would have been neceffary that I should have confined myself to obferve certain practices, and abftain from different kinds of eatables, which might have laid me under a difagreeable refraint, I contented myself with making fame researches concerning this inftitution, and obtaining information of various particulars relative to it, which I may make known without fear of incurring the guilt of perjury. I fhall annex them to the account of the last journey that I made to Eleufis, on occafion of the greater myfteries, which are annually celebrated there on the 15th of the month Boedromion. The feftival of the leffer myfteries is likewife annual, and is observed fix months before.

During the celebration of the former, all judicial profecutions are rigerously forbidden, nor may any feizure be made on any debtor already condemned by the laws. On the day after the festival, the fenate makes a ftrict inquiry into the conduct of thofe who are accufed of having by acts of violence, or in any other manner, difturbed the regularity of the ceremonies; and if they are found guilty they are condemned to death, or to pay heavy fines. This feverity is perhaps neceffary to maintain order among fuch an immenfe multitude as is affembled at Eleufis. In time of war, the Athenians fend deputies to all parts of Greece, to offer paffports to thofe who defire to attend at the festivals, whether they have received initiation, or only come as fpectators.

I departed for Eleufis, in company 'with fome friends, on the 14th of Boedromion, in the 2d year of the 109th Olympiad. The gate by which we leave Athens to go to Eleufis is named the Sacred gate, and the road which leads thither, the Sacred way. The diftance is about ten ftadia. After having croffed a rather high hill, which is covered with laurel rofes, we enter ed the territory of Eleufis, and arrived on the banks of two fmall ftreams, 3 B VOL. XIV. No. 83.

confecrated, the one to Ceres, and the other to Proferpine. I mention them, because the priests of the temple only are permitted to fish in them, and becaufe their water is falt, and made ufe of in the ceremonies of initiation.

Farther on, upon the bridge over a river which bears the name of Cephifus, like that, which flows near Athens, we were attacked with grofs jokes and pleafantries by great numbers of the populace, who were affembled there, and who, during the feftival, there take their flation, as in a kind of ambuscade, to divert themfelves at the expence of those who pafs by, and especially the perfons of most eminence in the republic. Such was the reception, as tradition relates, which Ceres, on her arrival at Eleufis, here met with from an old woman named Iambe.

At a fmali diftance from the fea, a large hill extends into the plain, from the north-west to the fouth-east, on the brow-and eastern extremity of which stands the famous temple of Ceres and Proferpine. Under it is the small town of Eleufis. In the environs, and on the hill itself, are feve ral facred monuments, fuch as chapels and altars; and rich individuals of Athens have here pleasant and beautiful villas.

The temple, built under the adminiftration of Pericles, of marble of Pentelicus, on the rock itself, which was levelled, fronts the eaft. It is equally vaft and magnificent. Its length, from north to fouth, is about 384 feet, and its breadth about 325. The most celebrated artifts were employed in its conftruction and decoration.

The

Among the minifters of this temple there are four principle ones. firft is the Hierophant: his name fignifies he who reveals the facred things; and his principal function is to instiate into the myfteries. He appears in a diftinguished robe, his head adorned with a diadem, and his hair flowing on his fhoulders. His age must be fufficiently

The office of the fecond minifter is to carry the facred torch in the cere, monies, and purify those who prefent themfelves for initiation: he, like the Hierophant, has the right to wear a diadem. The two others are the facred herald, and the affiftant at the altar: the office of the former is to command the profane to retire, and to maintain filence and ferious thoughtfulness among the initiated; that of the latter is to affift the others in their feveral functions.

The refpect they claim from the fanctity of their miniftry is ftill more heightened by their illuftrious birth. The Hierophant is chofen from the houfe of the Eumolpide, one of the moft ancient in Athens; and the fa-cred herald from that of the Ceryces, which is a branch of the Eumolpida. The two others are chofen from families equally illuftrious; and all the four have under them several fubaltern minifters, fach as interpreters, chanters, and officers whofe place it is to arrange the proceffions, and regulate the minutiae of the different ceremonies.

There are alfo at Eleufis pricfteffes confecrated to Ceres and Proferpine. They may initiate certain perfons; and, on particular days in the year, offer facrifices for individuals.

The fecond of the archons prefides at the feftivals, and is efpecially charged to maintain order in them, and to fee that no irregularities are admitted into the celebration of the religious rites. These last feveral days. The initiated fometimes interrupt their fleep to continue their ceremonies. We faw them, during the night, leave

On one of the days games were celebrated in honour of the goddesses. Famous athletæ, from the different countries of Greece, repaired to the feftival; and the reward of the conqueror was a measure of barley, grown on the neighbouring plain, the inhabi tants of which, inftructed by Ceres, were the firft who cultivated that fpecies of corn.

