proper  Senfe  of  the  Word, 
*£  but  their  Meaning  here  was  only  to  ap- 
"  ply  to  him  the  guardian,  watchful,  and 
<c  diiiinguiihing  Quality  of  that  Animal," 
founded  upon  certain  analogous  Circum- 
jdances  of  his  Hiftoric  Character  -J-.  In 
the  fame  way  of  thinking,  we  find  that 
Pan^  one  of  the  Companions  of  OJiris  in 
his  foreign  Expedition,  was  reprefented  by 
a  Goat  J ;  as  was  Jupiter •,  the  Father  of 

OfiriSt 


TO     'jAaxuxov,    v.xi  TO   a'ypwTrmv^   x«t  TO 

^VW<T£»   KOil     OfyWiZ     TOV    QiXo'J     'AOil    TO   f^- 

o    IlAaTwv,     TW  Aoj/iwTaro) 
3"?uv  <TLDo»>cs(OU(r('      Plut.  de  If.  &  Of.  p.  355. 
TruQo-j<ri  $£*c!7i  xai  j/Au^pu^i   01  ^wJ/^aCpoi    xat 
TOD   fla/jo?,   y.ctTxtrtp    EAAljBlf,  TW- 
f^.   Herod,  lib. 
2."  cap.  46. 


Ofiris,  by  a  Ram  *  ;  and  Tyfhon,  his  pro-. 
feiTed  Adverfary  and  Murderer,  by  an  Afs, 
a  Crocodile,  and  a  River  or  Sea-Horfe  :  The 
firft,  as  Plutarch's  Remark  in  the  cafe  is? 
the  moft  ftupid  of  all  the  tamer  Animals  ; 
the  other  two,  the  fierceft  and  moft  mif- 
chievous  of  all  the  wilder  ones  -f-.  For  the 
original  Grounds  of  the  two  Symbols  of 
Jupiter  and  Pan,  Antiquity  has  not,  that 
I  know  of,  fatisfactorily  explained  them  to 
us.  Our  great  Countryman  Sir  I/aac  New 
ton  is  of  opinion,  that  the  one  only  Signi 
fied  Jupiter  to  have  conquered  Libya,  a 
Country  abounding  with  Sheep  +  ;  and  the 
other,  that  Pan  was  a  Perfon  much  ad 
dicted  to  Dancing  ||.  But  from  the  After- 
Application  we  meet  with  both  of  the 
Symbol  and  Character  of  Pan  in  the  My- 
thclogic  Ages,  I  have  been  Sometimes  tempt 
ed  to  fufpeft,  that  the  Goat,  in  his  Cafe, 
had,  even  from  the  firft  Ufe  of  it,  a  quite 
other  Intendment  than  is  here  reprefented  ; 
and  either  Signified  him  to  have  been  of  a 

very 


*  Kcio7rpo<7W7rov  rw^atyta  TCU  AJOJ  uToifJcrt  Ai- 
J/u7r7ioj.  Ibid.  cap.  42. 

f     A7rOV£/XO'J(T*V   K'JTU   ^TW   Tu(f>WVl)  TWV    ?ljU,££>WV   ^WWV 

roy  ajj.xQsvrx.TOv  ovcv,  TWV  <5f  a.'yfiuv  3"//pico^ETTaTa, 
jMOXb^wAov,  xai  TOV  7zrcTa(«»oy  t'mrw.  Plut.  dc  If.  & 
Of.  p.  371, 

J  The  Chronology  of  ancient  Kingdoms  amend- 
pd,  p,  226. 

||  The  Chron.  &c.  p.  227. 


f    102    ) 

very  faladous  Complexion,  or  the  Father 
of  a  very  numerous  OrTfpring  *.  Such 
however  being  the  general  Practice  of  the 
Egyptians,  "  to  fignify  as  well  Men,  as 
"  Things,  under  certain  Jenftble  Emblems, " 
you  will  eafily  conceive  how  Ofiris,  the 
great  Father  of  Agriculture  to  the  Egyp 
tians,  ihould  come  to  be  reprefented  by 
them,  as  we  find  he  was,  under  the  Fi 
gure  of  a  Bull  or  an  Ox,  the  very  Animal 
he  had  firfl;  made  ufe  of  for  this  valuable 
Purpofe  -f- :  As  aifo  how  Ifes  fhould  be  fig- 
nified  by  the  Figure  of  a  Cow  J  ;  boi:h  for 
the  part  fhe  had  contributed  towards  Agri 
culture  in  the  firfl  diftinction  of  Grain  •,  as 
like  wife  more  emphatically,  'tis  probable, 
for  her  having  taught  either  the^fr//,  or  the 
more  improved  Ufe  of  theCo w's  Milk :  Which 

I 

"     Grru     J;    £!y£>:a    rotsuTov    J'p&^ovm    etvrov    {rov 
ITava}    o'j   ju.o»    ri?',w  fxr*   Af^fiv.      Herod.   Lib.  II. 

*          rr*         $  ^ 

t'.io  jo.       I  O'J    ft   Tftwyov   apitnitoffttv  CIXTO  'yijimx.oj 

»    «»|X.     4^  ._  /  / 

^XOCJOV*  TO      tS    fJ-O^iO'J    TO'J  6.,fAU.TO$   TO  *"/)?   y>£^f(7£WJ    GtllWJ 

vvj    rrtg    Tio   f  :.\'-:v  (pvwaj-      Diodor.  Sic.  B.b.  1.  I. 

-j-  Tsu?  os  Ttsuaovj  TOV^    Jcoouf  TijtAiSitrQat  •arapaTrA)}- 
<rtcof  TO;;  S'joj-;,    Qjiwtc'oj'  xaT^Jfi^avrsf,   a^os  jf  x<a:t 

r;f   KvowTx  TO-J   KMvx..      Diodor.  Sic.   Bib.    Lib.  L 

P-  79- 

t  Vid.  Plut.  de  If.  &  Of.  p.  372. 


I  collecl:  from  one  of  thofe  Dramatic  Ce 
remonies  we  were  (peaking  of,  in  the  £- 
gyptian  Religion,  inftituted,  I  perfuade 
myfelf,  in  honor  of  this  Invention,  which 
is  mentioned  by  the  Sicilian  Hiftorian,  to 
have  been  pradifed  in  a  certain  Ifland  of 
the  Nile  ;  where  the  Priefts,  as  he  tells 
us,  appointed  to  this  Service,  "  filled  every 
"  Day  three  hundred  and  fixty  VeiTels  with 
"  Milk,  near  one  of  the  fuppofed  Places 
"  of  Interment  of  OJtris  and  Ifis,  lament- 
<e  ing,  and  calling  upon  their  Names  *  ". 
And  now,  Philemon,  we  are  upon  the  ve 
ry  Confines  of  a  Symbolic  Theology.  For 
the  Figure  of  a  Ball,  as  we  fay,  having 
been  the  Egyptian  Emblem  of  their  beloved 
OJiris,  a  Proportion  at  leaft  of  the  regard 
due  to  himjelf\  would,  even  in  his  Life 

time, 


roc. 

T«  TOUTWV   TWV      -fCOV,     aAA       £7TJ   TWU     OfUV     T»f 

y.xt  TK  AtywrrloVy    X&TK    rnv    ey    TWU  NftAw 


T«UTTJ 


TOLITOV  x£j^-v3?    ftViovTot,    xou    TpiaxocTiaf  ^oa;* 
^    xaS-'    Ixatrrw  npc^xv  )/aAax7o? 
TOUTOI?  T»^9fUTaj  «p£J?,    xai  S^ufi 
ra  TWV  5fwy  ovof4ccrx.  Diod.  Sic.  Bib.  Lib. 

I.  p.  19.   TOVS  &  T&vfovs  rovg  «^ou?,   rov  re 

fAtvov   Aww,   xa<  TO;  M^uv,     Oj-j^tJ 

xat  Tourouf  (Tf^fo-flat  xaOaTr^  5«ouf,  xojv? 

***  3r#c-»v  A»^u7r]io;f.     Diod,  Sic.  Bib,  Lib,  I.  p.  19. 


104 

tinle,  doubtlefs,  devolve  upon  this  his  pri- 
vileged  Subftitute.  But  when,  after  his 
Death,  he  came  to  be  Deified^  the  Mat 
ter  foon  took  a  much  higher  turn  :  What 
before  was  grateful  Refpedt,  now  grew  up 
into  Religious  Reverence.  His  Symbol  was 
no  longer  that  of  a  Man,  but  a  God-,  till, 
by  degrees,  the  Devotion  of  weak  Minds  e- 
ver  inclining  towards  a  fenfible  Prefence,  and 
Ofiris  having  left  nothing  fenfible  behind 
him,  upon  Earth  at  leaft\  but  his  Benefac 
tions,  and  his  Symbol,  the  vifible  Repre- 
fentation  took  place  of  the  invifible  De 
mon-,  and  what  had  been  for  ibme  time 
the  Standing  Expreffion  of  his  Character, 
became  at  length  the  favourite  Instrument 
of  his  Adoration.  You  fee,  Philemon,  e- 
ven  yet,  tho'  there  was  too  much  of  Reli 
gion  in  the  Cafe,  there  was  nothing  of  My- 
itery ;  the  Matter  was  neither  more,  nor 
lefs,  than  what  the  moil  vulgar  Romanlfts 
pradtife  at  this  very  Day,  when  to  do  ho 
nor  to  a  fuppofed  tutelar  Saint,  they  ig- 
norandy  fall  proftrate  before  his  Image. 
But  tho'  the  Foundation  of  this  Symbol- 
woriliip  was  not  originally  laid  in  any  my- 
fterious  Speculation,  it  gave  birth  however 
in  time  to  a  great  deal ;  inafmuch  as  the 
Hiftoric  Gods  of  the  Egyptians  were  by  no 
means  the  only  ones,  who  had  the  Privi 
lege  of  this  Reprefentation  by  Animals  5  but 
the  Notion  was  by  degrees  extended  to  all 

their 


their  various  Syftem  of  Phyfical  Divinities. 
In  the  mean  while,  is  it  not,  think  you, 
the  more  natural  Progrefs  of  things  in  this, 
as  in  all  parallel  Subjects,  from  what  is  eafy 
and  obvious,  into  what  is  abftrufe,  and 
recondite,  than,  on  the  other  hand,  from 
difficult  and  myfterious,  into  fimple,  and 
familiar  Principles  ? 

UNDOUBTEDLY  (faid  I)  Hortenjius. 
'Tis  one  of  the  moft  felf-evident  Things 
imaginable.  I  am  really  furprifed  you  mould 
afk  me  the  Queftion.  No  Man  in  his 
fober  Senfes  can  think  otherwife. 

You  are  too  apt  (returned  he)  to  judge 
of  other  Peoples  way  of  Thinking  by  your 
own.  What  fay  you  to  Mr.  Shuckjord's 
Authority  in  this  point  ?  He  is  both  a  Scho 
lar,  and  a  Man  of  Senfe  :  and  yet  he  is 
clearly  againft  us  in  this  whole  matter ; 
and  has  publickly  declared  for  the  direct  con 
trary  Opinion.  But  this  is  not  the  only 
Inftance  in  which  this  Author  has  facrificed 
Probability  to  Syftem,  and  given  up  Na 
ture,  in  order  to  fervc,  as  he  imagines,  the 
Qauie  of  Revelation. 

BUT  how   (I  interrupted)  is  that  at  all 

mterefted  in  the  matter  we  are  confidering  ? 

It  feems  to  me  a  mere  Point  of  Antiquity, 

or  Curiofity,  in  which  mQdtrn  Syftems  of 

P  Belief 


196 

Belief  at   leaft  can  have   no  manner  oi 
Cpncerri. 

I  WILL  expla,ne  this  Affair  to  you,  (laid 
he)  Philemon.  You  'know  it  is  a  favorite 
Topic  with  many  of  our  Divines  to  depre 
ciate  Reafon^  the  better  to  eftablim  the 
NecefTuy  of  what  is  called  Faith  with  them. 
Now  nothing  can  caft  a  greater  Reflection 
upon  Reafon,  than  to  fuppofe  that  fo  wild 
and  extravagant  a  Doctrine  as  that  of  the 

v        '  i "  '        *       * 

Emblematic  Theology  had  its  immediate 
Rife  from  this  Quarter  5  or  that  the  origi 
nal  Practice  of  Brute-  Worfhip  in  Egypt  was 
a  Refult  of  pretended  Speculation,  and  a 
more  refined  Philofophy.  Accordingly, 
our  Author  would  perfuade  us  to  think, 
that  the  Origin  of  paying  Religious  Wor 
fhip  before  fome  Animal  Reprefentation 
in  Egypt  was  fo  far  from  having  any  Rt> 
ference  to  O/iris,  or  the  other  Hiftoriy 
Deities  of  the  fame  Age,  (for  they  had  all 
of  them,  I  would  pbferve  here  once  for 
all,  their  confecrated  Symbols,  as  we'll  as  he) 
that  it  was  a  Practice  with  the  J$fflpti$n% 
Ages  before  the  Deification  of  thele  Heroes 
vvas  fo  much  as  thought  of.  Nay,  that 
the  very  Grounds  of  their  applying  religious 
Symbols  to  their  Hero-Deities  were  laid  in 
a  p'reeftablifhed  Ufage  of  this  kind  with 
regard  to  their  natural  ones.  "  The  firft 
^  Step  (fays  he)  the  Egyptians  took,  aftt^r 

"  "  they 


io7 

"  they  worfhipped  the  Luminaries  of  itea- 
c<  ven,  was  to  dedicate  fome  living  Crea- 
"  ture  to  each  particular  Deity,  and  to 
<c  worfhipthat  Deity  before  fuch  Creature^ 
"  of  the  Image  of  it  *."  If  you  afk,  how 
they  fell  into  this  Practice,  which  to  our 
Apprehenfion  feems,  it  is  confeffed,  odd 
and  hiimonrfome ,  the  Anfwer  is,  "  Their 
"  Speculation  and  Philofophy  led  them  into 
"  it."  When  had  they  deferted  the  fure 
Guidance  of  Tradition,  "  they  quickly  fell 
"  from  one  Fancy  to  another."  And  hav 
ing  once  thought  the  Lights  of  Heaven  to 
b'e  the  Gods  th'at  governed  the  World,  "  they 
<c  in  a  little  time  apprehended  thefe  Gods 
"  to  have  made  the  living  Creatures  of 
"  the  Earth  more  or  lefs  Partakers  of 
IC  their  Divinity  and  Perfections;"  in  order 
to  convey  a  Knowledge  of  themfelves 
to  Mankind  -f-.  I  know  not,  Philemon, 
had  our  Author  lived  in  Egypt  in  the  Ages 
we  are  fpeaking  of,  in  how  little  a  time  he 
might  have  come  to  apprehend  this ;  but 
I  am  fure  it  would  have  coft  me  a  great 
deal  to  do  it :  fince,  in  the  Light  it  is 
here  placed  in,  it  appears,  I  muft  confefs, 
to  me,  one  of  the  leaft  obvious  Apprehen- 
iions  imaginable.  For,-  as  the  Qneftion  is 
well  put  by  the  learned  Writer  himfelf,- 

P    2  «   Of 

-,j(--V  •  fr!v*  fjv/n  •j**j->'i 

*  Skuckfonrs  Con.  Vol.  II.  p.  278,  279. 

t  Shuck.  Con.  Vol,  II,  p.  279,  280, 


"  of  what  ufe  can  the  Figure  of  a  Beaft 
"  be,  to  raife  in  Mens  Minds  Ideas  of  the 
"  fidereal  Deities  *  ?  "  Or,  if  on  the  other 
hand  the  PafTage  from  Luminary  to  Brute- 
Worlhip  be  indeed  fo  quick  an  one,  as  was 
juft  now  reprefented,  it  will  ever  be  a  De- 
fideratum  with  me  to  conceive,  whence  it 
came  to  pate,  that  no  other  Nation  we 
are  acquainted  with  befides  the  Egyptians, 
how  much  foever  it  might  rival  them  in 
one  of  thele  Articles  of  their  Idolatry,  ever 
did  fo  in  the  other  2  But  their  Philofophy, 
it  ieems,  was  as  fingular  in  this  Cafe,  as 
their  Practice  j  neither  of  which  could 
enter  into  the  head  of  any  People  but 
themfelves.  \\ 

i'j    i-  y}!j5*1/;fl    <-i"        " 'J    OX-'.}     i"'iliV'{     3'i'    ' 

IT  was  a  kind  of  local  Infatuation  (laid 
I)  I  fuppoie,  with  them  j  a  Diftemper  of 
their  Soil  and  Climate  j  a  Species  of  Delu- 
iion  which  could  only  have  its  Production 
in  this  chpfen  Land  of  abject  Superftition. 
Or,  poffibly,  after  all,  it  was  fome  Influ 
ence  of  their  Stars  tbemjehes  :  fome  fingu 
lar  Afpeet.jof  thefe  Luminaries,  which 
never  took  place  but  this  once,  and  that 
only  within  the  Horizon  of  Egypt,  that 
gave  birth  to  this  wonderful  Phenomenon  -t 
and  by  certain  fecret  Intimations  to  their 
Worshippers  fuggefted  this  unufual  Mode 
of  their  own  Idolatry.  You 

*  Shuck.  Con.  Vol.  II.  p.  279;   . 


iO9 

You  would  have  made  an  excellent 
Egyptian,  (returned  he)  Philemon,  to  have 
talked  at  this  rate  of  occult  Reafons,  and 
fecret  Communications.  You  have  here, 
I  believe,  ftruck  a  Note  of  Refinement  in 
behalf  of  Animal- Worfhip  beyond  any  of 
its  profeffed  Apologifts  in  Antiquity.  Had 
you  hit  off  fuch  a  Defence  of  it  in  Egypt, 
in  the  Times  of  this  Superftition,  I  almofl 
fancy  you  would  have  had  a  whole  College 
of  her  Priefts  to  wait  on  you  with  the 
Compliment  of  Initiation,  even  without  tha 
Trouble  of  its  preparatory  Ceremonies.  In 
the  mean  while,  I,  who  love  Nature  much 
better  than  Viiions,  am  for  acquitting  both 
the  Country  and  the  Stars  of  Egypt  in  this 
Matter,  and  for  tracing  out  the  Source  of 
Brute- Worfhip  in  the  Egyptians  themfelves. 
It  had  its  Derivation,  I  make  no  queftion, 
from  the  Practice  of  their  common,  and 
above  all  their  perfonal  Hieroglyphics :  and  > 
mftead  of  faying  with  Mr.  Shuckfcrd  here, 
"  that  the  Ufe  of  Animals  amongft  the 
"  Egyptia?is  for  Images  of  their  Deities 
"  introduced  an  analogous  Practice  in  their 
"  Pictures  of  Men  *  ;"  I  would  fay  rather 
(and  with  much  greater  Probability,  I  think) 
w  that  their  Hieroglypbical  Manner  of  re- 
"  prefenting  to  one  another  the  Perfons  and 
"  Characters  of  Men  gave  Rife  to  an  ana- 

"  logous 

I  Shuck.  Con»  Vol.  II»  p.  308,  309. 


f 

"  logous  Ufage  with  relation  to  their  Gods." 
For,  to  mention;  Philemon,  fome  few  of 
their  Reprefentations  in  each  kincU-Was 
it  not  a  much  more  eafy  and  natural 
Thought,  for  them  to  fignify  Ofiris,  the 
Father  of  Tillage,  by  the  Figure  of  a  Bull  — 
Or  Ifisy  who  taught  them  either  the  firfl 
Ufe,  or  the  Improvement  of  Cows  Milk, 
by  that  of  a  Cow—  -Or  Mercury  the  faithful 
Friend,  and  prudent  Counfellor  of  them 
both,  by  the  Watchful  nefs  and  Sagacity  of 
the  Dog  ?  —  Than  it  was  "  to  fancy  the 
"  Hawk  paid  a  natural  Homage  to  the  Sun, 
"  and  was  an  appofite  Symbol  of  him,  be-' 
"  caufe  it  is  the  only  Bird,  which  can  in- 
"  dure  a  ftrong  Light  without  Pain  ;  can 
"  foar  directly  againft  the  Sun-beams  ;  and 
<c  is  obferved  fometimes  to  fly  in  a  fupine 
"  Pofture,  looking  freely  and  {readily  to- 
"  wards  Heaven,  and  towards  the  Eye  of 
«  him  who  fees  all  Things  *  ?  "—Or,  to 
think  of  reprefenting  the  Moon  by  a  Cat, 

"  becaufe 


rov  uetxa  A^oX^wjiri^v  toi>i!z<rt' 


«£t,    EV  T^.IJ  «>tTKrt    ro'j  yXkQ'j  ^ai'iw?  *.&( 

XXI     (LtTWTrOVUEl'OJ     TJXKTTfit*       7TO- 


CtUM  Ti   TW    KVUTOiTU     *«0"i,     X.«l     aoTOU1?     '/)        £i 

yjfi/'    xat  av«7raA»v    xsu   TO*    sr£T£<r9at    row  tf- 


caxa  oi  iWs,"  (pacrtu  wj  £    ujaj  nfoirra'  fva  TOI 
Tiroo?  rov  bupavcv  opa,   x^j    izrcoj  rbv  •sr 


Animal,  Lib.  X.  cap.  13. 


(  III  ) 

"  becaufe  of  the  fpotted  Skin  of  this  Animal  ; 
"  its  imploying  itfelf  moftly  in  the  Night- 
"  time  j  and  haying  the  Pupil  of  its  Eye 
"  inlarged,  or  contracted,  according  to  the 
"  IVJoon's  Increafe  or  Wane*?"  —  Or  again, 
to  image  the  fame  Luminary  by  a  Dog, 
"  becaufe  the  young  ones  of  this  Species 
<c  are  blind  thirteen  Days  from  their  Birth, 
<c  which  is  the  exa<5t  Number  of  the  Days 
"  in  a  Year,  on  which  the  Moon  gives 
<e  abfolutely  no  Light  -J-  ?  "  I  might  go 
on  to  inftance  in  the  Rams  being  he!4  facrcd 
totheSiun,  as  the  great  Lord  of  Life,  "  from 
'<  its  being  obferved  tp  reft  the  fix  Winter 
','  Months  of  the  Year,  upon  its  left  Side, 
"  and  the  other  fix"  (the  Seafon  in  which 
both  the  animal  and  vegetable  World  is  in 
its  moft  profperous  and  flourishing  State) 
"  upon  Jts  r^ght  j  changing  its  Pofture  pre- 
*/  cifely  at  the  time  of  the  autumnal  and 

u  vernal 

'   Tw    fe  atXc^w  amirlovTs;  Trp    ff'fAriviiu    fi&  r6 
ov,    KXI  wxrovc'o'j     KHI       svtxoy  TW 
ev  T6 


sv  ratj  |W,fj^<rftri  Toy  aoTcoii*     IMut.  de 
If.  &  Of.  p.  376. 

•"   T«  <rxuAaxta  TjXx,  Ttx.Tfraj,   xa»  o-Jx  ooa  rr; 


TW  •sra'fj  rwf^   orav   xai   )7  <re- 

ou  ^aiu'fi  vntluQ*  ^ian.  Hi  ft..  Animal.  Lib.  X. 
cap.  45. 


(    "2    ) 

et  vernal  Equinoxes  *."•  —  Or,  in  the  Ape's 
being  confecrated  to  the  Moon,  as  "  having 
ct  a  natural  Sympathy  with  her  ;  inat 
"  much  as  at  the  time  of  her  Congrefs  with 
**  the  Sun,"  the  part  of  her  Period  in  which 
with  refpecl  to  the  Earth  me  is  totally  dark, 
"  the  Male  Ape  becomes  blind  ;  refufes 
"  its  Food  ;  and  hangs  down  its  Head  to- 
"  wards  the  Ground,  as  regretting  the 
tc  Abfence  of  the  Moon's  Light  ;  the  Fe- 
u  male  Ape  at  the  fame  Seafon,  betides  all 
"  this,  fuffering  a  peculiar  and  periodical 
c<  Infirmity  of  her  own  -j-."  —  Or,  I  might 
take  notice  to  you  of  -  ^But  the  mat 
ter  is,  I  dare  fay,  already  too  evident,  to 
need  any  farther  Illuftration.. 

As 

*    Axo'Jw  ran  xptoy  TO  t^uov  tfc  pyvuv  rctv  fttiu.spm- 
TM?  acKTTSfce,;    -s:\s'jox,q    y.it7$oti  xat    xa- 


itucwv,    QTXV  auToy  ctioii   y.xi  -srsoiXxx'jsi  wuo;'  tx. 
TTO.    til    TY,;   tapjvr,?    icrr,utct»s    E^ 


lian.  Hift.    Animal 
Lib.  X.  cap.  18. 

•\  SfArjww  'ypxtpwTs;  (  At^'jT 
ypa,(&ov<ri'   ETrsuJV)  TO  ^woy  Tovro  (rviAiratux.*  TIVCC 


TOTS      0    (J.VJ    KfWJ      XWOXi^Otof      OU     |3AE7Tf», 


T?)j  CTtATj-jy;;  aoTraJ/jp*  51  <£     -»jA£»a   jtxfTa    rou 

Jtat    TauT«  TW  «5«yj  urao'^jtv,  fTt  «Jf  xai  ft 

TTJ?  itTt^;  (pjo-fwj  a^aac-o-£T«i'  Horap.  Hierog.  Lib. 
I.  Hierog.  14. 


A  s  much  a  Myftlc  (interpofed  I)  Hor~ 
tenfitts,  as  you  was  pleafed  jufl  now  in  Rail 
lery  to  paint  me  to  yourfelf,  believe  me,  I 
am  very  ready  to  defcend  with  you  out  of 
the  airy  Regions  of  Fancy  into  the  fafer 
Paths  of  plain  Nature ;  and  can  without 
difficulty  give  up  both  my  Hypothefis,  and 
Initiation,  to  enter  into  fuch  a  rational  and 
fatisfactory  Sentiment  of  Things,  as  you 
have  here  laid  before  me. 

THERE  is  (refumed  he)  this  farther 
Argument  for  the  prior  Date  of  Heroic 
Symbols  to  Phyfical ;  that  the  firfl  natural 
Divinities  of  the  Egyptians,  the  Sun,  Moon, 
and  Stars,  were  all  of  them  Objects  capable 
of  a  direct  Reprefentation  to  Senfe  by  way 
of  Pitiure,  or  pi^cris  of  the  Things  them- 
felves :  which,  as  it  is  in  itfelf  the  moil 
obvious  kind  of  Reprefentation  of  any  Ob 
ject,  would  doubtlefs  take  place  with  the 
Egyptians,  wherever  it  was  practicable : 
aCircumftance,  which  muft  have  precluded, 
it  mould  feem,  the  Ufe  of  Symbols  with 
regard  to  their  natural  Gods,  till  fuch  time 
as,  from  the  Application  of  them  in  the 
Worship  of  their  civil  Gods,  the  emblematic 
Turn  of  Thinking  in  Religion  was  grown 
to  be  the  popular  and  prevailing  one.  And 
indeed,  to  (hut  up  this  Subject,  Pbilemony 
had  the  Symbolic  Worfhip  of  Nature  been 
introduced  in  Egypt,  as  Mr.  Sbuckford 

ever 


(  "4  } 

every  where  maintains  it  was,  before  either 
{\\cjymbolic,  or  the  proper  Worihip  of  her 
antient  Heroes,  I  queilion  much,,  whether 
this  latter  Species  of  her  Idolatry  had  ever 
been  heard  of.  For  it  feems  to  me  a  little 
unlikely,  that,  after  the  Egyptians  had  ac 
quired  fuch  an  exquifite  Sagacity  in  Think 
ing,  as  to  be  able  to  represent  to  themfelves, 
as  we  may  fay,  the  whole  Creation  in  Em 
blem,  they  mould  find  any  Temptation  to 
idolize  fuch  comparatively  low  and  humble 
Efforts  of  human  Genius,  as  the  Invention 
of  the  firft  fimpler  Arts  and  Accommoda 
tions  of  Life. 

THE  true  Rife  therefore  of  Animal- 
Wormip  in  Egypt  was,  doubtlefs,  of  a  much 
humbler  Kind  than  Mr.  Sbuckford  has  re- 
prefented.  <c  It  was  originally  only  the 
%{  Worlliip  of  the  antient  Heroes  of  the 
"  Egyptians,  exalted  by  them  after  their 
u  Deceafe  to  the  Character  of  Gods,  thro' 
"  the  Medium  of  that  particular  Animal-' 
"  Reprefentation,  which  had  been  ufed  in 
<{  Hieroglyphic  Writing  to  diftinguifh  their 
"  feveral  Perfons  as  Men."  But  the  mat 
ter,  however  it  might  begin,  did  not,  we 
ffod,  reft  here  j  for  the  Idea  of  a  certain 
Divine  Prcfmce  having  once  grown  into 
an  eftablimed  Connexion  with  the  Image 
or  Portrait  of  a  certain  Animal^  it  was  eafy 
Superftition  or  Artifice  to  improve  upon 

this 


(  "5  ) 

this  Hint  -j  and  to  have  it  believed,  that 
the  God,  who  was  thus  conceived  of  as  my- 
ftically  prefent  to  his  Worfhippers  in  the 
dead  Image,  might  fometimes  vouchfafe  to 
become  fubftantially  fo  in  the  living  Animal 
in  Kind  :  a  Notion,  which  accordingly  pre 
vailed  in  time  with  the  Egyptians  to  fuch 
an  extravagant  degree,  that  there  was  fcarce 
a  Species  of  Animals  in  their  Country, 
ibme  Individual  whereof  had  not  Divine 
Honors  paid  it,  as  the  Temple  of  fome  or 
other  of  their  Gods  *.  One  of  the  moil 
celebrated  of  thefe  Brute-Divinities  was  the 
Apis  :  "  A  God,"  as  Lucian  humoroufiy 
defcribes  him,  "  from  out  of  the  Herd-f-  ;" 
Or,  in  other  Words,  a  Bull  confecrated  to 
O/insj  whofe  firft  Diftindion  from  his  Fel 
lows  was  probably  nothing  more,  than 
his  fuperior  Size  or  Beauty  ;£  ±  though  it 
was  afterwards  improved  into  his  having 
a  fupernatural  Conception,  together  with 
feveral  Myflie  Enjigm  of  a  Divine  Charac- 
Q_2  ter, 

* 


rcc 

' 


TtTECl     TtX    «0«,     Xa>  ('/)    KM    TXUi'     AtyW  I1)?    O'J   p.O.\O,  S'?)- 

piw^r)?  ETTJ,  rot,  Jf  foira  o~(pj  aTravra  >p«  vsyoa.Krrat* 
Herod.  Lib.  II.  cap.  65. 

•f-  Ea-rt  ^£  o  ATTK  t%  oc'y^.ric  Stec"  Lucian.  de 
Sacrif.  ap.  Fin. 

^  IIoAu  xaAAjcop  xat  ctpvoTfoog  TWJ  I$MTUV  Bscev". 
Ibid.  *O  <?£  'HAiw  avaxEi^evo?  vj  'HAjo-j  aroAft  xa- 
Ao'jjt/.fvo?  MvfJtr,  Bouv  ftrrj  fj.fyivTGf,  cfyoopoe,  /AfAa--. 
3Porph  ap.  Eufeb.  Praep.  Evang.  Lib.  111.  cap.  13. 


ter,-  to  the  Number,  in  flLliaris  Time, 
of  twenty-nine:  in  virtue  whereof,  he  was 
conftituted  not  only,  what  we  fometimes 
find  him  called  by  the  Egyptians,  (and 
what  alone,  I  perfuade  my  felf,  was  their 
firft  Idea  of  him)  "  the  beautiful  Image 
"  of  the  Soul  of  Ofiris  *  ;"  But,  by  a  flili 
higher  Privilege,  the  Image  of  the  greateft 
part  of  their  natural  Deities  at  the  fame 
time  -f-.  But  thefe,  Philemon,  I  pafs  over 
at  prefent,  both,  as  they  belong  rather  to 
the  fubfequent  part  of  our  Inquiry  ;  and, 
as  they  were,  pail  queftion,  Appendages  to 
the  original  Superftition  of  the  Apis  j  a 
mere  Contrivance  of  the  Egyptian  Prieft- 

hood* 


ii;    rjuoslo-j    twjcc  ^e^  vopiiiv   T»J£ 
i^yog  xj^p^';'      Plut.  de  If.  &  Of.  p.  362. 
-f  '©fcj  Ai}<J7r1i3tJ    tvz.e'ytGTtx.To;   o   ATTJ?   uv<xi  jcrt- 
vsrui'   'ywzrzi    as   ex.    Boo?    £t?    "M    cupayiov 

(TTt     TW 


V   OTO-J 
a,£j        1 


7Zl     IKZVOl'     V.UA   "yOif    TCI    KM   T'ffJ   (ZVOJGV   Ty\>  TOU 

vVo^Aouy    o"^£K>y    (pa<7J,    K*t    TO  TOU 
aAA'  oi^£i  Tt   xat    (ru^QoAov,    cJj    tscsiv 

oVspO'JV   Gd'JirllT&l  TOU     dpcOTO?    £lVOSt     TO 

TO  pwoitStq  rris   (reX 

aAAo*   3c«i    aAAa     'E   ETTJ    TOU- 
T£  x 


Hift.  Auimal.  Lib.  II,  cap.  io. 


hood,  to  get  the  Times  of  his  Appearance, 
(for,  I  mould  obferve  to  you,  he  was  not 
always  fuppofed  to  be  prefent  in  Egypt) 
into  their  own  hands  $  and  to  have  the 
making,  as  occafion  might  offer,  of  one 
of  the  chief  Objects  of  Worfhip  in  their 
Country. 

AND  a  very  artful  Contrivance  too, 
(faid  I)  Hortenfius,  for  the  Ends  of  Prieftly 
Ambition  and  Emolument  5  as  we  have  but 
too  good  Proof  iii  the  Hiftory  of  modern 
Superftition :  whofe  Matters,  you  know, 
throughout  great  part  of  Cbrijlendom,  have 
adopted  this  God-making  Policy  of  the  old 
Egyptian  Hierarchs;  which  they  accord 
ingly  practife  frequently  with  equal  Impu 
dence,  and  Succe£>,  in  the  Face  of  devout 
Multitudes,  who,  from  an  aweful  Senfe  of 
their  high  Prerogative  in  this  matter,  are 
inflaved  into  a  blind  Submiflion  to  their 
Authority  in  every  other. 

BEFORE  we  have  fini (lied  our  prefent 
Subject,  (returned  he)  Philemon,  you  will 
find  this  is  by  no  means  the  only  Inftanee 
of  Plagiarifm  in  modern  Superftition,  from 
antient.  Prieftcraft,  it  mould  feem,  was  a  Sci 
ence  very  foon  brought  to  its  Perfection  in  the 
World.  It  is  obierved  of  Arts  in  general, 
you  know,  that  they  never  fail  to  flourifh 
under  a  proper  Incouragement :  a  Hap- 

pinefs, 


(  "8  ) 

pinefs,  which  the  Art  we  are  fpeaking  of 
in  particular  could  never  want,  as  far  back 
wards  in  Hifrory  as  there  was  any  fach  thing 
as  devout  Weaknefs  in  human  Nature.  It 
carries  indeed,  in  distinction  from  all  other 
Arts,  its  immediate  Recompence  in  its  own 
hands  :  fince,  whoever  has  Addrefs  enough 
to  cheat  People  of  their  Liberties  and  their 
PofTeffions  by  applying  himfelf  to  their 
Fears  is  fure  of  being  a  fufficient  Gainer 
by  his  Profeffion.  But,  to  return  from  the 
political  Application  of  Brute- Worfhip,  to 
the  original  Institution  of  it ;  for  the  pre- 
cife  ^ra  of  thefe  Animal-Gods  in  Egypf, 
we  have  little  more  than  Conjecture  to 
truft  to  in  this  matter.  The  Egyptian  Chro 
nology,  you  may  remember,  fecms  to  have 
determined  the  time  of  the  Coniecration  of 
the  Apis  to  the  Reign  of  GeacboSt  the  tenth 
Succefibr  in  th^  T-kiriite  Government.  If 
the  ApH  WdP,  as  I  am  much  inclined  to 
believe,  the  fir  ft  Inftance  of  a  Brute-God 
amongjflt  the  Egyptians^  the  time  here 
fixed  for  his  Confecration  falls  in,  as  I  ob- 
ferved  to  you  in  our  laft  Converfation, 
with  the  Age  of  Suphis  at  Memphis ; 
whole  general  Character  may  make  it  not 
improbable,  that  he  was  the  Author  of 
this  Fancy.  Whether  Suphis  was  more  a 
Devotionalift,  or  a  Politician,  I  know  not ; 
but  he  had,  we  find,  a  Head  much  turned 
to  Religious  Subjects :  and,  from  the  extra- 
i  ordinary 


Ordinary  Acquaintance  he  is  faid  to  have  had 
with  the  Gods,  muft  have  understood,  no 
doubt,  beyond  any  of  his  Contemporaries^ 
the  Modus  of  their  Divine  Prefence. 

