of this he was abridged of the honour due to him, and to him only. For when a blind reverence was paid to the element, as a symbol, and representative, it degenerated quickly into a lower and more vile idolatry: the primary object being lost in its emblem; and the deity supplanted by the substitute.

I have mentioned, that the Egyptians were a people of great learning; who seem to have been superior in science to any nation upon earth. But they prostituted these noble gifts; and, through an affectation of mystery and refinement, they abused the knowledge afforded them: for, by veiling every thing under a type, they at last lost sight of their original intelligence. They at first looked upon light and fire, and the great fountain of light, the sun, merely as proper emblems of the true deity, the god of all purity and brightness. But such was the reverence which they paid to them, that, in process of time, they forgot the hand by which these things were framed; and looked upon the immediate means, and

'Orpheus composed his chief deity out of visible ele

ments

Πυρ, και ύδως, και γαια, και αιθήρ, νύξ τε και ημας. Orphic. Frag. p. 366. edit. Gesner. also Euseb. P. E. 1. 3. c. 9. p. 100. and p. 103. C.

What

support of life, as the primary efficient cause; to the exclusion of the real creator. then could be more reasonable and apposite, than for a people, who thus abused their intelligence, and prostituted their faculties; who raised to themselves a god of day, their Osiris; and instead of that intellectual light, the wisdom of the Almighty, substituted a created and inanimate element, as a just object of worship: I say, what could be more apposite, than for people of this cast to be doomed to a judicial and temporary darkness? The judgment bore a strict analogy with the crime: and as it was a just punishment to them; so it was a proper warning to others, not to give way to the like mystery and illusion.

Night adored as a primary Deity.

Nor was this all. As the Egyptians betrayed an undue reverence for the sun, and light so they shewed a like veneration for night and darkness, and in this they were

1

Ælian mentions a mark upon the sacred steer, ER DIVITτεται της φωτος είναι το σκοτος πρεσβυτερον. By which was intimat ed, that darkness was prior to day. It is expressed σxevos : which is a blunder of the printer: for the translator evident

150

followed by other nations.

I

It is said, that

they paid a religious regard to the Mugale, a kind of mole, (supposed to be the mus araneus) on account of its imagined blindness: and, from its state of darkness, they thought it a proper emblem of night. For night was esteemed by them sacred, as being more ancient than day. Την μεν γαρ μυγαλην εκτεθειασθαι λεγεσιν ὑπο Αιγυπτίων τυφμην 8σαν, ότι το σκοτος. το φωτος ήγεντο πρεσβύτερον. Hesychius mentions a temple of Venus Scotia in Egypt, whose rites we may presume had some reference to night. Αφροδίτης Σκοτίας ἱερον κατ' AYUTTOV. The Egyptian name of Venus was Athor: and one of her principal places of worship was ↑ Athor-Bet, expressed by the

3

2

ly read σxoros, as appears from its being rendered tenebræ. Ælian de Nat. Animal. Londini 1744. l. xi. c. x. p. 617. -TNY VUXTA TROTEGEVER. Orpheus apud Eusebium Chron.

p. 4.

I Plutarch Sympos. 1. 4. q. 5. p. 670.

2

3

Αθυρο

Hesych. Σκοτια.

την Αφροδίτην Αιγυπτιοι καλεσιν Αθως. Etymolog. Mag.

4 Herodotus stiles it Aragas, Atarbechis: and adds, that it was in the nome Prosopitis——εν δε αυτή Αφροδίτης ίρον άγιον idgura. In this province stood a temple much reverenced, dedicated to Venus. 1 2. c. 41. p. 123.

What is stiled Beth by some writers, was expressed Bech

Grecians Athribis; the inhabitants of which were the Athribitæ. These were the persons, according to Strabo, who worshipped the Mugale, that emblem of primeval darkness. Mvγαλην Αθριβιται (τιμωσι). From hence we may be pretty certain, that here the rites were celebrated of Nocturnal Venus: and that her chief votaries were the priests of Athribis: and the Mugale was her representative. The same rites were probably practised at the city Butus for here those animals, when they died, were solemnly buried. Diodorus Siculus mentions a temple of Hecate 3 Scotia, denominated in like manner from night: which stood to the west of Memphis, near the Acherusian plains.

The Phenician theology was in great measure borrowed from Egypt: according to

by others, being strictly synonymous, and denoting a city or place. What is named Balbec by some, is called Balbeth by others. See Gulielmus Tyrius. Bec is at this day in Coptic a city. B&x, Baki, moxis, urbs. Copt. Dict. of the learned Mr Woide, p. 11.

* Strabo. 1. 17. P. 1167.

* Herod. 1. 2. c. 67. p. 135.

3 L. 1. p. 87. There was also a temple of Venus Exoria in Phæstum in Crete. Etymolog. Mag. Kubegsia.

*See Lucian de Syriâ Deâ: and Plutarch Isis and Osiris.

1

which the wind Colpias and his wife Baau, esteemed the same as 'night, were the authors of the first beings. But the Egyptian notions upon this head may be more plainly discovered from the early Grecians: who, under the titles of Danaidæ and Melampodes, of Cadmians and Orphites, introduced into their new settlements the religion of the country they had quitted. In the poetry attributed to Orpheus, we find many instances of night, not only personified, but esteemed the chief cause, from whence all things proceeded. We have accordingly the following address in one of the hymns.

• Νυκτα θεων γενετειραν αείσομαι ηδε και ανδρων. Νυξ γενεσις πανταν.

I will sing of night, the parent of gods and men: Night the origin of all things.

He addresses again this sable deity in a passage preserved by Proclus.

I

३ Μαια θεων ύπατη, Νυξ αμβροτε

1 Baav-TYTO de vuxta igunveus. Sanchoniąth. apud Eusebium P. E. 1. i. c. x. p. 34.

? Orphic hymn the second. Of Orpheus bringing his notions of the gods from Egypt, see Euseb. P. E. 1. 3. c. 9. P, 103.

३

3 Orphic Fragments, edit. Gesneri, p. 377.