ATHENS. 215 
were placed ; and although described as a cave CHAP. 
which contained a temple of Apollo, and of Pan*, 
would barely admit the size of a human figure. 
But this allusion in antient history to temples so 
diminutive that they could not have exceeded the 
size of a child's baby-house, may receive illustra- 
tion, like many other parts of the Heathen reli- 
gion, from existing superstitions. The subject 
has not, perhaps, been sufficiently explained; as 
none of the authors who have written on Grecian 
antiquities seem to be aware of a custom which 
has been transmitted from the earliest' ages of 
Pagan worship to modern times. The 'Ispa, 
5 Greeks. 
of the Greeks, as well as the Tabernacles of 
Eastern nations, were sometimes not only porta- Portable 
lie, but they were so small, that the XIO-TKI iegau, 
used for inclosing them during journeys, scarcely 
exceeded the size of the fashionable snuff-boxes 
now used by the petit-maitres of Paris and 
London. Examples of this kind of portable shrine 
are particularly common in Russia, and in all 
countries professing the religion of the Greek 
Church : they are made either of wood or of 
metal, with two little folding-doors, which are 
thrown open when the Bogh or idol is to be 
(4) Vid. Pausan. lib. i. ubi supra. 