WHICH  was  the  Secret,  (faid  I)  I  fup- 
pofe^  he  delivered  down  to  his  SuccefTors 
in  Religious  Politics  in  that  Sacred  Book 

\j 

you  mentioned  him  to  have  been  the  Au- 

J 

thor  of,  a  Depofitum,  it  feems,  whereby 
his  Memory  became  fo  fingularly  indeared 
to  them,  that  they  could  not  let  it  pafs 
through  their  hands  to  After-  Ages  without 
entering  a  particular  Teftimony  of  their 
Obligations  to  him  upon  this  account. 


yet  perhaps  (returned  he)  the  Se^ 
cret,  Philemon  ,  was  all  this  while  nothing 
more,  than  that  of  humoring  the  Bials  of 
popular  Weaknefs  ;  fubmitting  to  govern 
the  Multitude  upon  their  own  Terms  >  and 
leaving  them  to  the  Impreflions  of  a  falie 
Species  of  Religion,  as  thinking  them  not 
fit  to  be  trufted.  with  the  Principles  of  a 
truer  one.  I  inquire  not  into  the  Merits 
of  fuch  a  way  of  Thinking;  all  I  ob- 
ferve  is,  that  it  feems  to  have  been  the 
general  Sentiment  of  more  knowing  An 
tiquity  in  the  Point.  And  of  this  kind,  I 
make  no  queftion,  was  the  Egyptian  Brute- 
Worfhip  :  not  originally  a  Deduction  of 
their  Philofophy  ;  (for  then  the  Greeks, 

who 


(  iao  ) 

who  learnt  to  Philofophize  in  Egypt,  would 
have  fallen  into  the  fame  PraSice)  but  a 
mere  local  Accommodation  to  vulgar  Pre 
judices  5  which,  when  they  had  taken  too 
deep  Root  to  be  removed  without  hazard, 
as  might  be  apprehended,  to  better  Things, 
the  Learned,  as  their  manner  feems  to  have 
been  in  all  parallel  Cafes,  endeavoured  to  jufl 
tify  as  well  as  they  could  3  and  to  give  them 
the  beft  Colorings  they  were  capable   of. 
For  indeed  the  Belief  of  Animal-Gods  in 
Egypt  was  an  Error  of  too  great  Confequence 
to  the  Priefthood,    not  to  deferve  all  the 
Countenance  they  could  give  it  -,  nor  need 
we  doubt,  but  the  Wifclona  of  this  Order 
would  find  fomething  to  fay  for  itfelf  upon 
fo  intere fling  an  Occafion.     And  here,  as 
I  take  it,  came   in  firft  the  Phikfopby  of 
reprefenting,  as  Mr.  Shuckford  well  exprefles 
the  matter  for  us,  C£  the  Gods  to  have  made 
"  the  living  Creatures  upon  Earth  more  or 
"  lefs  Partakers  of  their  Divinity  and  Per- 
<c  feclions,  in  order  to  convey  a  Know- 
"'  ledge   of    themfelves  to  Mankind  :  "  a 
Notion,  which,  as  the  fame  learned  Writer 
remarks,  "  Men  of  the  niceft  Inquiry  pre- 
"  tended  to  fupport  by  many  curious  Ob- 
"  fcrvations  upon  particular  Kinds  of  Ani- 
<£  mals*:"  inibmuch,  that  Porphyry  affures 
us,  it  came  in  time,  upon  this  Principle, 
to  be  afTerted  l>y  them,  "  as  from  a  more 

"  intimate 
*  Shuck.  Con.  Vol.  II.  p.  279,  280, 


*:  intimate  Knowledge  of  Divine  Matters, 

fc  that  fdme  Animals  had  fo  near  a  rela- 

tf  tion  to  certain  of  the  Gods,  as  to  be 

<{  even  dearer  to  them  than  Mankind  itfelf ; 

"  as  Was  (they  maintained)  the  cafe  of  the 

"  Havvk  in   refpedt  to  the  Sun,    from  a 

""  fuppofed  Analogy  of  its  Temperament 

"  to  that  of  the  Sun's  Body  *.'* 

THIS  was  a  Strain  of  Refinement  indeed 
(faid  I)  Hortenfius.  But  after  all  I  do  not 
much  wonder  to  find  the  human  Species 
in  Egypt  funk  fo  low  in  the  Eftimation  of 
their  fpiritual  Matters,  confidcring  that  they 
converfed  with  Mankind  altogether  in  their 
Foibles  5  and  found  them  capable  of  being 
made  Tools  to  their  feparate  Intereft  and 
Ambition,  by  entering  into  fuch  abject  and 
illiberal  Sentiments  of  Things. 

THE  ftanding  fo  high  (refumed  he)  in 
the  Favor  of  Heaven,  as  in  the  Inftance 
here  mentioned,  was  the  Lot  only  of  fome 
few  privileged  Animals :  or  rather,  proba 
bly,  was  an  occafional  Compliment  in  the 
hands  of  the  Prieithood,  to  be  beftowed 
R 

*  Ex  r»if  treat  TO  S'tio 


rwu  ctv 


Porph,  de  Abftinentia,  Libk    IV, 


here  and  there,  upon  certain  fpeciaj  Emer* 
gencies.  However  this  might  be,  the  ge 
neral  Plea  for  Animal-Worfhip,  as  ibon  as 
the  Learning  of  Egypt  had  ingaged  in  the 
Patronage  of  it,  was>  as  has  Ipeen  faid, 
<c  the  relation  which  the  feveral  kinds -of 
"  confecrated  Animals  had  to  fome  or  other 
"  of  the  Gods,  in  quality  of  Emblems,  or 
"  Jenfible  Reprefentations,  of  their  divine 
"  Powers  and  Properties:  "  feveral  alledged 
Examples  whereof  having  been  occafionally 
produced,  whilft  we  were  difcourfing  at 
large  of  the  Hieroglyphic-Science,  I  mall 
prefume  upon  this  matter,  Philemon,  as 
already  fufficieatly  illuftrated  to  you.  But 
when,  upon  the  Principle  here  fuppofed, 
the  Number  of  Divine  Symbols  was  fo 
much  increafed  in  Egypt,  that  the  precile 
Reafons  of  them  in  each  particular  Inftance 
were  in  a  manner  endlefs  to  be  diftinctly 
infifted  on  ;  and  when  moreover  the  gene 
ral  Subject-Matter  of  the  Egyptian  Theo 
logy  itfelf  waSj  in  a  Cpurfe  of  Time  and 
Speculation,  become  more  refinedly  Philo- 
Jophical  j  a  ftill  higher  way  of  Thinking 
was  authorized  in  the  Point ;  which  at 
once  apologized  for  every  poflible  Cafe  of 
Animal-Superftition,  without  defcending  to 
the  more  intricate  Minute  of  any.  Thus 
it  was  maintained,  "  that  the  Worihip 
"  feemingly  paid  to  particular  confecrated 
"  Animals  did  not  terminate  in  the  Arii- 

"  mals 


I  123 

cc  mals  themfelves,  as  a  fuperncial  or  pro- 
"  fane  Obferver  might  imagine ;  but  had 
"  for  its  ultimate  Object  the  Divine  Power, 
"  which  actuates  all  things,  as  displaying  it- 
<£  felf  in  thofe  Animals  *  :  for  that  it  was 
**  not  in  Man  alone  that  the  Divinity  ofFer- 
"  ed  itfelf  to  oiir  Obfervation,  but  in  almoft 
**  every  kind  of  animated  Nature  j  where- 
<l  fore,  it  was  thought  good  to  take  in  every 
^  fuch -Nature  into  the  Syflem  of  Deity  -j-." 
Nay,  it  was  even  aflerted,  as  we  find  in 
Plutarch,  £C  that  Animals  were  the  moft 
<c  perfect  and  natural  Specula  in  which  the 
' c  human  Mind  could  con  template  the  God- 

:  hdad :  inafmuch  as  being  indued  with 

Life,    and   Senfe,  and  Self-motion,  and 

tc  having  a  Faculty  of  diftinguiming  difte- 

<f  feht  Obtjects  from  each  other  for  their 

<{  own  Ufe  and  Prefervation,  they  were  to 

:  be  conceived  of  as  fo  many  feveral  Streams 
{{  inkling  from  the  great  common  Fountain 
*e  ef  Life  and  Intelligence  :  and  had  there- 
<£  fore  a  much  nearer  Affinity  to  the  Di-- 
cc  vine  Being,  than  any  Images  of  human 
R  2  u  Device, 


:    TffJ     fTTj     OTaUTWU   JWOCfJUV  TOU  •S'fOU    SlOt.    TtoU    CTUPO- 
Wy,     cJ'J   W5C7T09   TOD     &£OV    TffXpltT^'J^ 

Porph.  de  Abf.  Lib.  IV.  Sek  9. 

j  O'j  <fj'   7,v$pu7ro\j  y.ovo'j   TO 
p/£^ov    tTiz    •sravrwy    TOJV  <w«v,    oio  «ij 
u7#c£Aaj3ov  way   ^wo'/      Pp^ph.   de  Abf, 
P.  154. 


(  124) 

'?  Device,    the  uninformed  Workmanship 
"  of  the  Sculptor,  or  the  Statuary  *." 

IN  Confequence  of  which  way  of  think 
ing  (faid  I)  our  Apologifts  for  Brute-  Wor- 
fhip  might  with  ftill  greater  Reafon  have 
demanded  Divine  Honors  to  their  own  Per- 
Jons  ;  and  have  pronounced  themfelves  to  be 
in  right,  what  they  were  too  much  in  fact, 
fo  many  Gods  to  the  People  :  unlefs  indeed 
they  were  apprehenfive,  the  People  might 
upon  the  fame  Principles  commence  Gods, 
as  well  as  their  Matters  ;  or  were  after  all 
honeftly  confcious  to  themfelves  that,  what 
ever  the  Argument  might  feem  to  prove 
for  them,  they  could  indeed  have  but  lit 
tle  Title  to  a  Divine  Character,  who  had 
fo  far  debafed  the  human  one,  as  to  en 
ter  ferioufly  into  the  Defence  of  fuch  a 
ridiculous  Theology. 

FOR  the  Confequences  of  Opinions  (re 
turned  Ifprtenfius)  People  are  by  no  means 

always 

*  hyy-wny)  ouv   ou    roura  -n^uiVTaf,   aXAa    3ist 
TZVTOC,  TO  ©ciov,    wf  evfcyeorepcotf   ecroTrlcwv,    x«f  ^uir£» 
TI  QC  ^W(7«,    xai  j3Afsro'J(ra,   xat  xuijxrjw;- 
lairrc.  touira     x«j  'vuiriv    Oixetwv  xat  «A- 


pav  fx  TOU    (B«pveurro?  oV«o?  JcujSjovaTai  ra    TE 

.,?r«v  o9fu  ou   p££jpov  ^^  TOUTOJ?  ftxa^ETat  TO 

xai  Ai3-4;^j  nptWfyHfytrw*  Plut.  de  Jf, 

p.  3^82, 


125  ; 

always  true  to  them;  inafmuch  as  they 
may  either  not  fee,  or  not  acknowledge, 
or,  which  is  more  to  our  prefent  Purpofe, 
not  want  them.  For  this  was  certainly 
the  Cafe  of  our  Egyptian  Apojogifts  in  the 
Subject  before  us :  They  framed  their  Hy- 
potbefis  with  an  Eye  to  a  particular  Point, 
only-,  and  therefore  purfued  it  no  farther 
than  the  Interefts  of  that,  Point  required : 
or,  in  other  Words,  as  has  been  intimate4 
above,  they  found  their  Countrymen,  for 
Reafons  already  mentioned,  actually  ingaged 
in  the  Worfhip  of  certain  Brute- Animals, 
and  then  inftituted  a  kind  of  Mock-Philo- 
fbphy,  which  mould  authorize  fuch  a  Wor- 
fhip :  their  Speculation  in  this  matter  tak 
ing  its  rife  from  their  JYactijce,  and  not  their 
Practice  from  their  Speculation,  And  here, 
Philemon,  at  parting  with  the  Subject  of 
the  Sacred  Animals,  I  may  obferve  to  you, 
that  the  Doctrine  pf  the  Mctempfychofis, 
fuppofed  by  the  Greek  Writers  a  Native  of 
Egypt,  is  by  many  People  believed  to  owe 
its  Birth  to  this  Article  of  her  Theology. 
Indeed  the  learned  FoJJius  is  of  opinion,  that 
it  was  a  Corruption  of  fome  traditionary 
Notices  in  Antiquity  concerning  a  general 
Refurrection  *.  But,  as  ho.  Teds  his  Opi- 

nioa 

*  Imo  non  animas  modo  fuperefle  poft  mortem, 
confenfus  gentium  fuit  :  fed  apud  multas  etiam  re 
liquiae  fuere  de  nova  cum  corporibus  conjunftione, 
<jiram  Refurreftionem  dicimus.  Se^  foede  earn  cor- 

fuperurvj 


rjicn  here  upon  mere  Authority  without 
Reafons,  we  are  certainly  at  liberty  to  dif-, 
fent  from  him,  if  a  more  probable  Account 
of  the  matter  may  be  found  to  ofTer  itfelf; 
as,  I  muft  own,  I  am  inclined  to  think 
there  may  yet  be  given  of  it,  than  either 
of  the  Accounts  hitherto  mentioned.  Whe 
ther  Reafon,  or  Revelation,  firft  taught 
Men  the  Belief  of  the  Soul's  Immortality, 
either  way  the  Notion  itfelf  appears  to  have 
been  a  very  antient  one  in  the  World. 

.i    • 

As,  without  any  thing  fupernatural  in 
the  Cafe,  (interrupted  I)  -ve  may  well  rup- 
pofe  it  muft  have  hem:  both,  as  the-  Doc 
trine  df  a  future  Exiftence  is  a  very  impor 
tant  Engine  of  civil  Policy  ;  and  as  it  is  at 
the  fame  time  an  Hypothefis  extremely 
flattering  to  private  Intereft  ;  a  kind  of  na* 
tural  Dictate  of  the  human  Heart.  The 
Love  of  Being  as  iuch,  and  Defire  of  its 
Continuance,  is  infeparable  from  every  Con- 
/cious  PoiTefTor  of  it.  In  this  re^becl:  the 
intriguing  Statefman  has  one  common 

Feeling 

ruperunt  in  illam,  quam  dixere  'ptrtp-yvjOufctt  quafi 
dicas  tranfanimationem  :  item  wm^o-a^aminy,  hoe 
eft  mlgratlonem  de  corpore  in  ccrpus:  ctiam  5raAiJ"^/m- 
(riav,  five  regenerationem.  Quae  non  Pythagore- 
orum  duntaxat,  fed  multarum  tiiam  gentium  opinio 
fuit,  &r  ;idmodum  difiitarum.  De  Ejyptiis,  teftis 
Herodotus  ;  a  quibus  etiam  id  haufilfe  P"tHap:oram, 
idem  tradit.  Voff.  de  Grig.  &  Prog.  Idol.  Lib.  I. 
p.  70,  71. 


I27 

Feeling  with  the  humbleft  Inftrument  of 
his  Ambition :  and  having  once  learnt  the 
j^ia/s  of  Human  Nature  in  this  Point  from 
hi?}ifelfy  we  cannot  imagine  he  would  long 
be  at  a.  Lois  to  make  ufe  of  it  in  other 
People. 

•*•  .V 

I  N  order  to  which  End  ({aid  Hortenfius) 
his  Buiinefs  would  certainly  be,  to  reprefent 
to  Mens  Thoughts  the  State  of  their  future 
Exigence  under  fuch  particular  kinds  of 
fenfible  Images,  as  he  mould  conceive  moft 
agreable  to  the  popular  Relifh  in  his  Coun 
try.  Now,  do  but  fuppofe,  Philemon^  our 
Statefman  here  to  be  an  Egyptian  one,,  and 
you  will,  I  dare  lay,  be  of  opinion  with  me, 
that  a  better  Mode  of  Reprefentation  in  the 
Cafe  before  us  could  hardly  have  been  de- 
vifed,  than  that  of  a  Metempjycbbjis ;  a  No 
tion,  which,  befides  the  Countenance  it 
might  receive  from  the  Superftition  of  the 
Egyptians,  as  above  mentioned,  had  a  fingu- 
lar  Accommodation  to  their  national  Ufage 
of  Hieroglyphic  Writing :  for>  whereas  in 
the  Cburfe  of  this  Practice  they  had  been 
accuftomed  from  the  moil  diftant  Antiquity 
tofubftitute  Animals  for  perfonalCharaclxrs 
of  the  Living,  they  would  eaiily,  we  may 
imagine,  enter  into  a  -Sentiment  of  Things^ 
which  mould  reprefent  thefe  Animals  .s  the 
peribnal  Refidencfe  of  the  Dead. :.  this,  being 
only  to  conceive  of  Death,  as  changing  the 


(  1  28  ) 

Emblematic  State  of  Affairs  with  Mankind 
into  a  real  one  j  and  allotting  them  that 
particular  Province  of  Action  In  a  literal 
Senfe,  in  which  they  had  acted  throughout 
Life  in  a  figurative  one  *.  But  be  this/ 
P  bile  mm,  as  it  may—  I  have  now  led  you 
through  the  three  principal  Stages  of  the 
'Egyptian  Idolatry—  The  Worfhip  of  the 

feveral 

*  It  muft  be  owned  that,  as  Herodotus  reprefents 
this  matter  to  us,  there  feerris  to  be  nothing  of 
moral  Deiignation  in  it,  (the  only  View  in  which 
it  can  be  fuppofed  to  anfwer  the  Ends  of  civil  Go 
vernment)  iince  according  to  his  Account  of  it  the 
States  of  all  Men  after  Death  are  fuppofed  the  fame  — 


£<rrt° 


TffXVTOL     TiX    *^fO!7ai«,     XXI     TV,       "a- 

xat  -rot,  Ts\-rtmy  aurif  £5  av^^wro-j  ffufj,tx,  yuo- 
£o-Juv£iy'  Herod.  Lib.  II.  cap.  123.—  —  —But, 
v^hen  it  is  considered,  that  Philofbphy  in  Egypt  was 
too  good  a  Friend  to  Legiflation,  not  to  turn  every 
Point  of  Doctrine  to  fome  political  Account  ;  that 
the  Doctrine  of  Pythagoras  and  Plato.,  (both  of  whom 
were  for  fome  time  under  an  Egyptian  Tutorage, 
and  who,  as  Philofophers,  had  a  nearer  Intereft  in 
a  Queftion  of  this  Nature,  than  a  mere  Hiftorian 
can  be  conceived  to  have  had)  puts  a  manifeft  Dif 
ference  between  good  and  bad  Men  in  the  future 
State  ;  and  rroreover,  that  Diodorus  exprefsly  informs 
us  that  the  Egyptians  themfelves  did  the  fame,  in  his 
Account  of  their  Funeral  Ceremonies,  ;  when  this,  I 
fay,  is  confideredj  it  may  incline  one  to  fufpecl;  He 
rodotus'  s  Reprefentation  of  the  Cafe  here  to  be  rather 
inaccurate,  and  that  the  Metempfychojis  of  the  Egyp 
tians  was  always  intend«d  to  carry  with  it  the  Idea, 
of  a  certain  moral  Difcipline. 


(  129  ) 

feveral  Parts  and  Powers  of  Nature — Of 
Certain  deified  Heroes  of  very  remote  An 
tiquity,  the  Founders  of  Society,   and  In- 
ventersof  the  more  neceffary  Arts  of  Life— 
And  of  the  Animals  confecrated  to  thefe 
fuppofed  Deities  of  both  Kinds,  as  Emblems 
of  their  Divinity  and  Perfections — It  re 
mains  however  that  I  give  you  fome  fhort 
Account  of  that  induftrious  Confufion  of 
the  natural  with  the  civil  part  of  their  The 
ology  intimated,  you  may  remember,  during 
bur  laft  Conference,  to  have  been  introduced 
amongft  the  Egyptians,  in  the  fucceffive 
Refinement  of  their  Religious  Politics  j  and 
which  is  to  be  confideredj  I  think,   as  the 
finifhing  Improvement  of  their  fpeculative 
Superftition.     For  the  Grounds  of  this  Con- 
fufion,  you  are  to  obferve,    that,  whereas 
the  Foundations  of  their  Heroical  Theology 
were  laidj  as  has  been  all  along  faid,  in  the 
very  Depths  of  Barbarifm,  the  Credenda  in 
this  Syftem  were  for  the  moft  part  fuch^ 
as  could  only  pafs  upon  a  rude  and  ignorant 
Generation  j  and  were  found  liable  to  infi 
nite  Cavil  and  Exception,  as  Mankind  im 
proved  in  rational  Thinking.     The  Tradi 
tions,  for  Example,  received  by  the  Egyp 
tians,  concerning  the  Birth  and  Genealogy 
of  their  antient  Heroes — Their  Courfe  of 
Imployment  through  Life the  Particu 
larities,  and  even  fometimes  Defects,  of  their 
S  Per- 


Perfons  *—  -Their  Intrigues  and  Love-Ad 
ventures  -  Their  Factions  and  mutual 
Violences  —  Above  all,  that  moft  inhuman 
one  committed  by  Typhon  upon  the  Life  of 
the  Beneficent  O/?m—  -  -Thefe  were  all  of 
them  Accounts  of  things  fo  little  agreable 
to  the  Conceptions  which  more  improved 
Reafon  taught  the  Egyptians  to  entertain  of 

p  C_V/ 

Divine  Beings  ;  fuch  glaring  Difproofs  of 
all  juft  Title  to  their  Reverence  in  fome  of 
the  chief  prefcribed  Objects  of  it  ;  as  mutt 
upon  Examination  have  brought  a  thorow 
Difgrace  upon  the  whole  Syflem  of  their 
heroical  Divinity,  had  pot  the  Wifdom  of 
the  Sacred  Order,  evef  tenacious  of  efta- 
blimed  Principles^  found  out  an  Expedient 
to  fcreen  in  all  thefe  Cafes  the  manifeft  Ab- 
furdity  of  the  literal  Doctrine  under  the 
Pretext  of  an  allegorical  Interpretation.  The 
Expedient  was  that  of  Phyfical  Mythology  : 
a  Reprefenting  the  feveral  Powers  and  Paf- 
fions  of  external  Nature  under  the  Idea  of 
fo  many  confcious  Perfonages  ;  to  whom, 
when  the  Mythologifts  had  given  the  Names 
of  their  feveral  Deified  Heroes,  and  placed 
them  in  futable  Circumftances  of  Relation 
to  one  another,  they  contrived  in  fome 
meafure  to  accommodate  the  intire  Adven 

ture? 


uH  row  ,usv      p(u.>iv  T 
TOW  JV  Tu^wva   T»J 
.  x«j  (uf?,alp^cocv   T'W 
»'     Plut.  dc  If.  &  Of.V  35Q. 


tures  of  the  Perfons  whofe  Names  they  bore : 
in  order  that  all  exceptionable  Occurrences 
in  their  heroic  or  Demon-Hiftory  might 
be  capable  of  an  innocent  Explication  into 
certain  correfpondent  Articles  of  natural  *. 

I  ALWAYS  thought  (interrupted  I)  Hor- 
tenfius,  the  Powers  and  Pafiions  of  inani 
mate  Nature  had  been  firft  raifed  into  con- 
fcious  Perfonality  by  the  mere  wanton  Ge- 
nerofity  of  Poets  ;  and  had  received  it  as  a 
voluntary  Donation  at  the  liberal  hand  of 
the  Mufes,  inftead  of  being  thus  forced  into 
it  to  ferve  a  Turn  in  the  Politics  of  an  in 
triguing  Hierarchy.  But  methinks,  I  want 
much  to  know  how  they  fuftained  the  feve- 
ral  Characters  here  afiigned  them ;  and  with 
what  Succefs  they  acquitted  themfelves  in 
the  different  Provinces  of  the  Heroic  Hiftory, 

TRUST  the  Egyptian  Priefthood  for  this, 
(returned  Hortenfius  ;)  they  had  fluidied  the 

S  2  Buiinefs 

c   Toe,     XE 


i"      Ap.  Eufeb.  Prsep.  Evang.  Lib. 
I,  p.  32-     Taura    zsravra   o    ®af3»«wo$ 
ruv  O.TT    aiuiwq    'yfyovoTuv 
^•opiicrafj    Tpjf  TE  (puinxotf  xait 
jtxi^a?,  cra^Jlwxt  TOJ?  op^iwo-j,  xaj  TEXETWW 

TOIJ  aurwv  wiaJsyca;  'srccoEJcoo'av  xaj  TOI? 
Ibid.  p.  39. 


(  132  ) 

Bufmefs  of  Analogies  in  things  too  much  in 
other  Subjects,  not  to  be  able  to  make  fome- 
thing  of  it  in  this,  where  their  Craft  was  fq 
deeply  interefted.  What  think  you  of  re- 
folving  the  whole  Hiftory  of  Syphon  and 
OJlris  into  the  fucceffive  Stages  of  the  Lunar 
Period  ?  You  perhaps,  who  are  unufed  to 
Speculations  of  this  kind,  may  not  im 
mediately  difcern  the  Parallel  here;  but 
the  Mythologifts  are  ready  to  warrant  the 
juftnefs  of  it  to  a  Nicety.  O//m,  they  will 
tell  you,  fignifies  the  Orb  of  the  Moon  : 
and,  whereas  it  is  related  of  QJiris  in  the 
Sacred  Traditions  that  he  lived,  or  as  others 
will  have  it,  reigned  in  Egypt  twenty-eight 
Years,  the  Number  of  Years,  fay  they ,  an- 
fwers  to  that  of  the  Days  in  which  the 
Moon  completes  her  Revolution  round  the 
Earth.  If  OJiris  reigned  for  fome  time  in 
perfect  Tranquility,  the  Affairs  of  his  Go 
vernment  going  on  profperoufly,  and  him- 
felf  daily  incrcaiing  in  Reputation,  this, 
they  may  obferve,  is  fully  explaned  by  the 
Moon's  receiving  perpetual  Acceflions  of 
Light  during  the  firfr,  half  of  her  Courfe. 
For  the  Faction  headed  by  Typhon  againft 
this  excellent  Peiibn,  they  will  inter'pfet  it 
of  that  fecret  Caufe  in  Nature  which  con- 
itantly  diminiihes  the  Moon's  Luftre  after 
a  certain  Stage  of  her  Progrefs.  That  Of- 
Hs  is  faid  to  have  been  murdered  by  Tv- 
fhon  on  the  feventeenth  Day  of  the  Month, 

3  they 


they  will  account  for  by  informing  you, 
that  the  feventeenth  Day  of  the  Moon's 
Age  is  that  on  which  her  Decreafe  becomes 
firft  fenfible  to  Sight  *.  The  Report  of  the 
Difcerpfion  of  OJiris's  dead  Body  into  four 
teen  Parts  by  his  relentlefs  Adverfary  they 
will  refolve  into  the  fourteen  Days  continu 
ance  of  the  Moon's  monthly  Wane.  And, 
whereas  Typbon  is  faid  to  have  diftributed 
a  Part  to  each  of  his  Accomplices  in  the 
Murder  of  OJiris,  they  will  explane  this  of 
each  Day  of  the  Moon's  Wane  taking  away 
an  equal  Proportion  of  her  Light.  If  fome 
Traditions  reprefented  Ofiris  to  have  been 
murdered  not  fo  much  by  Violence,  as  Stra 
tagem,  Typhon  having,  at  an  Entertainment 
to  which  he  had  ingaged  him,  firft  artfully 
indeed  him  into  a  Cheft  of  the  exact  Mea- 
fure  of  his  Body,  and  then,  by  the  Affirmance 
of  his  Confederates,  carried  him  out  into 
the  Sea  j  to  this  Relation,  they  will  contend, 
exactly  correiponds  the  hollowed  Figure  of 
the  Moon's  Orb  previouily  to  its  total  Dif- 
appearance  -j~.  But,  I  dare  fay,  you  have 
full  enough  of  this  Matter. 

MUCH  more  (faid  I)   than  I  expected 
could  have  been  made  of  it  at  your  firft 

fetting 

E£Jcyx»  ETTJ  Jfxa  ryu  OTJp»Jo?  "ytvwQoci  rthtvTw 
a,   "yiverou  TO-Afisov/xnuj   xa- 


Plut.  de  If.  &  Of.  p.  367 
t  Plut.   de  If.  &  Of.  p.  367,  368. 


fettingout  upon  the  Companion.  Mythology^ 
I  perceive,  was  an  excellent  Defence  againft 
the  Attacks  of  Pagan  Sceptifcifm.  But  pray 
what  becomes  of  the  widowed  and  difcon- 
folate  I/is  in  the  Courfe  of  this  Parallel  ? 
She  had,  doubtlefs,  too  much  Concern  in  the 
original  Hiftory  here,  not  to  find  a  Cor- 
refpondent  Part  in  the  Fable.  I  will  fup- 
pofe  therefore,  that  (he  is  one  while  the 
Earth  regretting  the  dark  and  comfortlefs 
Condition  of  her  Nights  during  the  feem- 
ing  Abfences  of  her  Celeftial  Aflbciate ;  and 
another  while  the  Operation  of  that  friendly 
Power  in  Nature,  by  which  the  gradual 
Decays  of  the  old  Moon  are  conftantly  re 
paired  every  Month  in  the  proportionable 
Increafes  of  the  new  one. 

I  s  E  E  (faid  Hortenjius)  you  would  foon 
come,  Philemon,  to  be  a  very  notable  My- 
thologift.  That  you  may  have  an  Opportu 
nity,  if  you  think  fit,  of  improving  your 
Talent  this  way,  I  will  leave  it  with  you 
to  imagine  how  the  fame  Piece  of  Sacred 
Hiftory  in  Egypf,  which  we  have  here  only 
confidered  in  its  Accommodation  to  the 
Moon,  may  admit  of  different  Explications 
into  the  Phenomena  of  Eclipfes  —  The 
rjfings  and  fettings  of  the  Stars — The  Vicif- 
iitudes  of  Day  and  Night- — The  annual 
Courfe  of  the  Sun — The  feveral  Accidents 
of  the  Nile — and  the  Oeconomy  and  Pro 
cedure 


cedure  of  certain  of  the  natural  Fruits  of 
the  Earth  *.  —  Not  to  mention  here  the 
abftrad:  Conceptions  of  Drought  and  Moi£ 
ture  -  or,  the  two  contrafted  Interefts  of 
Good  and  Evil  in  the  Univerfe,  about  which 
fo  much,  you  will  recollect,  was  difcourfed 
upon  a  former  Occafion-  -  'And,  when 
you  have  well  fettled  this  Matter  with  your- 
felf,  I  mall  look  upon  you  as  fully  prepared 
to  deicend  with  me  from  the  Confideration 
of  Falje  Theory  y  into  that  of  Falje  Prac 
tice  in  Religion  in  the  Pagan  World  —  — 
of  which  at  fome  other  Time. 

*   Ewpa  "yxf>   TOU?    TOV  'HAiov 
>ovf  ,    xa»    TX  Tyegi  TOV  OTJ^U   x«t 
raj    TOU?   JE^arixo'j?    juud'^Uf,    ~r\  fig 
f,    xat  xpi/xj;£jf,   xat 


£i?  roy   HAjou  wo^fjav,    *j  TO  ^e  uuJc/*piVOT 
>)  TO  *ijix£^yov,    ?j  TOV  }/£  woTajtAov,    x«»   O'AW?  Tsocjlx  in; 
rot,  tpv<TMx'      Ap.  Eufeb.  !*raep.  Evang.  Lib.  3.  c.-  4. 
OUTW  (?E  x«»  TOi 


a"    wpav  [At 
£»Ta   Tai?  TWV  xapTrcoy  ^£Uc<7£0'*,    xat  (nroox^j  xat  apo- 

TOif    p^at«OU(T»,   Ta  Wfpt   TO'JJ    S"£O 

TEC,    x«*    AfJ'ovTfj  3-a7r7£(r0at  |tx£y  TOV 
TJJ?      n?  (77r£»ox£i/cj  o    x«p7ror 


Plut.  dclfide  &Ofiride,  p.  377. 

FINIS. 


jfujt  P-ulliJhedy 


Printed  for  M.  STEEN,   in  Inner-tfemplt 
Lane ; 

FUTURE  REWARDS  and 
PUNISHMENTS  believed  by 
the  Ancients^  particularly  the  Philofophers. 
Wherein  fome  Objections  of  the  Rev.  Mr. 
War  burton,  in  his  Divine  Legation  ofMofest 
are  confidered.  To  which  is  added, 

An  ADDRESS  to  FREE-THINKERS. 


•Petit  hinc,  Jwoenefque  Senefque 


Finem    animo   certum    mijerifque  Viatica 
Cams.  Perf.  5  Sat. 


PHILEMON 


T  O 

HYDASPES; 

RELATING 

A  Fifth  CONVERSATION  with 
HORTENSIUS  upon  the  Subjed: 
of  Falfe  Religion. 

IN    WHICH 

The  ORIGIN  and  PROGRESS  of  the  Rite  of 
SACRIFICE  in  Antiquity  is  particularly 
confidered. 


Unde  igifur  fiuxit opinionum  h#c  pravltas  f  Ex  eo 

fclhcet  maxime^  quod   nequeuntfs  homines  quidnamfit 

Deus  fcire m  eas  funt  opinatioius  lapfi,  ut  Deos  ex 

Je  finger ent,  &  quails  fibl  natura  eft^  b5  u'lis  idem 
darcnt  aflionum^  rerum,  voluntatumque  tiaturani. 
^uod  fi  animal  cernerent  nullius.fe  e/Je  prtiii,  •  nee  inter 
formicidam  plurimum,  fique^  dijcriminh,  profeflo 
definerent  arbitrari  quldquam  fe  habere  commune  cum 
fnperis,  &  intra  fuos  fines  humilitatis  fiia;  modcftiam 
tsntinerent.  Arnob.  adverf.  Gentcs.  Lib.  7. 


LONDON: 

Printed    for  G.   HAWKINS,    at   Milton1  s-Head, 
between  the  Two  Temple-gates,  in  Fiect-ftreet. 
M.DCC.XL.IV, 


Miftakes  of  the  Prefs. 


P.   6.  Jine  12,  of  the  Notes,  r£00f»,  for 
P.  JO.  Jine  ii,  of  the  Notes 


for 


P.  29.  line  20,   Sead,    for  Seed.     And  in  the 
isotes,   Jine  r,  Behoroth,  for  Bchoroth. 

P..  32.  Jine  5,  at  Kind,  read  with:  inflead  of. 
P.  53.  in  fecond  Ref.  ReyntUfs,  fa  Reynolds^., 
P.  65.  Notes,  Jine  10,  ^«»,  for  wa'. 
P.  79.  Notes,  Jine  6, 

•?•  ^3«   ^fAoio-;,,  for 

^.,9^.  line  15,. 


T  O 


HYDASPES, 


|  T  would  have  been  matter  of 
fome  Amufement  to  you,  Hy- 
dafpes,  to  have  furprized  me,  as 
of  late  you  might  eafily  have  done, 
fitting  down  in  good  earneft  to  an  Imploy- 
ment,  which  Hortenfius,  you  may  remem 
ber,  had  ludicrouily  recommended  to  me  in 
the  Clofe  of  our  laft-related  Converfation, 
and  running  over  all  the  vifionary  Refine 
ments  of  the  ancient  physical  Mythology. 

