The Secret History of Pythagoras

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Groxall, SamuelThe secret history ofpythagoras

PR3383C22S41751


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THE SECRET

HISTORYO FPTTH^GOR^S.Tranflated from theORIGINAL COPY,

Lately found at

OTRANTO in ITALY.0eaV, voft 05 Jiotx.ei]oti

Pyth. Carm. Aur.

LONDON:Printed for R. G R i F F i T H s, at the Dunciadin 5/. Ptfa/*J Church-Tard. 1751.

[Price One Shilling.]


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175)


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THEPREFACE.TH E Traaflation of this venerablePiece of Antiquity is undertook

upon a double Score ; being de-figned as well to entertain the Curiofity ofthe Learned, as to fupply the Defeats ofthe Ignorant. If the original Languagewould have been more acceptable to theone, it would have been lefs intelligible tothe other. I cannot, without uttering aFalfity, venture to affirm that fo fingularand valuable a Piece will be made Public,at leaft as yet : And in the mean Time Ifhall flatter my felf, that this little Effaymay contribute in fome fort or other to theA 2 Diver-


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The PREFACE.Diverlion, if not Inftru


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The PREFACE.in a Ledlure to his Difciples, faying thusof himfelf :

Ipfe Ego (nam memini) ^Trojani tempore belliPanthoides Euphorbus eram> &c.

and he proceeds to mention fome Particu-larg which happened to him at that Time.Why therefore may he not as well be fup-pofed to have recorded the great Varietyof Incidents which he muft have met within the other Bodies which he inhabited ?One would almoft fupeft that Ovid had feenthe following Memoirs, and taken hisHints from them ; fince he makes ourPhilofophers, fpeaking of the Depravity ofMankind, fay

Infcripfere Deos fceleri, Numenque fupernumQcede laboriferi credunt gaudere juvenci.

But there is no Room to queftion it, whenprefently after we find he puts thefe Wordsinto his Mouth $


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The PREFACE.O Gemis attonitum gtlid* formidine mortis !Quid Styga^ quid tenebras, quid nomina vanaMateriem Vatum ? [timetis,

So little Reafon is there for being furprizedat the Revival of this Hifiory now, thatwe might be reckoned ftrangely infipid, ifwe'had not concluded there had once beenfuch a Thing extant, though it had utterlyperiflied among the Ruins of Time.The Greek Sentence which I have put in

the Title-Page for a Motto, and which isPythagoras his own, being the Beginningof his Golden Verfes, feems to be a Precept which he would have us think he hadbeen taught in the Perfon of JEtbaKdes;for it is in Englift>y

Worfhif the immortal Gods as by Law eftabliftfd.Human Laws refpe&ing altogether the

external Behaviour and Deportment, andnot being capable in their Nature of af-fedting the Heart:; this Philofopher takes

Occafion


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The PREFACE,Occafion more than once to excite us to anObfervance of them. The Laws of God,which alfo regard the inward Regulationof the Mind, and are not of a Qualityto fall under the Cognizance of humanJudges, he refers to the Arbritation ofReafon ; and queftions not, if we are determined by that, but they will meet witha ready Compliance.

If any one, to fhew his Skill in Criticifm,fhould remark that this Secret Hiftory, be-scaufe of the Inaccuracy and Uncertaintyof its Style, does not feem to have beencompiled by fo learned a Philofopher: Ihave one Thing to obferve to him, whichought in Reafon to out-ballance all the Oc-cafions for Cavil upon that Account $ he isnot to look upon this as a regular Performance, but as what undoubtedly it was,Minutes taken in Short-Hand by fomeSympofiac or Difciple, and filled up after-Wards, upon a leifurely Recollection.

Befides


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The PREFACE.Befides, as the fhortnefs of a Profpedl

is fometimes thought to be a Difadvantageto it, fo poffibly this may be the lefs pleafingupon the fame Account. Therefore I amto acquaint the Reader, that the wholeVifta will be opened by Degrees, which Ihope will be the more furprizing : BrownShades, and flowry Meadows, the windingStream, and the old Ruins, the diftantWoods gilded with Sunihine, and beyondall, the blueifh Mountains, will fucceffivelyappear. I have given no more here thanwhat may be feen without {training theSight, or afcending an Eminence; it isnot defigned to take off the Eye fromThings of greater Confequence, but maybe perufed at the Repaft of the Tea-Table,or in a Coffee-Houfe Vacation.

INTRO-


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INTRODUCTION.SINCE the Learned are already fuffi-ciently apprized, by their refpeftive

Correspondents from Italy, of thegreat Treafure of Curiolities which hasbeen lately difcover'd there in the Gardenof an ancient Palace, which flands uponthe Ruins of the old Town of Crotony Iihall detain the Reader no longer with aparticular Account of that Matter, thanwhat is juft neceflary to illuftrate the Subject I am going to communicate.

In a Part of the Wildernefs belonging tothe Gardens of a decay'd Palace of a certain Cardinal, near Otranto, there has been,for fome Generations paft, a large Cafcadealmoft naturally form'd, which falls downthe Sides of a broken Rock into a Bafonof no fmall Circumference ; in which, forWant of due Infpeftion and Repair, (theB Cardinal


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ii INTRODUCTION.Cardinal refiding moftly at another Palacefituated more conveniently in Refped toits Diftance from Rome] there has been,long fince, a Rupture, or Chafm on oneSide near the Bottom ; at which the Waterhaving, for fome Time, emptied itfelf, did,,at laft, fo dilute and wafh away the concrete Particles of which the Cement con-fifted, which held the Stones of the Foundation together, that the whole Fabrickfunk in one Night.

The Depth of this Sinking made thofewho faw it the next Day, apprehend it tohave been the EfFedts of an Earthquake ;till, being fearched into not long after, byfome Workmen who were fet to repair it,,it was difcovered to be caufed by the falling in of an Arch, over which the Ba-fon was built. This Arch, by the Fragments of it, appeared to have been defign-ed for the Roof or Covering offome Grotto 5 and, from the Pieces of Carving, ftillremaining upon it, fome of the more curious Spectators concluded it to be antique.

Upon clearing the Place of its Rubbifh,they were foon, to their great Satisfaction,con-


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INTRODUCTION. iiiconfirmed in their Opinion. For the wholewas found to be a handfome large Room,near upon fquare, about forty Foot overeach way, and as many in Height. TheDoor or Entrance near thirty Foot high,with a Window on each fide it, whichwere all the Lights it had, made this Frontof the Building look very fpacious andgrand ; which yet altogether was plain, andof the Doric Order. Within were feveralNiches properly difpofed, each containinga very fair Buft of Parian Marble, and thePedeftal of Egyptian. I am told that feveralMedals were dug up under the Pavement,which confifted of very thick hard redTiles, about eight Inches fquare. An Account, of all which, and many other Antiquities equally entertaining, will foon bepublifhed in a Difcourfe or Treatife pur-pofely written by the Learned Sigmr Flo-

'

renting the Pope's Librarian -3 who wasfent thither by his Holinefs, at the Requeftof the Cardinal, with. a fpecial CommifliQnto take; the Care and Cognizance of them.

