264 The Poets' Beasts. 



" The scape-goat on his head 

 The people's trespass bore, 

 And to the desert led, 



Was to be seen no more : 

 In him our Surety seemed to say, 

 * Behold, I bear your sins away.'" 



Nor also should it be overlooked that the goat which 

 was drawn "for Jehovah" was at once led to the altar and 

 slain for the " Great Atonement." So that the one which 

 was set at liberty was not less honourable than the other 

 which was dedicated to death. Nor can it be said to have 

 been less fortunate. 



The legend of the scape-goat is a very widespread one, 

 and belongs indeed to those "primitive fancies" with 

 which each nation seems to have started as a stock in 

 common. In sacrifice, also, it has always been conspicuous. 

 But this is a melancholy distinction which in one way or 

 another has befallen every animal man could manage to 

 catch for the purpose, but which should never be supposed 

 to derogate from the victim's respectability, or else humanity 

 itself becomes contemptible on the altar, and the life of 

 man be held a worthless offering. 



In parts of Egypt the he-goat was sacrificed ; in others 

 it was worshipped. Thus, the Memphians held public 

 mourning, whenever one of the "horn-lifting" animals went 

 over to the majority. 



As the wet-nurse of the King of Olympus — 



" Above the rest in grace Adraste stood, 

 Who rocked the golden cradle of the God, 

 On his ambrosial lips the goat distilled 

 Her milky store, and fed ih' immortal cliild " — 



the she-goat arrives at considerable conseciuencc, and its 

 horns, presented by grateful Jove to Amalthea, the sister 

 of the honey-nymph, flourishes immortal as the cornucopia, 

 the horn of plenty, and glitters among the stars. Indeed, 