B  As 


As  uninterefting  a  Subject  as  you  may 
efteem  this  to  be,  I  cannot  fay  I  have  found 
it  altogether  an  unentertaining  one.  The 
Fancy  of  the  Mythos  is  many  times  inge- 
nioufly  enough  conceived,  and  the  Execu 
tion  of  it  carried  on  at  an  Expence  of  Art 
and  Subtilty,  which  one  is  forry  to  think 
mould  have  been  no  better  applied.  With 
regard  to  the  Age,  or  Author  of  this  Inven 
tion,  it  may  be  fafer,  I  believe,  to  tell  you, 
it  is  of  very  great  Antiquity,  than  to  deter 
mine  ftrictly  of  what.  There  is  a  PafTage 
in  the  Phce?iician  Hiftory  of  Sanchoniatho 
relating  to  this  matter,  which,  however 
little  it  may  afcertain  the  true  ^Era  of  Phy- 
liologic  Allegory,  gives  us  at  leaft  fuch  an 
Hint  concerning  the  great  Scene  of  its 
Application  amongft  the  Ancients,  as 
may  make  it  worth  tranfcribing.  He  in 
forms  us,  "  That  certain  Scribes  of  'Taan- 
"  tus,  or  Mercury,  had,  at  his  Appoint- 
"  ment,  drawn  up  an  hiftorical  Commen- 
<c  tary  of  the  Tranfaftions  of  the  firft  Ages 
"  of  Mankind ;  but  that  a  Son  of  T^habion^ 
"  the  firft  Hierophant  of  the  moft  ancient 
4C  Phcenicians^  had  taken  upon  him  to  al- 
<c  legorize  away  the  whole  Series  of  Facls 
"  contained  in  that  Record  into  certain  Phy- 
"  fical  AiFedlions  of  the  material  Univerfe  ; 
"  and  that  he  delivered  them  down  in  this 
"  allegoriz'd  State  to  his  SucceiTors  in  the 
<{  Conduct  and  Explication  of  the  Phceni- 
2  "  dan 


(3  ) 

"  clan  Myfteries  *."  The  Hiftorian,  you 
find,  reprefents  the  firft  Allegorizer  of  the 
facred  Traditions  amongft  the  Phoenicians 
to  have  been  likewife  their  firft  Hierophant, 
or  Expounder  of  religious  Myfteries.  From 
whence,  I  think,  'tis  natural  to  infer,  that 
Allegories  and  Myfteries  were  probably  co 
eval  Inftitutions  :  which  agrees  very  well  with 
what  Antiquity  every  where  fuggefts  to  us 
of  certain  phyfical  Speculations  making  a 
great  part  of  what  was  taught  in  the  chief 
Myfteries  of  Paganifm-j-;  and  is  moreover  not 
a  little  countenanced  by  the  general  Reafon 

B  2  of 

*   TV/la  of,  (pr.tn,   BTfwJoi  vjKvluv  vvi 


w?  aiiTOt?  ftiiitX&Vo  S'Js?  Ta*ute>?' 
TWV  <MF  cetiovo 
r<*<,  rctc  7£ 

xaj   jiOT|W,i>ioif  •cra&fTjv  avaai^ac,    TTK^SCOXE  TO*,-  o^jicotri, 
x»j  TfXfTcov  X3rta(>wjrri  isr^^Tflur  .  an.    Eufeb.     Prsep." 
Evang.  Lib.  i.  Cap.  10.  p.  39.   Ed.  Vig.  Par. 
f  OmittoEleufmam  fanftam  iliam  &  auguitam, 

Ubl  initiantur  gentes  orarztm  ultimas. 
Praetereo  Samothraciam,  eaque, 
•  -  qua  Lemn'i 

Nofturno  adliu  occulia  cclnntur, 
Sihcjlribus  fccpibns   dcnja  \ 

quibus  explicatis,  ad  rationemque  revocatis,  rerutn 
magis  natura  cognofcitur,  quam  l)cci:um.  Cic.  tie 
Nat.  Deor.  Lib.  i.  Cap.  42.  Davies  -  KifcwXou  yzo 

U  7TO   TCOV   Kp%&lUV    TuGiriTXV    K-Xl    [A\jQofyx&UV     ?r,V  Afl'-'^TCaV 

tiuiot   c"s   TOVTCI;  £t;a* 


wo^ttritp/tACTas  xara  ray     X£T«f  .      Diod.   Sic     Lib     ? 
p.  196.  Ed.  Rhod. 


of  the  thing  itfelf  ;  it  being  obvious  to 
imagine,  that,  at  what  time  the  Mailers  of 
the  Pagan  Superftition  were  become  wife 
enough  to  be  afhamed  of  fome  of  the  prin 
cipal  Doctrines  of  their  Religion,  they  mould 
be  defirous  to  draw  a  Veil  of  Secrecy  over 
the  correfponding  Services  of  it. 

IN  the  mean  time,  Hydafpes,  what  has 
been  obferved  to  you  of  our  Uncertainty  as 
to  the  real  Age  of  mythologic  Allegory  mews 
it  to  have  been  a  very  early  Invention  in  the 
World.  Agreeably  whereunto  we  meet 
either  with  Inflances,  or  Intimations,  of  it 
in  the  moil  ancient  Writers  we  have  any 
Acquaintance  with.  Orpheus  was  unque»- 
ilionably  a  great  Mafler  in  this  Art.  Homer, 
and  Hefiod,  have  both  of  them,  we  are 
fure,  delivered  feveral  things  to  us  in  the 
way  of  Allegory,  without  running  into  the 
Extravagance  of  fuppofing  with  fome  of  his 
Commentators,  that  the  former  of  them  in 
particular  has  fcarce  delivered  any  thing 
otherwife.  Herodotus,  if  I  miflake  not, 
gives  fome  Hints  at  this  Ufage  in  his  Ac 
count  of  the  Egyptian  Ceremonies  of  Reli 
gion  *.  Plato  has  entered  an  exprefs  Ca 
veat  againil  it,  unlefs  under  much  Regu 

lation, 

.ju    vjv  a.XXoia-1  SEOIC-J  3"j£;'j  v;  ou 


T:UJ  if   ev   [Afy   rr,rri    aAA>?Tt    OOTY^I   aTrsrTjjiijxOKW,    (V  Js 
Ta-jT'/i    3-i<?-.<r»,  es~»  {ASV   Xcwj1    •ZDV^ 

Herod,    Lib.  2.  cap.  47. 


m 

lation,  in  the  Laws  of  his  projected  Repub 
lic  *.  The  Stoic  Philofophers,  as  we  learn 
from  Cicero^  were  great  Allegorizers  in  their 
Theology  -)-.  And  in  Cicero'?,  own  Age  we 
find  Farro^  one  of  the  moil  ingenious  and 
learned  Romans  of  the  time  ||,  giving  much 
into  the  fame  way  of  thinking  J.  But  the 
Seafon  of  all  others  in  which  the  Practice  of 
Allegory  in  Religion  moft  prevailed  with 
the  Pagans  was  in  the  earlier  Ages  of 
Chriilianity  j  a  Seafon,  in  which  all  Arts 
were  indeed  wanted  to  fupport  their  fink 
ing  Caufe,  and  this  in  particular  was  moft 
induftrioufly  employed  by  them  to  that 
purpofe  ;  the  Advocates  thereof  in  thofe 
Days  conftantly  having  recourfe  to  their 
Phylics,  for  the  Solution  pf  Objections  to 

their 

*  Koti  TO'JS  TZCWTXI;    tn/lv<;   Tourwy    Kvxfx.y.r'tov 
TTOISIV'  *Hoa?  <Tf  JWjW-ouj  iiro  ujew?,    xxi  ' 
JTTO  'craTcof,    jU£AAon7o?  rn  /x»r^i   tufrityxs 
tytoy.ot.'/j.ct.i;    o<raf  'O^r^c?  TZtTrctrixfv,    ov 

TW   JTiAjy,     OUT      tV   UTTO'JOIOUS   Tfft'n'QWfJi-SVOtC }     OUT     aV'ZU   U7TO- 

v:im.      Plat.  deRepub.  Lib.  2.  p.  378.  Ed.  Serran, 

f  Magnam  moled iam  fufcepit,  &  minime  necefr 
'fariam,  primus  Zeno,  poft  Cleanthes,  deindeChryfip- 
pus,  commenticiarum  fabularum  reduere  rationem — 
quod  cum  facitis,  illud  profedto  confitemin:  —  Eos,  qui 
Di  appeliantur,  reruni  naturas  effe,  ncn  figuras  Deo- 
rum.  Cic.  de  Nat.  Deor.  Lib.  3.  cap.  24.  Dav. 

||  Ut  in  Lihris  Academicis  dicat  earn  quse  ibi  verfa- 
tur  difputationem  fe  habuiflc  cum  Marco  Varrone, 
homine,  inquit,  omnium  facile  acutiffimo,  &  fine  uila 
dubitatione  dociiflimo.  Auguft.  de  Civ.  Dei  Lib.  6. 
cap,  2. 

J  Vid.  Aiiguit.  Lib.  6.  de  Civitate  Dei  paflim. 


(6) 

their  Faith  *.  But  fo  forced  a  Solution  was 
it  in  itfelf  -}-,  and  fuch  a  Difagreement  was 
there  amongft  them  in  the  Management  of 
it  ||,  and,  even  after  the  utmofl  that  could 
be  made  of  it,  fo  little  better  did  it  leave 
things,  in  any  rational  Eftimate,  than  it 
found  them  J,  that  the  Chriftian  Writers 
have  no  where  fo  great  an  Advantage  over 

their 

* 


vtoi  TW?, 
rtcov  T£  < 


-z«ravT7)  TWU 
TO 
au  •sraAH)    T»y 

u7ro^£»vavT£j.     Eufeb.  Praep.  Ev.  p.  74.  Vio". 


xoci  'ytvvx.Hx.v    (putrtoAoufliy 


rt 


v.      Eufeb.  Praep.  p.  92. 

||   Mupioi?  |W.£y  ouy  aAAotj  ruy 
vwv  ziroAuf    "arEfii     TOUTWV  furnxraj    •croyoj, 
TTETroi^fvot?,    x«t  TO 
TOUT'  £tyo;i  TO 
Eufeb.  Prjep.  p.  82. 

J  Kaj  T&VTi)  Toty&povv  vi  'ytvvzia  TWV   EAAwwv 
(Totyux.   u;    Six,  (jw%a,ws  7r£(p-/iujy,   ftf   ilu/q;  jwfv  av 

7»Jl»     STTK'yftXlXll 

TW  aj<r6»)Tr,y   x^ 

tro^wv  ^iJ5V6j«»,  Eufeb.  p.  96.  Ipfas  Phyfiologias  cum 
confidero  -  Nihil  video  nifi  ad  temporalia  terre- 
naque  opera,  naturamque  corpoream  ;  vel  etiam  fi  in- 
vifibilem,  tamen  mutabilem,  potuifle  revocari,  quod 
nullo  modoeft  verus  Deus.  Auguft.  de  Civ.  Dei.  Lib. 
7.  cap.  7. 


(7) 

their  Pagan  Adverfaries,  whether  in  point 
of  Raillery  or  Argument,  as  when  they  are 
attacking  them  upon  this  very  Article  *.  In 
Teftirnony  of  which,  HydafpeS,  as  little  a 
Friend  as  you  are  to  the  Writings  of  the 
Fathers,  I  could  undertake  to  produce  you 
foine  Paflages  from  them,  which  you  mould 
own  yourfelf  to  be  pleafed  with,  but  that  I 
have  at  prefent  another  Deflgn  upon  you, 
which  will  be  a  fufficient  Exercife  of  your 
Attention ;  I  mean,  to  introduce  to  you 
the  following  Converfation  with  Hortenjius, 
upon  the  Subject  of  practical  Superftition  in 
the  Pagan  World. 

*  Vos  Jovis  &  Cereris  coitum  Imbrem  dicitis  dictum 
telluris  in  gremium  lapfum.  Poteft  alius  aliud  &  ar- 
gutius  fingere,  &  veri  cum  fimilitudine  fufpicari.  Po 
teft  aiiud  tertius,  poteft  aliud  quartus ;  atque  ut  fe  tu- 
lerint  ingeniorum  opinantium  qualitates,  ita  fingulse  res 

poflgnt    infinitis   interpretationibus  explicari 

Moil  ft  rate  quid  pro  rebus  fingulis  quas  unaquseque  elo- 

quitur  fabula,   fupponere  debeamus,  &  promere 

nifi  forte  dicetis  non  toto  in  hiftoriae  corpore  allegorias 
has  efle,  caeterum  partes  alias  efle  communiter  fcriptas, 
alias  vero  dupliciter,  6f  ambifaria  obtentione  velatas. 
Uibana  eft  ifta  fubtiljtas.  Arnob.  adverfus  Gentes, 
Lib.  5.  p.  227,  &feq.  Herald.  Par. 


PART 


(8) 


PART     II. 

A  Few  Days  fince,  as  we  were  fitting 
careleffly  together,  after  fome  little 
Paufe  in  Difcourfe,  (faid  Hortenfius  to  me) 
you  have  been  of  late,  Philemon,  fo  much 
taken  up  with  the  Writers  of  the  old  phy- 
fical  Mythology,  that  I  begin,  methinks, 
to  look  upon  you  as  a  complete  Allegorift. 

IF  you  really  think  (faid  I)  I  have  made  fo 
good  ufe  of  my  time  that  way,  you  mull 
give  me  leave  to  remind  you  of  a  Claim  you 
lately  gave  me  upon  you,  fo  foon  as  I  mould 
have  made  a  competent  Progrefs  in  that 
Affair,  the  ingaging  you  to  proceed  with 
me  from  the  Confideration  of  falfe  Theory, 
to  that  of  falfe  Practice  in  Religion  in  the 
Pagan  World.  We  are  alone,  Hortenfius — 
you  feem  to  be  quite  at  leifure  this  Af 
ternoon When  can  you  have  a  bet 
ter  Opportunity  for  this  purpofe  ? 

You  do  not  expect  (faid  he)  I  dare  fay, 
Philemon^  that,  in  fo  wide  a  Range  of 
Error  and  Abfurdity,  as  the  fpeculative  Sti- 
perflition  of  the  Ancients,  fuch  as  it  has 

been 


(    9    ) 

been  lately  reprefented  to  you,  evidently 
gave  to  their  practical,  I  Ihould  diftinctly 
infill  on  every  minute  Article  of  their  reli 
gious  Ceremonial.  The  Talk,  you  cannot 
but  be  feniible,  would  be  almofl  endlefs ; 
belides  that  it  is  moreover  no  ways  neceiTary 
to  the  main  Scope  of  our  prefent  Difquift- 
tion.  All  I  would  propofe  therefore  is,  to 
lay  before  you  fome  of  the  more  ftriking 
Particulars  of  the  Pagan  Worfhip  j  which, 
when  I  mall  have  explained  to  you,  in  the 
belt  manner  I  am  able,  either  from  tr^  ge 
neral  Reafon  of  the  things  themfelves,  or 
the  Lights  Antiquity  has  afforded  us  con 
cerning  them,  I  mail  look  upon  myfelf  as 
having  fully  difcharged  the  Promife  you  lay 
claim  to  from  me.  In  the  purfuit  then  of  this 
Deiign,  Philemon,  I  know  not  where  more 
defervedly  to  befpeak  your  Attention  in  the 
firft  place,  than  to  the  Rite  of  Sacrifice  :  a 
Practice,  as  we  learn  from  the  moft  an 
cient  Hiftory  extant  in  the  World,  which 
commenced  almoft  from  the  Foundation  of 
it ;  and  which  has  ever  lince  univerfally 
prevailed,  as  to  its  more  general  Notion, 
whillt  the  frivolous  Caprice  of  Superftition 
has  in  nothing,  perhaps,  more  fignally  dif- 
played  itfelf,  than  in  the  almofl:  infinite  Va 
riety  of  DilHnctions  introduced  into  the  par 
ticular  Exercife  of  it. 

THE  Practice  itfelf  (interrupted  I)  Hcr- 
j    is  to  me  a  Matter  of  much  greater 
C  Em- 


EmbaraiTment,  than  any  of  the  different 
Modifications  of  it  :  For  that  indeed  once 
admitted,  the  particular  Character  or  Con 
ception  of  the  Divinity,  to  whom  at  any 
time  Sacrifice  was  to  be  performed,  would 
naturally  enough  fuggeft  fome  fuitable  Par 
ticularities  to  be  obferved,  both  in  the  Mat 
ter  and  Manner  of  it.  In  the  mean  while, 
the  Thought  of  facrificing  at  large,  the  ge 
neral  Notion  of  the  thing  itfelf,  is  to  my 
Apprehenfion,  in  every  View  of  it,  fo  glar 
ing  an  Abfurdity,  that  I  am  amazed  it 
fhould  ever  enter  into  the  Head  of  any  ra 
tional  Creature.  For  the  very  Idea  of  a 
Divine  Being  implies  in  it  fuch  a  fuperior 
Excellency  of  Nature,  as  to  be  wholly  out 
of  the  reach  of  our  good  Offices  :  And,  as 
Socrates,  I  remember,  in  Plato,  fomewhere 
prettily  obferves,  he  muft  know  very  little 
of  the  Art  of  giving,  who  makes  a  Prefent 
to  any  Perfon  of  what  he  has  no  want  of  *. 
But  even  could  it  be  fuppofed,  either  that 

the 


*    Ap  GUV  ro  ys  opw>  atTEiy  ««  £*n,    uv 
v,    (TWV  Seuv)  rocvroc,  aurouf  amiv  ; 
AAAo  TJ  ;    Swjf    KXI  a-jTO  odovou   0£>£w?,    wv  ex«vo» 

i  •&&£  v^wv,  TO.VTO,  fxsjnojf  au  otrrtlu- 
o  -STO-J  TE^VJHOV  y  <*v  f«»i  ougoQogiiv  SiSdvloe, 
TW  raura  w«  o\,&v  &ITO,I  .  Plat,  in  Euthyphrone,  p.  14. 
Serr.  The  Philofopher's  Reply,  when  he  was  accufed 
of  not  fccrificing  to  Minerva^  was  a  very  juft  one. 
Ml  OaUUacrrjTe  t^l  w 


Lucian.    in  Demon,  p.   380. 
"a  voi.  Amft.    410. 


( II ) 

the  Gods  wanted  any  Acceflion  to  be  made 
to  their  original  Happinefs,  or  that  it  was 
in  any  wife  within  the  Power  of  Man  to 
give  it  them,  flill  furely  the  very  loweft 
pomble  Conception  of  their  Divinity  muft, 
one  would  think,  have  placed  them  above 
the  mean  Tribute  of  a  little  Barley,  or 
Frankincenfe,  the  Steams  of  a  Victim,  or 
the  Fumes  of  a  Libation,  for  this  purpofe. 
And  yet,  it  feems,  fo  very  differently  were 
they  ufed  to  be  thought  of  by  the  greater 
part  of  their  deluded  Votaries,  that  a  polite 
and  knowing  Ancient  has  reprefented  them 
to  us,  upon  the  Syftem  of  popular  Ap- 
prehenfion  in  the  Cafe,  as  intent  upon  fcarce 
any  thing  befides :  Eternally  looking  about 
after  the  Smoke  of  fome  Altar,  to  the  ut 
ter  Neglect  of  the  great  Concerns  of  Pro 
vidence  ;  and,  as  often  as  they  had  the  good 
Fortune  to  catch  the  leafl  Scent  of  a  Sacri 
fice,  defcending  eagerly  to  their  Banquet, 
gaping  over  the  Steam,  and  fucking  in  the 
Blood,  of  the  poor  Animal  that  was  the 
Subject  of  it,  with  the  Greedinefs  of  fo 
many  Flies  *.  Agreeably  to  which  Cha 
racter,  we  find  Jupiter  in  the  fame  Author, 

Ca  in 


xat  uoi  firrautfa,  w    Z/£'J,   (f*W 

01    jU£T   aA^OJta?,     ft     770TE  ^Oi   E 
£f   TO(70JTiV    TWU    fU   TJ1    ^>J,     Wf    ££iT»7CU    Ot   TjWif 

ot  Tii/ff  oj  "X^P^foi  lunv ;  AAA   OOH  av 
£i  y_p»)  T  « An 6)1  Amiv,     K«9'^ae9a,    TSUTO  JIA»- 

Vi» 


(    12    ) 

in  one  place  expreffing  his  Apprehenfions 
for  his  Fellow  Gods  in  general,  left  they 
fhould  all  of  them,  in  a  fhort  time5  come 
to  be  quite  famimed,  by  the  growing  Suc- 
cefs  of  Eficums'sPhilofophy  in  the  World  *; 
and  in  another,  complaining  to  Menippus, 
upon  his  own  account  in  particular,  that, 

through 


xai 

p'ouv  (pfprrai 

.  Lucian.  Jup.  Trag.  2  vol.  4to.  p.  666, 
667.    Ed.  Amft.     'O*  OE  S-EOI  -nra^  Z»KJ  x«0n/*fV5i  f""^- 
OVTO.  WEfaAjifoiOft!/      avrocrxoTrouo-JV  ff  T»II> 


xat  TO  «j;/-a  Trjuovrff    roig 

ai  ^ujai.Luc.  de  Sac.  p.  533.  vol.  I.  Ed.  Amft. 
*  O  ptv   oiiv  wjiflwv   xatoo?1,    w  ®£OJ, 
^iftf,   on  rojy   •srapoi/Tw 
—  £vpi(rxw   Js   Toy  ETTixou^ioy  Aaw;y,    Toy 
xat   Tt//.cxA£^    TOV    2/rc 
•sra;u  jai^ovlaf—  —  w  <?£  a^Jt  'nrf^i  >7/Awy  o' 
ois'    o    u,w  ya.o  itoc,rof,oy,ro<;  Aa^K,    own 
TUV  avOflwTrcov,    OUTE  ETrttrxoTTfty  ra 
o'JiJsv  aAAo,    »  ju.JiJ'?  O/.MJ  *i/u,af 
"sreeeofAdtffltiv   TOJ?    -sroAAojf  ETT^XOUOV,    fs.fra?v  a- 

MXA0(|      •ET.XP     aUTOVf   ETTflUVOlVTCOV   T£S   TO'J 

»    re^Ji    Tzoioa.  woAu  ajpoUjMEycoy  Ta    EXEtvou*  —  Taur 

'  o'tf  '^aa?  Puv(XdcXf(T«'    &y  jafx^a,    w  Ofo;,    ei 

11  T^^Ta  jtxjy   tf^ctty    Ttaij,    xxt  ^o£a,     xa»  TrpocroJb;,    01 


«?rcovo^Toii?    Eivai  trwv   avTWi>, 
r«*    T»  EX 


through  the  fuperior  Vogue  fome  of  the 
other  Gods  had  been  in  for  fome  time  pail 
upon  Earth,  his  Altars,  which  had  ufed  to 
be  the  moft  frequented  ones,  were  become 
colder  than  Plato's  Laws,  or  Chryjippus's 
Syllogifms  *.  I  might  go  on  to  obferve 
here  the  extreme  Folly  of  fuppofing,  that 
the  Gods  mould  ever  be  pleafed  with  the 
mere  ufelefs  Wafte  of  their  own  Productions  -, 
or,  in  the  Cafe  of  Animal-Sacrifice  in  par 
ticular,  mould  confider,  as  an  Act  of  ac 
ceptable  Religion,  the  Deftruction  of  a 
Life,  of  which  they  had  fo  exquifitely 
provided  for  the  Continuance.  I  might 
take  notice  of  the  very  degrading  Idea  it 
gives  one  of  their  Goodnefs,  to  confider 

them 


tv  ovgxw  xetsovpsot  AJ/AW  e^o^fvoj,  oprwu  t- 
xat»wv,  xaj  Trctvyyvgiuv,  xat  aj/wvwv,  xai  S"u<nwv,  xat 
•zzravvu^KJwv,  xaj  Tiro^Trwy,  f-igovfjitvoi.  Jup.  Trag.  p. 
658  -  663.  *Ot  ^f 
fa  xat  uSpjf-a*  *KH, 
•  —  cT<OTj  r,v  dc.7rz,%  OUTOI  TreuTou  TOV  (3iov  <Ju!;»)0co<r*v,  ou  juc- 
T^»HJ?  7»re»y»iffjTf  .  Icaromen.  p.  788,  789.2  vol.  410. 

11     E£    0  U  $£  £V  AfA^OIf  jtX£V  ATTOAAWV  TO  jUaUTf  101>  X«T£- 

,  £y  TIip'yxfA.u  3s  TO  KX.TOIICV  o  A<rx.hv7rto$y  xat  TO 
fytvsro    sv  ®pax>i,   xat    TO  Avw^f^Mi  tv  AJ- 

«»     TO     AgTSfAUTlOV      fJ     E^f'TW,     £7Tt     T«'JTa    |U£W 

xa»    Ixa- 


tv    OAtyxTna'    Tojj'apouv    xj/up^poTfflovf    au 

Tflff   (Sw^O^f    J  Jot?  TWV    IlAaTWVOf  VO^WV,     >J   TWV 

o-uAAoj/jo-^wv.     Icaromer.  p.    780,    781.    2  vol.   Ed. 
Amft. 


them  as  entering  into  a  kind  of  Merchan-* 
dize  with  Mankind  in  the  matter  of  their 
Favours ;  The  ill  Ufe  natural  to  be  made 
of  fo  venal  a  Conception  of  them ;  and  the 
Difficulty  which  muft  often  arife  to  Beings 
of  fuch  a  mercenary  Difpolition  from  rival 
Applications  to  their  Interefts,  on  both 
fides  of  a  Petition :  A  Circumflance,  un 
der  which,  in  the  Writer  but  now  men 
tioned,  we  have  the  great  Father  of  Gods 
and  Men  introduced  upon  a  certain  Occa- 
iion,  as  fo  cruelly  embararTed,  that  He 
even  fuffered  all  the  Perplexity  of  a  Phi- 
lofopher  of  the  Academy  5  was  unable  to 
determine  on  the  behalf  of  either  Party  in 
the  Suit ;  and,  like  Pyrrho,  from  the  equal 
Moment  of  contrary  Reafons  in  the  Point, 
ftood  reduced  to  a  State  of  abfolute  Sufpepfe 
and  Scepticifm  *.  But  there  is  indeed  no 
Meafure,  Hortenjius,  {0  the  Ridicule  of 
this  Subject. 

I  AM  very  ready  to  agree  with  you,  (faid 
he)  that  the  general  Notion  of  facrificing  is 
altogether  as  extraordinary,  as  it  appears  to 

have 

*  ETT*  //-KB?  jf  T4UO?  supcn?  Jcan  a7r<woui/la  aurov  cOfa- 
<ra ,«,»)•/  Juo  2/«£  cevJ^a*  rdvxvlnx.  evxpfAfvuv, 
KJO.C  Svcrixi;  JarMFp^wyjifciww,  GVK  fi^su  OTTOT^W 
tmei*  avruti'  uirre  £w  TO  Axa^MUMpji  fJC 
,  x^t  ovdsv  Tt  a7ro(p»5(X<r6«;  ^uDaro?  rv,  aXA , 
o  Iluppwy,  tTTgixev  £T»  x<%(  ^i0XE>9cT«.  Icaromen. 
p.  783.  Amft. 


(  '5  ) 

have  been  univerfal  in  the  World.  There 
is  indeed  fo  little  feeming  Foundation  in  any 
juft  Reafoning  for  a  Practice  of  this  Nature, 
that  many  Writers  have  been  for  refolving 
the  Original  of  it  into  a  poiitive  Inftitution 
from  Heaven. 

A  s  if  ( faid  I )  the  Circumftance  of  a 
Command  in  this  Cafe  made  any  Diffe 
rence  as  to  the  intrinfic  Nature  of  the  thing ; 
or,  what  were  juft  Exceptions  to  Sacrifice, 
before  it  was  appointed,  were  not  equally 
fuch  afterwards.  This  puts  me  in  mind  of 
the  Conduct  of  a  Debate  in  Plutarch  about 
the  poetic  Talents  of  the  famed  Pythian 
Oracle.  Some  Friends  were  accompanying 
a  young  Stranger  they  had  with  them  to  a 
Sight  of  Apollo's  Temple  at  Delphi  ;  the 
Perfons  who  ufed  to  attend  upon  fuch  Oc- 
cafions  in  mewing  the  Temple  had,  in  the 
Courfe  of  their  Office,  recited  a  certain  Ora 
cle  of  their  God's,  delivered,  as  was  his  more 
ancient  way  of  delivering  his  Oracles,  in 
Metre.  The  Stranger  hereupon  could  not 
help  expreffing  fome  Surprife,  thai:  the 
Poetry  of  Apollo^  the  great  Patron  of  the 
Art  itfelf,  mould  fall  fo  much  below  that 
of  Homer  and  Hefiody  in  die  Beauty  and 
Elegance  of  its  Composition.  Upon  which 
Serapiont  one  of  the  Party,  and  himfelf  a 
Poet,  obferved  to  him,  that,  as  the  Oracle 
came  from  Apollo,  the  Drcfs  of  it  muft 

needs 


(  16  ) 

needs  be  unexceptionable,  however  other- 
wife  it  might  appear,  through  the  Prejudice 
of  a  vicious  Cuftom  of  judging  in  that  Af 
fair.  Divine  Compolitions  were  not  to  be 
meafured  by  human  Standards  ;  and  it  was 
much  rather  to  be  fuppofed,  that  Men 
might  have  made  a  falfe  Eftimate  of  what 
was  Excellent  in  Poetry,  than  that  the  God 
of  Verfe  himfelf  mould  not  excel  in  it  *,  So 
{launch,  you  fee,  was  Serapion's  Orthodoxy 
in  the  Point,  that  he  chofe  rather  to  re 
nounce  his  very  Senfes  upon  the  Hypothecs 
of  an  Infpiration,  than,  as  was  the  more 
natural  Proceeding,  to  give  up  the  Hypo- 
thefis  of  an  Infpiration  to  the  clear  Evi 
dence  of  his  Senfes.  Now,  is  it  not,  think 
you,  a  way  of  arguing,  in  the  Writers  you 
was  fpeaking  of,  fomewhat  like  to  that  of 

Sera- 


TJVOJ 

o      ioj'svtavof,  iv 
xi  rr,v  euTeAstav 

o  S-foj,  xat  TTJ?  teyopivvs  ^o'yiorr^lo^  oup^  mlov 
TO  >caXov,   »  TUJ  73-^1  jtA£A»i  KXk  uiJ'af,   xa»  tu^wvia? 
xai   75-0X0    rov  'H<rtoJov    £b£7r£ta  xai    TOV  'O 

i'  TOUJ  Je  TroAAou?  TOJV  %cr,G[j.uv  o^ajjutu  xat 
TOK  j",£TfOK,   xai  Tojf  ovo(w.acrt,  -srAtijUiUfAfta?  xat 
TJJTOJ    avaTreTrAe^/xfyouf    zsra^u  ouv   A9w»9£v    o' 

raura 

TO  a<rw^ou   ouu    cr»A<v,   cof   Ae^eraj,    xaAAft  TWV 
-j    x»i  'Htnosou    Afj/fn;,    ou 

ot,pi$~oi,    xat    xaAAifa  7i!7£7ro»>i|U£iioij,     fTravoAouwsvot    TW 
aurwu  xot-TkV    zcr^cxaTftA^^smv    JTTO 
Plut.  de'Pyth.  Orac.  p.  396.  Xyl. 


(  i?) 

Serapion  here,  that  thsy  mould  urge,  as  a 
fatisfa&ory  Solution  of  the  Problem  of  Sa 
crifice,  its  being  inflituted  at  the  Command 
of  God,  when  they  have  before  pronounced 
it  to  be  unworthy  even  of  the  weak  and  de 
praved  Reafon  of  Man  *  ? 

I  HAVE  a  better  Opinion  (reply 'd  Hor- 
ten/ius)  of  the  Pleafantry  of  this  Reprefen- 
tation,  Philemon,  than,  I  muft  own,  I 
have  of  its  Juftnefs.  When  the  Writers,  I 
was  fpeaking  of,  condemn  Sacrifice  as  a 
very  abfurd  Practice,  they  confider  it,  you 
are  to  fuppofe,  as  abftracted  from  wrhat 
they  conceive  to  have  been  the  true  Reafon 
of  it.  This,  they  contend,  is  only  to  be 
learnt  from  Scripture,  v/hich  affords  us  the 
only  unexceptionable  Account  of  the  Origin 
of  this  Rite,  when  it  gives  us  to  underftand, 
it  was  immediately  ordained  of  God,  with 
a  View  to  a  particular  Purpofe  of  his  Pro 
vidence. 

I  THOUGHT  (  faid  1)1  had  been  no 
Stranger  to  the  fourth  Chapter  of  Genefis^ 
where  the  firft  Mention  is  made  of  Sacri 
fice  in  the  Sacred  Writings.  I  do  not  re 
in  ember  any  thing  there,  which  mould  feem 
to  countenance  fuch  a  Notion  :  The  Hifto- 
rian  is  indeed  careful  to  acquaint  us  with 

D  the 

*  See  Revelation  examined  with  Candour,  vol.  1. 
p.  125,  and  following  ones,  particularly  p.  131. 


(  i8  ) 

the  very  different  Acceptance  of  the  Sacri 
fices  of  Cain  and  Abel-,  but  obferves,  fo 
far  as  I  recoiled:,  a  profound  Silence,  as  to 
the  particular  Motives  of  them. 

BUT  another  infpired  Author,  they  fay, 
(returned  He)  has  abundantly  fupplied  that 
Omiffion;  the  Author,  I  mean,  of  the 
Epiftle  to  the  Hebrews.  He  informs  us, 
that  it  was  by  Faith  Abel  -offered  unto  God 
a  more  acceptable  Sacrifice  than  Cain  *  : 
By  which  is  to  be  underflood,  they  tell  us, 
a  Faith  in  fome  pofitive  Revelation,  in  con- 
fequence  whereof  he  performed  an  accept 
able  Sacrifice  to  his  Maker,  which,  other- 
wife,  he  could  not  have  done  -f-. 

I  SHOULD  be  glad  to  know  here  (faid  I) 
to  whom  the  Revelation  pretended  was  firft 
made  ?  Whether  to  Abel  himfelf,  or,  be 
fore  his  time,  to  Adam  ?  For,  if  the  In 
junction  of  facrificing  was  firft  given  to 
Adam^  there  can  be  no  Doubt,  I  fuppofe, 
but  he  would  take  care  to  communicate  it 
equally  to  both  his  Sons:  And  thus,  it 
would  feem,  that  the  Merit  both  of  Cain 
and  Abel)  fo  far  as  their  particular  Action 
of  facrificing  only  was  concerned,  mull 
have  been  altogether  the  fame  in  the  fight 

of 

*  Heb.  xi.  ver.  4. 

rf-  See  Shuckford's  Connection,  &c.  vol.  I.  p.  86, 
87.— —Rev.  Ex,  voK  i.  p.  133 — 4—5. 


(  19  ) 

of  God,  inafmuch  as  they  both  afted  in 
that  Affair  upon  the  fame  common  Principle 
of  Obedience  to  his  pofitive  Inftitution.  Or 
if,  on  the  other  hand,  the  Command  of  Sa-. 
crifice  was  a  perfonal  one  to  Abel,  (not  to 
obferve,  that  the  Reafon  of  fuch  Command, 
whatever  it  might  be,  can  hardly  be  thought 
not  to  have  extended  to  Cain,  as  well  as 
Abel)  a  Difficulty  fure  will  arife  upon  this 
View  of  the  Cafe,  whence  it  came  to  pals, 
that  Cam  was  fo  much  furprifc.d,  as  he  ap 
pears  to  have  been,  at  the  different  Recep 
tion  his  Offering  met  with  from  his  Bro 
ther's  *,  when  he  could  not  but  reflect  there 
was  fo  very  good  a  Reafon  for  it,  as  that 
the  latter  was  made  at  an  exprels  Warrant 
from  the  Receiver,  whereas,  the  former 
was  the  unauthorized  Refult  of  his  own  of 
ficious  Inclination  ? 

THE  Advocates  for  the  divine  Origin  of 
Sacrifice  (returned  He)  have  a  Diftindtion 
here,  which  you  have  overlooked.  They 
contend,  that  the  fir  ft  Command  of  Sacri 
fice,  to  whomlbever  addreffed,  was  of  an 
animal,  or  bloody  Sacrifice  only;  the  De- 
fign  thereof  being  to  exhibit  to  Mankind  a 
Memorial  of  Death's  being  the  appointed 
Punimment  of  the  firft  Man's  Tranfereffion, 

O 

and   at  the  fame  time  to  give  them  Hopes 
of  fome  future   Releafe  from  that  Punifh- 

D  2  ment 

*  Gen.  iv.  ver.  5. 


