Book I. land of BARBADOS. 19 
almoft covered the Face of the whole Land, and, like their kindred 
Locufts, devoured every green Thing; and as the Crocodiles proved 
often very deftruétive to their Herds; the Egyptians therefore built Tem- 
ples and Altars to thefe, and worfhiped them, in Hopes, that either they, 
or the fuppofed Deity, who prefided over them, would be more propi- 
tious, and lefs hurtful, to them for the future. 
It was upon the fame Principle that the polite Romans deified Fevers, 
and dedicated Temples to them. But it is hard to conceive, that there 
was any Good to be hoped, or Evil be dreaded, from an harmlefs black 
Snake, which was one of the Objeéts of Worthip among thefe Slaves, or 
from a parti-coloured Fowl, which was never thought by any other 
Nation to be even ominous, much lefs to have Qualities that would 
render it, to a reafonable Creature, the Object of divine Worfhip. 
Here we fee the Effect of unaffifted Reafon ; and that it cannot, to the 
Bulk of Mankind, under fuch Circumftances, be a fufficient Guide to a 
reafonable Service towards God.. 
Indeed, fuch a Religion is fo void of improved Reafon, and {pecula- 
tive Thinking, that it furpaffeth the groffeft Apoftafies of the’ Jews, in 
their Imitation of the Egyptians, Syrians, and (24) Phanicians, fo much 
complained of by the Prophets J/aiah and Exebiel. 
From the Difpofition and Manners of the Inhabitants, the next Thing The Nature 
that will naturally fall under our Confideration, will be the Nature of the°! %* 5°! 
Soil. ‘This chiefly is black, in low deep Lands, in fhallower Parts fome- 
what reddifh, on the Hills frequently of a whitith chalky marly Nature, 
and, near the Sea, generally fandy. F 
By fuch Variety, Providence hath wifely adapted different Soils to the 
different Nature of the feveral Kinds of Trees, Shrubs, and Plants. 
1 rt ts, Where 
(24) Thefe, among the many Apoftafies of the J/-aelites, mentioned by the Prophets, ‘are elegantly de- 
feribed by the great and ingenious Mr. Adi/ton, who, {peaking of the Egyptian and Syrian Idols, fays, j 
For thofe the Race of Mrael oft forfook 
Their living Strength, and unfrequented left 
His righteous Altar, bowing lowly down 
Lo beftial Gods ; for which their Heads as low 
Bow’d down in Battle, funk before the Spear 
Of defpicable Foes. Wath thefe in Troop 
Came Afhtoreth, whom the Pheenicians cal’'d 
Aftarte, Queen of Heav’n, with crefient Horns ; 
To whofe bright Lmage nightly by the Moon 
Sidonian Virgins paid their Vows and Songs : 
In Sion, alfa, not unfung, where flood 
Her Temple on th’offenfive Mountain built 
By that uxorious King, whofe Heart, tho’ large, 
Beguil’d by fair Idolatreffes, fell 
To Idols foul. Thammuz came next bebind: 
Whofe annual Wound in Lebanon allur’d 
The Syrian Dam/els to lament his Fate 
In am’rous Ditties all a Summer’s Day ; 
While fmooth Adonis from his native Rock 
Ran purple to the Sea, fuppos'd with Blood 
Of Thammuz yearly wounded : The Love-Tale 
Infected Sion’s Daughters with like Heat ; 
Whofe wanton Paffions in the facred Porch 
Ezekiel faw, when, by the Vifion led, 
His Eyes furvey’d the dark Idolatries 
Of alienated Judah, ——— Paradife Loft, Lib. I. Ver, 432. 
