DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6094#0177
i54 A TOUR THROUGH
deviation in almost every article of their
present rites from those of the ancients. I
have somewhere seen an observation, which
seems to be a jusl one: That during the
long reign of heathenism, supedlition had
altogether exhaufted her talent for inven-
tion; so that when a superstitious spirit
seized christians, they were under a neces-
sity cf borrowing from their predecessbrs,
and imitating some part of their idolatry.
This appears to be strictly the case. I took
notice of it to Signor R-, who is not
the most zealous sedtary in the world, and
who frankly owned the truth of the ob-
servation.
In some places the very same images {till
remain: They have only christened them;
and what was Venus or Proserpine, is now
Mary Magdalene, or the Virgin. The same
ceremonies are daily performed before thesc
images; in the same language, and nearly
in the same manner. The saints are per-*
petually
deviation in almost every article of their
present rites from those of the ancients. I
have somewhere seen an observation, which
seems to be a jusl one: That during the
long reign of heathenism, supedlition had
altogether exhaufted her talent for inven-
tion; so that when a superstitious spirit
seized christians, they were under a neces-
sity cf borrowing from their predecessbrs,
and imitating some part of their idolatry.
This appears to be strictly the case. I took
notice of it to Signor R-, who is not
the most zealous sedtary in the world, and
who frankly owned the truth of the ob-
servation.
In some places the very same images {till
remain: They have only christened them;
and what was Venus or Proserpine, is now
Mary Magdalene, or the Virgin. The same
ceremonies are daily performed before thesc
images; in the same language, and nearly
in the same manner. The saints are per-*
petually