(    20    ) 

ment  to  be  abteined  through  the  Mercy  of 
their  Creator;  to  neither  of  which  Ends, 
you  will  obferve,  had  Cam's  Offering  of  the 
Fruits  of  the  Ground  any  manner  of  Sub- 
ferviency.  His  Fault  therefore  lay,  not  in 
the  unwarranted  Ufe  of  Sacrifice,  as  fuch^ 
but  In  the  Choice  of  an  unwarranted  Sub 
ject  for  it  *. 

THE  Difficulty  (I  interpofed)  about  Cain's 
Surprife  and  Difsppointment  is  not  in  the 
leaft  better  folved  upon  this  Hypothecs,  than 
the  former.  But  to  let  that  pals,  Horten- 
JluSj  the  Demand,  methinks,  of  the  Life  of 
a  perfectly  innocent  Creature,  to  be  offered 
up  in  Sacrifice  upon  this  Occalion  to  God, 
could  give  but  fmall  Encouragement  to 
hope,  that  God  intended  to  favour  a  guilty 
one.  Then,  as  to  Sacrifices,  being  instituted 
in  Memory  of  Death's  being  the  Punifh- 
ment  of  Sin,  there  feems  to  have  been  but 
little  need  of  appointing  the  Slaughter  of 
other  Animals  as  Monuments  to  Mankind 
of  a  Fact,  which,  in  the  courfe  of  things, 
every  Man  would  be  but  too  frequently  re 
minded  of  in  Subjects  of  his  own  Species, 
and  of  which  he  was  one  day  to  make  the 
fital  Experiment  himfelf  in  his  own  proper 
Perfon. 

You 

*  See  Shuck.  Con.  Vol.  r.  p.  Si  -2—to  88.    Rev. 
Exam.  Vol.  i.  p.  135 — 6.   140 — 1—2     3. 


(     21    ) 

You  feem  to  have  forgot  (faid  Hortenfius) 
to  what  a*  Number  of  Years  the  Life  of 
Man  was  extended  in  the  firil  Ages  of  the 
World :  a  Circumftance ,  it  has  been 
thought,  which  made  it  neceffary  to  our 
firft  Parents  to  have  fome  nearer  Informa 
tion,  what  Death,  the  Penalty  of  their 
Tranfgreffion,  was,  than  by  waiting  for  the 
Execution  of  it  upon  themfelves,  or  fome 
of  their  Pofterity  ;  otherwife,  their  Idea  of 
the  Punimment  of  Sin  would  come  too  late, 
to  give  them  a  proper  Senfe  of  the  Evil  of 
it.  You  cannot  conceive,  Philemon,  with 
what  a  pathetic  Eloquence  this  Subject  is 
treated  by  a  modern  Author.  The  Groans, 
the  Struggles  of  the  poor  expiring  Animals 
deftined  to  give  Adam  and  Eve  their  firft 
Lectures  of  Mortality.* •  Their  Contem 
plation  of  thefe  Animals  in  their  dead  Eyes, 
zndi  c  o  Id  Car  cajjes,  before  they  were  placed  upon 
the  Altar —  and  in  the  fad  Reduction  of 
their  Beauty  and  Excellence  to  an  Handful 
of  Duji  afterwards  • Under  a  Refle 
ction  all  this  while,  that  the  melancholy 
Spectacle  before  their  Eyes  was  an  Effect 

of  their  unhappy  Mifconduct  and  that 

they  themfelves  were  one  day  to  follow  the 
fame  odious  Steps  to  Deftruffion are  paint 
ed  by  him  with  all  the  Heightenings  of  the 
moft  tender  Imagery  *.  And  if  the  Scene 

could 

*  Rev.  Exam.  Vol.  i.  p.  144—5—6. 


(    22    ) 

could  be  thus  affecting  in  its  Pi&ure  only, 
whatanexquifiteDiftrefs  mufthave  attended 
it  in  its  original  Exhibition  ?  So  exquifite 
indeed,  in  our  Author's  Conception,  that 
it  would  have  gone  nigh  to  have  evacuated 
the  very  End  of  its  own  Appointment  •  and, 
inftead  of  acquainting  our  firft  Parents  with 
the  Nature  only  of  their  Doom,  have  driven 
them  to  a  violent  Anticipation  of  it  upon 
themfelves,  if,  at  the  fame  time  that  it  was- 
fuch  a  Lecture  of  Terror  to  them,  it  had 
not  likewife  been  a  Lecture  of  Mercy  j  as 
impreffing  them  at  once  with  the  Idea  of 
their  Punifhment,  and  with  the  Hope  of 
being  fome  way,  or  other,  to  be  finally  dif- 
charged  from  it  *. 

WITH  regard  (faid  I)  to  the  firfl  of 
thefe  Ufes  of  Sacrifice,  it  would  have  been 
better  fuited  to  that  Part  of  its  Intendment, 
if  it  had  been  inftituted  before  the  Fall,  ra 
ther  than  after  it.  For  never  furely  did  it  fo 
much  import  Mankind  to  have  a  due  Ap- 
prehenfion  of  the  Miferies  of  Death,  as  be 
fore  they  had  incurred  the  Sentence  of  it. 
Then,  indeed,  a  Reprefentation  of  it  to 
their  Minds,  in  all  its  moft  aggravated  Hor 
rors,  midit  have  been  a  very  ufeful  Piece 

J 

of  Caution  to  them :  But  when  once  the 
irrevocable  Decree  was  pafTed  againft  them, 
Duft  tbou  art,  and  to  Ditji  Jlalt  thou  re~ 

tunn, 

*  See  as  before,  p.  146 — 7. 


_  (    23    ) 

turn  *,  the  Information  fuppofed  could 
ferve  only  to  inhance  the  Wretchednefs  of 
their  Condition  ;  as  giving  them  a  more  ex- 
quifite  Dread  of  their  Sentence,  when  it 
was  wholly  out  of  their  power  to  efcape 
the  Execution  of  it.  And,  as  to  the  other 
Ufe  of  Sacrifice,  its  conveying  Hopes  of 
Pardon,  and  Mercy  to  fallen  Mankind,  I 
am  altogether,  as  I  before  hinted,  to  feek, 
Hortenfius,  for  the  Grounds  of  fuch  an  In 
terpretation  of  it.  There  is  at  leaft,  I  think, 
nothing  of  this  kind  implied  in  the  Nature 
of  the  Rite  itfelf. 

THE  Foundation  of  this  Hypothecs  (re 
plied  He)  is  laid  in  the  Sentence  pronounce^ 
by  God  upon  the  Serpent  immediately  after 
the  Fall  of  our  firft  Parents :  A  Seafon, 
you  know,  in  which  they  had  but  juft  re* 
ceived  a  moft  fatal  Mifchief  from  himj 
under  which  it  could  be  but  a  cold  Confo- 
lation  to  them  to  be  told,  that  they,  and 
their  Poflerity,  mould  every  now  and  then 
give  him  an  accidental  Eruife  upon  the 
Head,  and  that  too  frequently  at  the  Ex- 
pence  of  being  Sufferers  themfelves  in  the 
very  Act  of  doing  it  -J-.  Interpreters  there 
fore,  in  mere  Good-nature  to  the  two  un^ 
happy  Delinquents  upon  this  Occalion,  have 
thought  it  neceilary  to  give  this  Sentence 

an, 

*  Gen.  iii.  ver.  19. 
t  Gen.  iii.  ver.  15. 


(24) 

an  higher  Meaning :  Some  fuppofing  it  to 
contain  a  general  Promife  only  of  Mercy  to 
Man  -j  whilft  others  have  gone  fo  far  as  to 
contend,  that  the  gracious  Wifdom  of  God 
fo  ordered  this  Affair,  as,  under  the  very 
Penalty  denounced  againfl  the  hated  Inftru- 
ment  of  Man's  Ruin,  to  afford  him  a  kind 
of  myflic  Intimation  of  the  particular  Means 
of  his  Recovery.  Of  the  former  of  thefe 
Opinions  is  the  Author  I  laft  mentioned  to 
you;  who,  having  difcovered  a  general 
Covenant  of  Mercy  in  the  Sentence  before 
us,  finds  fo  fingular  an  Aptnefs  in  the  Rite 
of  Sacrifice,  fpoken  of  almoft  immediately 
afterwards  in  the  Mofaic  Hiftory,  to  become 
the  Seal  of  this  Covenant,  that  he  will  not 
fuffer  you  to  make  the  leaft  doubt,  but  that 
it  was  inflituted  for  that  purpofe.  I  will 
read  you  a  few  of  his  own  Words,  Phile 
mon  ;— •  "  That  God  entered  into  a  Cove- 
<c  nant  of  Mercy  with  Man,  immediately 
<c  after  the  Fall,  is  evident  from,  the  Sen- 
"  tence  paffed  upon  the  Serpent :  in  which 
"  a  Covenant  of  Mercy  is  neceffarily  im- 
"  plied.  And  can  we  doubt,  that  Sacri- 
<e  fices  were  the  Seal  of  that  Covenant  ? 
<c  Efpecially,  when  Mercy  is  fo  plainly  im- 
"  plied  in  the  very  Nature  of  the  Inflitu- 
"  tion ;  which  teaches,  that  tho'  Life  be 
"  the  Forfeit  of  Sin,  yet  God  will  in 
<c  mercy  accept  another  Life  in  lieu  of  the 
"  Offender's?"— "We  find  that  God's  ufual 
3  «  Way 


(    25    ) 

"  Way  of  ratifying  Covenants  of  Mercy 
"  with  Mankind,  in  After-Ages,  was  by 
"  Sacrifices  ;  and  can  we  imagine,  that  he 
"  failed  to  do  fo,  when  fuch  Mercy  was 
<f  more  wanted,  than  ever  it  was  fince  the 
"  Foundation  of  the  World  ?  and  wThen 
<f  fuch  an  Eftablifhment  is  demonjlrably  one 
"  main  Reafon  of  the  very  Inftitution  of 
"  Sacrifices  ?  Is  it  to  be  imagined,  that 
"  God  mould  take  care  of  the  Health  of 
"  our  Parents  Bodies  on  this  Occanon, 
"  and  take  none  of  the  Peace  of  their 
"  Minds  ?  Is  it  to  be  imagined,  that  God 
"  mould,  foon  after  this,  mew  fo  much 
"  Solicitude  for  an  hardened  Murtherer,  for 
<c  fo  vile  a  Wretch  as  Cain  ;  and  take  none 
"  now  about  two  unhappy  Delinquents, 
"  opprefTed  with  Mifery,  and  at  the  very 
"  Point  of  Defpair?  Had  he  fo  much 
<f  Mercy  foon  after  upon  one  Man ;  and 
"  would  he  have  none  now  upon  the  whole 
"  Race  of  Mankind,  yet  in  Adam  ?" — - 
Thus  our  Author  —  than  v/hom,  I  believe, 
it  will  not  be  eafy  to  find  a  Man  of  a 
happier  Talent  at  realizing  his  own  Fancies. 
But  I  could  foon  forgive  him  this,  if  he 
was  not  altogether  as  impoling,  as  he  is 
fanciful.  The  truth  is,  the  Candour  he 
promifes  us  in  his  Title-Page  feems,  in  a 
manner,  to  have  evaporated  there,  by  the 
little  we  meet  with  of  it  in  his  Performance. 


E 


I  KNOW  not  (interrupted  I)  Hortenfius, 
whether  you  will  allow  me  the  Expreffion, 
but  I  have  often  thought,  there  is  a  fort  of 
Perfecution  in  Logic,  as  well  as  in  Religion  : 
When  Men  of  a  warm  and  dogmatic  Tem 
per  have  no  fooner  pafled  off  a  weak  Argu 
ment  upon  themfelves  under  the  Conceit  of 
a  Demonftration,  but,  with  the  idolatrous 
Prince  we  read  of  in  Scripture,  they  imme 
diately  make  a  Decree  to  all  People,  Nations, 
and  Languages,  that,  at  what  time  they  hear 
the  Sound  of  their  peremptory  Decilions, 
they  fall  down  and  <worfhip  the  Golden  Image, 
which  thefe  Tyrants  in  Speculation,  have 
fet  up  *.  But  to  return  from  this  Digreffi- 
on,  Hortenfus — If  Men  muffc  fet  themfelves 
to  interpret  fo  very  obfcure  a  Text  of  Scrip 
ture,  as  that  of  the  Sentence  pafled  upon  the 
Serpent,  they  do,  however,  I  think,  act 
with  more  Modefty,  when  they  confider  it 
as  a  general  Covenant  of  Mercy  only,  than 
when  they  decypher  it  of  the  more  explicit 
Promife  of  a  Redeemer  :  Surely,  this  is  by 
much  too  precife  a  Determination  in  a  Que- 
ftion  of  fuch  notorious  Uncertainty. 

HERE  likewife,  (  refumed  Htirtenfius)  as 

in  the  Hypothecs  of  a  general  Covenant  of 
Mercy,  Philemon,  the  Inftitution  of  Sacri 
fice  is  brought  upon  the  Stage,  to  confirm 

the 
*  Dan.  Chap.  iii.  vcr.  4,  5,  10. 


(27) 

the  Truth  of  the  Interpretation  ;  it  being, 
as  is  pretended,  a  fymbolical  Exhibition  of 
the  Subject  of  the  Prophecy  fuppofed,  a 
Figure  of  the  true  Offering  which  was  after 
wards  to  be  made  for  the  Sins  of  Men  *.  If 
you  are  not  difpofed  to  acquiefce  in  the  ob 
vious  Fitnefs  of  the  Rite  of  Sacrifice  in  its 
own  Nature  to  typify  this  Offering,  but 
require  fome  pofitive  Proof  from  Scripture, 
that  it  did  fo,  you  will  be  told,  that  a  typi 
cal  Reference  to  Chrifl  is  at  large  afTerted  by 
the  Apoftle  to  the  Hebrews  in  certain  of  the 
legal  Sacrifices.  Now,  Sacrifices  'Were  not 
a  new  Injlitution  at  the  giving  of  the  Law, 
and  the  Rules  which  Mofes  gave  about  Sacri- 
jices  and  Oblations  were,  'tis  probable,  only  a 
Revival  of  the  ancient  Injlitutions  in  that 
matter  ~j~.  But  then,  you  are  to  obferve, 
that  the  fame  Writer,  who  fays  this,  fays 
alfo,  that  there  were  fome  few  Additions  or 
Improvements  made  to  them  under  the  Law, 
which  God  thought  proper  for  the  State  and 
Circumftances,  through  which  he  dejigned  to 
carry  the  'Jewifo  Nation  J.  And  what  if 
the  flrongeft  Articles  of  Reference  to  the 
Mejfiah  were  of  the  number  of  thefe  Ad 
ditions  and  Improvements  ?  A  very  preca 
rious  Inference  fure  it  muft  be,  from  the 
typical  Reference  of  Sacrifices  under  the 

E  2  Law 

*  Shuck.  Con.  vol.  i.  p.  84. 
t  Shuck,  p.  84,  85. 


Law  to  Chrift,  to  the  typical  Reference  of 
Sacrifices  before  the  Law,  when  all  the 
more  empbdtical  Circumfiances  of  this  Re 
ference,  in  the  former  Cafe,  appear  to  have 
been  wanting  in  the  latter  *.  And  yet  it 
happens  ftill  more  unfortunately  for  this 
Theory  of  typical  Reference,  that  it  is  doubt 
ful,  at  leaft,  whether  the  very  Sacrifice  moft 
infifled  on  in  this  Argument,  fo  far  from 
being  a  figurative  Shedding  of  the  Blood  of 
Chriit,  was  fo  much  as  a  real  Shedding  of 
that  of  an  Animal.  This  however  is  worth 
our  Notice,  that  the  contrary  Sentiment  has 
been  efpoufed  by  Commentators  of  the  firft 
Clafs  in  biblical  Criticifm  :  Grotius  under- 
ftanding  the  Account  of  Abel's  Sacrifice  in 
Gene/is  of  an  Oblation  of  Wool  and  Cream 
from  fome  more  dijlingulfoed  Animal  of  his 
Flock  -j-j  and  Mr.  Le  C/erc3  fall  more  pro 
bably, 

*  Neque  tufo  afTeritur  Abelern,  Noachum,  aliof- 
que  Mo!e  priores,  in  Sacrifices  fuis  Chrifti  facrincandi 
prophetiam  quandam  realcm  exhibere  ftuduifle  ;  cum 
hoc  Scriptura  nufquam  dixcrit,  &  Sacrificia  Patriarcha- 
Jia  circumllantii.s  quibufdam  emphatic! s,  Lcge  poftea 
prcEicriptis,  deftituta  fuerint.  Spencer,  de  Leg.  He- 
braeorum,TonV.  2.  p.  772. -Ed.  Chanpel.  Conf.  Outram. 
tic  Sac.  cap.  i.  p.  18. 

f  Cum  nihii  Deo  facrari  folcat,  nifi  quod  in  ufu 
Fit  hominum,  Anim.intibusautem  vcfci  ante  Diluvium, 
ut  prcbabilior  fert  fententia,  pci'mifTum  non  fuerit, 
dici  pallet,  oblatam  Lanam  &  Lac  pinguiiJimum,  quod 

hie  pinguedo  vocetur. Primogenita  autem  quae 

iiic  dicuntur,  ex  Hebr^eo  iiceat  interpretari  ea  quse  exi- 
aii;se  erant  Magnitudinis   ac  Formac.  —  Hsec  probabili- 
ter  uici  pofFunt.  Grot.  Annot.  ad  Gen.  ciip.  4.  Com*  3* 
2 


(    29    ) 

bably,  I  think,  of  an  Offering  of  Cream 
only  from  a  Firftling  of  it  J.  Should  we 
take  the  Senfe,  Philemon,  of  thefe  Gentle 
men  in  the  Point  (and  none,  I  am  fure, 
have  a  better  Title  to  our  Submiffion)  what 
a  Multitude  of  fine  Speculations  about  the 
Reafons  and  Intendments  of  Abets  Sacrifice 
might  we  compendioufly  difpatch,  by  a 
new  rendering  only  in  our  Bible  of  two  or 
three  Words  in  a  Sentence  !  Particularly, 
what  will  become,  in  this  view  of  things, 
of  a  learned  Author's  Account  of  the  fupe- 
rior  Acceptablenefs  of  Abel's  Sacrifice  to 
Cam's,  as  being  founded  upon  the  Expeffia- 
tion  of  a  Mejfiah  ?  Upon  his  believing  what 
God  had  promifed,  that  "  the  Seed  of  the 
(c  Woman  Jhould  bruife  the  Serpent's  Head;" 
and  in  confequence  offuch  Belief  offering  fuch 
a  Sacrifice  for  his  Sins,  as  Goo1  had  appointed 
to  be  offered,  "  until  the  Sead  Jhould  come*?" 
Or,  of  the  Solution  of  this  Problem  pro- 
pofed  to  us  by  the  candid  Examiner  of  Re 
velation,  now  before  me,  to  the  following 

EffecT:  ? That  "  Abel,  tho*  a  better  Man, 

"  offered  fuch  a  Sacrifice  as  plainly  implied 
"  a  Confcioufnefs  of  Guilt  which  called  for 
"  Atonement ;  and  confequently  his  was  a 
$t  Sacrifice  of  Repentance  -,  confeffing  Guilt, 

"and 

%  Mallem  vocem  Behoroth  fenfu  interpretari  pro- 
prio,  ut  fit  hie  w  <T»«  Juoiv,  de  prlmogenitis  pecudumfua- 
rum,  &  de  Adipe  earum,  <*I*TI  TOD  de  Adipe,  aut  de  Lafiti 
primogenitarum  pccudum.  Cleric.  Comment,  in  Gen. 
Cap.  4.  Com.  3. 

*  Shuck.  Con.  Vol.  I.  p.  85—87. 


(  3°  ) 

*  and  imploring  Pardon  -,  and  asfuch  was  ac- 
"  cepted  of  God — whereas  Cam,tho'  aworfe 
"  Man,  expected  to  be  accepted  without 
"  Repentance  or  Atonement  —  And  this 
"  feems  very  clearly  implied  in  God's  An- 
"  fwer  to  him  ;  tc'lf  thou  dofl  well,  fhalt 
"  thou  not  be  accepted  ?  and  if  thou  doft 
"  not  well,  Sir.  lieth  at  the  door  ;"  that  is, 
"  if  you  are  righteous  and  unfinning,  you 
"  fhall  be  accepted  as  fuch  without  Sacri- 

"  fice but  if  you  are  unrighteous,   Sin 

1<c  lieth  at  your  door,  and  mufl  lie  there, 
"  till  it  is  removed  by  Repentance  and  A- 
"  tonement,  (doubtlefs  fuch  Atonement  as 
<c  God  himfelf  had  before  appointed  *  ?") 

I  ALL  along  thought  (interrupted  I)  that 
the  Sin  which  introduced  Death  into  the 
World,  and  Sacrifice  by  way  of  Memorial 
of  it,  had  been  that  of  our  firft  Parents  in 
Paradife.  Now,  methinks,  it  was  fome- 
what  needlefs  for  Abel  to  offer  a  Sacrifice  of 

**S  fc/ 

'Repentance  for  a  Crime  which  he  had  never 
committed  in  his  own  Perfon,  and  with 
which  he  became  chargeable  by  Imputation 
only ;  a  kind  of  Guilt,  which  could  give 
him,  furely,  but  a  moderate  Degree  of 
Contrition  j  at  leaft  not  a  fufficient  one,  to 
keep  him  at  fuch  an  awful  Diftance  from 
his  beneficent  Creator,  as,  that  he  mould 
not  dare  to  approach  him  with  Thanks  for 
the  common  Eleffings  of  his  Providence, 

till 

*  Rev.  Exam.  Vol.  i.  p.  136, 


till  he  had  firft  expiated   an  Offence  foi; 
which  he  flood  fo  improperly  accountable  *» 
An   Offence,     indeed,    whereof    both  he, 
and  his  Brother,    had  fo  much  lefs  an  In- 
terefl  in  the  Demerit,    than  they  unfortu 
nately  were  to  have  in  the  Penalty,   that  I 
can  fcarce  imagine  the  latter  of  them  would 
ever  have  been  reproached  with  doing  ///,  if 
he  had  not  fome  other  way  tranfgreffed,  than 
in  the  Loins  of  his  Father.     And  yet  again, 
HortenJiuS)  if  our  Author  fuppofes  here,  that 
both   Cain  and   Abel  flood   obnoxious   to 
Death,    in  confequence  of  their  own  perfo- 
nal  Tranfgreffions,  we  mufl  then  defire  him 
to  explain   to  us,  what  St.  Paul  means  by 
afierting,    that   Sin  is  not  imputed^    is  not 
valued  at  any  certain,  determinate  Price  (as 
a  great  Commentator  interprets   this  Place) 
'where  there  is  no  Law  -j~ :    Or  elfe,  to  mew 
us  fome  other  Law,   betides  thofe  to  Adarn^ 
or  Mofes,    which  had  the  Penalty  of  Death 
pofitively  annexed  to  it.   But  there  is  indeed 
little  Occafion  to  prefs  this  matter  any  far 
ther,  as  the  Account  you  have  been  giving 
me  of  the  Subject  of  Abel's  Sacrifice  ftrikes 
equally  at  the  Expiatory,  as  at  the  Typical 
Quality  of  it. 

NOR  will  the  Probability  of  that  Ac 
count  (faid  He)  be  at  all  weakened  by 
what  is  fometimes  urged  as  an  Objection 

to 

*Rev.  Exam.  p.  136. 

f  Mr.  Locke's  Paraph,  and  Notes  on  Rom,  v,  ver. 
13.    Locke's  Works,  FoJ.  Vol.  3.  p.  281 — 2. 


to  it,  that  the  Apoftle  to  the  Hebrews,  in 
fpeaking  of  Abel's  Offering,  calls  it  S-ucr/a, 
and  not  •rarfoc-tpo  £&  or  <f  w^p?,  as  he  would  ra 
ther,  it  is  argued,  have  done,  had  it  been 
of  an  inanimate  Kind  *.  It  being  notorious, 
that  the  word  3-uorto,  is  feveral  times  ufed  in 
Scripture  of  an  inanimate  Oblation  -f*  ;  not 
to  obferve,  that  with  regard  to  the  parti 
cular  Sacrifice  in  queftion,  the  fame  Apoftle, 
who  calls  it  3ru<na,  in  one  Claufe  of  the  Paf- 
fage  referred  to,  calls  it  fwpov  in  another  ||. 
Tho'  after  all,  Philemon,  mould  it  be  al 
lowed,  that  the  Sacrifice  we  are  fpeaking 
of  was  really  an  Animal-one,  even  yet  it 
may  be  queftioned,  whether  it  had  the  Na 
ture  of  an  Expiation  :  Seeing  we  have  it 
upon  the  Authority  of  a  learned  Divine, 
who  had  confidered  well  this  whole  Sub 
ject  of  Sacrifices,  that  the  very  next  Inftance 
of  Animal-Sacrifice  which  occurs  in  the 
Mofaic  Hiftory,  the  Burnt  -Offer  ings  which 
Noah  offered  unto  the  Lord  upon  his  going 
forth  out  of  the  Ark,  was  a  Sacrifice,  not 

of 


*  Shuck.  Con.  Vol.  I.  p.  81,  82. 
•-  Exv 


TO 

ETT'  O.DTO  Atavcw  3"j(rta£r"i.  Levit.  Cap.  2. 
Com.  I.  Ha?  'yag  •srugi  dx^rifTirxi'  xaj  •nratra  3-j- 
o-ja  aAi  aAjo-O^io-Erat.  Marc.  ix.  49.  Vid.  Grot,  in  Epift. 
ad  Heb.  cap.  viii.  3.  cap.  v.  I. 


X£  TW        «W,       f 

€7TJ   T9t?  JwOJf  aVTOV  TOU  0E2V. 


(  33  ) 

of  Atonement,  but  Eucharifl  *  :  a  Tefli- 
mony  of  his  Thankfulnefs  to  Heaven,  on 
the  behalf  of  himfelf  and  his  Family,  for 
their  privileged  Exemption  from  a  Fate, 
which  had  involved  all  the  reft  of  Man 
kind  -j-. 

A  SACRIFICE  of  Eucharifl  (faid  I)  was 
really  the  only  one  that  could  be  at  all  fuit- 
able  to  the  prefent  Occafion.  For,  with 
regard  to  the  exclufive  Body  of  Mankind, 
they  had  already  perifhed  for  their  Sins, 
beyond  the  power  of  an  Atonement  to 
avert  their  Condemnation ;  and,  with  re 
gard  to  Noah  and  his  particular  Family,  they 
had,  methinks,  already  fo  fenfible  a  Con- 
viclion  afforded  them  of  their  paft  Sins  be 
ing  remitted  to  their  utmoft  Wifh,  that 
they  had  little  need  to  think  of  expiating 
them  any  farther.  Gratitude  to  their  De 
liverer,  and  Joy  in  their  Deliverance,  were 
the  only  Affections  of  Mind  which  their 
prefent  Situation  called  for  :  unlefs  we 
may  add  now  and  then  a  compaili- 
onate  Retrofpect  to  the  Cafe  of  their  loll 
Contemporaries,  at  once  to  inhance  to  them 
the  Value  of  their  Refcue,  and  to  reftrain 

F  them 

*  Gen.  viii.  ver.  20. 

f  Noas  enim  Deogratias  agens  de  fulute  fibi,  fulfque 
data,  cum  reiiquum  omne  mortalium  Genus  aquarum 
diluvio  periiilet,  Holocaufta  D~o  immolab.it.  Outruin. 
de  Sac.  p.  no. 


(  34  ) 

them  from  a  too  licentious  Exultation  under 
the  Scnfe  of  it. 

BEFORE  we  quit  this  Topic  (refumed 
Hor  ten fius)  of  the  Institution  of  Sacrifice  at 
the  Command  of  God,  befides  the  particu 
lar  Arguments  hitherto  alledged  againft  it, 
I  mufl  not  omit  a  very  ftrong  prefumptive 
one  in  general,  which  arifes  from  the  con- 
ftant  Silence  of  the  Mofaic  Hiflory  as  to 
any  fuch  Command,  notwithftanding  the 
frequent  Occafions  which  offer  themfelves 
there  for  the  Mention  of  it,  if  indeed  a 
Command  of  this  nature  had  ever  been  given. 
I  will  propofe  this  Argument  to  you  in  the 
words  of  the  Author  fo  often  already  quo 
ted,  to  mew  you  how  much  better  he  can 
flate  a  Difficulty  for  us,  than,  you  will 'find, 

he  has  anfwered  it. "  if  Mofes  knew 

"  that  Sacrifices  were  originally  instituted 
"  by  God,  with  Marks  of  Acceptance,  as 
"  in  the  Cafe  of  Abel  -• —  why  did  he  not 
"  give  a  clear,  diftinct  Account  of  the  In- 
"  ftitution ,  and  the  Manner  of  Accep- 
"  tance  *?" — The  Anfwer,  it  feems,  is  — 
<c  Becaufe  fuch  a  Relation  was  unnecelfary. 
"  The  Jews,  to  whom  he  wrote,  knew 
"  very  well,  that  their  own  Sacrifices  were 
"  of  divine  Inftitution,  and  that  God  had 
"  manifested  his  Acceptance  of  them,  upon 
"  the  firil  Iblemn  Oblation  after  their  In- 

<c  flituticn 

*  Revelation  Exam,   p,  136. 


(35) 

"  ftitution,  by  a  miraculous  Fire  from  the 
"  Divine  Prefence  ;  and  they  could  have  no 
<c  Reafon  to  doubt,  that  they  were  fo  in- 
"  ftituted,  and  fo  accepted,  from  the  Begin- 
<c  ning.  Nor  needed  they  to  be  informed  of  a 
<c  Truth,  which,  doubtlefs,  a  clear,  uninter- 
"  rz^/WTradition  had  long  made  familiar  to 
"  them*."— What  a  flowing  Solution,  Phile 
mon^  is  here  !  how  flriking  upon  the  whole  ! 
and  how  unexceptionable  in  every  diftinct  Part 
of  it!  Should  not  an  Infidel,  who  had  any  Re 
mains  ofModeJty,  blujh  to  oppofe  his  vain  and 
fcepticalSurmifmgstothe  rational  Deductions 
of  fuch  a  Matter  in  Argument  ?  An  Au 
thor,  every  Stroke  almoft  of  whofe  Pen  is 
the  Decilion  of  fome  Controverfy,  and  who 
fcarce  writes  a  Sentence,  but  it  comprifes 
a  Demonstration  ?  Was  not  his  Character, 
think  you,  happily  drawn  by  an  elegant  and 
acute  Writer  of  our  Acquaintance,  when 
he  defcribed  him  to  us,  as  the  very  Hero  of 
Modern  Orthodoxy ;  the  Scourge  of  Infidels ; 
allowed  to  have  a  better  Fancy  for  tngemotu 
Solutions,  than  all  *he  other  Vindicators  of 
Scripture  put  together  -j-  ?  Should  we  how 
ever  afk  this  Gentleman  here,  upon  what 
Grounds  he  fo  confidently  alTerts  an  uni- 
verfal  Perfualion  in  the  Jewiih  Nation  of 
the  divine  Original  of  Sacrifices,  or  where 
Fa  he 

*  Revelation  Exam.  p.  137. 

f  Remarks  on  fome  Obfervations  addrefled  to  the 
Author  of  the  Letter  to  Dr.  Waterland,  p.  10. 


(  36  ) 

he  meets  with  that  clear  uninterrupted  Tra 
dition  of  this  Fadt  amongft  them,  which  he 
delivers  with  fuch  an  Air  of  Certainty  and 
Afftirance,  he  would  be  at  a  lofs,  I  am  apt  to 
think,  to  give  us  an  Anfwer  to  this  Queftion, 
without  having  recourfe  to  fome  new  Con 
jectures  for  that  purpofe.     Mean  while,  if 
there  really  fubfifted  amongft  the  Jews  fuch 
a  clear  uninterrupted  'Tradition  of  Sacrifices 
being  originally  of  Divine  Appointment  to 
their  Fore-fathers,  at  the   time   of  Mofes's 
writing  his   Hiftory  of  thofe  Perfons,  is  it 
not  very  extraordinary,  Philemon,   that,  in 
all  the  Accounts  he  gives  of  their  Sacri 
fices,  a  Notion  fo  familiar   to  him  mould 
never  once   have  efcaped    him?  that   not 
fo  much  as  an  Hint  of  this  matter  mould 
have  ever  dropped  from  his  Pen,  from  the 
mere  fettled  Impreflion  of  the  Fact  itfelf 
upon  his  own  Mind  in  writing  ?  But  we  are 
told  farther,    that    Sacrifice,     at  its  fecond 
Inftituiion    under  Mofes,    was   loaded  'with 
many  additional  Ceremonies  :  and   it   might 
not  be  proper  for  Mofes  to  point  up  to  it  in 
its  fimpler  and   primitive  State,  for  fear  of 
prejudicing   the  yews  againft   it,  upon  the 
footing  it  was   from  thenceforward  to   be 

eftablifhed   amongft   them  *.— ' •  Here 

again,  Philemon,  as  before,  if  there  fob-, 
fifted  fo  clear  and  uninterrupted  a  Tradi 
tion  of  the  Origin  and  primitive  Acceptance 

of 

*  Revelation  Exam.  p.  137, 


(  37  ) 

of  Sacrifice,  as  is  pretended,  is  it  not  hard 
to  conceive,  that  the  Tradition  mould  have 
flopped  there,  and  not  have  brought  down 
fome  Notices  of  the  Manner  and  Circum- 
flances  of  the  Rite,  as  well  as  of  the  Rite 
itfelf  ?     Is  it  not  very  happy  for  our  Au 
thor,  that  the  Tradition  fhould  be  clear  and 
uninterrupted  jufl  fo  far  as  it  fuits  his  pur- 
pofe  to  have  it  fo ;  and  dark,  and  broken  in 
all  other  refpects  ?     Or  mall  we  fay  indeed, 
that  he  has  the  befl  Right  to  adjufl  for  us 
the  Contents  of  a  Tradition,  which  feems 
indebted  wholly   to  the  Fruitfulnefs  of  his 
Imagination  for  its  very  Being  ?  But  let  us 
admit   the  two  Parts  of  our  Author's  An- 
fwer  to  the  Queflion  before  us  to  be  ever 
fo  confiftent  with  each  other,  ftill  I  mult 
obferve,  that  the  latter  Part  of  it  appears  to 
me  to  be  founded  upon  a  falfe  Thought ; 
and  that   the   Reafon  he  gives  for  Mofes's 
avoiding  to  fuggeft  any  Comparifon  to  his 
Countrymen  "between  the  firfl  Inflitution  of 
Sacrifice,   and  the  fecond,   might  more  na 
turally  have  led  him  to  direct  contrary  Mea- 
fures.     For  the  Jews,  at  this  fecond  Injlitu- 
tion,  as   'tis   called,  of  Sacrifice,   were  but 
newly  come    out   of  Egypt*  a   Land,  you 
know,    of  Superflition   and    Ceremonies ; 
where  they  had  contracted  fuch  a  Fondneis 
for  the  more  operofe  Modes   of  Egyptian 
Worfhip,  that   the   Simplicity   of  the  firfl 
Ritual  of  Sacrifice  would   probably   have 

been 


(38  ) 

been  fo  far  from  giving  them  any  Prejudice 
againft  the  more  encumbered  State  of  the 
fecond,  that  it  would  rather  have  recom 
mended  it  to  them  upon  the  Comparifon, 
as  being  more  in  the  prevailing  Tafte  of  the 
then  prefent  Times.  Upon  the  whole, 
therefore,  for  any  thing  here  advanced,  we 
may  Ml,  I  think,  urge  the  Silence  of  Mo- 
fesy  as  to  the  divine  Inftitution  of  Sacrifice, 
as  a  ftrong  general  Prefumption  againft  fuch 
Inftitution.  Nor  let  the  concife  Turn  of 
the  Mofaic  Hiftory,  and  its  bearing  a  prin 
cipal  Reference  to  fome  particular  Points 
only,  be  admitted  in  bar  to  this  Prefump 
tion  :  It  being  evident  from  the  Prohibition 
to  Noah  of  eating  Flejh  with  the  Blood  there- 
cf,  fo  circumstantially  delivered  in  the  Book 
of  Genefa  *,  that,  notwithftanding  the  Cir- 
cumftances  but  now  mentioned,  the  Hi- 
ftorian  can  fometimes  particularize  a  Fact, 
not  related  to  his  principal  Purpofe  in  wri 
ting,  when  it  is  of  fuch  a  nature  as  to  de 
fers  his  Notice :  And  I  cannot  but  think 
the  Command  of  facrificing,  if  fuch  Com 
mand  had  indeed  ever  been  given  by  God, 
was  as  likely  to  have  found  a  place  in  the 
Mofaic  Hiftory,  as  the  Prohibition  to  Noah 
of  eating  Blood.  But  here,  Philemon,  to 
look  back  a  little  to  our  firft  fetting  out  in 
the  prefent  Argument,  it  may  naturally 
enough  be  inquired,  if  Sacrifice  was  origi 
nally 

*  Genefis  ix.  ver.  4,  5. 
J 


(39) 

nally  a  mere  human  Inftitution,  and  Abel's 
Offering,  fpoken  of  in  Gene/is,  a  matter  of 
Will-Worjhip  only,  why  is  his  Faith,  as  te- 
ftified  by  his  voluntary  Adi  of  facrificing  to 
God,  fo  celebrated  in  the  eleventh  Chapter 
of  the  Epiftle  to  the  Hebrews,  where  the 
Author  of  that  Epiftle  is  treating  altogether 
of  Inftances  of  Faith  in  fome  exprefs  and  po- 
fitive  Revelation  ?  So,  I  am  aware,  he  is 
fometimes  faid  to  be  *j  with  what  Juftnefs 
will  be  beft  feen,  by  examining  a  particular 
Cafe  or  two,  which  we  find  there  recorded. 
To  mention,  for  example,  the  Cafe  of  £- 
mch. —  The  Faith  of  this  excellent  Perfon, 
in  virtue  whereof  he  obtained  the  efpecial 
Privilege  of  a  cTranJlation^  is  by  the  Apoftle 
exprefily  defcribed  to  have  been  a  Faith  in 
fome  future  Recompence  of  Reward,  in  con- 
fequence  of  his  walking  with,  or  pleafing 
God,  throughout  the  whole  Tenor  of  his 
Life  -j- :  An  Expectation,  which  there  is 
not  a  word  faid,  either  by  Mofes,  or  the 
Apoftle,  of  his  having  had  fupernaturally 
communicated  to  him  ;  and  which  we  may 
therefore,  I  think,  fairly  prefume  to  have 
been  the  rational  Refult  of  his  own  con- 
fcious  Virtue.  In  like  manner,  the  Faith 
of  Rahab,  celebrated  in  the  fame  Chapter, 
whereby  foe  received  the  Spies  of  Ilrael  with 

Peace, 

*  See    Shuck.    Con.    i.   p.  86,  87.     Rev.  Exam. 

