38^. STUDIES OF NATURE. 



Orus in her arms, fuch as we had brought it with 

 us in our veflel ; to honour her with all the facred 

 ceremonies of Egypt ; and that her prieftefles, 

 clothed in linen, fliould night and day adore her 

 with fongs, and by a life of purity, which exalts 

 Man to the Gods. ' 



He afterwards expreffed a wifli to be inftrufted 

 in reading and tracing the Ionic charaâ:ers. He 

 was fo firuck with the utility of letters, that, 

 tranfported with delight, he fung the following 

 flrains. 



*^ Behold the magic characters which have power 

 " to recal the dead from the dark receffes of the 

 " tomb. They inform us what our fathers thought 

 " a thoufand years ago j and a thoufand years 

 *' hence, they will be inftrudling our children what 

 " we think at this day. There is^no arrow that flies 

 *' fo far, neither is there any lance fo ftrong. 

 ** They can reach a man* though entrenched on the 

 *' fummit of a mountain j they penetrate into the 

 '' head though fortified with the helmer, and force 

 " their way to the heart in defiance of the cuirafs. 

 " They calm feditions, they adminifter fage coun- 

 '* fels, they conciliate affedion, they comfort, they 

 *' (Irengthen ; but in the hands of a wicked man> 

 ** they produce quite an oppofite elTeâ;." 



*' My 



