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criticism, into mere deified powers of nature, the active vivifying 
principles, and the passive media of reproduction, which, in the 
vain attempt to render comprehensible to pure intellect, 
confined on every side within material boundaries, the infinite 
and inscrutable, are shadowed forth to us, in the guise of male 
and female forms like our own. Although the higher orders of 
priests, amongst the Egyptians, probably never lost sight of 
the true origin and signification of these symbolical forms, 
that the system degenerated into mere idolatry with the 
masses, cannot be doubted, and many inferior divinities were 
introduced, but these were few indeed, when compared with 
those adopted by the nations who took the lead in pore and 
civilization, upon their decadence. 
The extent to which the lively imagination of the Greeks 
led them in this respect is so beautifully pictured in Schiller’s 
poem on Die Gotter Griechenlands.* 
Da der Dichtung zauberische Hiille 
Sich noch lieblich um die Wahrheit wand— 
Durch die Schépfung floss da Lebenfiille 
Und was nie empfinden wird, empfand. 
* * * ¥* 
Wo jetzt nur wie unsre Weisen sagen, 
Seelenlos ein Feuerball sich dreht, 
Lenkte damals seinen goldnen Wagen 
HELIOS in stiller Majestit. 
Diese Héhen fiillten Oreaden, 
Hine Dryas lebt’ in jenem Baum, 
Aus den Urnen lieblicher Najaden, 
Sprang der Stréme Silberschaum. 
Then did Poetry its magic veil, 
Gracefully o’er the True and Actual throw, 
Then did all things within creations pale, 
Now senseless deemed with life and feeling glow. 
* * * * 
Where we but now as modern sages say, 
A lifeless soulless Fireball behold, 
HELIOS in tranquil majesty, 
His golden chariots career controlled ; 
*T venture to translate these lines as literally as possible. 
one yee Tila 
