"A magistrate, attended by one of the priests. offered a sacrifice, and humbly besought Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva, to prosper this holy under taking; entreating that the divine mercy would ac complish what human piety had begun. This prayer being concluded, a great company, consisting of priests, senators, knights, and common people, laid hold of ropes, to which was fastened a large stone, this, with many lively expressions, was drawn by their united force to a trench which had been marked in the soil, for the reception of the foundation stones in the wall; into this trench, wedges of gold and silver were first thrown, and the corner-stone was then deposited, amidst the rejoicings of the people." A custom like this, of offering prayers, and laying the first stone of a house of worship with expres sions of veneration and joy, is common, at the present time, among Christians.

The memorable fact, that " groves were God's first temples," is found in the history of all primitive people. "Trees, in the old time, served for the temples of the gods," said a Latin historian. Dodona's oaks were honoured as the residence of Jupiter; the ancient Syrians seduced God's people to their mode of worship; the ancient Germans, according to l acitus, worshipped in sacred groves in the open air; the Druids of Britain observed the same custom; and the Indians of Asia and America acknowledged the divinity in the thick shade. The Romans, after their temples became numerous and magnificent, still kept up this ancient custom; and in many parts of the city might be seen Luci, or groups of trees, consecrated to some god.

How happened the religion of Italy to be the same as that of the Greeks?

In what respects might the religion of Greece and Roms differ; and what were the chief temples of the city of Rome'

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Where, and what was the Capitol ?

What was the Pantheon?

How did the Romans remarkably express their veneration for places of worship?

Were religious services performed at the first commencemer.! of edifices for religious uses?

Before the erection of costly temples, what were the places of worship?

THE Romans placed great confidence in soothsayers and auguries. Soothsayers were persons who pretended to foresee future events; and they discerned these events in certain appearances of things. The soothsayers declared that thunder, lightning, and comets expressed the will of the gods. They also maintained, that motions and chattering of birds intimated what might happen; and these signs, when favourable, were called auspices; and when unfavourable, portents.

An auspicious day is one that promises some happiness. We say a portentous cloud, or a portentous appearance, we mean a cloud that threatens a destructive storm, or an appearance of some danger.

The flight of birds was divided (by the Romans) into dexter and sinister, right and left; the former being esteemed fortunate; the latter, unlucky. If a man, commencing a journey, saw a flock of birds flying in the right hand direction, it was a good omen, and foreshowed to him a prosperous adventure; but if the birds took a contrary course, an evil presage took hold of his imagination, and he was thrown, by his foolish superstition, into apprehension of some calamity.

Other animals, besides birds, exhibited good and bad signs, and some inconsiderate circumstances, sneezing, spilling salt, hearing strange voices, were deemed lucky and, unlucky. The art of explaining all these to the credulous and ignorant people, who

believed in their mysterious import, was Augury; and the Augurs, or explainers of mysteries, were respectable men at Rome, and were held in honour by the people.

Divination, or augury, was practised upon chickens kept in a coop for that purpose. Their manner of eating, and of fluttering about their food, was thought to promise happiness or disappointment. Besides the Augurs at Rome, were Haruspices; these persons were commissioned to examine the dead bodies of victims offered in the sacrifices; and to tell by certain marks, what mischance or success was about to happen to the sacrificers, or to the Roman people.

At Rome, were several distinct orders or colleges of priests; as the college of Augurs, of Pontifices, &c.

Numa, the second King of Rome, was the principal founder of these orders. They were only few in number, sometimes not more than fifteen persons in an order. The Flamines, Sodales, and Salii, were of them.

The most distinguished of the priests at Rome, were the Pontifices; their duty was to appoint the public worship, to order the sacrifices and festivals, and to punish inferior priests, and the vestal virgins. if they were guilty of any crime. The high-priest of this order was almost as much venerated as the modern Pope of Rome.

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So much was religion honoured in the person priests, that it was said, the liberty of the common. wealth, the virtue of the people, the safety of the citizens, and the honour of the gods were committed to their guardianship.

Cæsar Augustus, and others of the emperors thought proper, in order to exalt the public respect for themselves, to assume the office of Pontifex Maximus, or chief priest.

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The Roman history represents the great men of that nation as eminent for wisdom and courage: admirable as warriors, and orators; and distinguished, in their most civilized state, for love of arts, and for magnificent works. But their superstition, and ignorance of God's character and will, ought to diminish our adoration of them; and make us grateful, that the revelation in which we are instructed in this our day exalts us to the higher excellence of Christian faith and Christian virtue, and relieves us from a burdensome worship, and from fears and error.

What were soothsayers?

What is an auspicious day, &c.?

What was the lucky or unlucky flight of birds?

Were many unimportant circumstances superstitiously regarded by the Romans?

How did the Romans sometimes regard chickens, and who were the Haruspices?

Were there three distinct orders of priests at Rome?

Who were the Pontifices?

How was the sacerdotal or priestly character considered at Rome?

Have we reason to rejoice that we are born in the present age?

SIBYLS.

THE Sibyls were virgin prophetesses, held in honour by the Romans. They were probably fictitious beings; or traditions of some real women. entirely altered from the original fact. The princi pal were the Delphic, the Erythrean, and Cumeal. Sibyls.

In the Roman history, frequent mention is made of the Sibylline oracles. These were books kept, or pretended to be kept, in the temple of Jupiter Capitolinus, which were committed to the care of certain persons, who, when a difficult enterprise was to be undertaken, affected to consult them, and tc find in them directions of what was best to be done

The fabulous origin of the Sibylline books is this In the reign of Tarquin II., a woman came to Rome, and brought nine books to the king, demanding for them certain pieces of gold. Tarquin refused the price; the woman departed from him, burnt three of the books, returned with six, and still demanded the price.

Tarquin refused the Sibyl, for such she was, her demand, and she left him a second time: still she returned again, having but three books, for she had burnt three of the six, and still she demanded the original price. Tarquin, moved by her importunity, applied to the augurs for instruction how to act.

The augurs, after some mysterious consultations, told Tarquin that he had been guilty of impiety in refusing a gift from the gods; and they commanded him to give whatever the woman required. Upon this. Tarquin purchased the books, and was informed by the augurs, that they contained oracles concerning the future state of Rome. The woman immediately disappeared, and was never seen more.

Who were the Sibyls?

What were the Sibylline oracles?

What was the origin of the Sibylline books?

How did Tarquin treat the Sibyl?

What instructions did the augurs give Tarquin in respect to the Sibylline books?

TEMPLES.

TEMPLES were places of worship, constructed of costly materials, of beautiful proportions, and often adorned with exquisite sculpture. The temples contained a statue, or image of the god or goddess, 'o whose worship it was consecrated. The interior part was entered by the priests only. The apart ment at the entrance of the temple was called the vestibule; and was open to the worshippers