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.