On the fixth day, which is the most fplendid, the priefts, accompanied by the initiated, carried from Athers to Eleufis the ftatue of Iacchus, who is faid to have been the fon either of Ceres or of Proferpine. The god was crowned with myrtle, and bore a torch. Nearly thirty thousand perfons followed, and the air refounded with the name of Iacchus.. The proceflion, regulated by the found of mufical inftruments and the chanting of hymns, was fometimes interrupted by facrifices and dances. Theftatue was brought into the temple at Eleufis; and afterward carried back to its own, with the fame pomp and ceremonies.

Many of thofe who followed in the proceffion had yet been only admitted into the leffer myfteries, celebrated annually in a fmall temple fituated near the Iliffus, at the gates of Athens.There one of the priests of the fecond order is appointed to examine and prepare the candidates. He excludes them if they have been guilty of for cery, or of any atrocious crime; and especially if they have committed ho

micide,

micide, even though involuntarily.He enjoins the others frequent expiations; and convincing them of the neceffity of preferring the light of truth to the darkness of error, diffeminates in their minds the feeds of the facred doctrine. He exhorts them to reprefs every violent paffion; and, by purity of mind and heart, to merit the inefti mable benefit of initiation.

Their noviciate fometimes continues feveral years, and muft laft at least one entire year. During the time of their trial, the candidates attend the feftivals of Eleufis; but remain without the gate of the temple, and anxioufly wait the hour in which they fhall be permitted to enter.

This hour had at length arrived. The following night was appointed for the ceremonies of initiation into the greater myfteries. As a preparation for them, facrifices and prayers were offered for the profperity of the ftate, by the second archon, attended by four affiftants, chofen by the people. The novices were crowned with myrtle.

The robes in which they are initiated are fuppofed to acquire fuch fanctity by the ceremony, that the greater part continue to wear them till they are quite worn out; and others make them into fwaddling clothes for their children, or hang them up in the temple. We faw the candidates enter the facred inclofure; and the next day one of the newly initiated, with whom I was particularly intimate, gave me an account of fome ceremonies to which he had been witnefs.

We found, faid he, the priefts of the temple habited in their pontifical vestments. The Hierophant, who on this occafion reprefents the Creator of the univerfe, was invefted with fymbols fignificatory of the Supreme Power; the torch-bearer, and the afsistant at the altar, with those of the Sun and Moon; and the facred herald with thofe of Mercury.

No fooner had we taken our placés than the herald proclaimed: Far

"hence be the profane, the impious, " and all thofe whofe fouls are pollut"ed with guilt." After this notice, death would be the punishment of any perfon who fhould have the rathness to remain in the affembly without having been initiated. The fecond prieft caufed the fkins of the victims offered in facrifice to be fpread 'under our feet, and purified us anew. The ritual of initiation was read aloud, and hymns were fung in honour of Ceres.

Soon after a hollow found was heard, and the earth feemed to groan beneath our feet: we heard thunder; and perceived, by the glare of light ning, phantoms and fpectres wandering in darknefs, and filling the holy places with howlings that chilled us with terror, and groans that rent our hearts. Agonizing pain, corroding care, poverty, difeafes, and death, prefented themfelves to our eyes in dreadful and funereal forms. The Hierophant explained to us these fe veral emblems, and his animated defcription still added to our inquietude and our fears.

of

of ingratitude, there meet their punishment; as alfo every crime that efcapes the vengeance of human laws, or tends to deftroy the worship of the gods. We faw the furies, armed with fcourges, relentlessly purfuing the guilty.

Thefe terrific fcenes, inceffantly rendered more animated by the fonorous and majefic voice of the Hierophant, who appeared to be the minifter of divine vengeance, filled us with dread; and scarcely could we recover from our apprehenfions, when we were led into delightful groves and fmiling meadows, the abodes of happinefs, and the image of the Elyfian Fields, illuminated by a ferene and pure light, and where harmonious voices uttered the most enchanting founds. Thence we were brought into the fanctuary, where we beheld the flatue of the goddefs refplendent with light, and adorned with all its richeft ornaments. Here our trials were to end, and here we faw and heard things which it is not permitted to reveal. I fhall only add that, in the intoxication of a holy joy, we fang hymns, in which we congratulated ourselves on our happinefs.