Therefore, to come to our prefent Pur-pofe, J muft inform the World, that aB 2 hopeful


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xv INTRODUCTION.hopeful young Gentleman, Son to a moftingenious and obliging Friend of mine,happening in the Courfe of his Travels toJye at an Inn in the Neighbourhood of thisPlace, the third Night after the Difcoverywas made, ftay'd there five Days j hoping,by indefatigable Induftry and Application,to make himfelf Mafter of fome littl$Piece of thefe Antiquities $ having a goodRelifh and Judgment for Things of thatKind.

1

But Orders being fent from Rome, fromthe Cardinal, that a Guard fhould be fetnear the Place, and all Perfqns whateverftrictly kept off from Approaching it, hehad but a faint Profpedl of accomplifhinghis Wiflies : Till one Evening, as he waswalking out after Sun-fet, he met a poorLabourer with a Spade and Mattock onhis Shoulder, returning from his Work.The

young Gentleman, letting flipno

Opportunity of exercifing himfelf in theItalian Tongue, which the ordinary Pe^-fant there (quite contrary to what happensin moft other Countries) fpeaks as properly$s the beft bred Courtier at Rome, took oc-


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INTRODUCTION. vcafion to enter upon Difcourfe with him ;and foon with a fecret Pleafure found, thatthe Converfation he held was with one ofthofe who were employed in clearing awaythe Rubbifh of the Ruins in the Cardinal'sGarden.

Fired with frefh Expeditions upon fowelcome an Interview, he firft warily founded the poor Man's Capacity, hoping hemight find him one of thofe experiencedPioneers, who knew how to turn fuch fortof Work in fome Meafure to their ownAdvantage 5 and from whom, moft of thelate-found Medals and Antiquities whichhave been brought from ltalyy have, byclandestine Practices, been obtained. Infine, this Ruftic, as iimple as he appeared,was one of thefe ; and having taken hisOpportunity to conceal fomething whichhe thought might be of Value, he afterwards, under Pretence of going to drinkat a little Fountain, which gufhed out of2 Lyon's Hsad, fixed in the Garden Walkthrew his Prize unfeen into an adjoiningMegdowj from whence he had been tofetch it juft as the young Traveller methim, Thefe


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vi INTRODUCTION;Thefe two had

very luckily happened\\pon each other, being the propereft Per-fons they could mutally communicate theirDdigns to : For whenever any curiousThing of Value or Antiquity is procuredby any Stranger, unlefs he ufes the utmoftPrecaution in conveying it out of the Country, he is fure to have it feized and takenfrom him \ nay, though he has paid everfbfair a Price for it, and purchafed it ofthe rightful Proprietor.To be fhort 5 the poor Peafant having a

juft Confidence in the young Gentleman,without Hefitation drew out from under his'Cloaths a Cylinder of about aFoot long, and-five Inches Diameter. It was caked overwith a rough Cafe of Earth and Ruft intermingled ; and by its Lightnefs feemed-to be hollow ; which attempting with aKnife, they were foon certified of; forthey found it very thin, and made fhift toraifo up, arid feparate one End, as onewould open the Head of an Oyfter-Barrel.There appeared to be nothing in it but a'Roll of Parchment or Vellum,, curioufly

rolled


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INTRODUCTION. VJrrolled round a fmall Stick of black Ebony, at each End of which was a little Bofsof white Cornelian. Our young Virtuofo^without ilaying to examine the Contents,made it his own for five Crowns, and de->ferred the Perufal of it to a more properTime and Place.

This Volume, imce the young Gentleman^ Return, by the very obliging andcommunicative Temper of his Father, isnow in my Hands ; and I have a Permif-fion from both to publifh fuch an Accountof it as I fhall think proper ; which nowthe Reader may prepare himfelf for, andis as follows.

The Writing is in the Greek Tongue,of an ancient fair Character ; but the Inkfo decayed and faded by Time, that atprefent it is barely legible, and no more.I have tranfcribed it with the utmoft Careand Exaftnefs; and can aver, that I folemn-ly believe I have not omitted or miftakenone Letter.

-

On


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tiii INTRODUCTION.On the outfide of the Roll was written

Codex Pompilianus ; meaning, that the Bookhad belong'd to Numa Pompiliusy the fe-cond King of Rome, which is moft probable ; or to fome other Roman of thatName. On the infide was the Title, To,ITuSfleyop* rS Tys Soviets fite a/sroppijU, Thefecret Hiftory of Pythagoras the Philofo-pher : As indeed it has been hitherto. Forthough Men of Learning have all alongbeen acquainted with that great Man's Notions of the Tranfmigration of the Soul,which he ufed to affert from his own particular Experience ; profefling that his hadbelonged firft of all to the Body of &tbali-des, then to thofe of Euphorbus, Hcrmoti-fflus, and Pyrrhus a poor Fifherman ofDebs, fucceflively; yet they never wereinformed fufficiently of fuch co-temporaryCircumftaaces and Parts of Hiftory, asthe Mind of one fo obfervant upon all remarkable PafTages muft needs have colleft-ed, in the different Bodies or Stages ofLife in which it refided. Thefe are theContents of this Pompilian Volume ; whichfeems to have been in the keeping of fomenoble


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ixNTRODUCTION.(

noble Inhabitant of Croton; though it isnot impoffible but Numa himfelf mighthave had a Houfe there. How long it hasbeen thus loft to the World, or whetherindeed it were ever publickiy known toit, cannot; I think, eaiily be determined.It was found under the Pavement, as ifdefignedly laid there 5 either before theBuilding was eredled, or to be concealedupon fome Emergency which happenedafter. Poffibly upon that Irruption whichthe Gauls made into Italyy under theirKing Brennus, when they over-ran all before them, and plundered even Rome itfelf.For there being fcarce any thing extant ofthe Romans till after that Time, in whichwe could expedt any mention of Pythago-ras's Works, makes it not unlikely that thiswas the only Book of that kind in being $and by the unhappy Care of its Profeffor,who might fall in that Time of Calamity,came to be buried in fo long an Obfcu-rity.

The Ufe I {hall put it to at prefent, tillthe prefent Proprietor refolves to make theOriginal public, is to communicate to theC World


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x INTRODUCTION-World the Contents of it in a Tranflationinto our own Tongue 3 which I intend toferve up, to, keep the Appetites of myReaders from being cloyed, in moderateParcels ; that the Whole may laft thelonger, and that proper Portions of it maybe fet before them from time to time astheir Stomachs may feem to call for it.

