34 UNIVERSAL ERUDITION. 



XX. Such was the idea they entertained of 

 Parnafius and its inhabitants. There is no 

 doubt but that under thefe fabulous repre- 

 fentations, thefe fcnfible images, were concealed 

 allegoric and moral meanings ; nor can it be de- 

 nied but that their method of cultivating the 

 arts and fciences, by this manner of expreffing 

 their ideas, was as ingenious and pleafing as rt 

 is pofiible to imagine. Every other fubject that 

 paganifm embraced, it treated with the fame ge- 

 nius and in a manner equally pleafing; and 

 though that religion was altogether fallacious, 

 yet we muft allow that it was extremely well cal- 

 culated to promote the polite arts, by thofe re- 

 fined, noble, graceful, brilliant images, by 

 thofe charming fubje&s which it conftantly pre- 

 fented, and which it ftill offers to the poet, 

 painter, fculptor and every other artift. 



XXI. But this was not a power fufHciently 

 flrong to fecure paganifm againft that vicifiitude, 

 that decline and diffolution, which finally attends 

 all the productions of this world. This religion, 

 which had fubfifted near five thoufand years, 

 and almoft from the origin of the human race, 

 gradually declined in proportion as the lights of 

 Chriftianity and philofophy illumined the minds 

 of mankind. For though the pagan religion, 

 and the fables on which it was founded, were 

 pleafing and favourable to the polite arts, they 

 were not however calculated to fatisfy the minds 

 of philofophers, nor to promote the real good of 



rnankindj 



