Chap. VII. A N T I E N T M E T A P H Y S I C S. i6r 



cd of the truth of what Arlftotlc has told us, that every thing, 

 which is poflible to exift, that is, which does not imply a contra- 

 didion to the nature of things, does adually exift; for, otherwife, 

 that poflibility or capacity of exiftence would be in vain. Now, t'le 

 fame author tells us, that as there is nothing deficient in the fyftetn 

 of the univerfe, fo there is nothing fuperfluous. 



Moreover, I am of opinion, that it was agreeable to the wifdotn 

 and goodnefs of God, that Man fhould, in the firft ages after his fall, 

 have the affiftance of fuch beings as the Egyptian Daemon-Kings 

 were, in order to enable him to recover in fome degree from his 

 fallen ftate even in this life. And, accordingly, 1 am convinced, that 

 all the arts and fciences invented in Egypt derive their origin from 

 thofe Daemon-Kings, fome of whom are mentioned as the inventors 

 of certain arts; fuch as Ifis and Ofiris, of agriculture, and Theuth, 

 or the Hermes of the Greeks and the Mercury of the Latins, of 

 the art of language, as I Ihall afterwards obferve. Nor was it in 

 Egypt only that Providence interpofed in this extraordinary way for 

 the good of man. It is preferved in the traditions of the Chinefe, 

 that while they were in the favage ftate, a man appeared among 

 them, whom they called the Son of Hea'vcn: And, in their religious 

 proceffions, they Ihow the figures of twenty-four men, whom they call 

 immortals. Now thefe with the Son of Heaven, as they called him 

 we may, I think, with great probability, fuppofe to have been De- 

 mons, who, like thofe in Egypt, civilifed the people,, and gave them 

 laws ; and for that reafon are remembered, and have thofe honours 

 done them. Manco Capuc, the firft Inka of Peru, and his fifter- 

 wife, have a very great refemblance to the Ofiris and Ifis of the E- 

 gyptians : So great, that I have not the leaft doubt of their bein^- 

 fuch Txmons as the Egyptian; for I think it is impoffible to ac- 

 count, how fuch a man or woman ftiould have appeared in Peru at 

 fo early a period as the eighth or ninth century, and introduced ci- 



V0L.1V. X ,;ilUy 