,

_

MEMOIR


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MEMOIR I.The Hiftory ofJ&THALIDES.

MY Mother's Name was Melidora 5fhe lived in the Suburbs of Pa-phos, in the Ifland of Cyprus ;and procured herfelf an honeft unenviedLivelihood, by furnifhing feveral of itsInhabitants with Milk, Honey, and allSorts of delicious Fruits as the Seafon required. She rented a little Farm and Garden of a Merchant in the City, as herMother had done before her ; from whenceflie provided many Conveniences for theCitizens* a comfortable Maintenance forherfelf, and a handfome Education forme. For fhe fent me to the principalSchool in the Town 5 where I was inftrudt-ed among the Children of People of thefirft Rank, in all the Sciences that are properC 2 tO


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to adorn a Man, and make him ufeful tohis Country*

As my Age came on, my Love of Know*lege increafed; and notwithftanding thegreat Care of my Matter, and tender Fond-nefi of my Mother, who were daily feeding my Mind with all the Notions thatwere adapted to cherifh and improve it, Icontinually gave Inftances of fo inquifitivea Temper, as rather afforded Pleafure than.Trouble to thofe about me*

One Day, perceiving I was without aFather, a Happinefs I could not fee, without repining, in fome of my Equals, I enquired of my Mother concerning it, withmore than ufual Importunity. Young asI was, I could not help obferving the fud-den Blufh which overfpread her beautifulNeck and Face at this Queftion. She wasnot then above One and Twenty 5 and asI have fince heard from many Reports> didnot yield to the faireft Woman in thatCity for the Charms of her Perfon. Sheftrained me in her Arms with much Rapture, and after having overwhelmed mewith


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with a thoufand Rifles, yesj my dearellJEthalides (fays (he) I will tell you ; andthat which has been the Caufe of yourprefent Being, and will be the Means ofyour future Welfare, fliall no longer bekept fecret from you.Know then, my deareft Child, purfued

fhe, that I was fearce thirteen Years old,when in the Evening of a hot Summer'sDay, I chanced to fall afleep under theHedge

of Rofes, which grows on the fideof the little Rivulet, which runs throughour Garden. My Mother not being yetreturned from the Town, whither herBufinefs had carried her, and the Servants

employed in fome more remote Partof the Garden, I lay thus till the Dufk ofthe Night was far advanc'd. The Frefli-nefs of the cool Breezes, and the Stillnefsof the Place, which was rendered mpreagreeable by the warbling Notes of cor-refponding Nightingales, contributed foirrefiftibly to tie down my Senfes with thefilken Cords of Morpheus, that I did notawake before I found my feif irrecoverablywithin the Arms and Power ctf a moft


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[ '4 3beautiful young Man. I would have employed my Strength in Refiftance, but thefudden Surprize had deprived me of it 5I would have raifed my Voice for Help,but Fear had difarmed my Tongue : Andthe Attention, which I could not avoidgiving to an Accident fo new to me, con-fpired to complete my Undoing. For whether Love had fo early begun to find theway to my Heart, or whether it was onlya Childifh Prelude to it, the Features ofthis Perfon fo refembled thofe of a hand-fome Youth of Paphos, whom I had eagerly gazed at the Day before, when hecame to our Houfe (as he frequently did)to buy Fruits, that, notwithftanding theAnguifh I ought to have felt upon fuch#n Occafion, by that fatal Prepoffeffion ofmy Fancy, I was all over melted into Ten-dernefs. There was nothing to reftrainhim from indulging the Warmth of hisPaffion to the laft Degree of Defire, butthe eternal and unalterable Rules of Nature ; which at length, after repeated In-ftances of his firft Provocation, confentedto free me from his Embraces. By thistime my Senfes, having re-affembled them-

felves


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t 5 1felves to condole with me upon this Violation of my Honour, plunged me into aninexpreffible Sorrow. I lay ftill on theGround -, and I queftion whether my Griefwould ever have fuffered me to rife, if thecharming Ravifher had not gently liftedme up.

After having folded me in his Armswith a forcible Tranfport, he addrefledhimfelf thus to me, in the fweeteft Accents that ever my Ears were bleflfed withal. " Farewell, my lovely Melidoray and" to calm all your Troubles, remember< c that the Son of Jove was the Author of*' them. Yes, moft amiable Nymph, it"

is Hermes, who has this Night improved" his Immortality in your Fruition ; who" has affumed the Perfon of Neantbus," the Son of Chryfandery to gain the eaiier" Admittance to your Heart ; and in his" Shape will continue to perform the kind


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unwilling to make any Difcovcry to myPrejudice, flew to the little Wicket in theWall, and unlocked it with as much Dexterity, as if he had had the real Key. Andthat NeanthitSy our Landlord the Merchant'sSon, who is fo fond of you, and whofePrefence fo often bleffes this Roof, is indeed nothing lefs than what he feerrjs tobe, but the artful Son of the Thunderer,who retains the Form of that Son of Chry-fander, which was long fince fhipwreckednear the Ifland of Rhodes, that he may themore favourably continue to his helpleisDependants the Protection, which by hisMeans is become fo neceflary to them.

She fini/hed her Difcourfe with givingme a Charge of the ftrifteft Secrecy, whichfor my Part I kept inviolably ; but the\yhimfical Conditions pf my half Immortality after Death being publifhed to theWorld, gave undoubted Tokens of myheavenly Extraction. If the Happinefs ofbeing let into fuch a Secret had made theHead of giddy Childhood fwim with Vanity, it would not have been unpardonable ;but it had not that Effed upon me. In

deed


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deed it darted a moft exquifite Pleafure into

my Heart, and elevated all my Senfes withgentle Ebulitions of Joy. When I refleft-ed upon my Birth, it fwelled my Mind withan Ambition to be worthy of it, withoutinfufing into me the leaft Tincfture of Pride.J had been early inftru&ed in the Principlesof Religion and Morality, 5 and Eleutberiu*my Mafter, that I might have a juft Notion of the Gods, had taken care firft tomake me underftand their Attributes, thatI might not entertain any abfurd or contra-didlory Opinions concerning their Nature.