*•  P-  !33— 4-5- 
f  Heb.  xi.  ver.  5,  6.     Gen.  v.  ver.  24. 


(4°  ) 

Peace  *,  was  not  a  Faith  or  Belief  in  any 
pofitive  Revelation  fhe  had  received  from. 
Heaven  for  that  purpofe ;  but  the  Effect  of 
her  own  Reafoning  upon  the  Accounts  fhe 
had  heard  of  certain  extraordinary  Interpo- 
fitions  of  divine  Power  on  the  behalf  of  the 
Jfraelites  -,  from  whence  having  inferr'd,  that 
the  future  Succefs  of  their  Affairs  would 
prove  agreeable  to  the  paft,  fhe  was  led  to 
make  a  timely  Provilion  for  the  Security  of 
herfelf,  and  her  Family,  againft  the  Profpect 
fhe  entertained  of  the  approaching  Ruin  of 
her  Country  J.  And  why  now,  I  would 
gladly  know,  might  not  the  Faith  of  Abel 
be  celebrated  by  our  Apoftle  upon  the  fame 
grounds  with  that  of  Enoch,  or  Rahab ;  not, 
you  fee,  as  a  Belief  in  any  explicite  Reve 
lation,  but  as  a  Principle  of  general  Truft 
only  in  the  Goodnefs  and  Power  of  God  ? 
Sure  I  am,  the  great  Purpofe  of  the  facred 
Writer,  in  the  Chapter  we  are  fpeaking  of, 
is  fully  anfwered  by  this  Explication. 

THAT  Abel  might  deferve  (I  interpofed 
here)  to  be  commended  by  the  Apoftle  for 
his  general  Faith  only,  or  religious  Truft  in 
God,  is  much  eaiier  to  be  admitted,  than  it 
is  to  conceive,  whence  he  came  to  think 
of  expreffing  that  Faith  by  the  particular 
Action  of  facrificing  to  him.  For  what 

could 

*  Heb.  xi.  ver.  31. 

\  Jofh.  vi.  ver.  9,  to  14. 


could  indeed  induce  him  to  imagine,  that 
he  was  paying  a  becoming  Honour  to  his 
Creator,  when  he  was  offering  to  him  a 
little  Wool  or  Cream  from  a  Firftling  of  his 
Flock  ?  Things  which,  he  could  not  but 
obferve,  derived  their  whole  Value,  with 
regard  to  himfelf,  from  a  certain  relative 
Accommodation  to  his  perfonal  Ufe  and 
Convenience,  and  could  therefore  have  none 
at  all,  with  regard  to  his  Maker,  in  whom 
this  Ufe  and  Convenience  had  no  Place  ? 

THIS  would  have  been  very  good  Reafon- 
ing,  (replied  He)  Philemon-,  but  whymufl 
you  fuppofe  Abel  to  have  thought  as  juftly 
upon  this  matter,  as  you  do  ?  Might  he 
not  be  a  very  good  Man,  without  being 
a  good  Reafoner  ?  A  Piety  of  Intention, 
you  know,  is  not  necefTarily  connected  with 
a  Soundnefs  of  Judgment :  You  muft  have 
met  with  many  Inftances,  befides  this,  of  a 
very  honeft  Meaning  in  Religion,  where 
there  has  not  always  been  an  equal  Depth 
of  Understanding.  It  is  a  very  natural  Pre 
judice  in  all  rude  and  untutored  Minds  to 
fancy  every  thing  they  are  concerned  writh 
thinks  and  feels  in  the  fame  manner,  which 
they  themfelves  do.  Whence  elfe  was  it, 
Philemon,  to  reafon  with  you  Lorn  your 
own  Experience,  that,  during  the  earlier 
Years  of  your  Childhood,  you  fcarce  ever,  I 
dare  fay,  got  a  Blow,  or  a  Fall,  but  the 
G  thing 


.       (40'      ; 

which  {truck,  or  hurt   you,    was  the  im 
mediate  Object  of  your  Difpleafure,  how 
ever  infenfible  in  itfelf  of  the  Injury  it  had 
done  you  ?     Infomuch  that  many  times  a 
By-ftander  has  been  obliged  to  take  up  your 
Quarrel  againft  your  fuppofed  Enemy,   and 
pacify  your  Refentment,  by  giving  you  a 
fictitious  Revenge  ?     Whence  again  was  it 
elfe,    that,  if  at  any  time  you  was  in  a  more 
than  ordinary  good  Humour,    or  had  en 
tered  into  a  particular  Fondnefs  for  certain 
of  the   Perfons  intrufted  with  the  Care  of 
you,  you  was  continually  almoft  imparting 
to  them  a  Share  of  whatever  you  took  de 
light  in ;  which   you   therefore  prefumed 
upon  their  being  pleafed  with,  becaufe  you 
was  firft  fo  yourfelf  ?     Now,  what  is  thus 
the  Foible  of  each  individual  Man,  in  his 
own  particular  State  of  Infancy,  why  may 
we  not  fuppofe  to  have  been  the  Foible  of 
Mankind,  under  the  general    Infancy,  if  I 
may  fo  call  it,  of  the  human  Species  ?  Why 
ihould  not  a  Generation  of  Children   (Chil 
dren,  I  mean,    in  Understanding)  act  the 
fame  abfurd  Part  towards  their  great  com 
mon  Benefactor,  which  we  can  each  of  us 
remember  formerly  to  have  done  towards 
our  particular  and  private  Ones,  that  is  to 
lay,  Mealure  his  Difpofition  by  their  own  ; 
and  attribute  to  him  an  efpecial   Intereft  in 
thofe  things,    in  which  they  were  moil  in- 
terefted  themfelves  ? 

You 


(  43  ) 

You  know  (faid  I)  Hortenfms,  I  never 
had  any  great  Idea  of  the  intellectual  State 
of  Affairs  in  the  firft  Ages  of  Mankind. 
Neverthelefs,  this,  I  muft  own,  is  fo  very 
difparaging  an  one,  that  nothing,  I  believe, 
would  prevail  with  me  to  enter  into  it,  but 
my  not  being  able  to  account  for  the  origi 
nal  Motives  of  their  facrificing  upon  any 
Other. 

THE  Reludiance  (replied  He)  you  feem 
to  exprefs  to  come  into  this  Reprefentation 
of  the  primitive  Times  proceeds  altogether 
from  your  happening  to  live  in  more  im 
proved  ones  :  and  you  are  yourfelf  at  this 
inftant  an  Example,  in  fome  degree,  of 
the  very  Foible  charged  upon  the  firfl  Ages 
of  the  World,  whilfl  you  thus  transfer  to 
them  the  Sentiments  of  your  own.  But 
this  is  after  all  a  very  natural  Prejudice ;  and  I 
can  much  fooner  excufe  it  in  you,  Philemon, 
than  in  a  certain  Writer  upon  our  prefent 
Subject;  who,  whilfl  he  makes  great  De 
mands  upon  the  Powers  of  unaffifled  Rea- 
fon  in  the  Cafe  of  Sacrifice  in  particular,  af- 
fefts  to  entertain  the  moil  flighting  Con 
ceptions  of  them,  as  to  all  other  religious 
Purpofes.  "  Reafon,  fays  He,  if  it  led 
"  Men  to  any,  would  lead  them  to  a  rea- 
"  fonable  Service,  But  the  Worfhip  of 
Cf  God  in  the  way  of  Sacrifice  cannot,  I 

G  2  think, 


(  44  ) 

"  think,    appear  to  be  of  this  fort,  if  we 
ct  take  away  the  Reafon  that  may  be  given 

<c  for  it  from  Revelation  *." Again,  "  It 

"  can  never  be  made  out  from  any  natural 
"  Notions  of  God,  that  Sacrifices  are  a 
"  reafonable  Method  to  obtain,  or  return 
C£  Thanks  for,  the  Favours  of  Heaven.  The 
ft  Refult  of  a  true  rational  Enquiry  can 
"  be  this  only,  that  God  is  a  Spirit,  and 
<c  they  that  worjhip  him  muft  isoorjhip  him  in 
tc  Spirit  and  in  Truth  -J-."  —  Would  you 
expect  from  hence  to  find  the  fame  Writer, 
in  a  place  I  am  going  to  read  to  you,  after 
a  Recital  of  fome  of  the  principal  Abfur- 
dities  of  the  Theology  of  the  earlier  Ages 
of  Mankind,  making  this  Obfervation  ?  that 
"  If  we  look  back,  and  make  a  fair  Inqui- 
"  ry,  we  muft  certainly  allow,  that  Reafon 
"  in  thefe  early  Times,  without  the^  affi- 
"  ftance  of  Revelation,  was  not  likely  to  of-' 
"  fer  any  thing  but  fuperftitious  Trifles  ||"? 
And  accordingly,  you  have  him  delivering 
it  as  his  confirmed  Judgment,  <c  That  there 
*c  never  was  any  thing  fo  weak,  extrava- 
"  gant,  or  ridiculous,  but  Men  eminent  for 
"  their  natural  Strength  of  Underftanding 
"  have  been  deceived  to  embrace  and  de- 
'  fend  it,"  as  often  as  they  pretended  to 
rhinking  for  themfelves  in  Religion,  and 

*c  attempted 

*  Shuck.  Vol.  i.  p.  82. 

*  Shuck,  p.  83. 

*  Shuck.  Vol.  2.    p.  305. 


(45) 
*c  attempted  to  fet  up  what  they  thought  a 

('  reafonable  Scheme  of  it  J." Is  not  this 

a  Ijttle  extraordinary,  Philemon  ?  For  why, 
it  may  be  afked,  might  not  the  fame  Per- 
fons  reafon  ill  in  the  matter  of  Sacrifices, 
who  did  fo  in  every  thing  befides  ?  But 
here,  quite  contrary  to  our  Author's  gene 
ral  Tenor  of  thinking,  Reafon,  you  find,  if 
it  leads  Men  to  any,  muft  lead  them  to  a  rea 
fonable  Service. — : —  Nothing  weak,  nothing 
extravagant,  nothing  ridiculous,  nothing  of 
fuperftitious  'Trifling,  is  to  be  admitted  into 
this  one  Article  of  the  ancient  Religion,  al- 
tho'  there  is  fcarce  any  thing,  but  what  is  fo, 
to  be  met  with  in  all  the  others.  Such  a 
Juftnefs  of  Thought,  it  feems,  was  there 
in  the  World  at  the  time  when  Sacrifice 
made  it's  firft  Entrance  into  it,  that  nothing 
would  then  go  down  with  Mankind,  but 
what  was  "  the  Refult  of  a  true  rational 
"  Enquiry." 

You  know  (faid  I)  Horte?2/ius,  this  was 
during  the  Antediluvian  Age.  Poffibly  the 
intellectual  World  might  be  as  great  a  Suf 
ferer  by  the  Deluge,  as,  we  are  told,  I 
think,  was  the  natural  one ;  and  Mens 
Ideas  of  divine  Matters  might  be  fo  totally 
difcompofed  during  the  Courfe  of  that  Phe 
nomenon,  that  they  could  never  afterwards 

recover 

j  Shuck.  Vol.  2,  p.  305. 


(46  ) 

recover  their  firft  Rightnefs  of  Apprehenfioui. 
in  them. 

RATHER,  Philemon ;  (returned  He)  let 
us  fay  here,  that  the  divine  Origin  of  Sa 
crifice  was,  for  Reafons,  I  think,  not  dif 
ficult  to  be  conceived,  a  favourite  Point  with 
this  learned  Gentleman  ;  and  therefore  every 
thing  was  to  be  kept  out  of  view,  which 
might  reconcile  us  to  it,  as  of  human.  A 
Conceffion,  upon  the  prefent  Qccafion,  in 
behalf  of  Reafon,  was  as  neceflary  to  our 
Author's  particular  Purpofe  of  Argument,  as 
thqfe  difcrediting  Reprefentations,  he  is  fo 
fond  of  making  of  it,  in  the  courfe  of  his 
Connections  at  large,  are  to  his  general  one, 

THE  more'(interpofed  \}HortenJius,  I  re 
flect  on  what  you  have  been  difcourfing,  con 
cerning  the  weak  and  infant  State  of  think 
ing  in  more  remote  Antiquity,  the  more  I 
find  myfelf  difpofed  to  acquiefce  in  it.  I 
will  fuppofe  then,  that  the  Gratitude  of  the 
firft  Ages  towards  their  Creator  was  of  a 
like  injudicious  kind,  with  that  of  Children, 
within  our  own  Obfervation,  towards  the 
favourite  Objects  of  their  Affections.  But 
here,  a  Difficulty,  I  think,  arifes  to  be  ac 
counted  for,  which  is  not  without  its  weight. 
For  does  it  not  put  a  material  Difference 
between  the  two  Cafes  here  fuppofed,  that, 
in  the  one,  the  Object  of  Gratitude  is  like- 

wife 


(  47  )' 

wife  one  of  Sight  and  Senfe ;  admits  of  an 
immediate  Application  to  its  Interefts ;  and 
by  certain  vifible,  however  feigned,  Ex- 
preflions  of  its  good-liking  of  what  is  given 
to  it,  condefcends  ufually  to  flatter  and  en 
courage  the  credulous  Generoiity  of  the 
Giver  ?  Whereas,  in  the  other  cafe,  the 
Benefactor  concerned  is  a  remote  and  invi- 
fible  one ;  no  certain  Accefs  is  to  be  had 
to  his  Prefence ;  no  flattering  Tokens  are 
afforded  of  his  Approbation  ?  Would  it  not 
then  greatly  check  the  officious  Zeal  of  the 
firfl  Sacrificer,  that  he  could  neither  know 
in  what  manner  he  might  beft  addrefs  his 
intended  Oblation,  nor,  after  he  had  made 
choice  of  any  particular  Manner  of  doing 
it,  have  any  fatisfactory  Affurance  that  he 
had  chofen  rightly  ? 

73733'  .    i  -'I  lit     Ojfll     qt;   'I 

You  are  Hill  (anfwered  He)  Philemon^ 
relapfing  into  your  old  Prejudice,  of  confi- 
dering  him  as  an  exact  and  fcrupulous  Rea- 
foner.  On  the  contrary,  the  Fact  probably 
would  be,  that  having  once  formally  fet 
apart  from  his  own  Ufe  the  Matter  of  his 
Offering,  and  upon  Examination  afterwards 
finding  it  to  have  been  confumed  or  dif- 
pofed  of  in  fome  way  or  other  which  had 
efcaped  his  Obfervance,  he  would  from 
hence  fondly  delude  himfelf,  that  it  had  in 
fact  been  applied  that  way,  which  he  in 
imagination  had  defigned  it  fhould  be.  There 

would 


would  be  the  greater  Colour  for  fuch  a  be-* 
lufion,  as  the  Being  to  whom  he  had  ad- 
dreffed  his  Oblation  was  by  Suppofition  an 
invifible  one,  of  whofe  Acceptance  of  it 
therefore  he  would  not  expect  to  be  con 
vinced  by  any  direct  and  fenfible  Proofs, 
Something  of  this  kind  feems  to  have  been 
the  Reafoning  of  the  Scythian  Sacrificers 
mentioned  by  Herodotus  ;  who,  when  they 
had  duely  prepared  and  dreffed  their  Victim, 
ufed,  it  feems,  no  other  Ceremony  in  af- 
ligning  the  Gods  their  Portion  of  it,  than 
that  of  the  Offerer's  calling  it  down  before 
him  in  the  Temple  *.  And  in  their  Sacri 
fices  to  Mars,  of  every  hundredth  Captive 
they  had  taken  in  War,  their  Practice  was, 
to  cut  off  the  right  Arms  of  the  un 
happy  Subjects  of  this  Cruelty,  and  throw 
them  up  into  the  Air,  to  fall  wherever 
Chance  might  direct  them  -j~.  What  I 
have  been  nere  faying,  Philemon,  you  will 

obferve, 


St  s^yQri  -roc,   xgtxy    o  3u<ra?  ruv   X^EWU  xai 

TCOV   o-7rAa^vwv  azJo^ajwEUO?,  £»7rJ«    ff    TO 
Herod.  Lib.  4.  cap.  61.  Ed.  Gale. 
-f-   ETTI  TOUTOU  3e  TOU   o^xou  axn>«x»i? 

oKr*'    xai    TOUT'  Eft  TOU  Afros  TO  a) 
Sri    xxt  toicS    £Tt    -srAfw    3uou<rt    »i    TOHTI 

<J'  ay  TUV   •nroAe^twu    ^aj^n(rw(rt,   OLTTO  TUV 
IX.XTOV  av<Jfwy  avopoe,  ivot,  Sucum,    TOOTTU  ov  TW  a'JTw  w  xai 


TWB 

X3JI   fTTfiTCt,     «V£V£»X«VT£?    flSVU      £7Tt     TOV     Oj/XOy    TWI> 

H>*u- 


(49) 

obierve,  fuppofes  that  the  moft  ancient 
Sacrifices  were  performed  without  Fire  :  as 
indeed,  from  the  Accounts  we  have  of  the 
Perjian^  Scythian,  and  fome  of  the  Greek 
and  Roman  Sacrifices  being  at  all  times  per 
formed  in  this  manner,  feems  to  me  ex 
tremely  probable  *.  I  am  aware,  in  the 
mean  while,  that  the  common  Opinion  in 
this  matter  is  againft  me  5  and  that  the  Sa 
crifice  of  Abel  in  particular,  as  recorded 
in  the  Mofaic  Hiftory,  is  generally  thought 
to  have  been  of  the  burnt,  no  lefs  than  the 
bloody,  Kind  :  Inibmuch  that  fome  Wri 
ters  have  afTerted,  that,  whereas  God  is  re- 
prefented  in  the  Book  of  Genefis  to  have 
had  Refpeff  unto  Abel  and  his  Offering^  the 
manner  of  fignifying  this  Refpect  was,  by 
his  fending  down  a  miraculous  Fire  from 

Heaven 


xaTap££ou<n   TO  aj/xa  TOU 
(£>0£>£ou<n  TOUTO*  xarw  Jf  TS&^O.  TO  /^oy  Troifuo-;  TaJf'  ruv 

V  avJjowv  TO'JJ  0f£t0u?  Wjuou?  Travraf  aTro- 
vv  rrxn  "Xfoy^  ss  rov  ctspoi  ttt-jj  -  .  -yno  us 
av  -crew  xtfrat,  nat  Xw^t?  °  vsx^og.  Ibid.  cap.  62. 
*  ®'Jo-j»  <Je 


OIT£    TffU/0      aurX- 

Herod.  Melp.  cap.  132.  vid. 
&Strab.  Geogr.  Lib.  15.  p.  732.  Ed.  Cafaub.  Herod. 
Melp.  cap.  61.      Aw-fAft   xat     B»j««i    zsr^oc-x-. 
AnAco     Tfv    ATroAAcovo?    TO'J 


TO 


TtOf<rS«t  ETT'  ajlov  a.vev  TTU^.  D\og.  Laert.  in  Pythag. 
Lib.  8.  Segm.  13.  Paufan.  Arcad.  p.  237.  272  — 
3.  Xyl.  Ed.  Francof.  Diod.  Sic.  Lib.  5.  p.  328. 
DIonyf.  Hdicarn.  Ant.  Rom.  Lib.  2.  p  07 

H 


(  50 

Heaven  to  confume  it  *:  whilft  others  have 
admitted,  that  the  Fire  upon  this  Occafion 
was  of  the  Sacrificer's  own  kindling,  but 
feem  at  the  fame  time  to  have  thought,  that 
the  particular  Mode  of  facrificing  by  Fire 
was  in  fome  fort  fuggefted  to  him  from 
above,  by  the  Divine  Being's  having  made 
ufe  of  it  as  the  ordinary  Symbol  of  his  Pre- 
fence  in  thofe  infant  Ages  of  Mankind  J, 
You  are  no  Stranger,  Philemon^  to  part  at 
leaffc  of  this  Hypothecs :  I  remember  you 
gave  fome  Intimations  of  an  Acquaintance 
with  it  in  one  of  our  former  Conferences  |[. 

You  will  remember  too  (faid  I)  that  I 
conlidered  it  there  as  an  Hypothecs  only,  and 
laid  no  ftrefs  upon  it,  as  indeed  I  would 
never  allow  myfelf  to. do  upon  what  is  thus 
entirely  conjectural.  But  as  to  the  Supreme 
Being's  fignirying  an  Approbation  of  Abel's 
Offering  in  any  fupernatural  manner,  that, 
I  mufh  own,  I  mould  very  unwillingly  fub- 
fcribe  to :  inafrnuch  as  I  would  not  readily 
conceive  of  him  as  giving  fuch  lignal  Coun 
tenance  to  the  original  Practice  of  a  Rite  fo 

un- 

•  Vid.  Grot.  Anriot.  ad  Gen.  iv.  Com.  4.  Conf. 
Cleric,  in  Gen.  iv.  Com.  4. 

•  J  Nee  abfurda  forfan  conje&ura  eft  Patriarchas  eo- 
rum  dona  libcntius  igni  tradidifTe,  quod  Deus,  aut  An- 
gelus  Dei,  fub  ignis  fiammantis  ipecie  fe  vifendum 
pr^buifiet.  Spenc,  de  Leg..  liebrseorum,  Vol.  2.  p. 
772.  Ed.  Chappelow. 

H'See  Philemon  to  Hydafpes,  Part  3.    p.  66. 


(  5'  ) 

unfuitable  to  him  in  itfelf,  and  fo  liable  to 
be  abufed  to  the  moil  unworthy  Purpofes 
in  Religion.  And  tho'  I  am  not  altogether 
of  Opinion  with  the  learned  Writer  but  now 
q  -otjd  by  you,  that  the  firft  Reafoners 
concerning  a  God  muft  neceflarily  have 
concluded  him  to  be  a  Spirit,  yet  I  mould 
bs  forry,  methinks,  to  have  them  furnimed 
by  himfelf  with  fo  good  a  Pretence,  as  is 
here  fuppofed,  for  thinking  otherwife.  In 
(/hort,  Hortenjms,  a  mere  Connivance  or 
Condefcenfion  in  this  matter  is  with  me,  I 
confefs,  Difficulty  fufficient,  without  load 
ing  it  with  the  additional  Weight  of  an  ac 
tual  and  explicit  Encouragement. 

WITHOUT  entering  into  this  Argument 
(refumed  Hortenfius)  which  is  beyond  our 
prefent  Purpofe,  now  we  are  agreed  con 
cerning  the  Origin  of  Sacrifice  in  the  World, 
let  us  attend  a  little  to  the  hirlorical  Progrefs 
of  it;  and  fee  how  far  the  Courfe  of  Fa£t  in 
this  Article  correfponds  to  our  general  The 
ory.  It  is  the  more  common  Opinion  of 
Writers,  who  have  treated  of  the  Antedi 
luvian  Age  of  the  World,  that  Mankind 
were  then  wholly  Strangers  to  the  Ufe  of 
Animal-Food  j:  If  this  Account  be  true, 
it  affords  us,  I  think,  a  very  ftrong  Pre- 
11  2  fumption 

J  Vide  Grot.  Annot.  ad    Gen.   ix.  Com.  3.  Cleric, 
in  Gen.  i,  Cora.  29.     Shuck,  Connect.  Vol.  I,  p.  90, 


(    52    ) 

fumption,  contrary  to  what  is  as  commonly 
fuppofed  by  moft  of  the  fame  Writers  *, 
that  they  were  no  lefs  Strangers  to  the  Uie 
of  Animal-Sacrifices.  For,  as  Porphyry,  I 
remember,  fomewhere  very  juftly  obferves, 
the  Idea  of  a  Sacrifice  being  that  of  an  Ac 
knowledgment  made  to  the  Gods  of  the 
good  things  provided  by  them  for  the  Sup 
port  and  Service  of  Life,  it  would  be  both 
abfurd  and  impious  for  fuch  Perfons  to  fa- 
crifice  Animals,  whofe  Practice  it  was  to 
abftain  from  the  eating  of  them  -J-.  'Tis 
true,  the  Writers  I  am  fpeaking  of  deny 
the  euchariflical  Nature  of  the  Antedilu 
vian  Sacrifkes,  in  which  alone,  it  may  be 
faid,  confiffo  the  Abfurdity,  and  Impiety 
here  fuggefted  by  our  Philofopher.  But 
whatever  may  be  thought  of  the  Sacrifice  of 
'Abe^  that  of  Noah^  we  have  agreed,  will 
not  eafily  be  proved  to  have  been  of  the 
propitiatory  Kind  :  and  yet  this,  wre  know, 
was  offered  by  the  Patriarch,  previoufly  to 
his  having  received  the  Grant  fuppofed  to 
have  been  made  to  him  of  Animal-Food ; 
from  which,  according  to  thefe  Gentlemen, 
is  originally  to  be  derived  the  Liberty  Man 
kind 

*  See  particularly  Shuck.  Conne£l.  p.  Sc,  81. 

•f  'Of?  dv  ft  TO  ir,c  $\J>TI<X,$  O.TT  «,:>%*$  ep/ej  a£«*8 
xaj  rjp^afif-»ay  t^\>  ts&pa  S'ft/ :v  tyj)tAtv  tic  ra?  ^nxc9 
f./.o^wlx'  (>]>  ay  f  t»j  avrojf  c.  •Ktyfv.iwx  TW  EJU^U^CA*, 
TO,,-  S-fOu;  TOVTWV  c-.Texfr'^y.i.  Porph.  de  Abft.  Lib.  £• 
p,  77.  £'-',  Molften. 


(  53  ) 

kind  have  fince   taken  in  this  Article,  and 
by  which  alone  it  can  be  defended  -f-. 

S  o  (interrupted  I)  is  often,  I  have  ob- 
ferved,  arTerted  :  and  accordingly  the  Deift, 
if  I  miftake  not,  has  been  fometimes  pub- 
lickly  challenged  to  make  good  his  Claim 
to  a  Flefh-diet  exclufi  vely  of  the  Authority 
of  his  Bible  *,  and  charged  in  the  mean 
time  with  an  unwarrantable  Infringement 
herein  upon  the  Believer's  Privilege.  But 
furely,  without  calling  in  the  Affiftance  of 
Revelation  upon  this  Occaiion,  his  Practice 
may  be  abundantly  juftified  from  the  Nature 
of  things.  At  leaft,  Hortenfius^  if  it  can 
not,  and  he  is  in  no  cafe  at  liberty  to  eat, 
but  where  he  can  be  fecure  not  to  kill,  I 
know  not  from  whence  he  is  to  be  fupplied 
with  the  neceflary  Means  of  his  Subliftence 
in  Life  ;  now  that  Microfcopes  are  every 
where  at  hand,  to  convict  him  of  number- 
lefs  inevitable  Murders  in  the  Ufe  even  of  a 
vegetable  Diet :  Infomuch  that  the  moil 
fcrupulous  Conformift  to  a  Regimen  of  this 
fort,  who,  in  the  Tcndernefs  of  his  regard 
to  the  Prefervation  of  Animal-Life,  mould, 
with  the  Mifer  in  the  Poet,  live  altogether 
Herbis  &  Urtica  J,  would  yet  be  in  fad:  all 
this  while  committing  as  real,  tho'  unfuf- 

pected 
t  See  Revelation  Exam.  &c.    Vol.  2.  p.  10.  and  p. 

3°- 

b  See  Reyntlds's  Three  Letters  to  a  Deift,  Lett.  I. 
\  Horat.  Epift.  Lib.  i.  Epift.  12.  ver.  7,  8. 


(54) 

peeled,  Violence  upon  it,  as  the  Epicure 
he  would  be  the  forwardeit  to  charge  with 
fo  doing. 

THAT  the  Deift  (replied  Hortenflus}  has 
a  very  good  Title  to  Animal-Food,  with 
out  producing  his  Warrant  for  it  from  the 
Bible,  is  a  Point  he  mail  never  hear  me  dif- 
puting  with  him.  Had  he  no  other  Plea 
to  offer  for  his  Practice,  the  Example  of  it 
afforded  him  throughout  the  whole  Animal 
World  around  him  might,  I  think,  be  ad 
mitted  as  a  very  plaufible  one.  To  fay  the 
truth,  Philemon,  the  ftriking  Notoriety  of 
the  Fact  I  am  here  hinting  at  mufl  ever,  it 
Ihould  feem,  have  fuggefted  to  Mankind  fo 
ftrong  a  Prefumption  of  their  Liberty  to  eat 
Flefh,  that  I  can  fcarce  conceive  the  World 
to  have  continued  in  Being  for  above  lixteen 
hundred  Years  together  before  the  Flood, 
and  Men  all  this  while  to  have  religioufly 
abftained  from  the  Ufe  of  Animal-Food, 
merely  becaufe  they  had  never  received  an 
efpecial  Grant  of  it  from  Heaven  :  Unlefs  it 
be,  that  we  are  to  credit  what  the  Poets 
fable  of  their  Golden  Age,  and  what  has 
indeed  hem  fometimes  thought  to  be  coun 
tenanced  by  Scripture  itfelf,  that  the  Inftinct 
we  now  find  in  Animals,  to  prey  upon  one 
another  was  no  Part  of  their  original  Con- 
ftitiition,  but  an  Article  rather  of  that  uni- 
verfal  Depravation  of  Manners,  which  over- 

fpread 


(55) 

fpread  no  lefs  the  animal,  than  the  rational 
Creation,  when  all  Flefh  had  corrupted  his 
'way  upon  the  Earth  *.  And  agreeably  to 
this  Notion,  the  PafTage  of  Scripture,  we 
are  generally  taught  to  look  upon  as  an 
original  Grant  to  Mankind  of  the  Liberty 
of  a  Flelh-Diet,  may  poffibly,  I  have  often 
thought,  be  nothing  more  than  a  Regula 
tion  there  firft  introduced  into  a  preceding 
Practice  of  this  kind  :  not  fo  properly  a 
Warrant  to  them  to  eat  Flefh,  as  a  Reftric- 
tion  from  a  particular  Manner  of  eating  it, 
the  eating  it  with  the  Life  thereof t  which  is 
the  Blood  -j-. 

You  would  confider  then  (faid  I)  Hor- 
tenjius,  what  is  ufually  called  the  Grant  in 
this  Cafe  as  a  kind  of  Preamble,  if  I  may 
fo  fpeak,  to  the  fubfequent  Prohibition  ;  or, 
in  other  words,  when  Mofes  in  the  Book  of 
Gene/is,  now  before  me,  reprefents  God  as 
faying  to  Mankind,  in  the  Perfons  of  Noah 
and  his  Sons,  "  Every  moving  thing  that 
"  liveth  mail  be  Meat  for  you  ;  even  as  the 
"  green  Herb  have  I  given  you  all  things: 
"  but  Flefh  with  the  Life  thereof,  which,  is 
"  the  Blood  thereof,  {hall  you  not  eat."  The 
Senfe,  you  conceive,  may  be-- — Whereas 

in 

*  Non  ergo  ab  initio  animantia  animantibus  vefce- 
bantur,  fed  turn  demum  id  cccptum  fieri,  cum  noil 
homines  tantum,  fed  £c  alia  animantia  viam  fuam  cor- 
ruparunt.  Gror.  Annot.  ad  Gan.  i.  Com.  70. 

•f  Gen.  ix.  ver.  3,  4. 


(  56  ) 

in  the  Courfe  of  my  natural  Providence  I 
have  permitted  you  to  acquire  for  yourfelves 
the  Ufe  as  well  of  Animals,  as  Vegetables^ 
for  your  Food,  I  have  only  one  Reftrainf,' 
which  I  think  proper  to  lay  upon  you  in 
this  matter,  and  that  is,  the  requiring  you 
from  henceforth  never  to  eat  the  Flefli  of 
any  living  Creature,  without  firft  carefully 
draining  it  of  its  Blood. 

You  have  exprefTed  my  Meaning  very 
fully  (faid  He)  Philemon  :  The  Creator  here, 
as  you  have  well  diftinguifhed,  not  intend 
ing  to  convey  to  Man  any  new  Right  over 
the  inferior  Animals,  but  rather  to  tie  up  his 
hands,  in  the  Exercife  of  a  Right  he  flood 
already  porTeft  of,  from  any  wanton  and 
unneceffary  Acts  of  Cruelty :  Upon  Occa- 
fion,  'tis  probable,  of  fome  unwarrantable 
Liberties  of  this  kind,  which  had  prevailed 
in  the  Antediluvian  World. 

THE  Paflage,  (returned  I)  confidered  in 
this  view,  ftandsas  a  very  appofite  Preface  to 
that  folemn  Prohibition  of  Ihedding;  human 

t_? 

Blood,  which  is   immediately  fubjoined  to 
it  || .     For  the  Pythagorean  Doctrine,  how 
ever  overftrained  in  its  Application,  was  cer 
tainly 

||  Videtur  ergo  Deus,  veluti  per  Gradus  quofdam, 
ad  homicidium  vetandum  procedere,  quorum  primus 
hie  eft  ;  nimirum  licitam  quidem  hominibus  Brutorum 
caedem,  nee  carnibus  vefci  vetitum,  fed  prius  elle  ef- 

fundendum 


_(  57) 

tainly  a.  very  rational  one  in  itfelf,  that  a 
tender  and  compaffionate  Treatment  of  in 
ferior  Animals  is  a  natural  Means  of  form 
ing  Mens  Hearts  to  Habits  of  Kindnefs  and 
Good-Affe£tion  towards  one  another  :  And 
he,  who  mould  not  think  himfelf  at  liberty 
wantonly  to  give  pain  even  to  the  moil  con 
temptible  living  Creature,  would  not,  I 
imagine,  be  very  forward  to  lift  up  his 
hand  againft  the  Life  of  a  Man  like  him 
felf*. 

