188 MYTH AND SCIENCE. 



were with few exceptions to use their reason. Among 

 philosophers, the popular belief in a personal Olympus 

 had disappeared, and a more rational study of mankind 

 did not allow them to understand or comprehend a 

 dogma which re-established anthropomorphism under 

 another aspect, so that this new and impious super- 

 stition became the object of persecution. These were, 

 however, mere exceptions, an anticipation of the 

 opposition of reason to mythical ideas, which became 

 more vigorous in every successive age, until the time 

 arrived when reason, educated by a long course of 

 exercise, was able to renew the effort with greater 

 authority and success. The common people gradually 

 became Christian, and so also did educated men, who 

 thus added the authority of the schools to a teaching 

 accepted by the feelings and innate inclination of the 

 race, and hence followed the theological development 

 of Christian dogma. 



" These new principles and beliefs, eventually 

 accepted by all the nations of Europe, both barbarous 

 and civilized, not only brought to perfection the 

 religious intuition characteristic of the morality 

 and civilization of the race, but they produced a 

 new and renovating power in historical and social 

 life. This fresh virtue consisted in the belief in a 

 power consubstautially divine and human. Although 

 the pagan gods were human in their extrinsic and 

 intrinsic form, only differing from mortals by their 

 mighty privileges, yet they were personally distinct 