All the Inhabitants of Foreign Nations(Tays he) and the Generality of our ownPeople are educated in falfe Principles ofReligion, the better to ferve the Intereftsand Defigns f cheating Priefts, who arefo well fkilled in thefe kind of Artifices,that they know no Bails fo proper to buildtheir Tyranny upon, as an eftablifhed Ignorance. The better to fupport and cherifhthis, they provide that Mankind fhould betrained up from their early Childhood,

G when


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[ 8 ]when, like Wax, they are fofteft and fittellto take Impreffions, in fuch wrong mi-ftaken Notions of the Deity, as may bemoft fubfervient to their Purpofes, Thisfine Scheme takes place before they canwell fpeak, and they are taught what theymuft believe of the Gods, before they arecapable of knowing them or any thingelfe. All the Ideas they are made to conceive of them are fuch as belong to Menonly ; that they are paflionate, revengeful,partial, jealous, vain-glorious, refolving,repenting, miftaken, that they are circum-fcribed in their Actions by Time and Place,fometimes pleafed, and fometimes dif-pleafed ; whereas in Truth, my deareflChild, there is one only real and very God,who ordained all Things, and on whomall Things depend ; and the feveral Godsand Goddefles, with fo many feveral Nameswhich the Vulgar are taught to worfhip,are indeed no more than fo many feveralAttributes and Qualities of this true God,

With


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[ 9 ]

f With him, my JEthalides, I muft makeyou well acquainted : To which, there isno more requifite^ than that you fhouldform a right Conception of his Attributes.Take care that thefe may be always fuchas are confiftent with, and agreeable to,the Nature of him that made the Univcrfe,and keeps it in fo continued an Order.Confider, that to do this, he muft be All-wife, and All-powerful, Infinite, Immutable and Eternal ; and fo abfolutely Perfect in all Repeds, that neither his Wif-dom nor his Power, his Goodnefs nor hisHappinefs, are capable of any Addition orDiminution.

When you are convinced of this, (asyour Reafon will readily convince you ofit) you can never fuffer yourfelf to think,with the Vulgar, that a Deity abfolutely perfect is liable to the Paffions and Imperfections of us poor Mortals. Can youfuppofe him angry, or grieved, or jealous,without implying a Diminution of his

G 2 Hap-


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Happinefs? Can you conceive Him uponany account partial, who is infinitely juft ?Can a Being, All-wife, and Good, without great Abfurdity, be reprefented Vainglorious, making Refolutions, and repenting of them, and fometimes miftaken ?Can He be All-powerful, and yet be imagined to want Time to complete his Work,and to fail in many of his Attempts ? Howgrofs is the Idea of His being more in onepart of Space than another, when compared with his Infinity ? How wretchedlyftupid, thofe of His being paflionate andrevengeful, when we refled: upon his Immutability and great Perfection ?

Yet thus foolifh, thus abfurd, thus ig-norantly profane is the poor deluded Multitude by the Impofitions of mifreprefentingPriefts. The Men of this Profeffion makethe credulous People believe that they con-verfe with the Gods with much Familiarity,and have a very good Intereft with, andInfluence over, them : That they can prevail with them to do this, or to deiift from

that,


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that, juft as they pleafe ; and to fend Goodor Evil among Mankind, according as theyfhall reprefent Matters to them. Whenthey think themfelves not treated with fuf-ficient Refpeft, they fay, that the Gods areangry, and threaten the World with nothing lefs than Plague or Famine to revengethe Affront,

God, my deareft JEthatides, is indeedthe Author of all Things, iince nothingcan be done without him ; and confequent-ly Plagues and Famines happen as he appoints : But I think the ihallow Knowlegeof Man has no Warrant to determine,whether they are fent as Judgments or not.The World was always too full of Wick-ednefs not to deferve Punifhment : Butthinkeft thou, JEtbalides, that the ragingPeftilence which laft Year fwept awayalmoft the whole City of Athens, fell uponthe moft wicked Spot of all the Earth ; orthat the Gods defigned to fhew their Juftice,when Ariflus, Pbilaretes and Polimedon fellamdiftinguifhed in the Infection, and La-


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olefleS) Autophllus and Mifander efcaped ?No certainly: For Athens yielded to noCity in the World for Pojitenefs and Religion ; and ArijkuS) Philaretes and Poll-medon were as much efteem'd for their exalted Virtues, as Laoleftes, Artophilm andMifander were deteftable for their flagitiousEnormities,

When therefore we fee Men of fuchdifferent Characters, whofe Adtions wereas oppofite as Light and Darknefs, fhotpromifcuouiiy with the Arrows of Death,tho' we can't deny it to be the Hand ofGod, it is fhocking to call it his Vengeance, his Refentment, his Anger, hisWrath , hisFury, and thofe Expreffionswhichgive us fuch I deas of his being peevifhand implacable. How is it poffible tothink worthily and truly of Him who iinfinitely Good, without always reprefent-ing Him to our Minds as full ofLove, Benevolence, Sweetnefs, Candour and Com-paffion ?

Have we liv'd in a Purfuit of Virtue andhonourable Courfes -, and do we expeft tobe


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t '3 1be admitted into Elyjium after Death ? IfWe do, then how can we be infeniible ofthe great Good-will of Jove, who fends hisMeffenger Death to bid us leave off Labourand go to Reft ? How very benevolent andcompaffionate is he to the Survivors, whenhe is fo kind as to take off. the Injuriousand the Oppreffor, the lying Hypocrite andthe crafty Knave? Nay, how very goodto thefe Criminals themfelves, when byintercepting them in the midft of theirVillanies, he renders them capaple of amilder Sentence from the infernalJudges? OJove,thy Love is continual and thy Goodnefsunbounded ! If we do our hearty Endeavourtobe goodlikeThee, and obeythofePreceptsof Vitue which Thou haft written in ourMind, we are fure thouwilt not hurt us, butcommand the Gates of Elyjium to be open'dfor our Reception -, where we may be mingled with the Company of our virtuoushoneft Anceftors, and enjoy eternal Peaceand Pleafure in thofe Fields of Joy, andGroves of Delight : But if we aft contraryto


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[ H ]to that Senfe of Thee which our Reafbttdictates to us ; 'tis not a Deluge of Water,or a parch'd funburn'd Earth, the momentary Alarms of Famine, Peftilence, or theSword, that we ought to fear, but an Eternity of Torments under the Hands of indefatigable Furies in Hell. Thou art immutable 5 and fo far is the prefumptuous Prieftfrom being able to change thy Decrees,which are founded upon infinite Juf-tice, that it would be the higheft Impietyto fuppofe Thy Nature capable of it : No :Thou art juft and true in all thy Actions,and it is fufficient that we know our Doomhereafter depends upon our Adions here,without thy being reprefented in Statues ofWood and Stone, with Arrows and Thunderbolts lifted up at our Heads, as if thouwert an angy and ill-natur'd God.