I  F  this,  (refumed  Hortenjlus)  as  I  think 
is  no  ways  improbable,   was  the  humane 

Defign 

fundendum  fanguinem.  Sic  enim  Deus  homines  fine 
immanitate  brutis  utendiun  docuit  ;  nam  cum  effundi 
eorum  fanguis  nequeat  fine  celeri  morte,  per  exquifita 
veluti  fupplicia  non  effe  occidenda  oftendit  ;  ne  homi 
nes  primiim  brutis  vefcentes,  .  permiiTione  a  Deo  ac- 
cepta  crudeliter  forte  abutcrentur,  &  fasviti?e  afiuefie- 
rent.  Eo  ergointerdt£to,  ad  feritatem  hominum  inter 
fe  impediendam,  viam  fibi  flernit  Deus.  Cleric,  in 
Gen.  ix.  Com.  4. 

•   O»  nuSafoptxot  Try  TS-^O<;  rot. 
rriv  £7rcni(ra.UTo    •arcc;  TO   (piAai 
r>  y&^  fyvrfttHx,   $nv;i  TOO;  xotrtx, 
Sfcrt     u:ofcu    Tzzsy.yoJuv  TCV    av9ow7roy.     Plut.  de  Solert. 
Anim.    p.  959  -  60.     Ed.   Xyi. 


.wtv  av*  o<?  yow   >  crtavrT;?  TO-J  run 
ccTrlfcrOai    ^ww*    «7rixAt;£v,    TO-JTCOU    c  vo-j? 
o/xo^uAww  a£c-£c,«j;'o,-.  Porph.de  Abft.  Lib.  2.  p.  76 
1  - 


»  ^   Plut.  de  Efu  Cam.  p.  996. 


(  58} 

Defign  of  the  Precept  we  are  fpeaking  of, 
one  cannot  but  regret,  that  the  Obfervance 
of  it,  in  the  Ages  fucceeding  the  Difper- 
(ion  of  the  human  Race  from  Shinaar, 
mould  have  been  confined  wholly  to  a  final! 
Proportion  only  of  Noah's  Defcendents  ; 
whilft  the  far  greater  Part  of  Mankind, 
finking,  as  fhould  feem,  from  thencefor- 
\vard  into  a  long  and  abfolute  Barbarifm 
both  of  Thinking  and  Manners,  lived,  there 
is  great  reafon  to  apprehend,  for  a  conii- 
derable  time,  in  the  moil  infamous  Breach 
of  it.  For  in  the  Accounts  delivered  to  us 
by  Antiquity  of  the  firft  civilizing  of  parti 
cular  Countries  by  Perfons  here  and  there  of 
a  more  improved  Turn  happening  to  viiit, 
or  fettle  in  them  at  different  Seafons,  one 
Circumflance  of  their  Hiflory  conftantly 
infifled  on  is  that  of  their  introducing  into 
thofe  Countries  a  general  Reformation  of 
Diet  -y  or  perfuading  the  Natives  to  live  firft  * 
upon  the  wild,  and  afterwards  upon  the 
more  cultivated  Produce  of  the  Earth  j  as 
if  before  they  had  led  the  Lives  of  wild 
Beafts,  feeding,  as  they  had  Opportunity, 
on  the  crude  Flefli  of  other  Animals,  if  not 
even  on  the  more  helplefs  Part  of  their  own 
Species  *.  The  Picture  here,  Philemon,  I 
am  fenfible,  muft  be  mocking,  to  a  degree 

perhaps 

J.M  'yof.^  '•nrayirai  (rov  Ortfiv)    T»J 
TWV  OM»7£&Jwwii  JTJO;,    fvflov(r*ij    jU» 
KX.I  rr,$  y.o^;:(;  xaTov,   rou   si  Q 


<  S9  } 

perhaps  of  appearing  even  Romantic,  to  a 
Perfon  of  your  improved  and  delicate  Hu 
manity.  But  the  Hiftory,  I  muft  obferve, 
of  modern  Barbarians  does  but  too  amply 
confirm  the  Probability  of  what  is  here 
fuggefted  of  ancient  ones.  And,  if  this  was 
really  their  Cafe,  the  Age,  in  which  they 
firft  made  the  happy  Exchange  of  barbarous, 
for  civil,  Manners,  could  fcarce  fail  of  being 
celebrated  by  them  every  where  in  Terms 
pf  the  moil  heightened  Panegyric  ;  which, 
as  meanly  accommodated,  in  every  refpect, 
as  it  may  appear  to  have  been  with  regard 
to  later  times,  they  might  have  reafon  to 
efteem  a  Golden  Age  to  thofe  which  had 
gone  before  it.  Now  the  Matter  of  Mens 
Diet,  in  thefe  firft  Ages  of  reftored  Civility 
and  focial  Manners,  being  thus  confined  to 
things  without  Life,  their  Sacrifices,  we  are 
naturally  led  to  infer,  muft  have  been  fo 
I  2  likewife. 

trxy.svo'j  rw  TO'JTWV  %  XT  s(>'y  ix.  <Tt  xv  TWV  xaoTrwv  11  JEW?  <Js 
pktrofltttM  zrotvlois  rnv  TgoQwy  $ix  T?  rr,v  rjovriv  rr:$  (pu- 
etwq  TWU  f9M$iV?eJ*,  xat  A  a  TO  (fieiniuQett  avpfyspoy  VTTOC,:- 
"Xtw  aTTE^fffGai  T»J?  X»T'  aAAriAwv  W^OTJJTOJ.  Diod.  Sic. 
Lib.  i.  p.  13.  Ed.  Rhodoman.  Toy  f-w  wv  K«voy  OVTSX, 
'cveTOaj,  x«t  TOU?  X^;T' 


Dtod.  Sic.   Lib.  5.  p.  334. 

Sihcftres  homines  facer  interprcfqnc  Dcorum 
C&dibus  &  viftufaedo  dctcrruit  Orpheus. 

Horat.  de  ArtePoet.  v.  391—2.  Lucret.  Lib.  5.  Ovid. 

Faft.  Lib.  2.  v.  289  —  302.     Metamorph.  Lib.  5.  v. 

89,  &  fecj. 

2 


(60  ) 

likewife.      And  agreeably  hereunto   Wri-' 
ters,  who  have  traced  back  the  Hiftory  of 
Sacrifices  to   more    remote  Antiquity,   ac 
quaint  us,  that  the  firft  religious  Offerings  to 
the  Gods  were  only  "green  Herbs,  the  Down, 
as  it  were,    of  fruitful  Nature,  which  Men 
plucked  up  by  the  Roots  with  their  Hands, 
and  burned  in  Sacrifice  to  the  celeftial  Dei 
ties."     After  this   they  proceeded  to  offer 
Acorns,  and  Oak-Leaves  ;  then  Nuts  ;  then 
whole  Barley  j  and,    upon  the  Invention  of 
the  Grinding-Mill,  Meal  ;  then  again  a  kind 
of  Meal-Cake  ;    and  laftly,  as  they  became 
in  time  acquainted  with  the  Ufes,   and  Pre 
parations  of  them,    all  forts  of  Fruits,   and 
Grain,   accompanied  with  choice  Perfumes, 
fuch  as  they  efteemed  worthy  to  entertain 
the    Senfes  of  Divine    Beings  -j~.     In  like 
manner,  the    ancient  Libation,  or   Drink- 

Offering,- 


fct;      ">/£rj,     ou 

0\JO£   KOiCiXf^     X.XI  fa*><XJ'j)fVj  XClXU  jUi^O*»T 
#AA«    V/'-O''!??     0*5V   f.i     TJVJl    TV/J    J/CVfUOU    ^MT 


Jf?j.3-jwfva.  Porph.  de  Ab'l.  Li:h.  ?..  p.  53.  A:uo;  >:»p- 
7ro^>a]*KTafTS?,  TTJJ  (v.jy  T^t(pr,<;  viz  WJ  (TTTC'.'JW  fj.iy.otXj 
T-S.-J  c:  {tvA/.a-c  aVTOic  •£•/{»«  TOK  3*o*?  e<T  ^a?  3i-o-.cc? 


(  6i  ) 

Offering,  was,  as  the  fame  Writers  inform 
us,  of  Water  ;  then  it  came  to  be  of  Ho 
ney  ;  next  of  Oil  ;  and  laft  of  all  of  Wine  *. 
Milk  likewife  was  fometimes  ufed  as  a 
Drink-Offering  :  Thus,  not  to  repeat  what 
has  been  already  fuggefted  in  the  Cafe  of 
Abel's  Sacrifice,  the  Perpans,  when  they 
facrificed  to  the  Element  of  Water.,  are  by 
Strabo  related  to  have  poured  forth  upon  the 
Ground  a  certain  Mixture  of  Oil,  Milk  and 
Honey  -j~.  And  a  very  great  Matter  of  An 
tiquity  gives  it  us  as  his  Opinion,  that  the 
Ceremony  performed  daily  toO/£m,and  Ifisy 
in  one  of  the  Iflands  of  the  Nile,  of  filling 
feveral  VefTels  with  Milk  at  one  of  the  pre~ 
{ended  Places  of  their  Interment,  as  men 

tioned 


<X.TT 

V.O.TK   TX;   •STOUTOt.S   SviTlZ.?     TO    TWV    KVVCW7TUV 

ji0f.  —  roj  •  FxhYites-pfvou  /3jou  Trotox  TO  srfww  p.a:xaci 
dfvToc,    a,7rr,s^ex,-jli}  TE  TJJJ    faueQttiHf  reofynt;  •GTPUTQV 
wo  rets  Sso»?'  -  y.1^  coy  apjKu^nvQMl  (Mev  —  —  zsroc 
TiSfVTO  •5TfAa«co»    Ti^r;  xaj  rwa  AOITTWU  aira^ruv  O.TT  ZL^'/ 
TOI?  3"£oii    £4?  Taj   S'va';^'     •croXAa  |y.eu   ctwaAfl^tfUVTW, 
9'jji  £>.»T!W  ^  TO'JTwy    jM-ij/uvvTwu  TOTE  n  n  xaAcu    fi^cu  £u 
]3tw,    >cx(  •srotTTov  Q<ru.r,  trjo;  S'ctav  «Kr9v/a*u.     Porph-  de 
Abft.  Lib.  2.  p.  53—4—5. 
*    Toe,  UEU  ctaj^xix   rxv  ftfift 

»JV'     V>lJp«Atai     £  £5~<y    Ta    lloQ 

xa*    i--Atj.yj 
TC-V  u«ov  XZTTW'    HT 

vmnrei^tK.   Ibid.  p.  66. 
O/AOV  "yxXoixli    xat 

JtJXpa/Jt'vsy,    O'JX    f?    Tfva,    o^*   JJlu^,    «AX*   «f     Toj 
S.trab.  Gcog.  Lib.  15.  p.  733. 


(62) 

tioned  in  our  laft  Converfation,  was  a  daily 
Libation  of  Milk  to  the  Manes  of  thefe  twq 
deified  Egyptians  ||.  And  as  we  find  the 
Sacrifice  of  inanimate  things  only  thus  fpo- 
ken  of  by  the  Pagan  Writers,  as  of  a  fupe-r 
rior  Antiquity  to  that  of  Animals,  fo  it 
feems  in  all  Ages  to  have  been  confidered 
by  thenr,  as  of  a  fomewhat  fuperior  Sanc 
tity. 

THIS  (faidl)  it  might  very  naturally  bef 
"Hortenfats,  fuppofing  it,  as  in  your  Account, 
to  have  been  every  where  introduced  and 
eftabliihed  by  the  Heroes  of  the  Golden  Age: 
For  thefe  Heroes  having  been  all  deified 
upon  their  Deceafe,  it  was  to  the  fucceed- 
ing  Ages  of  the  Pagan  World  in  a  literal 
Senfe  the  Inftitution  of  the  Gods  themfelves. 
And  indeed,  befides  that  it  had  thus  the 
immediate  Sanction  of  their  divine  Autho 
rity,  it  had,  methinks,  upon  Pagan  Prin 
ciples  a  more  particular  Accommodation  to, 
their  Natures.  For  they  are  feveral  of  them 
delivered  down  to  us,  you  know,  in  the 
Pagan  Records  of  Antiquity,  as  the  Per- 
fons  who  firft  taught  Men,  whilft  they 
were  as  yet  living  upon  Earth,  the  Arts  of 
Plantation  and  Agriculture  j  and  agreeably 
to  this  Notion  of  them,  they  were  con 
ceived  of  after  Death,  as  Demons,  a  great 

Part 

JJ  CIcr.  in  Gen.  Cap.  iv.  Com.  4.  Diod.  Sic.  Lib.  i+ 
P-  T9- 


Part  of  whofe  Employment  it  was  providen 
tially  to  fuperintend  the  profperous  Event 
of  thefe  Arts.  Thus  He/tod  reprefents  them 
to  us,  according  to  the  current  Theology  of 
his  Times,  as 


<c  cloathed  with  an  aerial  Vehicle,  ranging 
at  pleafure  throughout  the  Earth,  the  Pro 
moters  of  its  Fruitfulnefs."  To  Gods  of 
this  Character  a  Sacrifice  of  the  Fruits  of 
the  Earth  might  well  be  efteemed  of  all 
others  the  moft  acceptable  one,  as  it  not 
only  pointed  back  to  one  of  the  chief  origi 
nal  Reafons  of  their  Deification,  but  was 
moreover  peculiarly  adapted  to  their  fup- 
pofed  Office  and  Employment  under  it. 

WHETHER  (refumed  Hortenfius)  it  was 
an  Effect  of  this  Principle,  or  of  mere  Ac 
cident,  I  will  not  venture  to  fay  j  but  the 
Practice  of  offering  unbloody  Sacrifices  only 
was  at  fome  Altars  religioufly  obferved,  even 
to  the  lateft  times  of  Paganifm.  Of  this 
kind  were  thofe  appointed  by  Cecrcps  in  the 
City  of  Athens  to  Jupiter,  to  whom  he  is 
faid  to  have  firft  erected  an  Altar  under  the 

Character 

t  Hef.  Op.  &  Di.  v.  125,  126.  Ed.  Cleric.  Vid,.& 
Hemfii  Not,  in  Loc. 


(64  ) 

Character  of  the  Supreme  God  *»  So  againj 
at  the  Altar  of  Ceres  near  Phigalia  in  ^r- 
ttft///z,  confecrated  to  her  by  the  Epithet  of 
Ceres  the  Mourner,  in  memory  of  the  Af 
fliction  fhe  was  in  for  the  Rape  of  Prefer- 
pine,  the  only  Sacrifices  allowed  to  be  offered 
were  certain  cultivated  Fruits,  in  particular 
Grapes,  together  with  Honey-combs,  Wool, 
fuch  as  it  was  taken  from  the  fiody  of  the 
Sheep  which  bore  it,  and  Oil  -j-.  The  fame 
Writer,  who  mentions  this  Altar  of  Ceres, 
tells  us  alfo  of  a  little  one  near  the  Tomb  of 
Neoptolemus  at  Delphi,  where  an  Oblation 
was  every  day  made  of  Oil,  and  upon  extra 
ordinary  Solemnities,  of  uncombed  Wool. 
The  Tradition,  it  feems,  concerning  this  Al 
tar  was,  that  it  was  the  Stone  which  Saturn 
}iad  fwallowed  in  the  place  of  his  Son  Ju 

piter  ^ 


*  CO  ft-wyctA  (KttC4o40  Ai*  TE 
v.y.\  oVocra  f^a  ^"/J^'t  TOUTWV  ij.it  n£iufftv  ouJifv  3-ucraj, 
znu,[ji.a,TGt  $t  nr\yj*.p\,y.  nri  TOU  (3wf/.ou  KtAuwnv,  a,  isrtXa.  • 
jouy  x.aAo-j(T»  trt  xc/.t  t;  %{*&(  ASr,vatot.  Paufan.  Arcad, 
p.  237.  Ed.  Cafaub. 

f   Txvrvq  c£  y.z.}.t~<z  fyu  TV; 


VQWcov<rw*    ow&v*      TO.    J1!     «7ro 

I       > 

ra  T^    aXAa, 
trav   TS    x/fjcr,   xaj   rciccv    ra  ]itri 


ft  A  A'  e~»  avojTrAEss   TSU    oitr'jTrou,    a  Tj6E3<r»   ETT*  TSV 


avrcov  sAaicv*    rayra  i'wTa;?  T;    avcWKTj    xa»  a»a 
fro-  TU  y.jf.'M  x7J*rrx£v  E?  Try  SiTi.'ty.    Paufan.  Arcad. 
P.  272-3. 


ptter,  and  had  afterwards  brought  up  again  -f-. 
Both  Diogenes  Laertius,  and  Porphyry  ac 
quaint  us,  that  in  the  liland  of  Delos  was 
an  Altar  of  Apollo,  furnamed  Genitor,  or 
Father,  at  which  it  was  held  abfolutely  un 
lawful  tofhed  Blood  j  aCircumflaace,  which^ 
Laertius  obferves,  particularly  recommended 
this  Altar  to  the  Philofopher  Pythagoras^ 
and  which,  according  to  Porphyry,  occa- 
fioned  it  to  be  emphatically  flyled  the  Altar 
of  the  Pious  J.  What  has  been  remarked 
here  of  fome  of  the  Grecian  Sacrifices,  a 
celebrated  Ro?na?:  Hiftorian  informs  us  was 
fometimes  the  Gale,  even  in  his  time,  of 
the  Roman  ones.  He  had  himfelf,  he  fays, 
been  a  Spectator  of  fome  Offerings  made  to 
the  Gods  altogether  in  the  old  Taftej  which 
confirmed  wholly  of  certain  Preparations  of 
Barley,  and  Wheat,  of  Fruits,  and  fuch 
like  fimple  Ingredients,  without  any  of  that 
ridiculous  Extravagance  introduced  in  later 
times  into  their  Worfhip,  and  which  were 

placed 


£(>xi  xara^£0'vO"<,  xat  xar« 
rex.  y-ffys.'  eo  &  KX.I  So^y, 
I;  aurcv,  Jo6r(v«t  Kocvw  roi  AtOov  «VT*  TOU  &&l06ft  xjst  w; 
*jju£7Jv  aurov  J  Koo-;0f.  Paufun.  Phoc.  p,  341. 
J  Aj^eAfi  xat  p«j&0li  IT^oTxi.'.'TjTin  /xovov  Il 
r;  A?jAw  TOV  ATOA^WVC?  TOL-  3/fieTCflof  x  r  A,  Diog.  Laert. 
in  Pythag.  Lib.  8.  Segm.  13.  (Sixewxi  &  trw  tx  rcy 
v.v  <rwco/-t£vou  jT?i;(uo;,  wjcj  cv  o'jSfvsf  «rpo- 

»    aVTOif,  OUdf  S'UOWIVOV   ITT    «VT6U  ^WOU,   J.C-1- 

rai  /3w,ao,-.   Porph.  de  Abil.  L'b.  z.  p.  73. 

K. 


(  66  ) 

placed  on  Tables  of  Wood,  in  Plates  of 
Potter's  Earth ;  the  Libation  too  being  mixed 
up,  not  in  VelTels  of  Silver,  or  Gold,  but 
in  Cups  of  the  fame  humble  Compofition  : 
and  wherever  he  had  met  with  Practices  of 
this  kind,  he  could  not  but  greatly  applaud 
the  Obfervers  of  them,  for  adhering  fo  ftrictly 
to  the  Ufages  of  their  Forefathers,  and  not 
exchanging  the  frugal  Simplicity  of  the  an 
cient  Oblations,  for  the  oftentatious  Coftli- 
nefs  of  modern  ones  *.  It  was  upon  this 
Principle,  no  doubt,  that  the  Pythia  at 
Delphi  affected  upon  feveral  Occafions  to 
prefer  the  more  cheap  and  ordinary  kinds 
of  Sacrifice  to  thofe  of  the  greateft  Expence 
and  Magnificence.  Thus,  we  are  told,  af 
ter  a  Defeat  of  the  Carthaginians  by  an  ad- 
verfe  Power,  when  the  Heads  of  the  con 
quering  Party  were  prefenting  their  refpec- 
tive  Hecatombs  to  Apollo >,  and  ftriving  each 
to  excel  the  other  in  the  Choice  and  Value 
of  his  Oblation,  upon  inquiring  of  him  with 

which 


'yovv  esxTO.^]/   w    spzis  otxjaj?     SITTVX 
fv  r^a-Trs^an;  £yAn>a«f 


Y.CH 
.    xai 
ov>c    FU  ap^ypoj?  K&I  ^pvtTcu;   aj/fftriv,    «AA   tv 

x.a.1  rstuQm  ruv   »WpW  OTJ 


KPWH    fif     TJJI;    aAa^ova   zzroAuTtAfjav.      Dion, 
Hah  Ant.  Rom.  Lib.  2.  p.  93.  Ed.  Sylburg. 
2 


(  67) 

which  of  their  Offerings  he  was  befl  pleafed, 
the  Anfwer  he  returned  was,  that  the  two 
or  three  handfuls  of  Meal,  which  one  Z)c- 
cimus^  an  Inhabitant  of  Delphi^  and  the 
Owner  of  a  little  barren  and  rocky  Piece  of 
Ground  there,  had  that  day  ftrewed  upon 
his  Altar,  were  of  more  worth  to  him  than 
them  all  -(-.  In  like  manner,  when  a  cer 
tain  rich  Magnefian^  who  ufed  every  Year 
to  perform  a  very  coftly  Sacrifice  at  Delphi, 
came  thither  one  Year  for  this  purpofe,  and, 
in  expectation  of  fome  high  Compliment  to 
himfelf  upon  the  Occaiion,  defired  of  the 
Pythia  to  be  informed,  who  was  the  moft 
zealous  and  favourite  Worfhipper  of  the 
Gods;  Her  Reply  to  this  Queftion  was, 
That  it  was  Clearchus  of  Methydrlum^  a  lit 
tle  Village  in  Arcadia  ;  the  Sum  of  whofe 
religious  Merits,  when  the  Magnefian  had 
inquired  of  him  what  his  particular  Manner 
of  Worfhip  was,  appeared  to  be,  that  he 
was  a  very  punctual  Obferver  of  all  flated 
Feftivals  ;  that  once  every  Month  he  adorned 
K  2  Mer- 

"f"    Tlzpi    EVJCff    $   ifoorrzi   ruv 
czvvu'J,     tto,  TO 


iv  rr.v  -croc?  aAAnAo'j? 
cv;      (try. 


t  w 

TOU      J££t>£ 

nrr^x;  run   ot 


TfOlJ/«r   TOV    S'ECV  TWV 

.   Porph.de  Abft.   Lib.  2.  p,  63.  , 


(  68) 

Mercury,  Hecate,  and  the  Shrines  of  the 
other  Gods  of  his  Ancestors  with  Garlands, 
and  prefented  before  them  Frankincenfe, 
Meal,  and  Cakes  ;  that  on  all  their  Feaft- 
Days  he  made  an  Oblation  to  them,  not  of 
any  living  Creature,  but  of  the  Fruits  of  his 
Ground,  whatever  kinds  were  then  at  hand; 
and  laftly,  that  of  the  whole  yearly  Produce 
thereof  he  religioufly  confecrated  to  them 
the  firft  Gatherings  in  their  proper  Seafon*. 

THERE 

*   'O'JTW  Js 


IXOcopvW  TM         fO),     X«»    TJJtAfl- 

[/.£lyxXo7rpi7T(>:s    Toy     A^oAAcova,   Tzocpihviiv  £j?  TO 


rovf  S'fouj,    tzaQoci  IV\M  TLvQixv  rov 


TO 


raj,    UTTsjAaja^avovTa  J'o9ri|TEO'6«J    auTM    TO   TrpwTfjoy*    T»JV 
^E     fffjjetzv    a7rox2iy:i<r9a:i    -nravTajv  aptfa   Sff^toiig  TOV? 


TOV       cxira^svTa   rxTOTrw?  IT^j^tfi(r(Kl  TOV  ccvov- 

iiv'  -  o^wf  ^  °'Jf  ^VTy^ovra  TCO  ae^M    agtwffai 

aura  OVTJU*  TpOTrou  TOUJ  Seou>  Tja»  ;  TO'J  ft  KAf- 

fyxvxi  eT»T£Atjy  xai    cTTroJo^aiw?  S'jstv  ey  TCI?   'arfo- 


TOW      p.aiiy  x«t    TW 

raw    ifpwu  a    ^  TC/U?  •sr.c&j/ovou? 


S-JCTJO?     InaoTfAfjf 


TOU?      'tov?    O'J        o'jyTc-'jra,     *        itonx 
aXX*  o'      T»     ay  •sraiarj/r     fWtffuovwe    <rrc.~ 


a  55i  t^.'yif,?     ^aiijtat  TO»?      fOK    TXC 
ov.    Porph.  de  Abft.'  Lib.  «  p.  62,  63. 


69 


THERE  was  fomething  (faid  I)  very  par? 
ticular  fure  in  the  Circumstances  of  the 
Cafes  you  have  now  mentioned,  that  could 
make  the  Oracle  all  on  a  fudden  fo  wonder 
fully  difmterefted.  For  it  was  not  by  any 
means,  I  apprehend,  the  common  Style  of 
Divinity  at  the  Delphic  Shrine,  that  the 
more  frugal  the  Gift,  the  more  acceptable 
the  Giver,  There  was  fome  latent  Policy, 
I  make  no  queftion,  in  all  Anfwers  of  this 
kind,  if  we  were  let  into  the  true  Secret  of 
them  ;  they  were  calculated  for  fome  pre- 
fent  Turn  of  the  Prief|s  who  dictated  them. 

As  to  the  particular  right-timing  (re 
turned  He)  of  a  Dodtrine  of  this  nature, 
for  that  we  may  fafely  trufl  the  long-ap 
proved  Wifdom  of  Apollo'?,  Prieilhood.  In 
the  mean  while,  the  general  End  they  might 
propofe  to  ferve,  by  giving  it  out  now  and 
then,  as  a  fit  Opportunity  offered,  to  the 
Public,  might  be  occalionally  to  refrefn 
upon  Mens  Minds  that  univerfal  implicit 
Reverence  for  Antiquity,  upon  which  they 
well  knew,  not  only  the  Succefs  of  their 
feparate  Craft,  but  of  the  whole  Pagan  Su- 
perftition  at  large,  was  altogether  fufpended. 
For  the  Grounds  thereof  being  laid  in  the 
rude  Simplicity  of  the  lefs  enlightened  Ages 
of  the  World,  it  would  not  endure  the  Tell 
of  a  free  and  rational  Scrutiny,  but  was  to 

be 


(  7°  ) 

be  upheld  merely  by  a  blind  and  bigotted 
Attachment  to  Authority  and  Prefcription. 
The  Oracle  therefore  might  manifeftly  find 
its  Account  in  here  and  there  declaring  it- 
felf  to  the  Effect  but  now  reprefented,  if  by 
fo  doing  it  helped  to  fupport  and  encourage 
the  Principle  here  fuppofed,  and  under  an 
Appearance  of  Difregard  to  an  immediate 
and  particular  Intereft,  was  ferving  all  the 
while  a  much  more  important  and  general 
one.  Thefe  Oracular  Decifions,  Philemon  , 
to  mention  it  here  in  paffing,  in  behalf  of 
inanimate  Sacrifices  as  preferable  to  bloody 
ones,  adcled  to  the  Tradition  upon  which 
they  were  founded,  of  their  being  indeed  the 
primitive  Ufage  of  Mankind,  gave  great 
Advantage  to  the  Pythagorean  Platoni/h  in 
defending  their  Doctrine  of  Abftinence  from 
Animal-Food,  (grounded  chiefly  upon  their 
Belief  in  the  Metempfychoiis)  agairut  an 
Objection  frequently  made  to  it  by  their 
Adverfaries  in  this  Point,  from  the  Pracr 
tice  of  bloody  Sacrifice  as  an  eftablifhed 
Article  of  Pagan  Worfhip  *.  'Tis  true  in 
deed,  they  fometimes  upon  this  Occafion 
affect  to  difpute  the  Confequence  from  fa-: 
jjrificing  living  Creatures,  to  feeding  on 

them: 


r,i>    xa»    ci     -£6t       uwa£i?  re 

t-JSKOt     AsSuXXO-iV    T'/l?     £H     S-/!2i&JV'     XOU 

w;    O!,-JTOI    TXPocttst.fcy.v  fieri  Y.CCI  qVflt    «UTOJ;   xw 
tji{iAa,l   tw  TufrfpTcov.    Porph,  de   Abft.    ^ib.    I. 
p.  -19. 


(  7'  ) 

them  *  :  But  this  way  of  Reafoning  could 
no  ways  effectually  ferve  their  purpofe,  as  it 
was  only  applicable  to  certain  myftic,  or 
expiatory,  or  to  human  Sacrifices,  and  could 
not  be  extended  to  thofe  of  the  more  com 
mon  and  honorary  kind  j  the  matter  of 
which,  by  the  very  nature  of  the  Rite,  and 
their  own  confeffed  Judgment  concerning 
it,  was  to  confift  of  fuch  things  as  were  in 
ufe  with  the  Offerers  for  Food  •}-.  Their 
only  pertinent  Anfwer  in  this  cafe  was,  as 
has  been  faid,  that  it  appeared  from  univer- 
fal  Tradition,  and  the  occafional  Declara 
tions  of  the  Gods  themfelves  by  their  Ora 
cles,  that  the  primitive,  and  moft  accept 
able  Oblations  to  them  were  of  things  with 
out  Life  only  ;  but  that  the  wanton  Appe 
tites  of  Men  in  After-  Ages,  lufting  after 
Animal-Food,  and  feeking  fome  plaufible 
Pretence  to  introduce  it,  they  had  contrived 
to  make  the  Gods  appear  to  be  the  Patrons 
of  this  inhuman  Piece  of  Luxury,  and  to 
fon&ifyjas  it  were,  their  defigned  Innovation 

upon 

f  HAw  «  via  eg  o-tyflt  sXf^o^fV  py  wa»  avod'xxiov 
wr,  ii  Sulsov  £co*,  xat  PguTtov  -sravTw?.  porph.  de  Abft. 
Lib.  2.  p.  87. 

f   Kai   3-uousy  y>ty    e$riv,   w    f^y.tioisi;  »^9u«?    £i»   run 
3-i/trnwf    w;    ITTTTOV  Pu^snoi'    us    Tc-oAAa  xxt 


50    TWV 
TOU    erovr 
aAA*  oux     *v   raj 


wv     /AOVOV   xo;vwvfiu    a^jov   xa<    rpinrfguv  flfoif.      Julian. 
p.  331.  Paris  1630,  Perph.  de  Abft.  Lib.  2.  p.  77. 


(7*  ) 

upon  the  Diet  of  their  Forefathers  by  the  Pre 
tence  of  an  Improvement  upon  their  Sacri 
fices  J.  And  the  Fact  here,  Phi  lemon.,  is,  I  be 
lieve,  very  rightly  ftated  for  us,  that  the  Prac 
tice  of  offering  Animals  infaeriiicetotheGocls 
commenced  with  their  being  ferved  up  for 
Food  at  the  Tables  of  their  Worfhippers : 
And  both  of  thefe  Practices  were  a  Depar 
ture  from  the  Ufages  of  more  early  times, 
eftablifhed  by  the  nrft  Civilizers  of  the  Pa 
gan  World  in  different  Countries,  that  is, 
in  Pagan  Language,  eftablifhed  by  the 
Gods  themfelves.  But  then  the  Reafon  of 
their  being  fo  was  not,  as  our  Philofophers 
.would  have  it  thought,  that  they  held  the 
killing  Animals  for  Food  a  thing  in  its  own 
nature  criminal,  but  only,  as  I  apprehend, 
that  in  order  to  the  more  effectual  Security 
of  civil  and  focial  Manners  amongft  Man 
kind,  they  had  every  where  abolifhed  the 
favage  Cuflom  of  feeding  on  the  crude  Flefh 
of  Animals,  and  Men  in  this  infant  State 
of  Society  had  not  as  yet  arrived  at  the 
Art  of  preparing  them  for  ufe  by  Fire. 

THE  Greeks  ( faid  I )  who  have,  you 
know,  their  Inventors  for  every  thing,  afcribe, 

I 

^  TGOV  (?£  TW?  (3tOi?  itfAtib  PO-fi^v  T»va  Tzra^atr^ojwr."..^, 
7i  x«»  TJ  £tj  a7sroA«vcr»v  tv  aurojf  t%ovTuv  ouOfvo?  Kirtyji- 
mGa,  £(par1omc,  w?  aA-fiOco?1,  xzi  JE^OVTS?  £TT<  •sr^cr^- 
<na?  TOU  S-fio'j' x«»  S-jc^wey  CI'JTKV  TUV  S"J<TJW'<:V  ou 


(73  ) 

I  think,  this  Art  to  their  Prometheus  ||.  If 
he  was  the  Inventor  of  a  Practice,  in  the 
Eftablifhment  whereof  amongft  Mankind 
the  Gods  in  general  had  fo  evident  an  In- 
tereft,  methinks  it  is  fomewhat  hard  upon 
him,  that  his  Character  on  all  Occaiions 
mould  be  drawn  to  us  as  a  Perfon  remarkably 
odious  to  them.  For  tho'  he  is  faid  to  have 
acted  a  little  penurioufly  by  Jupiter  in  the  Af 
fair  of  the  old  Sacrifice  at  Sicyon  Jj  yet  in  the 
main  furely  he  was  no  bad  Friend  to  the 
Altar  of  this  God,  if  the  Steam  of  all  thofe 
rmmberlefs  Victims,  which  in  later  times 
afcended  to  bim  from  thence,  was  a  Con- 
fequence  of  that  Fire  which  Prometheus 
had  firft  taught  to  be  kindled  upon  it.  Had 
Jupiter  exerted  a  little  of  his  divine  Pre- 
fcience  in  the  Cafe  before  us,  and,  inftead 
of  dwelling  wholly  on  a  prefent  Difappoint- 
ment,  extended  his  Views  to  the  Advantage 
he  was  fure  to  reap  in  Futurity,  from  the 

L  Art 


TE 

roig  Ssoa;   x&i 
j.  Porph.  de  Abft.  Lib.  2.  p.  70. 


o-jv  TO 

ij  $1015  TCCV  >car>7rwy,    KXI    TOJU  efjrflsp^tfev 
o<rnxv  E^'javr/Tc,   ovr;o  TWU  ^wwv 
raurou  rj^o-jvro  Jstv  TCUTO  ^av.      Ibid.  p.  71. 

j|  Fifth.     Mo'.'ov     5"tojv    ^a^i    Jiaj    (r'Awavfl^aja^Qfittf. 
Ariiloph.  $v.  p.  611.  Bifet.  vid.  Schol.  &  Not  Ed.  in 
Loc. 
J  Hef.  The^g.  v.535?  &  feq. 


(74) 

Art  which  Prometheus  was  now  firfl  teach-* 
ing  his  Contemporaries,  he  would  probably 
have  behaved  under  it  with  more  Temper 
than  he  is  reprefented  to  have  done,  and 
not  have  fet  himfelf  "  to  confound,"  as  Lu- 
clan  has  it,  "  Earth  with  Heaven,  and  think 
of  nothing  but  Chains,  and  Crucifixion,  and 
Caucafus,  and  Eagles,"  to  revenge  himfelf 
upon  the  unhappy  Author  of  it  *.  To  me, 
I  confefs,  as  the  matter  is  generally  faid  to 
have  ftood  with  Prometheus^  he  feems  to 
have  had  a  much  jufter  Caufe  of  Quarrel 
againft  Jupiter,  than  Jupiter  againft  him. 
And  therefore  I  do  not  at  all  wonder  to  find 
him  glorying  fo  much  in  Ariftophanes,  in 
the  Comedy  of  the  Birds,  in  his  fettled 

Principle 

* 


igi  TWV  X^EWV*  xa»  TO; 
vn   TOV  oupavov,   xat  vvv    AE^WW  TOLVTK 
TOU  Aio?,   ft   OUTW  pixpoXo'yoi;  xai  j«£]!xij/»jao»^oj  fO», 
ofow  EV  TIJ  jwspj^i  £t>£Ei> 
•sraAatov  OUTW  S-EOV  —  — 

IV   ur^aiav  £Tt   eo^u  TOV  A»a,   oux  OTTCOJ  xa» 
fTr*  au-roif   ayavax7^(T£*v,  xat 


TO 

TW          d,     T»)V      <       oA^V    UrjOJKrat*     T»    OUV 

TO'JTO  £>'y     T0  TO'J  ^°/oy     T71      i    T01/  ovcocvov    ava- 


xat    asTou?  xaTa7r«/A7reiv,    x«i  TO 
a  y&i>  fA,n  TsroAAr/v  Taura  xoirri'yoprt  TOU 
aiiTou   ^ix^o^vp^iai!;,   xat   a^EVE*«u   T»jf 

^TIV  £u^«a».     Lucian.  Prometh.  p.  192  — 
.  Ed.  Amftelod.  1743.  410.  i  Vol. 


