Vol. I. Philadelphia, Ninth Month, 1820. No. 9.
FOR THE RURAL MAGAZINE.
Man has been in all ages and countries,in a greater or less degree, thevictim of imposture and superstition.Their origin can every where be tracedto rude and uncultivated periodsof society; but subsequent stages ofcomparative elegance and refinementhave also ministered to the supportof their dominion. Egypt, Greeceand Rome were successively theseats of learning and science; yet inthese celebrated regions, the humanmind was enveloped in darkness andloaded with chains. The Egyptianshave this ancient proverb: "It is easierto find a deity than a man."—Apotheosismust have been carriedto an extraordinary length indeedwhen this was the case. Amongthese deities, Isis was prominentlydistinguished, and universally worshipped.On her statues, these wordswere impudently inscribed: "I amall that has been, that shall be, andnone among mortals has hitherto takenoff my veil!" Who but wouldblush for the credulity which listenedwith reverential awe to the oracularresponses at Delphi, a town situatein the neighbourhood of MountParnassus, believed by every one atthat time to be the centre of the earth!And concerning this precious object,the wars denominated the "sacredwars," were so furiously and destructivelywaged. The Grecians werecompelled, under pain of death, rigidlyto observe the mysteries of Eleusis;and the wisest of the Romanswere seen consulting the flight ofbirds and the entrails of animals, forinfallible prognostics of future events.Where the footsteps of true philosophycan be traced, her triumphs havebeen signal; and having found mostof these and many other errors exploded,we lay claim in this enlightenedage and country, to an extraordinaryexemption from the influenceof imposture and superstition.Although the darkness and gloom offormer ages have in a great degreefled at the approach of the light ofknowledge, still here and there theskirts of a black cloud remain, to indicatethe failure of an absolute conquest.And the presence of these[322]potent adversaries of human happiness,should inculcate the duty onevery friend of his species of lendinghis aid in advancing the cause ofTRUTH.
Among the reprehensible customswhich now obtain in the United States,none are more affrontful to the goodsense of the community, and few morepernicious in their effects on youthand inexperience, than LOTTERIES,and the disgusting advertisementsconnected with them, which daily appearin the public journals. Thefunds which constitute a lottery, areprincipally derived from the pocketsof those whose straitened circumstances,prompt them to grasp at theglittering phantoms, paraded beforetheir eyes by professional jugglers.—Theirminds become unsettled; alove of idleness and extravagance isexcited; and their attention divertedfrom the true sources of prosperity—industry,frugality