Wherefore, my &thalides, (continuedhe) keep a ftridl Guard over thy Mind,that thou conceiveft not any Thought ofthe fupreme Being, which is not agreeableto his Attributes ; nor let the Examples of

others,


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[ '5 ]others, who entertain fuch ftrange ridiculous Fancies about him, give any Bias tothy Judgment ; for thou knoweft how aptthe Multitude is to run into and perfeverein a wrong Opinion. Do they not believethat the Sun, Moon and Stars are no biggerthan they feem ? that the bright Luminaryofthe Day falls into the Sea at Night, andrifes out of it in the Morning ; and that heis carried in a Chariot round this dirty Spot

* on which we live ? Are there not fome fu-' perftitious Strangers among us, which inhabit fomewhere near the Confines of Af-fyria, who boafl that this luminous Orbonce ftopt in his full Career for fome Hours,to anfwer the Defign of a certain Mortal ?Is not Jove himfelf wickedly fuppos'd tohave bid him lye ftill for three Nights together, that he might have the longer timeto revel in the Arms of Alcmena? WhereasThou haft been taught, that this Globe ofLight is at too great a Diftance from us toperform fuch a Rotation in a thoufand million ofYears ; tho' it were to move as ftftftas the Arrows of Hercules. But the wickedE Pricfts,


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Priefts, my JEtbalides, invent thefe Fables,to fupport their Dignity, and augment theirGains.

What God, thinkeft Thou, mufl he be,who our Priefts tell us is out of humour,and difcontented without a Multitude ofOfferings and Sacrifices ? a Man of fuch aTemper would be accounted covetous, andgreedy, and unreafonable. What Ideacanft thou have of a God who loves to regale his Nofe with roafted Bullocks, andcarbonaded SKeep and Goats, and Libationsof rich Wine ? a Man with an Appetite focontinually difpos'd would be accounted aGlutton. But what is the God that thefeOfferings are ferv'd up to ? Why perhaps aPiece of Wood, or Stone, or Brafs, orfome fuch Material; carv'd fometimes in avery ridiculous Shape, like a Man, or aWoman, or Monfter with three Heads,as Diana is reprefented : They have Facesand Mouths, but can neither fee nor eat;they have Hands and Feet, and yet fometimes fall down, and are broken in pieces.

Who


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[ '7 ]Who therefore eats the roafted Beef, andthe broil'd Cutlets of Mutton ; but the hungry voracious Prieft ? Who empties thefmiling Goblet of its fparkling Wine, butthe thirfly tippling Prieft ? Who fays theGods are yet difpleas'd, and require moreOfferings ? the artful Prieft : raifmg Contributions to inhance his own Dignity, fromthe idle Superftitions and groundiefs Fearsof the giddy Multitude.

Thefe, my Mthajidesy coniider as Menexercifing a Trade, to which they are educated, and by which they muft live. Takecare that thou affront not their Perfons, noropenly ridicule their Imployment * for info doing thou mayft offend and provokethe State, which for politic Ends did firftinftitute, and for the fame will continue toproteft the Men of this Profeffion. Thoumayft laugh in private at all the Abfurditieswhich they make the People fwallow, andat the Vain Alarms by which they governtheir Hopes and Fears : But beware howthou difturb or meddle with them in pub-E 2 lie;


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lie 3 for they will echo their Refentmentsagainft thee from Temple to Temple, likea Neft of Hornets provok'd in the hollowRock, and wound thy good Name withthe Stings of poifonous Language.

Yet let that Virtue, by which Thou artbound to ferve thy Country, exhort thee toufe the Power of thy Station, whatever itbe, to check their Pride and controul theirAmbition. Tho' they were originally de-fign'd for Servants and Inftruments of theGovernment, yet are they very inclinableto ufurp an Authority and Dominion oftheir own, and to tyrannize over the veryMagiftrate, who conftitutes and appointsthem. Therefore, be affur'd, it is the In-tereft of all honeft Men, and Lovers oftheir Country, to keep down the afpiringhaughty Aims of thefe Cooks of State, thefevenerable Butchers ; and never truft themwith any Power, but what they will readily acknowledge to be confer'd upon themby the Magiftrate, in a limited Senfe, forthe good of the Public. With


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I 19= 3

With thisView were the different Ritual^and Modes of Worfhip firft eftablifh'd inall the Nations and Cities round about us ;each following that way which was moftfuitable to their Genius, and moft conveniently adapted to correfpond with theirForm of Government. Thus Crete thinking itfelf holy above all Lands for the Storyof Jupiter s being born, educated, and buried there, worfhips him chiefly ; and looksdown with Scorn and Contempt upon other'Nations, as People deftitute of equal Privileges, if not quite excluded from the divine Favour. But, JEthalidesy canft thouhelp fmiling at their Superftition, or doftthou pity their Stupidity and Credulity ?who can be made to believe that Jove wasborn asweMen are ; and that he was broughtthither to be educated privately, left his Father Saturn (hould find him and eat him ?Nay, they fay too, that after he had liv'dhis Term of Life out, he died and was buried there ; and they think all thofe veryprofane and wicked People, who will notbelieve this Npnfenfe, thefe Impoffibilities.

It


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I 20 ]

It is probable, my JEthalides, there mighthave been fuch a Man as Jupiter^ whoby fome extraordinary Occurrences in hisLife, fince irnprov'd by fabulous Tradiltions, may appear a very extraordinary Per-fon, and even an Objed of Worihip to afuperftltious bigotted World $ whofe natural Fears are eafily wrought upon by theStratagems of Priefts, efpecially when theyare countenanced and authoriz'd by the Ma-giftrate. But to efteem fuch a one the greatCreator:and Arbiter of the Univerfe, (whomuft have exifted, in the higheft Perfection of every thing that is good, from allEternity) i&theEffedt of Ignorance, Super-ftition, and a blind Reliance upon oldWives Stories, and the cunning Management and Policy of Priefts.

Who, but a moft befotted filly People,could fuppofe a Being of fo exalted and re-fin'd a Nature, as the high God muft be,capable of having carnal Copulation withmortal Women ; and filling Heaven with

his


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his natural Offspring ? One of thefe is theprincipal Object of religious Worfhip inthe Ifland of Delos ; another in the City ofEphefus. Bacchus is honour'd in Caroufels ofWine of his own Inftjtution at Thebes ; andVenus the Goddefs of Love and Beauty isador'd here in Cyprus.

.

If I could enumerate all the Religionsof the Earth with the Superftitions that attend them, it would only be giving you aDetail of the feveral Follies of credulousMankind, and the politick Contrivances ofStates and Governments. The bare mentioning of thefe may fuffice to give you aTafte of their Impoftures; tho' howevermonftrous and abfurd they appear, remember to fpeak of them in public with a feem-ing Deference and Regard -, and where itis expected you fliould be particular in declaring for that fort of Worfhip which youmoft approve, you fhould, in Honour, di-ftinguifh and prefer that of your own Country.

