420 
Deterioration of Pcipet. [Dec. 1, 
A* 
mazes of mysticism. u The Deity,’’ 
says this philosophical visionary, 44 view¬ 
ing in his own intellect the ideas or 
archetypes of all possible existence, 
formed the beautiful arrangement of 
the universe from that rude indigested 
matter, which existing from all eternity, 
had been for ever animated by an irre¬ 
gular principle of motion. Considering 
that beings possessed of mental powers 
are far preferable to those destitute of 
such faculties, the Deity infused into 
the corporeal world a rational soul; 
uniting it with the active but irra¬ 
tional principle essentially inherent in 
matter. Again contemplating the ideal 
forms in his own mind, he perceived 
there the exemplars of three species of 
beings, which he realized in the mortal 
inhabitants of earth, air, and water. 
The souls of men the Deity formed from 
the rational sold of the world. They 
first existed in the state of demons or 
atherial spirits, fyc. £fc.” From this 
slight specimen of the reveries of this 
truly illustrious ancient, which would 
now rank with those of Belimen and 
Swedenborg, we may form an opinion 
how far Flato was entitled 44 to view 
with a smile of pity and indulgence the 
various errors of the vulgar.” 
In respect to Xenophon, it may suf¬ 
fice to refer to the very apposite, though 
in another view insidious, observations 
of Mr. Hume in his Essay on Natural 
Religion, (vol. 2, pp. 511, 46.) 41 Xeno¬ 
phon’s conduct,” says this acute writer, 
44 as related by himself, is an incon¬ 
testable proof of the general credulity 
of mankind in those ages. That great 
captain and philosopher, the disciple 
of Socrates, and one who has delivered 
some of the most refined sentiments, 
with regard to a deity, gave all the 
following marks of vulgar Pagan su¬ 
perstition: By Socrates’ advice he con¬ 
sulted the Oracle of Delphi before he 
would engage in the expedition of 
Cyrus. The Greeks suffering from a cold 
north wind, sacrificed to it, and it im¬ 
mediately abated. He is determined 
by the victims to refuse the sole com¬ 
mand of the army. He mentions the 
place, of Hercules’ descent into hell, 
and says the marks of it are still re¬ 
maining, &c. &c.” Hume, however, 
has omitted the most remarkable, and 
indeed astonishing, instance of super¬ 
stition and absurdity, recorded by 
Xenophon in the same admired work, 
with peculiar feelings of satisfaction 
and complacency. 
At Athens there were two temples 
dedicated to Jupiter; the one as Basi- 
leus, the king, the other as Meilichius. 
the preserver. On crossing the Hel¬ 
lespont to Lampsacus with the remains 
of the Cyreian army, he met, as he in¬ 
forms us,with an useful friend, Euclides, 
a Phliasian piiest, deeply skilled in 
augury, who enquiring of his fortunes, 
was told that he had not even enough of 
money to convey him to Greece. Eu¬ 
clides asked 44 whether he had at any 
time sacrificed to the Meilichiau Jupi¬ 
ter?” Xenophon acknowledged that 
he had not since he left Athens ; though 
frequently to Basileus. Euclides then 
said, i4 the Meilichian Jupiter is an 
obstacle to you,’’ and counselled him 
to offer an holocaust to that god, assur¬ 
ing him that it would be to his advan¬ 
tage. He did so, and the omens were 
favourable On a subsequent fortunate 
adventure, Xenophon exclaims, 44 This 
was the success promised at Larnpsa- 
cus!” adding, with pious gratitude, 
44 that he had now no reason to complain 
of Jupiter Meilichias.” Were then these 
two Jupiters two different deities ? and 
not merely to be worshipped as distinct 
gods, but jealous and envious rivals ? 
Assuredly the force of folly could no 
farther go, and we are compelled to ask. 
whether Xenophon is or is not to be in¬ 
cluded in the number of those enlight¬ 
ened philosophers 44 who viewed with a 
smile of pity the errors of the vulgar, 
while he asserted the independent dignity 
of reason ?” If included, how is the pride 
of philosophy humbled ! if excluded, 
where will Mr. G. find his boasted 
sages and philosophers? In a word, 
the high flown tirade of Mr. G. which 
he delivers in a tone as decisive and 
arrogant as if it were 44 Crowner's 
Quest Lawf is not only unsupported 
by a shadow of evidence, but contra¬ 
dicted and confuted by every existing 
memorial. M. M. 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine* 
SIR, 
EVERAL complaints having been 
urged in different journals upon 
the general inferiority of the writing 
and printing paper of this country's 
manufacture, compared to what it was, 
say 25 to 30 years back, and as no com¬ 
petent person has thought proper to 
treat upon the subject which, perhaps, 
an ingenious manufacturer is solely 
able to do, I shall endeavour by a few 
leading outlines to acquaint the public 
of the source from which the aforesaid 
deterioration arises, namely, what 
causes 
