Plate 11

LETRA

Plate 11

[plate 11]
the ancient poets animated all sensible objects with gods or geniuses.
calling them by names and adoring them with the properties of woods,
rivers, mountains, lakes, cities, nations, and whatever their enlarged and
numerous senses could perceive. and particulary they studied the genius of
each city & country, placing it under its mental deity; till a system was
formed, which some took advantage of,& enslav'd the vulgar by attempting
to realize or abstract the mental deities from their objects: thus began
priesthood; choosing forms of worship from poetic tales. and it length
they pronounc'd that the gods had order'd such things. thus men forgot
that all deities reside in the human breast.