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vice we are told divine honours were paid him by 

 the people. 



The Athenians, who were the firft people that 

 acquired any tindure of politenefs, taught the ufe 

 of corn to the reft of the Greeks. They alfo in- 

 ftru&ed them how to cultivate the ground, and 

 80 prepare it for the reception of the feed. This 

 art, we are told, was taught them by Triptoi i - 

 ntls. The Greeks foon perceived that bread was 

 more wholclbmc, and its tafte more delicate, than 

 that of acorns and the wild roots of the fields; 

 accordingly they thanked the Gods for fuch an 

 unexpected and beneficial prefent, and honoured 

 their bcnefa&or. 



As the arts of cultivation increafed, and the 

 blellings they afforded became generally experi- 

 enced, the people foon preferred them to whatever 

 the ravages of conqucft, and the cruel depreda- 

 tions of iavagc life, could procure. And accord- 

 ingly we find that the Athenian Kings, thinking 

 it more glorious to govern a fmail itate wifely, 

 than to aggrandize themfelves, and enlarge the 

 extent of their dominions by foreign conquefts, 

 withdrew their fubjects from war, and moftly 

 employed them in cultivating the earth. Thus, 

 by continued application, they brought agricul- 

 ture 



