blime manner, all the fpecies of objects which our fenfes dif cover, and all the beauties of which the human body is fufceptible, in the different periods of life. Had not rebellious matter oppofed, with an invincible refiftance, the action of the Divine Being, the vifible world would have poffeffed all the perfections of the intellectual. Particular beauties indeed would have made on us but a flight impreffion, because they would have been common to individuals of the fame fex and the fame age; but how much stronger and more durable would have been our emotions at beholding fuch a profufion of beauties, ever pure, and without the least mixture, ever the fame, and ever new! In our present state, the foul, in which fhines a ray of light emanated from the Divinity, inceffantly fighs after this effential beauty'; seeks its feeble remains difperfed in the beings which furround it; and elicits from itself fome fparkles of it, which are refplendent in the noble productions of the arts, and cause us to acknowledge that their authors, no lefs than the poets, are animated by a celeftial flames. This theory was admired, but at the fame time combated. Philotas took up the difcourfe. Ariftotle, faid he, who never indulges his imagination, perhaps because Plato has indulged his but too much, has been contented with saying, that beauty is order in grandeurt. In fact, order fuppofes fymmetry, fitness, and harmony; in grandeur are comprised fimplicity, unity, and majefty. It was agreed that this definition contained nearly all the characteristics of beauty, both univerfal and particular. We went from Cnidus to Mylafa, one of the principal cities of Caria. It poffeffes a rich territory, and contains a great number of temples, fome of them very ancient, and built of a * See Chap. LIX. Plat. de Leg lib. 1o. t. ii. p. 597. in Phædr. p. 251. id. s Jun. de Pict. lib. I. cap. 4. p. 23. t Ariftot. de Mor. lib. 4. cap. 7. t. ii. p. 49. Id. de Poet. cap. 7. t. ii. P. 658. beautiful marble, dug from a neighbouring quarry". In the evening, Stratonicus told us he intended to play on the cithara, in the presence of the people of the place; and was not to be diffuaded from his defign by our hoft, who related to him a fact that had lately happened in another city of that district, named Iafus. The multitude having collected together at the invitation of a player on the cithara, at the moment when he displayed all the powers of his art, the trumpet founded, to give notice of the fale of fish, on which all his hearers ran away to the market, except one honeft citizen who was rather deaf. The mufician approached him, to thank him for his polite attention, and congratulate him on his good taste — What, faid he, has the trumpet founded !-It certainly has, replied the mufician.-Farewell then, said the other, I must be gone this moment. On the next day, Stratonicus, being in the middle of the forum, and feeing only a very few auditors round him, began to cry with his utmost strength, "O ye temples, hear me !" This was all the revenge he took for the contempt with which the Greeks of Caria treated his extraordinary abilities ". He was expofed to greater danger at Caunus. The country there is fertile; but the heat of the climate, and the great abundance of fruits, often occafion fevers. We were aftonished at the number of pale and languid fick perfons whom we saw in the streets. Stratonicus thought proper to quote to them à verse of Homer, in which the race of men is compared to the leaves on trees z. This was in the autumn, when the leaves were yellow. Perceiving that the people were offended at his pleasantry, he added—“ I could not mean to say that this place is unwholefome, for I here every day fee the dead walking about the streets." It was now neceffary to depart immediately, which we did; but not without many reproaches u Strab. lib. 14. p. 658. Herodot. Lib. 1. cap. 171.. x Id. ibid. p. 658. y Athen. lib. 8. cap. 9. p. 348. z Homer. Iliad. lib. 6. v. 146. a Strab. lib. 14. p. 651. Euftath. in Dionyf. Perieg. v. 533. ap. Geograph, Min. t. iv. p. 101. on Stratonicus, who laughing told us, that once at Corinth, having suffered fome indiscreet jokes to escape him, he obferved an old woman furveying him with great attention; and when he inquired why she did fo, received for answer, "I am astonished how your mother could bear you within ber nine months, when this city cannot a fingle day." CHA P. LXXIII. CONTINUATION OF THE PRECEDING CHAPTER. The Islands of Rhodes, Crete, and Cos. WE embarked at Caunus. As we approached Rhodes, Stratonicus fang to us that beautiful ode in which, among other praises Pindar has bestowed on that ifland, he caMs it the daughter of Venus, and