(75) 

Principle  of  Enmity  to  all  the  Gods,  and 
profeffing  himfelf  a  very  Timan  in  every 
thing  which  concerned  their  Interefts  *j-. 
And  indeed  his  whole  Bufinefs  in  this  Co 
medy  is  very  agreeable  to  fuch  a  Profeffion  ; 
for,  upon  Piftbeterus's  having  finifhed  his 
whimfical  City  in  the  Air,  deiigned  for  a 
Kingdom  of  Birds,  which  intercepted  the 
ufual  Communications  between  Heaven  and 
Earth,  Prometheus  introduces  himfelf  to 
him,  and  acquaints  him,  to  what  an  extreme 
Diftrefs  he  had  reduced  the  Gods  by  the 
Execution  of  his  late  Project,  through  a  Fai 
lure  of  their  accuftomed  Sacrifices  from 
Mankind  ;  fuggefting  to  him  at  the  fame 
time,  that  if  he  and  his  Fellow  Birds  would 
but  refolve  never  to  facrifice  to  them  on 
their  part,  they  might  in  a  fhort  time  ftarve 
Jupiter  by  this  means  out  of  his  fupreme 
Government  of  the  World  |j,  and  get  the 

L  2  univerfal 


•f-  Prom.  MKTW  JaTravra?    TOVJ 

Pifthet.  Nn  TOU  A»'  «»?»  far* 

Prom.     Tiufcv  naSa^or  —  Ariftoph.  Av.  p.  61  1.  jSifct. 

U  Prom.  AXS'JC  Je  vjy.      Pjft.    uq  otxovovlos  fays. 

Prom.      AKohxXn  o  Zc.vs.      Pift. 

Prom.     E^  owru  UjWfjj  wxj(rarf  rev 


K7TQ 


(  76  ) 

univerfal  Empire  of  things  reftored  again  to 
the  Nation  of  the  Birds  f,  who,  in  the  Doc 
trine  of  this  Play,  were  the  original,  and 
only  rightful  Proprietors  of  it  *. 

THE 

Et  jtx-Ji  •nrapE^u  T 


Arift.  Av.  p.  610,  n. 
TW&IO^'  f 
To  GM\ir\DW  o  Zc 


Ibid. 

*    Plft.  'O'JTWf    U 


J  j  Pift.   « 

ouJ"*'  xa{  TOU 


Kat  y»if.  C'hor.   xat  ^j;   Pift. 
Ghor.     TOVTI  ^ua  Ai'  C-JH 

Pift.         A,w-a6»)?  j/ap  E^L-'f 


Xlgortsav  T7,q  yw. 
Epops.     Oujiovv  cTrir'  Et  •srooTEaoj  JM.EV  J/r^  Tp-^ors^oi  dt 

EJ/EVOVTO 


Arift.  Av.  p.  563  —  4. 
Chorus.  X#s?  rv    xa;   uu?  E^Soj   TE   y,iXa,v  -&OUTO-J    xat 


>5  o>  *nl  a^p,  ouJ1  ovoavs?  w*«p«*euf  $  iv  ZTTEI- 


txrFi  vpuTtfov  vvipiepim  wj%    »j  psACt 

KO'J  . 


t  77  )' 

THE  Accounts  (faid  Hortenfms]  which 
Antiquity  has  given  us  of  Prometheus  are  fo 
full  of  fabulous  and  romantic  Extravagance, 
that  one  knows  not  well  what  to  make  of 
him.  In  a  Tragedy  of  Mfchylus  upon  his 
Subject,  he  is  complimented  with  Inven 
tions  of  fo  many  different  kinds  as  could 
fcarce,  one  would  think,  fall  within  the 
Compafs  of  any  lingle  Genius  5  and  looks 
more  like  a  poetic  Profopopaea  of  the  Pro- 
grefs  of  human  Art  in  general,  than  the  Cha 
racter  of  any  particular  Artift.  If  this  was 
the  Light  in  which  he  was  confidercd  by 
the  Ancients,  they  might  naturally  enough 
reprefent  him  to  us  as  a  Perfon  hated  by  the 
Gods  -j-,  whofe  Deification,  you  know,  was 
the  Creature  altogether  of  the  abfolute  Bar-. 

barifm 

E£  o-j    —itniXh.otj.evotis    uaais  ScAafEW  Eous    o 


fl££^feUT«7oi    uTZVTUV  [AKXStouV. 

Arift.  Av.  p.  273  —  4. 

Toy  AJO?  fp^     rov 


OTTOITQI 


barifm  of  the  times  they  lived  in,  an  Ho 
nour  they  would  never  have  arrived  at,  but 
thro'  the  intire  Ignorance  of  their  Contem- 
poraries  in  all  the  common  Arts  of  fodal 
Life.  And  indeed  that  the  Courfe  of  Im 
provement  herein  was  for  fome  time  after 
wards  no  very  expeditious  one,  we  may 
collect  from  the  Account  which  our  Poet 
makes  Prometheus  give  of  this  matter  to  the 
Chorus  of  this  his  Tragedy :  the  Amount 
whereof  is,  that  when  Jupiter  had  defeated 
the  Titans,  and  was  quietly  fettled  in  his 
Throne,  he  employ' d  his  Thoughts  fo  wholly 
on  appointing  to  the  other  Gods  their  feve- 
ral  Honours  and  Offices  under  him,  as  in- 
tirely  to  neglect  the  Care  of  Mankind ;  info- 
much  that  the  Species  mufl  foon  have  come 
to  an  End,  for  want  of  the  common  Comforts 
and  Conveniencies  of  Life,  if  himfelf  had 
not  on  this  Occafion  taken  pity  upon  them, 
and  opened  to  them  a  more  hopeful  Profpect 
of  Affairs.  He  found  them,  he  fays,  rather 
fo  many  Figures  in  human  Shape,  than 
properly  fpeaking  Men;  living  under  Ground 
like  Ants,  in  Holes  and  Caves  of  the  Earth  ; 
unacquainted  with  Building;  without  any 
Knowledge  of  the  Seafons,  by  which  to  re 
gulate  their  Agriculture ;  without  the  Ufe 
of  Numbers,  Writing,  or  any  public  Re 
cords 

TV;  Aio?    erjAvjy  suroi%vevffi 

«v  fythoi'nTet  BaoTtn^       •  4r 
JEfchyl.  Prom.  Vinft.  v.  12 1,  124. 


(79) 

cords  of  time  and  things  ;  without  any  No 
tion  of  ferving  themfelves  of  the  Strength 
or  Speed  of  other  Animals  for  the  purpofes 
of  Draught  or  Burden  ;  wholly  ignorant  of 
the  Cure  either  of  inward  Diftempers,  or 
external  Wounds  ;  of  Divination  in  any  of 
its  Forms  ;  of  the  Kinds  and  working  of 
Metals.  In  one  word,  he  affirms,  that  all 
Arts  whatfoever,  which  Mankind  were  then 
poffefTed  of,  for  the  better  Accommodation 
or  Embellifhment  of  Life,  were  originally 
derived  to  them  from  Prometheus  *.  Now 
the  hiflorical  Ground-work  of  this  Repre- 
fentation  I  conceive  to  have  been  that,  in 

the 


AAAo»<rt  aAAa,    tcxi  ^isroi^t 

&  rcav  TU-Xcttiruguv 


ral)  aAAo  (pirvcou  vtov* 
Kat  TOKTJV  ouJfj?  avlsfcouvi  ZD-ATJV  e/xou* 

r?  £^£Autrajw,?iv  jS^ 
Tav 


V.  329,  335 

A**/D>*.  xf  JX'J^^ 

Axo'J<ra9   co^  C,(f>a?  ujjmoy?  ov/a?  TO  zzriw 


xa* 

*Oi   TV/sulx  p.£v 

TJXOUOV,  -aAA 
rov 

x'  OI»TE 
ou 
wj  T 


Hv  ^'  cyiJsv  ay-rojf  OUT; 


the  Ages  immediately  fucceeding  the  Reflo- 
ration  of  Civility  in  Greece,  the  Minds  of 
Men  were  fo  wholly  taken  up  with  con 
triving  fuitable  Expreffions  of  their  Grati 
tude  to  the  Reflorers  of  it  (who  yet  had 
hitherto  taught  them  only  the  bare  Rudi 
ments  of  more  accommodated  Life)  that  in- 
flead  of  profiting,  as  they  might  have  done, 
by  their  Infractions,  they  contented  them- 
felves  with  idolizing  their  Memories  ;  and 
were  employed  for  fome  time  more  in  re 
joicing  that  they  had  by  their  means  gained 
the  firft  Step  from  Brutality  and  Barbarifm, 
than  in  endeavouring  to  gain  any  farther 
ones  of  the  jnf  elves  :  till  at  length  fome  more 
enterprising  GeniurTes  arofe  in  the  World, 
who,  conceiving  a  Paffion  for  Reputation, 
and  itruck  with  an  Ambition  to  difKnguim 
themfelves  to  future  Ages  from  the  common 
Herd  of  their  Contemporaries,  (called  in 
mythologic  Language  "  Prometheus'  s  haV- 
ing  given  them  Fire  from  Heaven,  as  the 
great  Inftrument  of  various  Arts,  and  by 
means  of  infufing  into  their  Minds,  TtxpAas 
*,  blind  Hopes,  contrived  to  remove 

from 


V.  441—457.  vid,  et  v.  458  ad  467.  475  ad  505. 
BIX^I  ^  jiwww  •nraifTas 


7   O 


from  before  their  Eyes  the  immediate  Pro- 
fpecl:  of  Death  *)  fet  themfelves  to  the  flili 
farther  Improvement  of  the  feveral  infant 
Arts  ;  refined  upon  the  rude  Inventions  of 
their  Forefathers  j  and  by  degrees  added  the 
Conveniencies  and  Ornaments  to  the  mere 
Neceffaries  of  Life. 

AND  if  Prometheus,  (faid  I)  Hortenjius, 
did  thus  in  a  Courfe  of  time  intirely  new 
mould,  as  it  were,  the  human  Species  from 
what  it  was  when  it  came,  as  we  may  fay, 
immediately  out  of  the  hands  of  the  Gods, 
it  was  a  very  pardonable  Liberty  which  the 
Mythologies  took  in  this  matter,  when 
they  faid  of  him,  that  he  made  Men  -f-. 

I  AGREE 

*  Chor.  Ml  "5roy  T;  •urco'j&ys  rwv^e  xat 

Prom,     ©iwo-j?  r   eTraixra: 

Chor.      T  °  'SJOi0y  fy£wv  •«]?     (Kguotxov  votrov  ; 

Prom       Tu^Aa?  £u  auro»f 

Chor.      MfJ^'  wtpjAyjwoc  TOUT'  £<Jw£>r)cra) 

Prom,     fleog  TOKT^  ^EVTOJ  Tsr-jp  sj'u  o- 

A^'  ouj'f  TiroAAaf  f^aaOnTOVTXt  rs%vx;. 

V.  246,  254. 
•f"    IIf£>i    J'E   T»I?'  -arAaox*)?,   xat  cm 


isi  TO'JJ  fl«;9flW7rfllif)  TO 
o'joacvjov  5^£yoj  —  Ej/w  J's— 


TOU 


.      /. 

Prometh.    p.    194,     195.    Vol.  I.   410.   Ed.  Amftelod. 
J743« 

M 


(  82  ) 

I  AGREE  with  you,  (returned  He.)  But 
then,  if  the  State  of  human  Life,  fuch  as  it 
came  in  your  Expreffion  out  of  the  hands 
of  the  Gods,  wanted  fo  much  the  inventive 
Genius  of  a  Prometheus,  to  bring  it  to  any 
tolerable  Degree  of  comfortable  Accommo 
dation,  as  the  whole  Ground  of  the  My- 
thos  here  fuppofes,  the  Mythologifts  muft 
excufe  us,  if  we  take  leave  to  qualify  a  little 
their  ufual  Reprefentations  of  the  Age  of 
thefe  Gods  upon  Earth  ;  and  whenever  here 
after  we  find  itfpoken  of  as  an  Age  of  Gold, 
to  underftand  this  of  its  being  fuch  only  in 
comparifon  with  the  more  barbarous  Ages 
preceeding  it.  And  indeed,  however  little 
poffibly  it  might  be  their  Intention,  under 
the  very  Ornaments  of  the  Fable  in  this  cafe 
they  many  times  lead  our  Thoughts  into 
the  literal  State  and  Circumftances  of  the 
Hiftory.  Thus,  when  Heftod  fays  of  the 
Heroes  of  this  pretended  golden  Age,  "  that 
they  lived  altogether  without  Care,  Labour, 
or  Anxiety,  abounding  in  delicious  Fruits, 
and  fupplied  by  the  fpontaneous  Produce  of 
the  Earth  with  all  things  requifite  for  their 
liberal  Suflenance  *:"  -  And  in  another  ' 
place,  after  complaining  of  the  Avarice  of 

his 

UtV  TZTGUTkS~Ot  yi\><j$  fActOTTUV    aySpWffWV 


o 


his  own  times,  "  in  which  Men  were  Stran 
gers  to  the  Doctrine,  how  much  better  in 
many  cafes  half  is  than  the  whole,  and 
knew  not  what  Happinefs  was  contained  in 
a  Diet  of  Mallows  and  Afphodel,"  when 
he  tells  us,  "  that  the  Gods  had  hid  from 
Mankind  the  true  Means  and  Manner  of 
living  ever  iince  Prometheus  had  deceived 
them  ;  otherwife,  a  Man  might  have  ga 
thered  as  much  of  the  Fruits  of  the  Ground 
in  one  Day,  as  would  have  fupplied  his 
Neceffities  for  a  Year,  tho'  he  mould  all 
the  Remainder  of  that  time  have  been  in- 
tirely  idle  ;  he  would  have  had  no  Occafion 
either  for  Sailing  or  Agriculture  •{-."  —  Does 
he  not  to  an  attentive  Obferver  fuggefl  here, 

M  2  that 

fit;  Tf  Sect  £  E^WOV,    ax^Jeas  S"J^ov 

xat  o»£uo?—  - 
i,   (pjAoi  fAaxaog<r<n 
£<r0Aa 


swy   xxpTTOV      tf 

TE   XXl  Ot,oVOV. 

Op.  &  Di.  v.  109,  119. 


KToctnv  ow  . 


oacv    tv  fj,xXoc,^n  Tf,   xat 


?  T?  <T£  xfjj  jyjauTov  fXE'v  xat  afpou  eovra* 

ju  xs  TzniJaAK)'.)  jafu  uVfo  xaTruo 
^a  (Sowy  j"  uiroXoiro  xzi  ifftiOMM 

r<rjy 


Op,  et  Di.  v.  39,  49. 


that  the  Men  of  the  times  he  is  celebrating 
were  in  reality  no  better  than  a  Set  of  fim- 
ple  and  ill-accommodated  Rovers  upon  the 
Face  of  the  Earth,  taking  their  temporary 
Settlements  here  and  there,  as  their  Necef- 
fities  prompted  them  fo  to  do,  in  different 
Parts  of  it  ?  Depending  altogether  for  their 
Subfutence  on  the  Bounty  of  uncultivated 
Nature,  and  either  living  fucceffively  on  the 
feveral  wild  Productions  of  the  Ground,  as 
they  offered  themfelves  in  their  refpedive 
Seafons,  or  at  beft,  it  may  be,  where  they 
found  more  of  any  particular  Kind  of  them, 
than  would  immediately  anfwer  their  pre- 
fent  Occafions,  making  fome  little  Referve 
thereof  againft  future  ones  ?  And  does  he 
not  on  the  whole  of  his  Account  put  us  ra 
ther  upon  conndering  it  as  the  great  Infeli 
city  of  their  Age,  that  they  wanted  thus  all 
the  more  improved  Arts  of  Life,  than  any 
enviable  Privilege  of  it,  that  they  lived  with 
out  them  ? 

S  o  that  after  all  (faid  I)  the  Image,  as 
I  perceive,  which  Homer  gives  us  of  the 
Gods,  when  they  are  defcribed  by  him  as 
ftux,  £uovT*sy  "  living  wholly  at  their  eafe  ||," 
however  defigned  by  him  as  a  high  Com 
pliment  to  the  Felicity  of  their  Condition, 
if  traced  to  its  hiftorical  Original  in  the  Cir- 

cumflances 

t  Iliad.  6.  138. 


cumftances  of  the  times  they  lived  in,  has  no 
more  honourable  a  Foundation,  than  the 
extreme  Indigence  of  it :  and  their  being 
Strangers  to  all  the  Cares  of  Life  proceeded 
only  from  their  being  fuch  to  all  its  more 
valuable  Enjoyments. 

UNDOUBTEDLY  :  (replied Hortenjiui)  But 
Homer,  you  know,  lived  at  a  time,  xvhen 
all  fober  Hiftory  of  the  firft  Ages  of  Civility 
in  Greece  had  given  place  to  panegyrical 
Romances  concerning  them.  And  accord 
ingly  we  find  Hefiod,  a  Writer,  if  not,  as 
fome  have  thought,  Contemporary  with 
Homer ,  yet  in  all  Accounts  of  an  Age  not 
much  inferior  to  him,  fo  ftrenuoufly  af- 
ferting  the  abfolute  Felicity  of  Saturn's 
days,  in  difparagement  of  all  which  had 
fince  fucceeded  them,  that  he  makes  Pro- 
metbatt)  in  giving  rife  to  the  feveral  later  Im 
provements  upon  Life,  to  have  given  rife  at 
the  fame  time  to  all  the  Evils  of  it :  which  he 
exprefles  under  the  Mythos  of  Jupiter's 
fending  down  Pandora  (the  Profopopaea,  it 
mould  fcem,  of  more  refined  and  artificial 
Manners  in  the  World)  to  the  Earth,  im 
mediately  upon  Prometheus' s  having  flolen 
Fire  from  Heaven  for  the  Ufe  of  Men,  who 
had  no  fooner  arrived  amongft  them,  but 
uncovering  a  certain  Veffel  me  had  brought 
with  her  in  her  hands,  fhe  difperfed  around 
her  its  mifchievous  Contents,  which  were 

nothing 

3 


(  86  ) 

nothing  lefs  than  the  feveral  Difeafes,  Cares, 
and  Miferies  which  had  ever  fince  been  the 
Portion  of  Human  Kind  *.  The  truth  is, 
the  Heroes  of  more  remote  Antiquity  ftand- 
ing  to  our  Poet  in  the  Relation  of  fo  many 
eftablifhed  Divinities  of  his  Country,  he  was 
to  lofe  no  Advantages  which  either  prece 
dent  Tradition  concerning  them,  or  the 
Heightenings  of  his  own  Fancy,  could  give 
him,  towards  fpeaking  of  them  in  a  manner 
becoming  the  prefent  Dignity  of  their  Cha 
racter  :  Not  to  fuggeft,  that  the  whole  of 
his  Acquaintance  with  Society  having  been 
formed  in  its  maturer  Age,  he  might  pof- 
fibly  overlook  in  a  great  meafure  the  feveral 
Infirmities  neceflarily  connected  with  its  in 
fant  State  ;  and,  being  full  of  the  Evils  of 
his  own  times  arifing,  as  he  might  have 
obferved,  moftly  from  the  more  improved 
Luxuries  of  Life,  forget  to  reflect  on  the 
many  which  would  arife  in  thofe  he  figured 
to  himfelf  as  golden  ones,  from  a  direct 

contrary 


ETiifJW  ,  aw90a>7roj<n  d 
Mouwt?  £  auToOi  EA7n?  ED  ee 

F.V^SW   t[Jt.lfJI.V£    UT100U    U7TO 

AXX-z  01  fj.vpux.X'j'ypce,  xar 

"yxix,  xaxwv, 


tOr  VOOV   f 

Op.  ct  Di.  v,  94,  103, 


contrary  Quarter,  the  want  of  its  moft  ordi 
nary  Accommodations.  But  not  to  dwell 
any  longer,  Philemon,  on  Reflections  of  this 
kind,  which,  however  juft  and  ufeful  in 
themfelves,  are  in  great  meafure  foreign  to 
our  prefent  Defign — if,  on  the  whole  of 
what  has  been  now  reported  to  you  concern- 
hig  Prometheus,  it  feems  probable,  as  I  think 
it  does,  that  he  is  only  the  mythologic  Pro* 
fopopaea  of  Invention  in  ancient  Greece, 
confidered  as  having  gradually  improved  the 
feveral  rude  Arts  of  focial  Life  originally 
introduced  there  by  its  firft  Civil izers,  his 
being  delivered  down  to  us,  as  the  Author 
of  roaftmg  Animal  Flefh  for  Food,  gives  us 
no  certain  -/Era  of  this  Practice  amongft  the 
Greeks  j  the*  at  the  fame  time,  from  its 
being  left  thus  of  undecided  Antiquity  with 
them,  we  may  in  general  infer  that  it  was 
of  very  great.  And  this  perhaps  is  what 
the  Comedian  Anthenio  is  to  be  underflood 
to  mean,  when,  in  a  Fragment  preferved 
to  us  of  his  Comedy  of  the  Samothracians, 
he  reprefents  the  Invention  of  the  Art  of 
Cookery  amongft.  Mankind  as  what  origi 
nally  drew  them  off  from  a  Life  of  Bruta 
lity  and  Barbarifm.  "  It  is  to  this  Art,  fays 
he,  we  are  indebted  for  abolifhing  in  the 
World  the  favage  Practice,  which  of  old 
prevailed,  of  Mens  feeding  on  one  another  : 
In  the  times  of  this  Practice  fome  Perfon  of 
a  happier  Turn  of  Thought,  defigning  to 

ilicrihee 


(  88  ) 

facrifice  a  certain  Animal  to  fome  of  the 
Gods,  contrived  to  roaft  it  for  that  pur- 
pofe  j  and  having  on  this  Occaiion  tailed 
its  Flefh,  and  reporting  it  to  be  of  a  more 
agreeable  Relim  than  that  of  Man,  from 
henceforth  the  feeding  on  human  Flefh  be 
came  generally  difufed,  and  that  of  other 
Animals  was  fubftituted  in  its  place,  as  the 
ordinary  Diet  of  Mankind  -j-."  But  when 
ever,  or  by  whomfoever,  the  Practice  of 
dreffing  Animal  Flem  for  Food  was  firft 
introduced,  either  into  Greece,  or  any  of  the 
other  civilized  Countries  of  the  ancient  Pa 
gan  World,  with  it  ftands  every  where  con 
nected  the  Practice  of  offering  it  to  the 
Gods  in  Sacrifice  :  whilfl  yet  in  the  very 
Conduct  of  this  Rite  of  bloody  Sacrifice,  as 

it 


•f*   A.    QJX  oi<r9'  o'rt  7«ravTwi>  y  poi'yiifi 
n^?  £'j<r£b£iay    wAEif-a:  BTfOiTfvqi 

B.     ToiO'JTOV  £J~»  TOUTO;     A.    TZXVJ  ^S  ( 

Tou  3"yi5twJ0'j?,  xai  •afctaoicrirbvfov 
'H//-a>  yo^e  aTrostAufraera,  v.on  T 
A&XMXo^AJtfcfj  r.yy.'y  si;  TctZiv  TIV«, 

oiiTovt  Ts-esw^/tv  ov   v~vi  (3*ou 
iiij.iv,     B.  ri-jo,  rtoTTOv  ;     A.  TT^oszyj  y.x'yu 


v.y.i  y.y.wv  ovruv 


Ex  Anthen.  apud  Grct.  Excerpt,  p.  893. 


(89  ) 

It  took  place  in  the  different  Countries  we 
are  acquainted  with,  there  appear  evident 
Marks  of  its  not  having  been  the  original 
Practice  of  Mankind  from  the  time  of  their 
firft  Entrance  into  Society  :  For  whence 
elfe  was  it,  but  from  a  Reverence  to  inani 
mate  Sacrifice^  as  of  prior  Inftitution  to  ani 
mal,  that,  where  the  latter  ever  fo  generally 
prevailed  in  Antiquity,  the  former  was 
thought  neceffary,  to  be,  as  it  were,  incor 
porated  with  it  ?  Thus  in  Herodotus's  Ac 
count  of  one  of  the  principal  Feftivals  of  the 
Egyptians,  celebrated  to  I/is,  they  filled,  he 
tells  us,  the  Body  of  the  Bull  ufed  to  be  fa- 
crificed  to  her  upon  this  Occafion  with  Cakes 
of  pure  Wheat,  Honey,  dried  Grapes>  Figs, 
Frankincenfe,  Myrrh,  and  other  Perfumes  *. 
And  in  the  Greek  and  Roman  Sacrifices,  the 
Victim,  you  know;,  was  always  fire  wed  over 
with  Barley  i  Wheat,  or  Meal,  before  it 
was  permitted  to  be  {lain  j  certain  Molse 
alfo,  or  Meal-Cakes,  were  to  be  prefented 
upon  the  Altar,  not  only  before  the  Portion 
N  of 

*   ETTW   •nr£o<ii5r£'J<rw<r»   -ni  Icrt,    xxi  STT',;V  xaTfUrwvlcu, 
TTJU  j3wv   xai  airo^tigavTss  xciAw  fj.iv  y.t>vw  ts0^- 
£u    £jA&v,    QTTXK^VX  £e   ct'jrcv  AuTrovtri    sv  -rx  <r:o- 
>:at  TW   •sriMfAnv*   trxsAfat  as  aTroTa^vaytrj,   xzi  t/p 
axw,    x*j  TOUJ  cootot1?  re     x*i  rov  i;  e 


TO    ao        ufJ.»   TOU    (oC? 

xzi  ^ufAjTOf,    xxi    afa^i^oj,   -SMI    Qxuv,   xxi 
xxi   CY*v£Vfl,-,     xxi    ruv    aAAwi; 


Herod.  Euterp.  cap.  41. 


(9°) 

of  Flem  afiigned  to  the  Gods  was  cafl  into 
the  Fire,  but  likewife  afterwards,  as  the 
concluding  Article  of  the  Sacrific  Ceremo 
ny  -(-:  the  Ancients  feeming  to  have  held  of 
the  Meal  in  this  Cafe,  what  Antiphanes  in 
his  Myftis  obferves  of  Frankincenfe  under 
the  like  Application  of  it,  that  even  a  He 
catomb  itfelf  would  be  a  mere  vain  Obla 
tion  in  the  Sight  of  the  Gods,  unlefs  it 
came  recommended  to  their  Acceptance  by 
this  cheap,  but,  it  feems,  important  Addi 
tion  to  it  J. 

AN  excellent  Contrivance  this,  (faid  I) 
Hortenfius,  of  the  Pagan  Priefts,  as  I  ima 
gine,  to  keep  up  in  Mens  Minds  a  proper 
Reverence  for  the  facrifical  Inftitutions  of 
more  remote  Antiquity,  at  the  fame  time 
that  they  feem  every  where  to  have  almoft 
univerfally  departed  from  thence  in  their 
Practice,  from  the  earlieft  Accounts  we  have 
of  their  Proceedings  in  this  Affair  of  their 

Sacri- 


STt    X«l     VUU    "EPOS    TW  TEAft    TWV    SllTjAtoU    TOlf 

W  Tr^ar- 
Porph. 


de  Abft.  Lib.  2.  p.  55. 

J  -Tasif  £UTeAe»atf  ol 


aurwv 
'!'»  JV  w.(x--9y  ayro,  TO'JT'  KOSTOV  rot?  SEOI?. 

Apud  Grot.  Exc.  p.  617. 


Sacrifices.  For  tho',  'tis  true,  we  hear  much 
in  ancient  Writers  of  a  Tradition  that  in 
animate  Sacrifice  only  was  once  the  general 
Ufage  of  Mankind,  yet  the  Sacrifices  which 
we  find  any  where  defcribed  by  thefe  Wri 
ters,  as  in  fact  fubfifting  amongft  them, 
within  their  own  Knowledge,  are  in  a  man* 
ner  all  of  the  animal  Kind. 

THEY  are  fo,  (reply'd  He  5)  and  this 
under  fuch  a  whimfical  Variety  of  Pre- 
fcriptions  as  to  the  Species,  Sex,  Age,  Co 
lour,  and  other  Qualities  of  the  Animal  re 
quired  to  be  facrificed  to  this  or  that  parti 
cular  Deity,  as  likewife  with  regard  to  the 
time  and  manner  of  facrificing  it,  that  in 
nothing,  as  I  obferved  in  the  beginning  of 
this  Converfation,  has  Superftition  exercifed 
a  more  wanton  Tyranny  over  the  Minds  of 
its  deluded  Votaries  in  the  ancient  Pagan 
World,  than  in  the  Article  now  before  us. 
I  fhall  forbear  however  to  enter  into  Parti 
culars  here ,  Philemon  :  You  have  already 
yourfelf  hinted  at  the  Reafon  of  thefe  Di- 
ftinctions  ;  and  the  circumftantial  Hiftory  of 
them  is  at  large  collected  in  almoft  all  the 
Writers  of  Pagan  Antiquities.  What  will 
be  of  more  Ufe,  I  apprehend,  to  our  prefent 
Defign  is  to  obferve,  how  the  fame  mifta- 
ken  way  of  thinking  concerning  the  Gods, 
in  the  ruder  and  more  ignorant  Ages  of 
Mankind,  which  led  them  to  offer  Sacrifice 
N  2  to 


to  them  at  ftrfr,  as  we  have  all  along  fup- 
pofed,  in  the  way  of  Gratitude  for  paft  Fa 
vours,  would  in  time  naturally  put  them 
upon  doing  fo  too  in  order  to  obtain  future 
ones  5  as  likewife  to  deprecate  the  Effects 
of  their  Difpleafure,  as  often  as  they  efteem- 
ed  themfelves  to  have  offended  them .  Now 
thefe,  you  know,  were  the  three  great  Mo 
tives  to  all  the  Pagan  Sacrifices. 

AND  they  have  all  of  them,  (faid  I)  I 
fee  very  clearly,  their  Foundation  in  that 
Prejudice  you  have  fuppofed  natural  to  thofe 
weak  and  injudicious  Reafoners,  who  were 
the  Authors  of  the  Rite  under  Confidera- 
tion,  of  fancying  the  Objects  of  their  Wor- 
fhip  to  be  altogether  of  like  Paffions  with 

themfelves. 

•  "'*••  • 

THIS  (reply'cl  He)  was  moil  unquefti- 
onably  the  Original  of  the  whole  Practice 
of  facrificing  in  the  World.  Neverthelefs 
what  began  in  mere  Ignorance  and  Miftake 
was  afterwards  greatly  forwarded  amongft 
Mankind  by  Craft  and  Impofture.  The 
Priefts  who  ferved  at  the  Pagan  Altars  every 
where  encouraged,  as  they  had  a  great  In- 
tereft  to  do,  the  fond  Prejudice  we  are 
fpeaking  of,  till  by  degrees  they  had  refined 
Sacrifice  into  a  regular  Art,  and  adjufted 
(he  precife  Terms  of  Negotiation  between 

Heaven' 


(93  ) 

tleayen  and  Earth  under  almoft  all  the  pof- 
fible  Exigencies  of  Human  Affairs. 

THIS  Notion  (faid  I)  is  finely  raillied  by 
Lucian  in  his  Difcourfe  of  Sacrifices.  Give 
me  leave  to  turn  to  the  Place.  "  The  Gods, 
then,  fays  He,  it  feems,  do  nothing  for 
Mankind  of  their  own  free  Grace  and  Boun 
ty,  but  fell  all  their  Favours  to  them  at  a 
fet  Price.  Thus,  it  may  be,  a  Man  mall 
buy  Health  of  them  for  a  iingle  Heifer  ; 
but  if  he  would  be  rich,  the  Terms  are  four 
Oxen  ;  if  he  afpires  to  Empire,  an  Heca 
tomb.  The  Purchafe  of  a  fafe  Return 
from  'Troy  to  Pyle  is  nine  Bulls  ;  but  that 
of  a  fair  Wind  from  Aulis  to  Ilium  a  King's 
Daughter,  It  flood  Hecuba  once  in  the 
Expence  of  twelve  Oxen,  and  a  rich  Veil, 
confecrated  to  A&nerua,  to  prevent  the  tak 
ing  of  her  Capital  by  Diomed.  And  there 
are,  I  fuppofe,  many  things  to  be  obtained 
of  the  Gods  for  the  Confederation  only  of  a 
Cock,  a  Garland,  or  a  little  Frankincenfe*." 

THIS 

' 


wj  foiKfu,    astern  TSTOJOUCT;,    wv 
.<riv*    aAAa   IIct;Ao'j(r»    TOIJ 
np»<£T0a»  "Hup  ocjruv  TO  |U£ii 
TO  Jf    •srAojTfju,   Bttu\i  rsrlxouv^  TO 
rpfti^iK'   TO  Jf  (^woy  Ewai/fAOfiy  f?  lAtou  f?  H'jAou, 
twia'    Jta*  TO  fx  r»if  A'jAiJ'o?  c?  lAiov 
6<you  j3o«nA»JCJ!$  •   11    |W5V  }/«^  'Ej£3i£n    TO 
T»?»  IIoAiv  eirnxTo   -sragx  Trig  A0DMH  3 


(94  ) 

THIS  Perfuafion  (faid  He)  of  the  Gods 
being  no  otherwife  to  be  kept  upon  any  to-, 
lerable  Terms  of  Friendmip  with  Mankind 
but  by  certain  feafonable  Applications  to. 
their  Jnterefls,  prevailed  fo  much,  we  find, 
in  Homer's  Days  in  the  Pagan  World,  that 
if  at  any  time  they  fell  into  any  unlooked- 
for  Calamity,  they  were  wont  to  afcribe  it 
to  the  Chaftifement  of  fome  Deity,  whofe 
Altar  had  been  defrauded  by  them  of  its  due 
Complement  of  Victims.  Thus,  you  know, 
upon  the  Plague's  breaking  out  in  the  Gre 
cian  Camp  in  the  firft  Iliad,  when  Achilles 
had  called  a  Council  of  Greeks  to  enquire 
concerning  the  Caufe  of,  and  Means  of  a- 
verting  it,  his  firft  Thought  is,  that  it  was 
the  Infliction  of  Apollo  for  fome  Breach  of 
Vow  they  flood  guilty  of  towards  him,  or 
the  Failure  of  fome  expected  Hecatomb  : 
and  the  moil  likely  Method  of  removing  it 
he  fuggeils  to  be,  that  they  mould  forth 
with  celebrate  a  folemn  Sacrifice  to  this  in- 
cenfed  Divinity  -f-. 

THE  Hiftory,  (faid  I)  Hortenfiusy  of  this 
Peftilence  is  fo  humouroufly  reprefented  by 

the 

zxi    $~tQavov,   V.QU   XtCavwrou    juovou   Tffoto     aurotj 
Lucian.  de  Sac.  p.  527.  528.   Vol.  i.  410.  1743. 
•f   EJT'  up*  iy  t'J^coAr?  fTri^j 
At  XEV  Zirci)?  ccpvwv  xvj(r<r7i?, 


II,  I.  v.  65—6—7* 


(95) 

the  Author  but  now  quoted,  in  the  very 
next  Paflage  to  that  I  was  reading  to  you, 
that  I  cannot  forbear  going  on  with  him. 
"  This  Doctrine,"  (of  the  Gods  doing  no 
thing  for  Mankind  but  for  Interest)  "  was, 
no  doubt,  well  underftood  by  Chryfes^  he 
being  of  the  Priefthood,  a  Perfon  of  Age, 
and  one  much  experienced  in  facred  Mat 
ters  :  For,  no  fooner  had  he  applied  with 
out  Succefs  to  Agamemnon  for  the  Reftora- 
tion  of  his  Captive  Daughter,  but,  being 
confcious  to  himfelf  that  he  had  eftablifhed 
a  good  Fund  of  Intereft  in  Apollo,  he  im 
mediately  calls  upon  him  for  Revenge  ;  de 
manding  it  at  his  hands  as  a  Debt  dueto 
him  in  confideration  of  the  many  Services 
he  had  done  this  his  Patron  God,  and 
fcarcely  indeed  containing  himfelf  on  this 
Occafion  within  the  Bounds  of  Decency. 
Good  Apollo !  fays  he,  here  have  I  be- 
ftowed  fo  many  Garlands  upon  your  Shrine, 
which  till  my  time  ufed  to  ftand  unorna- 
mented,  and  burnt  the  Thighs  of  fo  many 
Bulls  and  Goats  upon  your  Altar,  and  you 
now  fit  wholly  unconcerned  to  fee  me  thus 
ill  treated  by  the  Grecian  Chief,  and  make 
no  account  of  your  old  Friend  and  Bene-, 
factor  !  Whereupon,  fo  utterly  did  he  put 
the  God  to  fhame  by  thefe  Remonftrances, 
that  having  fnatched  up  his  Bow  and  Ar 
rows,  and  taken  a  convenient  Station  over 
the  Greek  Fleet,  he  fell  to  mooting  every 

thing 
£ 


(96  ) 

thing  He  could  meet  with  in  the  Camp  of 
the  Grecians^  not  fuffering  their  very  Mules 
and  Dogs  to  efcape  his  Vengeance  *." 

