PREFACE.. 2 37 
as foon as fome impoftor was impudent enough 
to aflert it. Add to this, that the difpofition in 
fome birds to imitate the human voice muft con- 
tribute much to the confirmation of fuch a doc- 
trine. This inftitution of augury feems to have 
been much more antient than that of arufpicy •, for 
we find many inftances of the former in Homer, 
but not a fingle one of the latter that i know of \ 
though frequent mention is made of facrifices in 
that author. From the whole of what i have ob- 
ferved, i fhould be apt to think that natural au- 
gury gave rife to religious augury, and this to 
arufpicy, as the mind of man makes a very eafy 
tranfition from a little truth to a great deal of 
error. 
A paffage in Ariftophanes gave me the hint for 
what i have been faying. In the comedy of the 
Birds he makes one of them fay thus : c The 
4 greateft bleflings which can happen to you 
4 mortals are derived from us ; firft we {hew you 
4 the feafons, viz. fpring, winter, autumn. The 
4 crane points out the time for fowing, when fhe 
4 flies with her warning notes into iEgypt ; fhe 
f bids the failer hang up his rudder and take his 
4 reft, and every prudent man provide himfelf 
4 with winter garments. Next the kite appear- 
4 ing, proclaims another feafon, viz. when it is 
4 time to fhear your fheep. After that the fwal- 
4 low informs you when it is time to put on fum- 
4 mer cloaths. We are to you, adds the chorus, 
4 Ammon, Dodona , Apollo ; for after confult- 
4 ing us you undertake every thing $ merchandize, 
4 purchafes, marriages, &c. Are we not then to 
4 you on the footing of Apollo, &c . 9 Now it 
feems not improbable, that the fame tranfition 
was 