the spouse of the Sun; expreffions which perhaps have a reference to the pleasures the goddefs there distributes, and to the attention of the god to honour it inceffantly with his presence; for it is affirmed that there is no day in the year on which he is not visible there for fome moments . The Rhodians confider him as their principal divinity, and his image is ftamped on all their money. Rhodes was first named Ophiusa f, that is to fay, the isle of ferpents; a name given alfo to feveral other islands which abounded in those reptiles, when they were first taken poffeffion of by men and it may be made a general remark, that a great number of places, at the time of their first discovery, were named after the animals, trees, plants, and flowers which 1 were found there in greatest abundance. It was faid, I am going to the country of quails, of cypreffes, of laurels, &c. & In the time of Homer, the island of which I fpeak was divided between the cities of Ialyfus, Camirus, and Lindus", which still exist, though deprived of their ancient splendour. Almost in our time, the greater part of their inhabitants, having refolved to settle in one place to unite their strength ', laid the foundations of the city of Rhodes *, after the defigns of an Athenian architect *. They conveyed thither the statues that had adorned their former abodes', and of which some are truly coloffal m†. The new city was built in the form of an amphitheatre, on a fpot of ground which has a declivity to the fea-fhore. Its ports, arfenals, and walls, which are extremely high, and defended by towers; its houses built with stone, and not with brick; its temples, streets, and theatresall bear the imprefs of grandeur and beauty; all proclaim the taste of a people who cherish the arts, and whofe opulence enables them to execute great defigns. The air of the island of Rhodes is pure and ferene P. The country contains fertile diftricts, and produces excellent grapes and wine, trees of particular beauty, and honey which is in great esteem. We also find there falt-pits and marble quarries; and the furrounding sea furnishes the island with fish in abundance. Thefe advantages, and others befide, have occa 8 Euftath. in Dionyf. v. 453, p. 84 Spanh. de Præft. Num. t. i. p. 320. Homer. Iliad. lib. 2. v. 656. Pind. Olymp. 7. v. 135. i Strab. lib. 14. P 655. Diod. Sic. lib. 13. p. 196. Conon. ap. Phot. p. 456 Ariftid. Orat. de Concord. t. ii. P. 398. In the Ift year of the 93d Olympiad (Diod. Sic. lib. 13. p. 196.) before Chrift 408 or 407. k Strab. ibid. p. 654. Pind. Olymp. 7. v. 95. Plin. lib. 34. cap. 7. t. ii. p. 647. ↑ Among thefe coloffal ftatues 1 do ot include the famous coloffus which, according to Pliny, was feventy cubits high, because it was not erected till about fixty-four years after the time in which I place the voyage of Anacharfis to Rhodes (Meurf. in Rhod. lib. 1. cap. 15). But I mention it here to fhow what a tafte the Rhodians had in thofe times for gigantic flatues. n Diod. Sic. lib. 20. p. 811. Strab. lib. 14. p. 652. Diod. Sic. lib. 19. p. 689. Paufan. lib. 4. cap. 31. p. 356. Ariftid. Orat. Rhodiac. t. ii. p. 342 et 358. Dio. Chryfoft. orat. 31. p. 354. P Suet. in Tiber. cap. II. I. fioned the poets to fay that a golden rain defcends on Rhodes from heaven". Nature was affifted by industry. Before the æra of the Olympiads, the Rhodians applied themselves to maritime affairs s. Their island, by its happy fituation, invited ships to put in there in their paffage from Egypt to Greece, or Greeee to Egypt ". They fucceffively formed fettlements in the greater part of the places to which they were drawn by commerce. Among their numerous colonies we must reckon Parthenope and Salapia in Italy, Agrigentum and Gela in Sicily, Rhodes † on the coaft of Iberia, at the foot of the Py-renees, &c. x * The progrefs of their improvement in knowledge is marked by æras fufficiently diftinct. In the moft ancient times. they were taught by fome ftrangers, known by the name of Telchinians, certain proceffes, at that time no doubt very rude, for working metals; and the authors of this beneficial discovery were fufpected of employing magical operations ". Men more enlightened afterwards gave them ideas on the course of the heavenly bodies, and on the art of divination, These were called the children of the fun. At length men of genius induced them to submit to laws, the wisdom of which is universally acknowledged". Thofe relative to their navy will always preferve it in a flourishing condition, and may ferve as a model to all commercial nations. The Rhodians confidently navigate every fea, and vifit every coaft. The lightness and speed of their veffels, the difcipline obferved on |