about the Deity. And truly I suppose it to be derived from
the imperfect knowledge the heathen legislators had at first
of the true nature of God; nor did they explain to the people
even so far as they did comprehend of it: nor did they
compose the other parts of their political settlements
according to it, but omitted it as a thing of very little
consequence, and gave leave both to the poets to introduce
what gods they pleased, and those subject to all sorts of
passions, and to the orators to procure political decrees from
the people for the admission of such foreign gods as they
thought proper. The painters also, and statuaries of Greece,
had herein great power, as each of them could contrive a
shape [proper for a god]; the one to be formed out of clay,
and the other by making a bare picture of such a one. But
those workmen that were principally admired, had the use of
ivory and of gold as the constant materials for their new
statues [whereby it comes to pass that some temples are quite
deserted, while others are in great esteem, and adorned with
all the rites of all kinds of purification]. Besides this, the
first
gods, who have long flourished in the honors done them, are
now grown old [while those that flourished after them are
come in their room as a second rank, that I may speak the
most honorably of them I can]: nay, certain other gods there
are who are newly introduced, and newly worshipped [as we,
by way of digression, have said already, and yet have left
their
places of worship desolate]; and for their temples, some of
them are already left desolate, and others are built anew,
according to the pleasure of men; whereas they ought to have