Here


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22

Here my Mafter concluded his Leftureupon Religion ; which was the firft I hadheard from him upon that Subject, foplain and intelligible. He had often givenme little Hints before -y which either thro'my want of Capacity, or his> defigned Ob-fcurity in fpeaking, made little or no Im-preffion upon me. But in this laft Leflbnhe had open'd his Mind with fuch an Airof Tendernefs and Concern, that everything he faid had its due Weight, and funkdeep into my Mind. The more I thoughtof it, the more I was convinced of the Truthof his Difcourfe; and every Reflection whicharofe from it gave me a new and fecretPleafure. The Complacence and Elevationof Spirit which I felt upon believing myfelfthe Son of Hermes vanished ; or rather wasextinguifh'd, like a lefler Light, by thebright Flame of Truth. A Knowledge,certain and demonftrable, that the Generality of the World were wrong in this Re-fpeftj and I, young as I was, free fromthe Error, gave me a folid and durableSa-


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f 23 ]Satisfaction, which lafted the whole timeof my- Life. I was fenfible that the Account my Mother had given me of myBirth, was either a plaufible Invention ofher own to conceal a Truth not properfor her to mention, or that Neanthus hadby this Trick firft obtained, and fmce con-tinu'd, to poffefs her Embraces. But whether me herfelf had whifper'd this Secretto a female Friend whom me trufted, orthe Fame of my Wit and Learning mademy Countrymen conceive fomething ofmemore than Mortal ; they look'd upon meas the Son of that God fome time before myDeath, and after it beftow'd Immortalityand divine Honours upon me. However Ikept Melidoras Secret, and my own Senfeof it intirely to myfelf ; I regarded Neanthusas my real Father, and lov'd him with apious and grateful Affedtiori ; fuch indeedas his Fondnefs and paternal Care of mejuftly claim'd. For his Father Chryfanderdying foon after, and leaving him Heir toa good Eftate and much Treafure, he gene-roufly fettled upon my Mother the FarmF and


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[ 24 3and Gardens which (he rented, and madeher a Prefent oftwo Talents of Gold.

But my Mind was fo wholly engag'd inthe Purfuit of Knowledge, that I found little Enjoyment out of the Company of myMafter Eleutherius -y and he was as muchcharm'd with my Parts, and ready Difpo-fition for Learning. The reft ofthe Youths,my Schoolfellows, were fo intent uponSports and Plays, that they had the utmoftAverfion for his dry Philofophy (as theycall'd it) and took advantage ofall the Fefti-vals andTimes ofSolemnity to abfent them-felves. Then it was that I had the moftfree and eafy Accefs to his Inftru&ions, andheard him dictate without Referve. Itwould have been hard to determine whether the Mafter expounded, or the Scholarattended, with moft Pleafure.

One Day, when he had been holding acopious Difcourfe upon our favourite Topic, Religion -, and been expofing, withhis ufual Clearnefs and Strength of Reafon,the great Inconveniences that had and might

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proceed from Multitudes pofiefs'd with Su-perflition,

andartfully inflam'd by wickeddefigning Priefts, he confirm'd it with aver

ring, that the more plain and natural anyReligion was, the better it would be forthe Public, and the more pleaiing to God.For (fays he) if Mankind would but entertain thofe juft Notions of the Maker ofthe World, which their own Reafon, hisfaithful Interpreter, would tell them, andrefolve not to be impofed upon by Fablesand Traditions ; 'tis certain that the Religion flowing from thence muft be acceptable to God, and beneficial to Mankind.

For firft, What is more reafonable andmore confiftent with the Attributes and Honour of God, than to conclude that he ex-peds nothing from his Creatures, butwhat he has given them Capacities to perform ? If we think him to be a God of Ju-ftice, we are fure he can require no more.When therefore the Priefts, who declarethemfelves to be the Keepers of his Myfte-ries and his Will, in one place pretendthat he ought to be worflrip'd with Corn .

F 2 in


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[ 26 ]in another, that he expefts Wine ; in athird, Sheep and Oxen ; and that here inour City he is delighted to fee his Templemade a public Rendezvouz for lewd Women ; who (if fuch Devotion will produceit) bid fair indeed for eternal Happinefs, bytaking care never to mifs the ftated Timesof Worfhip, and mortifying their Bodiesby a continual Proftitution : Which of thefePrefcriptions are we to follow as the onlyright and infallible one ? If we ask our Rea-fon ; none. Ifwe ask the Prieft ; he willtell us, that which belongs to his particular God. And as many Religions as thereare, fo many hundred thoufand Priefts willaver the fame. What mufl be done thenin this uncertain Labyrinth, where there arefo many different Ways, and none appearsto be (nor certainly is) the right one?Why let us have Recourfe to our Reafon,that excellent Part of us, by which ourMaker has diftinguifh'd us from the reft ofhis Creatures, and try what Informationwe can get from thence. And that tellsus, that, as God is the Perfedlion of allGood, we can never do better than when

we


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we endeavour to imitate, and;be like him :By doing as little Hurt, and as much Benefit as we can to our Fellow-Creatures :By keeping our Confciences clear and innocent from evil Defigns and Intentions,and forming new Refolutions of proceedingin the Ways of Virtue. Is there any Ab-furdity in this ? Will this make God angryat any time ? Nay rather, will it not always pleafe him ? If he were to fpeak to usin the Voice ofa Man, and tell us his Willin Words, would he make it any otherthan this? Could he indeed contrive anything better ? And yet how plain, how natural, how obvious to all Mankind is this ?

Secondly, As this cannot but pleafe God,fo nothing can be more beneficial to Mankind. For of what Profit or Ufe to theWorld is the great Variety of Rites and Ceremonies which every Nation in it claims ?Do tljy contribute to the Trade of theCountry where they are exercis'd, orto the Strength and Defence of it, orare they in any degree honourable, advantageous or pleafureable to its Inhabi

tants ?


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[ 28 3tants ? If they are, they ought to be re-tain'd for the Good of the Public ; if not,how ridiculous, nay often how dangerous,is it to keep them up, and let them growinto Cuftom ? What Cruelties do theKings of Ajfyria commit in forcing theNations which they conquer to worfhipafter their Manner ? How obftinate aremany of thofe Nations, in chufing ratherto endure the fharpeft Tortures, than torelinquiih the vain Superftitions in whichthey have been educated ? With what alowring evil Eye do the Prieftefles of ourVenus behold thofe chafteMen andWomen,who will not fuffer their Minds and Bodiesto be debauch'd with the abominable Luftsof Paphos ? By their libidinous Geflures,and loofe Inveftives, endeavouring to irritate and provoke their luftfully zealous Votaries againft them ;' branding them withthe odious Appellations of cold, impotent,or barren; perfecuting them with all mannerof Obfcenities ; and declaring that theyought by wholefome Severities, fuch asWhipping and Hanging, to be forc'd intoan Inclination to do Honour and Service

to


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[ 29 1to their Goddefs. On the contrary, thePriefts who ferve Cybek, Joves Mother,muft be qualified for it at the Expence oftheir Manhood ; and when they are carrying that old Goddefs about the Streets, takean Opportunity to rob all they meet; forwhen begging is made a Part of Religion,it is reckon'd Profane to refufe to give.

