RAVEN. 
233 
•crafty legislators of these celebrated nations, from a 
^oep knowledge of human nature, made superstition a 
Pfineipal feature of their religious ceremonies, well 
'Allowing- that it required a more than ordinary policy 
to govern a multitude, ever liable to the fatal iuduences 
®f iiassion ; and who, without some timely restraints, 
"'onhl hurst forth like a torrent, whose course is 
hiarked hy wide-sjireading desolation. Hence to the 
purposes of polity tlie raven was made subservient ; 
‘‘ud the Romans having consecrated it to Apollo, as to 
the god of divin.ation, its flight was observed evith the 
Si’eatest solemnity; and its tones and inflections of 
toieo were noted with a jirecisiou which intimated a 
hidief iu its infallible jireacicuco. 
, But the ancients have not been the only people 
'nfected with this species of superstition ; the moderns, 
J^en though favoured with the light of Christianity, 
have (>xhibited as much folly, through the impious 
Curiosity of prying into futurity, as the Romans them- 
®alves. " It is true that modern nations have not insti- 
h'ted their sacred c,olleges or sacerdotal orders, for the 
Purposes of divination ; but, in all countries, there have 
•U*en self-constituted augurs, whose interpretations of 
Uuieiis have been received with religious resjiect by the 
'^'■cdulous mnltilmlc. Even at this moment, in some 
Parts of the world, if a raven alight on a village church, 
?*e whole fraternity is in an uproar; and Heaven is 
’.'Uportunod, in all the ardour of devotion, to avert the 
''Upending calamity. 
^''’ination. Dmit. chap, xvlii. The Romans derivetl tlieic knnw- 
-Wse of aiwary chiefly from the Tuscans or Etrurians, who pi ac- 
it in tTic earliest times. This art was known in Italy hefore 
i^r time of Romnhis, since that ]iririce did not commence the 
ji'ding of Rome till he had taken the aup:uries. The successors 
koinulus, from a cnnvirtioii of the nsefulness of the science, and 
f ‘Pe same time not to reader it contemptible hy ln■conli^g too 
puiiliar, employed the most skilful augurs from Etruria to intro- 
the practice of it into their religious ceremonies. And, hy a 
jf'Uee of tlie .senate, some of the youtli of the best families in 
,'‘e Were aiiiiiially sent into Tuscany to he instructed in this art. 
''''ide Ciceron. de Divm . ; also Calmet and the Ahbd Baniev. 
