The Elogium of Hacon. P. 239, 240 The Hiftory of Charles and Grymer, SUPPLEMENT. p. 269 Hyperboreorum Atlantiorum, feu Suiogotorum et Nordmannorum EDDA, &c. Opera et ftudio JOHANNIS GORANSON, P. 275 1 THE AUTHOR'S INTRODUCTION I TO VOLUME THE SECOND. KNOW not, whether among the mul titude of interefting objects which hiftory offers to our reflection, there are any more worthy to engage our thoughts, than te different Religions which have appeared with splendour in the world. It is on this ftage, if I may be allowed the expreffion, that men are represented, as they really are; that their characters are distinctly marked and truly exhibited. Here they difplay all the foibles, the paffions and wants of the heart; the refources, the powers and the imperfections of the mind. It is only by ftudying the different Religions that we become fenfible how far our natures are capable of being debafed by prejudices, or elevated, even above themfelves, by found and folid principles. If VOL. II. a the the human heart is a profound abyss, the Religions that have prevailed in the world have brought to light its moft hidden fecrets: They alone have imprinted on the heart all the forms it is capable of receiving. They triumph over every thing that has been deemed moft effential to our nature. In fhort it has been owing to them that man has been either a Brute or an Angel. This is not all the advantage of this study: Without it our knowledge of mankind must be extremely fuperficial. Who knows not the influence which Religion has on manners and laws? Intimately blended, as it were, with the original formation of different nations, it directs and governs all their thoughts and actions. In one place we fee it enforcing and fupporting defpotifm; in another refraining it: It has conftituted the very foul and fpirit of more than one republic. Conquerors have frequently been unable to deprefs it, even' by force; and it is generally either the foul to animate or the arm to execute the operations of politics. Religion acts by fuch preffing motives, and fpeaks fo ftrongly to mens most important and deareft interefts, that where it happens not to be analagous to the national character of the people who have adopted it; it will foon give them a character analogous to its own: One of these two forces muft unavoidably triumph over the other, and become both of them blended and combined together; as two rivers when united, form a common ftream, which rapidly bears down all oppofition. But in this multitude of Religions, all are not equally worthy of our research. There are, among fome barbarous nations, Creeds without ideas, and practices without any object; these have at first been dictated by fear, and afterward continued by mere mechanical habit. A fingle glance of the eye thrown upon fuch Religions as thefe, is fufficient to fhow us all their relations and dependencies. The thinking part of mankind, muft have objects more relative to themselves; they will never put themselves in the place of a Samoiede or an Algonquin: Nor beftow much attention upon the wild and unmeaning fuperftitions of barbarians, fo little known and unconnected with themfelves. But as for thefe parts of the world, which we ourselves inhabit, or have under our own immediate view; to know fomething of the Religions which once prevailed here and influenced the fate of thefe countries, cannot furely be deemed uninterefting or unimportant. |