Such was the account 1 received from my newly initiated friend: I learned from another a circumftance which he had omitted. On one of the days of the feftival, the Hierophant uncovered the myftic baskets, which are carried in the proceffions, and are the objects of public veneration. They contain the facred fymbols, which may not be seen by the profane; but which, however, are only cakes of different shapes, fome grains of falt, and other things, relative either to the hiftory of Ceres, or to the doctrines taught in the myfteries. The initiated, after having removed them from one basket into another, affirm that they have fafted and drank Ciceon.

Among thofe who have not been initiated, I have frequently heard men of fenfe and learning communicate to each other doubts and opinions conGerning the doctrines taught in the my

fteries of Ceres. Do they only con tain, faid they, the hiftory of nature and its revolutions; or are they folely intended to fhew that, by means of laws and agriculture, man has been advanced from the ftate of barbarifm to that of civilized life? But why fhould ideas like these be covered with the veil of fecrefy? A difciple of Plato modeftly propofed a conjecture which I fhall here give my readers.

It appears undeniable, faid he, that the neceflity of the rewards and punishments which await us after death was inculcated in the myfteries, and that the initiated were prefented with a reprefentation of the different deftinies prepared for men in this and the other world. It also appears certain that they were taught by the Hierophant, that, among that great number of divinities which are adored by the multitude, fome are pure genii, who are the minifters of the will of the Supreme Being, and regulate, fubfervient to his commands, ali the motions of the univerfe; while others have been only mere mortals, whofe tombs are ftill to be feen in different parts of Greece.

Is it not, therefore, natural to imagine, that the inflitutors of the myfte ries, wishing to diffufe a more juft idea of the Supreme Being, earnestly endeavoured to establish a doctrine, of which traces, more or lefs manifeft, are found in the opinions and ceremonies of almost all nations that there is one God, who is the author and end of all things? and this doctrine is, in my opinion, the momentous fecret revealed to the initiated.

The establishment of this religious affociation was doubtless favoured by political views. Polytheifm had be come general, when it was perceived what fatal confequences refulted to morality from a worship, the objects of which were only multiplied to authorize every fpecies of injuftice and vice; but this worship was equally agreeable to the people from its antiquity, and

even from its imperfections. Far, therefore, from fruitlessly attempting to abolish it, endeavours were made by the legiflator to counterbalance it by a more pure religion, which fhould repair the injuries done to fociety by polytheifm. As the multitude are more easily reftrained by the laws than by manners, it was thought they might be abandoned to fuperftitions, of which it would be eafy to prevent the abufe; but, as the more enlightened citizens are influenced more by manners than by the laws, it was judged proper to communicate to them a doctrine adapted to render them virtuous.

You are now able to conceive why the gods are permitted to be introduced in ludicrous fituations on the ftage of Athens. The magiftrates, deliver ed from the false ideas of polytheifm, attempt not to reprefs a liberty which can do no injury to the people, and which contributes to their amufement. You likewife understand how two religions, fo oppofite in their doctrines, have fubfifted for fo long a time in the fame place, without disturbance or rivalry; it is becaufe, though their doctrines are different, their language is the fame; and truth fhews that respect to error which it may be expected to require.

The myfteries externally have the appearance of the religious worship adopted by the people. The hymns which are fung in public, and the greater part of the ceremonies, prefent to

us feveral circumftances of the rape of Proferpine, the purfuit of Ceres, and her arrival and ftay at Eleufis: the environs of that town are covered with monuments erected in honour of the goddefs; and the ftone on which it is pretended fhe fat down when exhausted with fatigue, is ftill fhewn. Thus, on the one hand, perfons of little knowledge and difcernment fuffer themfelves to be perfuaded by appearances that favour their prejudices; and, on the other, the initiated, penetrating to the fpirit of the mysteries, believe they may rely on the purity of their intentions.

Whatever foundation there may be for the conjecture I have here given, initiation is at prefent little more than an idle ceremony: those who receive it are not more virtuous than others; they every day violate the vow they have made to abftain from fowl, fish, pomegranates, beans, and many other kinds of pulfe and fruits. Many among them have contracted this facred engagement in a manner by no means fuitable to its object; for, almoft in our time, the government, to retrieve the exhaufted ftare of the finances, has been known to grant permiffion that the right of participating in the myfteries fhould be purchafed, and women of diffolute life have long been admitted to initiation: a time therefore muft arrive when the moft facred of affociations will be entirely corrupted and disfigured.

L°

anxiety in hearts before infenfible; and by thefe multiplied triumphs prepared the way for the moft glorious of all-the marriage of Ifmene and Theageanes.

As I was a witnefs to the ceremonies with which this union was accompanied, I fhall proceed to relate

them,