*  T&vrz    &,   otjwat,    xat    X^txnK  £frir"«jtA£vo?,    art 
JUKI  'yiguv,  xat  ra  $1101   (rotyos,   tiredy  a7r^«x7o? 
Tzapot,  TOO  Aiy&(*t{*Mvo;9  w?  ay  xat  srWavEtiraf  TW 
Xa?'v>    ^xaioAo^Eirat,    xat  aTrairf*   T»J» 
ou>c  ovft^j^fi,     AEJ/WV,     w 
'J   TOV  vscov,   TEW? 


xat  -srao'  ou^v  Tiffrat  TOV 
OUTCO  x«T£<J>j(rw7rrj(7£u  aurw  £X 
rot,  ro£a,   xat  y?r£^  TOU  voc-j 
laurov,    xaT£To£fjfl-£   TW   Aoijtxu    TOU?    Amatol;?, 
r'.atcvotj  xat  xuo-tv.     Luc.  de  Sac.  p.  528. 

The  Allufion  here  is  to  the  following  Paflage  of  Homer. 


TE  tt 

TOt     p^afllEUT*    £7Tt 

H  it  <!>}  ZETOTE  TO«  xara  -sriovot  [AYIOI' 
v,  *)<?'  at^wv,  TO^E  /*ot 
Aavaoi  faa  J'axcua  C 
'iif  f(par'  fj^oafvof  TOU  <?'  fxAuf 
B>!  oe  xar' 


Tc     w/Aottriv  f^wv, 

ExAa^av  ^V.fl'  c/r~ot  ETT 

Aurou  xiv^SfVTo?1   o  ^'^JE  yuxlt  fotxw? 


ETZ-HT    «1T*viu 


Ov^iaf  |W,£y  •sTflwroy  ETTW^ETO,   xat  xuva?  apio'Jf  * 
Aurao  ETTEJT'  avroja-j  |3fAo?  EP^ETTEUXE?  ftptEtj 
I/EXUWV  xaioylo  S-ajU,£iaj. 
Iliad,  i.  v.  37  -  52. 

THE;. 


(  97  ) 

THE  frequent  Occurrence  (refumed  Hor- 
tenjius)  of  the  Doctrine  we  are  here  fpeak- 
ing  of  in  the  Writings  of  the  ancient  Greek 
Poets  was  doubtlefs  amongft  the  Reafons 
which  induced  Plato  to  banifh  the  reading; 

\j 

of  them  from  his  Model  of  a  Common 
wealth,  as  tending  to  poiTefs  Men's  Minds 
with  Opinions  concerning  the  Gods  fubver- 
five  of  all  Juftice  and  Honefty  in  their  mu 
tual  Intercourfes.  For  thus  he  introduces 
Adimantus  reafoning  on  this  Subject,  in  the 
fecond  Book  of  his  Republic.  After  plead -^ 
ing  for  fome  time  in  behalf  of  Fraud,  as  a 
more  eligible  Scheme  of  Conduct  to  Man 
kind  than  Fair-dealing,  when  he  comes  to 
urge  an  Objection  to  this  Doctrine  from  the 
Consideration,  that,  however  the  Villain 
might  elude  the  Eye,  or  refift  the  Courfe  of 
human  Juftice,  he  had  yet  every  thing  to 
apprehend  from  Divine,  he  anfwers  it  in 

the  following  manner. "  If  itbe  true  that 

there  are  Gods,  and  that  they  intereft  them- 
felves  in  human  Affairs,  I  would  afk,  how 
is  it  we  come  to  know  this,  but  from  the 
facred  Traditions,  and  the  Genealogies  which 

^7 

the  Poets  have  given  us  of  thefe  Gods? 
Now  the  fame  Authorities  tell  us,  that  the 
Gods  are  of  fuch  a  Nature,  as  to  be  capa 
ble  of  being  influenced  by  Sacrifices,  and 
Vows,  and  Prefents  from  Mankind:  We 
muft  then  believe  both  Parts  of  the  Account 

O  here, 


(  98  ) 

here,  or  neither  -y  if  we  believe  both,  then 
the  Confequence  is,  we  may  commit  what 
Acts  of  InjufUce  we  pleafe,  for  any  thing 
which  mould  reftrain  us  on  the  part  of  the 
Gods,  feeing  they  may  at  any  time  be 
brought  over  to  our  iide  by  giving  them  a 
fufficient  Portion  of  the  Fruits  of  our  Vil 
lainy  *." 

THIS  (laid  I)  was  fo  obvious  a  way  of 
reafoning  upon  the  eftablimed  Principles  of 
the  Pagan  Theology,  that  our  Philosopher 
mould  have  banimed  the  Gods  themfelves, 
as  well  as  the  Poets,,  from  his  Republic,  if 
he  meant  effectually  to  guard  againft  it. 
For  upon  no  other  Footing  could  he  pom- 
bly  maintain  the  Doctrine  which  he  makes 
Socrates  deliver  in  a  Difcourfe  with  Alci- 
biadesr  {<  that  it  would  be  a  Thought  moil 
unworthy  of  the  Gqds,  to  conceive  of  them 
as  regarding  only  what  Gifts  and  Sacrifices 
mould  be  offered  to  them  by  any  Perfon3 
and  not  attending  to  the  Difpofition  of  his 

Mind, 


*   AAAos  $n  3"£OV?  oim     auauftv  cure 
'  '        u  Js  ft<ri    «  xaj   fTrusAoi/la*     oux    aAAoOfy   rot 


Oi     $£    a'JTOl     OVTOl 

re  x.ix,i  sup^wAajg  ayavjjfri,.  xat   ava- 
«*   avonruQopwoi'  o'j?   TJ   Kfyorzx,    n 

ft     $    OVV 


avro  ruv  otJwjiMruv.     plat,  de  Rep.  Lib.  2.   p. 
.  Serran, 


(    99    ) 

Mind,  whether  all  was  holy  and  upright 
there  ;  a  Matter  they  certainly  laid  a  greater 
Strefs  upon,  than  the  Coftlinefs  of  folemn 
Proceffioris  and  Sacrifices,  which  there  was 
nothing  to  hinder  the  very  worft  and  wic 
keder!,  whether  of  private  Men,  or  Commu 
nities,  from  performing  every  Year  with 
great  Punctuality.  But  the  Gods,  being 
above  the  Temptation  of  a  Bribe,  defpifed 
allthefe  things  f." 

VERY  different  Reafoning  this  (faid  Hor- 
tenfius]  from  what  he  puts  into  the  Mouth 
of  Glauco^  another  of  the  Speakers  in  the 
Second  Book  of  his  Republic,  who  there 
argues,  "  that  the  Villain  had  it  in  his-  power 
to  make  himfelf  dearer  to  the  Gods  than  the 
honeft  Man,  by  being,  as  might  naturally 
be  expected  of  him,  more  profufe  and  mag 
nificent  in  his  Sacrifices  and  Donations  to 
them,  and  a  more  exact  Obferver  of  all  re 
ligious  Forms  and  Ceremonies*."  But  this 

O  2  after 


ocrio?    xxi      jx«»of  wv 
T[  'Grgos  TO,;   z^c/A 
T€     xat     "Uff»a       at;    ov&v   x/oAtm 


T«70AJV,     «%£»V     «»     DMn  fTOf   Tt'AEiU'     01      ^f,    »TJ   CJ   (wfO- 

cbxot  O>T£?,   wrjB/Qfpwo.  dv»nw  rwTWr     Plat.  Alci- 
biad.  2.   p.  149,  150.  Serran. 


(     100    ) 

after  all  is  true  orthodox  Paganifrn,  and 
what  the  Bulk  of  Mankind  in  the  Pagan 
World  lived  and  a£ted  upon  J  j  and  that  to 
a  degree  which  made  our  Philofopher  en- 
ad:  it  as  a  Law  of  his  imaginary  Common 
wealth,  c  c  that  no  Perfon  mould  be  at  liberty 
to  have  any  private  Chapel  within  his  own 
Houfe,  .but  whoever  was  minded  to  facri- 
fice  mould  do  it  publickly  ;  for  this,  a- 
mongft  other  Reafons,  that  evil  Men  mighl; 
not  be  encouraged  to  proceed  in  their  Wic- 
kednefs  by  having  it  in  their  power,  when 
ever  they  had  committed  any  dimoneft  Adt, 
to  run  immediately  to  fome  private  Altar, 
and  there  expiate  the  Guilt  of  it  in  fecret  *." 

CICERO 


TOU 
Ct)(TT£   Xa»   ^/£O^J- 

'jrtoM  eivx-i  yM^Xov  T&cow/.tiv  £x  TWV  ejxoTwv  r,  TW 

De  Rep.  2.  p.  362.  Ser. 

I;  tTTi  Tsrho'jffi'jav  Svas    io>r<f 


fj  T«    xai  ftzrct-o'ajf,   fjrs  rt  et&KUfMt   ro'J 
«jTO-j,    '/i   urfo^ovav,    axeicrOat  jWf9'   r^wdcy  rz  x 


aAAa 


De  Rep.    p. 
364,  365.  Serran. 


"* 


(     101     } 

CICERO  (faid  I)  in  his  excellent  Treatife 
of  Laws  expreffly  forbids  wicked  Perfons 
to  bring  Gifts  to  the  Altars  of  the  Gods 
under  a  Notion  of  atoning  thereby  for  their 
Crimes,  directing  them  to  conlider  what 
Plato  had  delivered  upon  this  Subject,  who 
argues,  that  as  no  good  Man  would  fuffer 
himfelf  to  accept  a  Prefent  at  the  hands  of  a 
known  Villain,  much  lefs  could  this  be  fup- 
pofed  concerning  the  Gods  J. 

THE  more  wife  and  thinking  Pagans 
(faid  I)  were  doubtlefs  all  of  them  of  this 
Opinion,  as  indeed  it  was  fcarce  poflible 
for  them  to  be  otherwife.  But  the  popular 
and  philofophic  Creed  in  this  matter  was  of  a 
very  different  Stamp.  In  the  vulgar  Eftima- 
tion  of  things,  fupported  but  too  much  by 
thofe  who  mould  have  taught  Men  better,  the 

Gods 

yaw  <>!    Tivi,   TX-OOS    roe,    ayv.o<rix    ITU    Swojv  -  uv 
P£c»i    T&OCVTUV   uroifju   wry.  rov   vvv   Afj/opsvov  vouoi* 

TO'JTOJ?   eJf,     £V£X«  TUV   a.<Tl£oVVTU'J9     l\ttt,  [A?)  KXl 

TS    xy.i      uovs   sv 


TOU?  S-fovj   faug  oioptvoi  •ETOIEIV 


Y.  T 
Plat,  de  Leg.  10.  p. 

|  Donis  impii  ne  placare  quidem  audeant  Deos. 
Platonem  audiant,  qui  vetat  dubitare  qua  fit  mente  fu- 
turus  Deus,  cum  nemo  vir  bonus  ab  improbo  fe  donari 
velit.  De  Leg.  Lib.  2.  cap.  16.  Davies.  Uxoa,  Je 
aSov,  O\JTB  $tov  £?-<  TZTOTE 
-srept  Siovg  o  iiroAu?  fo 
Plat.  Leg.  Lib.  4.  p.  716.  Serrajv. 


(    102    ) 

Gods  were  considered  as  entirely  governed 
by  Intereft  in  their  Conduct  towards  Man 
kind,  independently  on  all  fcrupulous  Re 
gard  to  perfonal  Merit.  A  private  Man,  or 
a  Community,  might  purchafe  any  Favour 
they  mould  requelr,  of  them  by  coming  up 
to  its  Price ;  and  if  either  the  one,  or  the 
other,  had  incurred  their  Difpleafure,  a 
Pardon  might  be  obtained,  and  their  Re- 
fentments  entirely  pacified,  by  a  proper  Sa 
crifice  of  Expiation.  Sometimes  a  fingle 
Victim  would  ferve  the  Turn  :  at  others,  it 
was  necefiary  to  offer  feveral  of  the  fame 
kind  :  at  others,  the  Sacrifice  was  to  confift 
of  a  certain  Number  of  Animals  of  a  diffe 
rent  Species :  at  others,  laftly,  nothing  was 
to  be  done  but  at  the  Expence  of  fhedding 
human  Blood.  Ancient  Hiftory  is  full  of 
dreadful  Examples  to  this  purpofe  :  at  fome 
Altars  it  was  even  a  periodical  Practice  ;  at 
great  Numbers  an  occafional  one.  We  have 
Accounts  of  it,  in  one  or  the  other  of  thefe 
ways,  in  Egypt,  Arabia,  Phoenicia,  Syria, 
Perjia-,  in  the  Iflands  of  Cyprus,  Rhodes, 
Chios,  T'enedos,  and  Crete  ;  in  Ionia,  Scythia, 
Thrace-,  at  Carthage,  Sparta,  Athens,  and 
according  to  Phylarchus,  an  Hiftorian  re 
ferred  to  by  Porphyry  upon  this  Subject,  all 
over  Greece;  in  Britain,  Gaul,  Germany, 
Spain,  Sicily,  and  Italy  -,  not  excepting,  as 
^crtullian  fpeaks,  "  The  pious  Defcendents 


of  Mneas,  in  the  moft  religious  City   of 


A  PRACTICE  of  this  nature  (faid  I) 
could  never,  I  mould  think,  be  at  all  fami 
liar  with  the  Romans,  hov/ever  they  might 
be  driven  to  it  upon  fome  extraordinary 
Emergencies.  Plutarch,  I  remember,  in 
his  Life  of  Marcel/us,  where  he  gives  us  an 
Account  of  their  burying  alive  four  Perfons, 
a  Greeky  and  a  Gaul  of  each  Sex,  in  the 
Forum  Boarium,  upon  the  Irruption  of  the 
Gauls  into  Etruria,  reprefents  them  as  fub- 
mitting  to  this  cruel  Rite  with  Reluctance, 
and  in  obedience  merely  to  an  Order  to  this 
purpofe  from  the  Sibylline  Books  -f-.  And 
-Lruy,  in  like  manner,  when  he  tells  us  they 

did 

*  Vid.Porph.  de  Abft.  Lib.  2.  p.  93—4—5.  Grot. 
Op.  Theolog.  Tom.  3,  p.  335,  336.  Remitto  Tauricas 
fabulas  theatris  fuis.  Ecce  in  ilhi  religiofiffima  urbe 
^neadarum  Piorum  Jupiter  eft  quidam,  quern  ludis 
fuis  humano  proluunt  fanguine.  Tertull.  Apologet.  p. 
9.  Edit.  RigauJt. 

"      EJViAou  JE   KOU  TOV  (ooow  XJTUV  v\  re   •nr 


f  §o£oii<;  EAAwtxw?  $i<x.YMfAWHt  x*»  -or  pot  us  TTCOJ  TO, 
a,  TOTE  TOU  •z3-oAE,aoij  (^\)u.-mcnro^  rwa,'yy.y,<r§nvo(.\i  u^cti 
T»<r»y  EX  rwy  SiSuAAsia;';,  Juo  jwsw  'EAA^vaj, 


ot?  ETJ  xa;t  vuv  £V  TW 
'EAA?i(ri  xxj  FaAaraij  awcppj;- 
wjff  xat  «0e«rou;  iej-ou^«f.  P{ut.  in  Marceilo.  p.  290, 
Xyl.  Edit. 


C  104  ) 

did  the  fame  thing  after  the  ill  Succefs  of 
their  Affairs  at  Canna,  ftyles  it,  "  Sacrum 
"  mini  me  Romanum"  a  Ceremony  of  Re 
ligion  by  no  means  in  the  Roman  Tafte  *. 

You  are  aware  (replied  He)  of  the  an* 
ttual  Cuftom  at  Rome,  obferved  there  with 
great  Solemnity,  of  throwing  thirty  Figures  • 
in  human  Shape  into  the  'Tiber,  in  the  place 
of  fo  many  living  Men,  who  ufed  of  old 
to  be  facrificed  in  that  manner  to  Saturn  J. 
And  Macrobius  relates,  that  when  Tarquin 

the 

*  Q^Fab.  Piflor  Delphos  ad  Oraculum  miffus  eft, 
fcifcitatum  quibus  precibus  fuppliciifque  Deos  poffent 
placare,  &:  quaenam  futura  finis  tantis  cladibus  foret. 
Interim  ex  fatalibus  libris  facrificia  aliquot  extraordi- 
naria  fafta  :  inter  quje  Gallus  &  Galla,  Grsecus  & 
Graeca,  in  foro  Boario  fub  terra  vivi  demiffi  funt  in 
locum  faxo  confeptum,  jam  ante  hoftiis  humanis,  mi- 
iiime  Romano  facro,  imbutum.  Liv.  Lib.  22.  cap, 

£  Ae^ofo-j  $s  v.y.1  Ttx-q  S-utruf  czrjTfAfty  TW  Kgovw  TCUJ 
TiraAatouf,  UGTTSP  sv  Kacp^jjJoi/i,  TJCOJ.  ?j  iroAi?  mfpsvi, 
xoti  Tzraaa  Kf  Arcij  £j?  rofe  Xgwov  "yi'.ETx^  xcci  sv  aAAo<? 

Tl(7i  TWV   tffTTtoiuv  fGliWV,    OUI$M$09WSt      'H^OiKXtX  3t    uTav- 

cxi  TOW   vojt/ow  ir^  3u<rjaf  (3eyA»)(/£yTa,   TOU  rs  j3o.'p.oy  iJcu- 


xat  JtaOa^co  Tirufli  «^o//«Da,'y'    j'va    Jie  / 


TOU? 

T&jy 


TOV 


the  Proud  renewed  the  Ludi  Compitaks,  a 
FefHval  firft  inftituted  by  Servius  Tullius,  to 
the  Honor  of  the  deceaied  Anceftors  of  the 
Roman  People,  for  the  Safety  of  the  feveral 
Families  in  Rome,  an  Oracle  of  Apollo  di 
rected  that  an  Offering  fhould  be  made  to 
the  Gods  called  Lares,  and  their  Mother 
Mania,  of  a  certain  Number  of  Heads,  in 
order  to  render  them  propitious  to  the  fe 
veral  Heads,  or  Perfons,  in  each  Family: 
But  that,  upon  the  Expullion  of  Tarquin, 
Brutus  the  Conful,  taking  advantage  of  the 
equivocal  Senle  of  the  word  Heads  in  the 
Oracle,  inftead  of  the  Heads  of  Children, 
who  hitherto  had  been  put  to  Death  upon 
this  Occalion,  ordered  the  Sacrifice  to  con- 
fill:  for  the  future  of  certain  Heads  of  Garlic 
only  and  Poppies  j.  Moreover,  P//«y  acquaints 
us,  that,  in  the  Year  of  Rome  fix  hundred  and 

fifty-* 


o  T»      )  TJOTS  fly   sv  T«I? 
j£«{oe9n,    TUV  fjxoyww  TOV 
TOUTO  $i  KOU   jw-fJ^ 
TJ  P.MOOV   vfipu    tzivw    »<r>i,afia?     iv  txwt   Matw 


Dionyf.  Hal,  Ant.  Rom.  Lib.  I.  p,  30. 
J  Hie  A  1  bin  us  Cecinna  fubjecit  :  qualem  nunc  per- 
mutationem  facrificii  praetextate  memorafti,  invenio 
poftea  compitalibus  celebratam,  cum  Ludi  per  urbem 
in  compitis  agitabantur,  reftituti  fcilicet  a  Tarquinio 
Superbo  Laribus  ac  Maniae  ;  ex  refponfo  Apollinis, 
quo  prseceptum  eft  ut  pro  capitibus  fupplicaretur.  Id- 
que  aliquandiu  obfervatum,  ut  pro  famiiiarium  fofpitate 
pueri  mactareiUur  Manias  Dene,  matri  Larium.  Quod. 

P  facri- 


fifty-feven,  a  Decree  patted  in  the  Senate 
hibiting  human  Sacrifice  ;  which  till  then, 
he  obferves,  had  been  openly  practifecl 
there  -f~. 

THIS  however,  fhews,  (faid  I)  it  was 
abolifhed  at  Rome  long  before  the  time  of 
clertullian^  who  lived  fome  Centuries  after 
the  paffing  of  the  Decree  here  fpo  ken  of.  Nor 
can  it  be  imagined,  that  Cicero  in  his  Oration 
for  Fonteius,  "accufed,"  fays  the  late  learned 
and  polite  Writer  of  the  Life  of  Cicero,  "  by 
the  Province  of  Narbonefe  Gaul,  where  he 
had  been  three  Years  Praetor,  of  great  Op- 
prefllon  and  Exactions  in  his  Government," 
Have  urged  it  in  Exception  to  the  Credit 
of  the  WitnefTes  againfl  his  Client  in  this 
Caufe,  that  they  were  of  a  Nation  infamous 
for  'polluting  the  Altars  of  the  Gods  'with  hu 
man  Sacrifices,  and  thinking  they  were  to 
be  appeafed  by,  Cruelty  and  human  Blood  ||,  if 
the  Romans  at  this  time  had  not  been  them- 
felves  entirely  reproachlefs  upon  that  Head, 

YET 

facrific'u  genus  Junius  Brutus  ConfulTarquinio  pulfo  aji- 
fercenftituit  celebrandum  :  nam  capitibus  allii  &  papa- 
veris  fupplicari  jufiit,  ut  refponfo  Apollinis  f^tisfieret  de 
nomine  capitum,  remoto  icilicet  fcelere  infauftae  fig- 
njficationis.  Macrob.  Saturnal.  Lib.  I.  cap,  7. 

t  Anno  urbis  657,  Corn.  Lentulp  &  Licinjo  CrafTq 
CofT.  Senatus  confultum  fa£lum  eft,  ne  homo  immola- 
jretur,  palamque  in  illud  tempus  facra  prodigiofa  cele- 
jbrata.  PJin.  Lib.  30.  cap.  i. 

'jl  Hiftdry  of  the)  Life  of  Cicero,  Vol.   I.    p.  115^ 

1 1 6, 


fc  \ 

YET,  'tis  remarkable,  ( returned  He ) 
Tertullian  is  by  no  means  fingle  in  his  Tef- 
timony  to  the  medding  of  human  Blood  at 
Rome,  as  an  Ad:  of  Religion,  during  the 
Celebration  there  of  the  Feria  Latintfi 
Thefe,  you  may  remember,  were  a  Fefti- 
val  inftituted  by  Tarquinius  Superbus,  upon 
a  League  of  Amity's  being  formed  between 
the  Romans,  and  their  Neighbours  the  La- 
tines,  Volfci)  and  Hemictans,  to  Jupiter, 
under  the  Epithet  of  Latialis,  or  the  Pro- 
te&or  of  Latium  * :  And  here,  as  I  faid, 
'Tertullian  is  by  no  means  the  only  Writer, 
who  fpeaks  of  Homicide  as  making  part  of 
the  Worfhip  of  this  Deity  :  Minucius  Felix ^ 
Arnobius,  and  Laffantius  all  fay  the  fame 
thing  £  -,  as  does  moreover  Porphyry ,  a  Pa 
gan 

1 1 6.  GiCi  Orat.  pro  M.  Fonteio.  Quis  enim  ignorat,  eos 
ufque  ad  hancdiem retinere  illam  immanem  ac  barbaram 
confuetudinem  hominum  immolandorum  ?  quamob- 
rem,  quali  fide,  quali  pietate,  exiftimatis  eos  efle,  qui 
etiam  Decs  immortales  arbitrentur  hominum  fcelere 
et  fanguine  facillifne  pofie  placari.  Cum  his  vos  tef- 
tibus  veftram  religionem  conjungetis  ?  ab.his  quidquarit 
fan«Ste  aut  moderate  diftum  putabitis  ?  cap.  ii. 

*  Dionyf.  Hal.  Lib.  4.  p.  250. 

J  Hodieque  ab  ipfis  Latiaris  Jupiter  homicidio  coli- 
tur.  Min.  Fel.  p.  365.  Paris.  Quid  ipfe  Jupiter  ndfter  ? 

cum  Latiaris  cruore  perfunditur.  Ibid.  351.  Ar- 

nob.  adverf.  Gentes.  Lib.  7. — Nee  Latini  quidem 

hujus  immanitatis  expertes  fuerunt,  fiquidem  La- 

tialis  Jupiter  etiam  nunc  fanguine  colitur  fiumaDo 

de  barbaris  non  eft  adeo  mirandum,  quorum  religio 
moribus  congruit.  Noftri  vero  qui  fernper  man- 
P  a  fuetudini? 


gan  Writer,  in  his  fecond  Treatife  of  Ab- 
mnence  from  Animal-Food,  and  this  in  very 
ftrong  Terms  -J-.  What  I  fuppofe  may  be 
the  truth  of  the  Cafe  here  is,  that  the  Prac 
tice  complained  of  was  not  fo  properly  a 
Sacrifice  as  an  Execution :  A  Punifhment 
inflicted  at  the  time  of  thefe  Ferice  upon 
fome  Criminal  or  Malefactor,  who  was 
condemned  to  be  put  to  Death  by  wild 
Beafts,  as  a  part  of  the  Shews  ufed  to  be 
exhibited  upon  this  Occalion  ;  fome  Por 
tion  of  whole  Blood  however  was  probably 
carried  to  the  Statue  of  the  Latian  Jupiter, 
and  poured  forth  upon  it  *.  And  thus, 
Philemon,  you  have  heard  what  was  the 
Rife  and  Progrefs  of  Sacrifice  in  Pagan  An 
tiquity.  It  began  in  the  Oblation  of  inani 
mate  Things  only,  whilft  fuch  only  were 

in 

fuetudinis  &  humanitatis  gloriam  fibi  vindicarunt, 
nonne  facrilegis  his  facris  immaniores  reperiuntur? 
La&ant.  de  falsa  Religione.  Lib.  I.  cap.  21. 

"f"  AAA*  m  xa»  vuv,  ng  aj/voEj,  xara  ryv  fj-fyctXr,* 
•croAjv,  rrj  TOM  AZTIXOM  Atof  to/flr),  <r(pix,£o[s.£vw  ai/0cco7rov; 
Porph.  de  Abft.  Lib.  2.  p.  95. 

*  Ecce  in  ilia  religiofifrimi  urbe  jEneadarum  Pio- 
rum  Jupiter  eft  quidam  quem  ludis  fuis  humano  pro- 

luunt  fanguine.    Sed  Beftiarii  inquitis Hoc  opinor 

minus  quam  hominis  :  an  hoc  turpiusquod  malihomi- 
nis?  certe  tamen  de  homicidio  funditur.  Tertull. 
Apologet.  p.  9.  Rigault.  Hodieque  ab  ipfis  Latiaris 
Jupiter  homicidio  colitur  ;  &  quod  Saturni  Filio  dig- 
num  eft  mali  &  noxii  hominis  fanguine  fagmatur. 
Min.  Fel.  p.  365 — 6.  Cum  Latiaris  cruore  perfundi- 
tur.  ibid.  351.  Et  Latio  ad  hodiernum  diem  Jovi 
media  in  urbe  humanus  fanguis  in>gultatur.  Tertul, 
Scorpiace.  p.  493.  Rigauh. 


in  ufe  with  Mankind  for  Food  j  from  thence 
it  proceeded  to  the  offering  up  the  Flem  of 
Animals  ;  and  by  degrees  in  many  Cafes  to 
that  of  Men.  The  Grounds  of  this  Prac 
tice  in  general  we  have  agreed  to  be  laid  in 
Mens  thinking  their  Gods  to  be  altogether 

Cv  C* 

of  like  Pailions  with  themfelves.  And  that 
this  is  the  very  truth  of  the  Cafe  may,  I 
think,  be  ftill  farther  confirmed  to  us  by 
obferving,  that  the  Hiflory  of  modern  Pa- 
ganifm  in  the  Article  before  us  is  altogether 
analogous  to  that  of  ancient.  "  The  things'* 
fays  Gafeilaffo  de  La  Vega^  in  a  Paffage  of 
his  Peruvian  Commentaries  now  before  me, 
"  which  the  Indians  offered  to  the  Sun  were 
of  divers  forts.  The  chief  and  principal 
Sacrifice  was  that  of  Lambs ;  but  betides 
they  offered  all  forts  of  Cattle,  and  Birds 
which  were  eatable,  the  Fat  of  Beafts, 
Pulfe,  all  forts  of  Grain,  the  Herb  Cuca, 
even  Cloaths  of  the  beft  and  fineft  forts: 
all  which  they  burnt  in  the  place  of  In- 
cenfe,  rendering  Thanks  and  Acknowledg 
ments  to  the  Sun,  for  having  fuftained  and 
nouriihed  all  thofe  things  for  the  Ufe  and 
Support  of  Mankind.  They  ufed  alfo 
Drink-Offerings,  which  were  made  of  Wa- 
'ter  and  Mayz,  which  is  their  fort  of  Wheat  j 
and  at  the  End  of  their  ufual  Meals,  when 
Drink  was  brought,  (for  they  did  never 
uie  to  drink  between  their  Eatings)  at  their 
foil  Draught  they  dipped  the  Tip  of  their 

Finger 

3 


Finger  in  the  Middle   of  the   Cup,  and 
looking  up  to  Heaven  with  great  Reverence,- 
with  a  Fillip  they  fpirted  off  the  Drop  of 
Water  which  wetted  their  Finger,  which 
was  by  way  of  Acknowledgment  for  it  to  the 
Sun,  rendering  him  Thanks  for  the  Water 
they  drank  ||."-« — In  another  place  he  tells 
us,  that  the  Inca  Viracocha  after  obtaining 
a  certain  Victory  over  the  Cbancas,  fent  no 
tice  of  it  to  the  Sun  ;  "  for  tho',   fays  he, 
they  efteemed  the  Sun  for  a  God,  yet  in 
all  refpects  they  treated  him  as  a  Man,  and 
as  one  who  had  need  of  Intelligence  and 
Information  of  Matters  which  fucceeded : 
betides   which,    they    formed   other  grofs 
Conceptions  of  him  j  as  to  drink  to  him  j 
and  that  he  might  pledge  them  again,  on 
their  Feftival-Days  they  filled  a  golden  Cup 
with  Liquor,  which  they  fet  in  a  Part  of 
the  Temple,  which  was  moft  open  to  the 
Sun-Beams,  and  what  was  exhaled  by  that 
Heat  they  judged  to  be  drank  by  the  Sun  ; 
they  alfo  fet  Meat  for  him  to  eat." — J  And 
that,  agreeably  to  what  has  been  faid  con 
cerning  the  ancient  Pagans,  thofe  of  Peru, 
at  leaft  before  the  Days  of  their  Incas,  and 
thofe  of  Mexico,  even  at  the  time  of  the 
Spaniards  conquering  their  Country,  prac-* 
tiled  human  Sacrifices  of  the  moft  execrable 
Kind,  is  a  Matter  of  Fact  univerfally  agreed 

to? 

||  Royal  Commentaries  of  Peru  of  Garcilaffb  de  La 
Vega  tranflat.  by  Sir  Paul Rycaut,    Book  2.  Chap.  4. 
$  Roy.  Cora.  Book  5.  Chap.  19. 


(  III  ) 

to  by  the  Writers  of  American  Hiflory  -f- .  The 
like  Accounts  to  thefe  are  given  us  of  fome 
other  Parts  of  the  World,  where  Paganifm 

yet 

f  Roy.  Com.  Book  i.  Chap.  4.  Book  2.  Chap.  4. 
Acofta's  nat,  and  mor.  Hift.  of  the  Indies,  Book  5. 
Chap.  4.  Book  7.  Chap.  6.  alfo  Chap.  13.  and  19, 
They  of  Mexico  have  exceeded  them  (the  Peruvians) 
yea  all  Nations  in  the  World  in  the  great  number  of 
Men  which  they  have  facrificed,  and  in  the  horri 
ble  Manner  thereof.  — The  Manner  of  thefe 

Sacrifices  to  Vitzliputzli  was,  they  affembled  fuch  as 
ftiould  be  facrificed  within  the  Pallifado  of  Skulls. — A 
Prieft  came  from  the  Temple,  and  getting  upon  a 
Stona  in  the  Court  of  it,  (hewed  the  Idol  to  the  Vic 
tims,  faying,  This  is  your  God! There  were  fix 

Sacrifices  appointed  to  thefe  Dignities  j  four  to  hold 
the  Hands  and  Feet  of  him  that  was  to  die,  a  fifth 
to  hold  his  Head,  and  a  fixth  to  open  his  Stomach  and 
pull  out  his  Heart. This  was  efteemed  the  Sove 
reign  Prieft  and  Bifhop.— — The  High  Prieft  opened 
each  of  the  Perfons  Stomachs  with  a  Knife,  with  a 
ftrange  Dexterity  and  Nimblenefs,  pulling  out  the 
Heart,  which  he  fhewed  fmoking  unto  the  Sun,  to 
whom  he  did  offer  this  Heat  and  Fume  of  the  Heart, 
and  prefently  he  turned  towards  the  Idol,  and  did  caft 
the  Heart  at  his  Face.  Then  they  caft  away  the  Body 
of  the  Sacrificed,  tumbling  it  down  the  Stairs  of  the 
Temple  with  a  Spurn  of  their  Foot.  In  this  fort,  one 
after  another,  did  they  facrifice  all  that  were  appointed. 
Acofta5.  20.  fee  alfo  21,  22.  Some  Nations  of  thefe 
(the  Indians  of  Peru]  offered  not  only  their  Enemies, 
but  on  fome  Occafions  their  very  Children  to  thefe 
Idols.  The  Manner  of  thefe  Sacrifices  was  to  rip 
open  their  Breafts  whilft  they  were  alive,  and  fo  tear 
out  their  Heart  and  Lungs,  with  the  Blood  of  which, 

whilft  warm,  they  fprinkled  their  Idols then  they 

burnt  the  Entrails,  and  eat  the  Flefh  themfelves  with 
great  Joy  and  Feftivity,  tho*  it  were  of  their  own 
Child,  or  other  Relation  of  the  fame  Blood.  Royal 
Comment.  Book  I.  Chap.  4.  See  alfo  Book  6.  Chap. 
30,  and  31, 


(112    ) 

yet  takes  place,  by  Perfons  who  have  had 

Opportunity  to  vifit  them. As  to  the 

Dedication  of  what  the  Ancients  call  ava- 
S'WjU.aTa,  facred  Prefents  of  various  kinds  to 
the  "Gods,  fuch  as  Crowns,  Garlands,  Veft> 
ments,  Plate,  Pieces  of  Painting,  Statues, 
Sculptures,  and  the  like,  the  Reafon  of 
this  whole  Practice  is  in  general  fo  much 
the  fame  with  that  of  the  Rite  of  Sacrifice 
we  have  been  difcourfmg  of,  that  I  fhall 
content  myfelf  with  juft  hinting  this  Obfer- 
vation  thus  at  large  to  your  Thoughts,  and 
leave  it  to  you  to  apply  it,  as  you  may  have 
Opportunity  or  Difpofition  for  fo  doing. 
And  here  we  might  change  the  Scene, 
Philemon^  and,  from  the  Confideration  of 
Sacrifices,  proceed  to  that  of  fome  other 
Articles  of  practical  Superftition  in  the  an 
cient  Pagan  World.  But  enough  at  one 
time  of  this  Subject. 


FINIS,