256 ON THE GODS OF GREECE, 



though fubfequent, in the order of Creation, to the 

 primeval fluid. There feems no decifive proof of one 

 original fyftem among idolatrous nations in the worfhip 

 of river-gods and river-goddeffes, nor in the homage 

 paid to their ftreams, and the ideas of purification an- 

 nexed to them ; fince Greeks, Italians, Egyptians, and 

 Hindus, might (without any communication with each 

 other) have adored the feveral Divinities of their great 

 rivers, from which they derived pleafure, health, and 

 abundance. The notion of Doclor Mufgrave, that large 

 rivers were fuppofed, from their ftrength and rapidity, 

 to be conduced by Gods, while rivulets only were pro- 

 tected by female Deities, is, like moft other notions of 

 grammarians on the genders of nouns, overthrown by 

 fa&s. Moft of the great Indian rivers are feminine ; 

 and the three goddefTes of the waters, whom the Hindus 

 chiefly venerate, are Gangd, who fprang, like armed 

 Pallas, from the head of the Indian Jove ; Yamuna 9 

 daughter of the Sun ; and Serefwati. All three met at 

 Praydga, thence called Triveni,or the three platted locks ; 

 but Serefwati, according to the popular belief, finks 

 under ground, and rifes at another Triveni near Hiigli, 

 where fhe rejoins her beloved Gangd. The Brahma- 

 putra is, indeed, a male river; and, as his name fignifies^ 

 the Son of Brahma, I thence took occafion to feign that 

 he was married to Gangd, though I have not yet feeri 

 any mention of him, as a God, in the Sanfcrit books. 



Two incarnate deities of the firft rank, Rdma and 

 C ripin a, muR. now be introduced, and their feveral attri- 

 butes diftin6tly explained. The firft of them, I believe, 

 was the Dionyfos of the Greeks, whom they named Bro- 

 mius, without knowing why ; and Bugenes, when they 

 reprefented him horned; as well as Lyaios and Eleu- 

 therios, the Deliverer, and Triambos, or Dithyrambos, 

 the Triumphant. Moft of thefe titles were adopted by 

 the Romans, bj£ whom he was called Bruma, TaurU 



formis^ 



