ITALY, AND INDIA. 2ffi 



fpo'nds, as patronefs of Science and Genius, with Seref- 

 wati, the wife of Brahma, and the emblem of his prin- 

 cipal Creative Power. Both GoddefTes have given their 

 names to celebrated grammatical works; but the Saref- 

 toatao{ ' Sariipacharya is far more conciie, as well as more 

 ufeful and agreeable, than the Minerva of SanElius. 



The Minerva of Italy invented the Jlute, and Serefwati 

 prefides over melody : the protectrefs of Athens was even, 

 on the fame account,, furnamed Mujice. 



Many learned mythologies, with Giraldus at their 

 fiead, confider the peaceful Minerva as the Ijis of Egypt ; 

 from whofe temple at Sais a wonderful infcription is 

 quoted by Plutarch, which has arefemblance to the four 

 Sanferit verfes above exhibited as the text of the Bha- 

 gavat : " I am all that hath been, and is, and fhall be; 

 " and my veil no mortal hath ever removed." For my 

 part, I have no doubt that the Ifwara and Isi of the 

 Hindus, are the Ofiris and Ijis of the Egyptians ; though 

 a diftinct effay in the manner of Plutarch would be re- 

 quisite in order to demonftrate their identity : they mean, 

 I conceive, the Powers of Nature confidered as Mal-e 

 and Female; and I/is, like the other goddefTes, repre- 

 fents the a£Hve power of her lord, whofe eight forms, 

 under which he becomes vifible to man, were thus enu- 

 merated by Calidaja near two thoufandyears ago. " Wa- 

 " ter was the firit work of the Creator; and Fire receives 

 " the oblation of clarified butter, as the law ordains : 

 " the Sacrifice is performed with folemnity : the two 

 " Lights of heaven diftinguilh time; the fubtil Echer, 

 " which is the vehicle of found, pervades the univerfe; 

 " the Earth is the natural parent of all increafe ; and by 

 " Air all things breathing are animated. May Ifa, the 

 li power propitioufly apparent in thefe eight forms, jlefs 

 " and fuftain you !" The. Jive elements, therefore, as 



well 



