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50 rent of acred and civil Intitutions, the Kingdom of Egypt. That wie People eem to have early oberved the Curbs of the human Paions, and the Methods of governing a large Society. They aw the general Bent of Mankind, to admire what they do not undertand, and to tand in awe of unknown Powers, which they fancy capable to do them great good or ill: They adapted their religious Belief and olemn Ceremonies to this Dipoition; made their Rites myterious, and delivered their allegorical Doctrines under great Ties of profound and pious Secrecy.

''Now, thou my Son! approach with Mind intent, And careful keep thy Tongue: But in thy Breat Revolve thee awful Sounds.—''

Hence the Number of montrous Stories concerning their Gods, which the firt Grecian Sages that travell’d into Egypt certainly undertood, and explained to their Adepts, among whom, after ome Decents, I reckon Heiod and Homer: But falling afterwards into the Hands of Men of