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and the ultimate perfection of beings. The true Egyptian name seems to have been a, Phtha, or rather bag, Phthas. It is however expressed Phtha by Jamblichus; who mentions this elementary deity, as, 3 δημιεργικος νες, the divine intellect, by which all things were fashioned. They looked upon him as the chief guardian of their country. 3 Pthas, custodem Ægypti. In respect to the adoration of the element, Diodorus endeavours to apologize for the custom, by saying, that the divine title of Hephaistus, or Vulcan, was given to fire, εις μνήμην και τιμην αθανατον, by way of honour, and to be a perpetual memorial of the great and true benefactor, the god of fire. But unfortunately this learned writer was not apprised, that the real benefactor, the only true God, was antecedently obscured, and at last banished from the hearts of men. In consequence

Laert. 1. 9. p. 551. also by the Stoics-Omnia vestri, Balbe, solent ad igneam vim referre. Cicero de Nat. Deor. 1. 3. p. 1238.

Φθας, ὁ Ηφαιςος παρα Μεμφιταις. Suidas. The name was in use all over Egypt.

3 Cicero de Nat. Deor. 1. 3. c. 22. p. 1241. It is sometimes expressed wrongly-Opas.

* I. 5. p. 341.c.

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.

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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

Σ

Orpheus composed his chief deity out of visible ele

ments

Πυρ, και idwę, και γαια, και αιθής, νυξ 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

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1 Ælian mentions a mark upon the sacred steer, ER MINITτέται τ8 φωτος είναι το σκοτος πρεσβυτερον. By which was intimated, that darkness was prior to day. It is expressed σxevos: which is a blunder of the printer: for the translator evident

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It is said, that

followed by other nations. 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 λέγεσιν ύπο Αιγυπτιων τυφμην εσαν, ότι το σκοτος τε φωτος έγεντο πρεσβύτερον. Hesychius mentions a temple of Venus Scotia in Egypt, whose rites we may presume had some reference to night. * Αφροδίτης Σκοτίας ἱερον κατ' Αιγυπτον. The Egyptian name of Venus was Athor; and one of her principal places of worship was Athor-Bet, expressed by the

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ly read σxoros, as appears from its being rendered tenebræ. Ælian de Nat. Animal. Londini 1744. l. xi. c. x. p. 617. —THY VUXTα AgoTiger. Orpheus apud Eusebium Chron.

P. 4.

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

* Hesych. Σκοτια.

3 -την Αφροδίτην Αιγυπτιοι καλεσιν Αθως. Etymolog. Mag. Αθυρ.

4 Herodotus stiles it Aragons, Atarbechis: and adds, that it was in the nome Prosopitis de auty AQgoditne igov dysov idguru. 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

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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. Muγαλήν Αθρίβιται (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.

2

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

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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. &, Baki, o, urbs. Copt. Dict. of the learned Mr Woide, p. 11.

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

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