M V T H L O G V. 2$ 



mankind, by fecuring their temporal and eter- 

 nal happineis. It is even furprifing, that fo great 

 a genius as the emperor Julian mould attempt 

 to revive the embers of paganiim, which infcn- 

 fibly declined, and had received a mortal blow 

 at the beginning of the fourth century by the 

 emperor Conftantine the Great. Julian em- 

 :cl all the reiburccs of his imagination, of 

 his eloquence, of his power, and even of his 

 own fatal example, to revive it, but in vain. 

 The fatal period of paganifm was arrived, and 

 nothing could lave it from deftru&ion. The 

 iurious Theodofius, to whom bigotted priefts 

 and hiftorians have affigned the name of Great, 

 totally overthrew it toward the clofe of the fame 

 century ; deftroyed thofe temples and altars 

 which yet lubiUled, difperfed its colleges and 

 exterminated its priell ,. l-'rom that dire epoch, 

 nothing of paganiim lias remained, except fomc 

 ruins difperfed in the remote parts of the earth, 

 and among people wretched and almoil unknown , 

 where this religion, once fo flourfliing and uni- 

 verfal, is now degenerated into grofs and dif- 

 guftful idolatry. 



C I i A P. 