Now. are not all thefe as well greatInconveniences to the Public, as mightyridiculous in themfelves? How muchbetter would it be for thofe miferable People whom the Affyrians take in War,if they had no fuch barbarous Cuftom asburning them upon their Altars? WhatCruelty, Rancour, Revenge, and Hardnefsof Heart does this exprefs ? Are thefe Qualities agreeable to the Attributes of God ?No furely. Or is it for the public Emolument that fuch Tempers and Habits ofMind fhould be encouraged ? No : but thecontrary is certain. Do the wanton Ritesof Venus, pradtifed in this City, in anyfenfe promote publick Good? Do theyredtify the Mind, or invigorate the Body ?Do


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[ 3 ]Do they make thofe that ftickle for themmore Healthy or more Wife ? or in anyparticular contribute to their Well-being ?No : but are evidently the Occafion ofmuchDetriment to the Commonwealth in general, as well as very pernicious to privateFamilies. How many Children of bothSexes are initiated into the Myfteries of theGoddefs by the Examples of their wantonMothers ? How many Wives, under Pretence of Devotion, take their Fill offurrep-titious Loves, and adulterate their Huf-band's Race with a fpurious Iffue? Artsand Arms, the Bulwark and Ornament ofCities, are negledted for thefe bafer fofterDiverfions ; and the Women, whom Nature has defign'd for keeping up our Species, whom he has form'd fair and tempting with a thoufand agreeable Graces, defeat the End of their Inftitution by beingtoo liberal of their Charms. They pleafethe Eye, like a Valley of Corn fmiling witha vernal Bloom : But when we look to feea full Harveft, behold ! the Clouds over-fhadow it, the Drops fall thick into the,Furrows ; and inftead of an impregnating

Shower,


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1 3' ]"Shower, it overflows with a Deluge ofRain.

But every Nation his its religious Rites,and confequently its Follies and Inconveniences of fome Kind or other. For tho*fome of thefe are indifferent, and innocentenough in themfelves* yet through Abufethey may become dangerous to a Community. Such I mean as by a too long Continuance are grown into Cuftom, and fromthence efteemed by the Vulgar as effential,important and neceffary Parts of Religion.If the Decency, or perhaps Grandeur withwhich Religion ought to be attended, inpopulous Cities efpecially, requires a fufrficient Quantity of Pomp and Shew ; thisihould be as changeable as the Fafhions ofour Drefs ; that the People might be plea-fed as well with the Variety and Newnefs, asMagnificence of them; and the Magiftratehave it in his Power, if Reafonsof Stateihouldrequire it, to alter as eafily as to continuethem* How indecent is it to fee the PrieftsG of


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32of Pan running naked about the Streetsexpofing themfelves to the Women andVirgins in a Manner too immodeft even tobe thought on ? Yet if the State fhouldattempt to abolifh this vile Ceremony, whata tumultuous Outcry would immediatelybe raifed, by the Women efpecially ? whothink they (hall never feel a Mother's Joys,till they have had a Stroke from thefefrantic Gefticulators.

But as thefe were all certainly of humanInftitution, to ferve fome political End,let us afk our Reafon whether God ever toldit that he expefts any thing of that Kind?It tells us he cannot, and that we fhouldthink him a very ftrange God, if wethought he did. Is there any Ceremonyequal to thinking juftly of God ? Is thereany Rite or Cuftom, though ever fo venerable for its Antiquity and Solemnity, foneceflary, fo truly religious, fo agreeableto God, as a Series of virtuous Adtions ?No : It would be the moft ftupid Profane-nefs to fufped, it. How


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[33 3How then c^me the one to be preferred

before the other, or even to take place atall in the Minds of reafonable Creatures ?How came they to imagine, that a Prejudice in Favour of a Parcel of idle Tricks,would atone for the Sufpenfipji of theirReafon and the Intermiflipn of their Virtue?For a bigotted Attention to Toys of thisKind makes us, for a Time, lofe the Af-fiftance of thofe two noble Guides. Why,my JEthalides, as great a Riddle as thisTeemsto be, it is eafily accounted for: Thofewho have the Advantage of Reafon, couldnever ad: thus, unlefs that were firft blinded and perverted. If People, in Purfuanceof the Dictates of that excellent Faculty,were tp exercife themfelves in Habits ofVirtue only, and rejeft thefe ridiculousFopperies, what Occafion would there befor -.Prints ? Therefore this Set of Men,to prove the Ncceflity and to enhance theDignity of their Office, pretend that theGods themfelvcs have ordained and com-i^anded" thefe Things, and appointed themG 2 Ad-


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[ 34 ]Adminiftrators and Executors of theirWill. They know that there is a Con-fcioufnefs of Duty in every Man's Heart,which tells him that he ought to. endeavourafter Virtue, and lets him fee there is aPleafure in doing Gopdj but fills hisMind with Shame and Remorfe upon committing an ill Action, and makes hirti a-*fraid to negledt doing that which is right.This natural Fear the Arch^Priefts workupon and improve by their own Ijnpo-ftures ; and, among the vulgar ordinaryPeople, find it no very difficult Talk. TheBalance of a IVJan's Reafon, when hecorqes deliberately to weigh his own Actions, will incline him to believe, thataccording as they have tended to Virtue orVice in this Life, he fhall meet with Pu-rmfhments or Rewards ' in the Shades below.And as trie Generality of Mankind leansmore toward Vice than Virtue, and muftconfequently be often agitated with thisFear; by this Means there is Room forthe defigning Prieft to ftep in and biafstheir Judgment ; which is commonly done,

by


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[35 1by flattering their Hopes, and leffeningtheir Fears, He comforts and encouragestheir drooping Spirits, by affuring themthe Gods may be appeafed and reconciledby fomething elfe befides Virtue : Thatfuch a Thing as an Hecatomb of Bullocksmay go a great way ; that building of aTemple, and dedicating it to fome particular God, will do well ; and that fettlinga good Revenue for the Maintenance ofthe Priefts that muft belong to it, is mofteffectual

Thus People who are confcious of having committed Injuries among Men, andfollicitous how they {hall efcape the Lafhof the Furies, are very willing to believethofe that find out Expedients for theirSecurity, though ever fo abfurd and un~j-eafonable. We have neglefted (fay they)to imitate the Attributes of God, in beingJuft and Good; but will He be pleafedwith Immolations and Viflims ? Will theBlood of Bulls and Goats and Sheep entertain him fo much, that he will overlookpur Injuftice for their Sakes, and commute

our


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[ 36 ]our Punifhment for the Slaughter of Beafts?If he will, we are ready to fatisfy hisDemands, even to the one Half of ourDilates : And how venerable, how facred,how ufefui an Order of Men are thefePrisfts, his Attendants and Interpreters.Qwho tell us thefe good Tidings, and


