CHAP. Xril. GENII OF THE LOWER REGIONS. 89 



unknown ; and many were only inferior emanations 

 of some of those already described. Others were 

 Genii or Demons ; and some were of that class of 

 beings* who were thought to people every part of 

 the universe, and to be present unseen amongst 

 mankind, sometimes influencing their actions, and 

 sometimes themselves acting in obedience to their 

 commands. 



They were mostly represented under a human 

 form, with the heads of different quadrupeds, birds, 

 reptiles, or fishes ; among which may be mentioned 

 the cat, lion t, ape, fox, cow, ram, hare, hawk, duck, 

 crane, crocodile, tortoise (generally the entire ani- 

 mal, in the place of a head), and the garmootX 

 fish. Some were figured as mere emblems ; and 

 one even assumed the form of the usual sceptre of 

 the Gods. 



In concluding this imperfect notice of the Egyp- 

 tian Deities, I must observe, that whatever opinion 

 I have ventured to express, is offered with great 

 diffidence, owing to the intricacy of the question, 

 the imperfect information to be obtained from the 

 monuments, and the doubtful authority of Greek 

 writers. I have therefore given little more than 

 the forms of the Gods, and their principal charac- 

 ters whenever they could be ascertained ; and I 

 conclude in the words of Seneca§, applied to an 

 observation of Aristotle, — " Egregie Aristoteles ait, 

 numquam nos verecundiores esse debere, quam 

 cum de Diis agitur." 



* Vide supra. Vol. I. (2tl Series) p. 112. 217. §21, 222. 



■j- Vide infra, p. 215. 



t Silurus Carmuth, or Heterobranchus bi-dorsalis. 



§ Senec. Nat. Qujest. vii. oO. 