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[ 37 1wardly at the Farce he is a&ing, and admire^at the Stupidity

of Mankind. TheDeity,whom they fo grofly make Court to, as

if he had the Appetites and Paffions of aMortal, Pandicaus contemplates with theLight of his Reafon, and ftudies to imitateby the Practice of Juftice, Benignity, andall kind of focial Virtues. His Heart tellshim, that this is the Duty of a reafonableCreature ; his conftant Exercife of it hasmade it habitual ; and the uninterruptedPleafure which flows from fuch a Redtitudeof Thoughts and Adions, confirms himin his Opinion, that what is thus good andjoyful muft be Godlike,

For, what ill-natured Deities, mytides, are the Gods reprefented to be, whenwe are told that we cannot pleafe themunlefs we torment ourfelves ? Juftice andTemperance, Honefty and Sobriety, Com-plaifance and Good-Will, are exceedingpleafant and delightful, as well as ufefuland advantageous to that Society in whichthey are pradtifed: But Fear, Superftition,Morofenefs, Paffion, Suspicion, Jealoufy

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t 3Sand Vain-Glory, which are the Ingredient*of moft

People's Religion,are tormentingto ones felf, and troublefome to others*Which of thefe Qualities is moft likely to

pleafe God, the good-natured or the ill-natured ? It needs no Anfwen

Thus, from time to time, did this wifejudicious Man fow the Seeds of Knowledgein my Heart, and inoculate the Buds ofVirtue in my Mind. I had a Memorywhich happily retained the Things committed to it ; and though the Food withwhich I was fupplied, might well bethought too ftrong for one of fuch tender*Years, yet I had an Underftanding thatcould digeft it> and turn it into the moftwholfome Nourifhment. I was fcarce arrived to the twelfth Year of my Age, whenI was admired and careffed by all thatfaw me : By the graver Sort for my Learn*ing and Knowledge ; by the Young, theSpritely and the Gay, for my Wit andBeauty. As much as I was feafoned andfortified againft the Attacks of Vanity,from the wife Inftru&ions of my Mafter,

I could


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[39 1I. could not, without being touched witha fecret Pleafure, perceive the Eyes of theadmiring City turned upon me as I palledalong. They courted me into their Houfeswith Importunity ; and there was a vifibleEmulation among them about gaining myEfteem by the Delicacy of their Entertainments.

But in all thefe, there was none whofeFondnefs was expreffed with fo muchArdor, and even Impetuoiity, as that oftpbigenifr a Matron of the firft Rank ; andwho furpaffed the reft of my Admirers inMunificence, as much as in the Excefs ofher Love, and the Superiority of her Condition. She bound a Bracelet of Pearlmany times round my left Arm, and fa-flened on Gems of great Price for the Buttons of my Sandals. She retained me withthe tendereft Blandifhments ; and the fen-iible Tokens me continually gave of theReality of her Kindnefs, difpofed me toreturn the Affection, by devoting to herService thofc Intermiffions of Leifure, whicharc fuch neceffary Reliefs to Study. Yet IH could


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could not difcover which was molt the Ob-jedt of her Paffion, the Turn of my Mindor Body ; flie feemed to be in Rapturesupon the Contemplation of either of them ;but when I was fpeaking in the moft engaging Manner, would frequently breakher Attention to my Difcourfe by reiteratedKifies, and convulfive Embraces. She obtained leave of my Mother, that I fhouldftay whole Nights in her Houfe ; and Me-Kdora y from a Senfe of the Obligations laidon her by fo noble a Lady, contented herfelf fometimes a Week together withoutfeeing me.

To the Breaft of Eleutherim I committedall my Secrets. He was become rather aFriend than a Mafter, and was as fincerein affifting me with his Counfel now, asbefore he had been diligent in furnifhingme with his Inftruftions. To him I communicated every new Motion in this amicable Affair, and model'd my Behaviour according to his Opinion. He confxderedthat IpKgenia was paft that Age in whichthe Levities and Sallies of Youth plead

Excufe


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[4' ]Excufe for unruly Paffions, and the Con-fequences which they produce : That tho'her Hufband had long fince been indifferentto her, fhe avoided giving him any de-figned Offence ; as knowing that notwith-ftanding her Charms were not capable ofaffefting him now, he would have ragedwith Jealoufy at the Thoughts of another'spoffeffing them. But Eleutherius perceivedthat her Fondnefs for me was fo far fromalarming him, that he had rather encouraged and given in to it -, and from thenceconcluded, that, thinking his Honour fafe,he did not intend to deprive his Wife of foinnocent a Pleafure as fhe feemed to enjoyin a Boy's Company. He thought too,that Iphigema would compound by fuch anIndulgence for all the fevere Reftraints herAffectations of Virtue had impoied uponher ; and that all the little Efforts of De-fire, which for a long time fhe had checked and concealed, would break out withunited Forces, and center in her Paflionfor me.

H 2 From


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[M 3From thefe Obfervations he formed a mofb

artful Scheme for my future Conduct ; inwhich it was contrived how I might con-verfe with Ipbigenia, without diminifhingher Love and the Advantages flowing fromit, the good Opinion of her Hufband, ormy own Integrity. She was wealthy beyond Account, and moft of her Riches being fuperadded to her Dowry by the Deathof great Relations, remained in her ownDifpofal. She gave me every Day frefhTestimonies of her Affection, by repeatedInftances cf her Liberality. I was diftin-guifhed in my Apparel as if I had beenher own Son, and fhe often carried me withher to the Temples, and among the Aflem-blies of honourable Women ; where I encountered fuch a Variety of odd Adventures, as gave Occafion to many entertaining and inflrudtive Difcourfe.s of Eleutherius.Religion, Gallantry, Politics, and Trade,were the Topics I was required to be moftobferyant upon : Thefe were the Suppliesby which our private Difcourfes were fromtime to time kept up which, by occa-

fional


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[43 1fional Excurfions I took care to providefor the Repaft of my retired Preceptor^whofe Age and Station hindered him frommingling in the Chace, and being a prefentSpectator of the Sport. Various were theMazes I trod in tracing the different Intrigues of Lovers, Statefmen, Priefts andArtificers. Affectations, Impoftures, andpernicious Defigns of what Kind foeverwere the Marks I aimed at; and myHaunts were contrived to be in thofe Placeswhere thefe were moft likely to be found.Of which an Account 'will be given in thisHi/lory in Order as they happened.

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The Secret History of Pythagoras