Gods of fountains, let us offer up our prayers to the fountain of divine Grace. If superstition still pays its homage to the waters of the Nile and Ganges, as the principle of fertility and existence; let us apply for the richer gifts of salvation, to the never-failing waters of life.

They hailed the blessings of a temporary peace, which they symbolized by the Halcyon bird, whose brooding wing calmed the troubled sea, and while it nurtured its infant progeny, lulled the boisterous elements to repose. We hail that

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peace which passeth all understanding,' in the Mystic Dove, which overshadowed the blessed Jesus, when the Heavens opened, and lo! a voice was heard to say, "this is my Beloved Son, in "whom I am well pleased."

'Phil. iv. 7.

2 Matth. iii. 17.

FOURTH DIVISION.

TERRESTRIAL GODS AND GODDESSES.

As the number of false Divinities continued to increase, even the earth itself became an object of adoration; woods, plains, harvests, fields, gardens, meadows, groves, and valleys, all had their presiding Deities. Even houses and highways had their Gods, Lares and Penates, each of whom had their peculiar honors.

The principal were: Pan, Terminus, Silenus, Priapus, Adonis, Satyrs, Fauns and Egypans, Flora, Pales, Pomona, the Lares, Penates, Genii

and Terrestrial Nymphs.

Myth.

PAN.

The God Pan was the son of Jupiter and Calisto, and held a distinguished place among the ancient Divinities: he was particularly worshipped by the Arcadians, and considered the God of shepherds and hunters. In the month of February the Romans celebrated feasts to his honor, called Lupercalia, from the place Lupercal, consecrated to him, where Romulus and Remus were supposed to have been suckled by a wolf. He is represented under the form of a Satyr, half man and half goat, holding in his hand his rural pipe, called Syrinx. This pipe owed its invention to his love for Syrinx, one of Diana's Nymphs, who, flying from his pursuit to the river Ladon, her father, was metamorphosed by him into a reed. Pan, observing that the wind in agitating these reeds produced a pleasing sound, formed them into a pipe, to which he gave the name of Syrinx.

TERMINUS.

Terminus was a stone worshipped as a God, and highly honored in the city of Rome. He was considered as the guardian and protector of property, and marked out the boundaries of lands. He is frequently represented by a pyramidal landmark, having a head upon the top of it.

SILENUS.

Silenus was the chief of the Satyrs, and the foster-father and perpetual companion of Bacchus, whom he generally accompanies riding upon an ass, but so intoxicated as to be incapable of keeping his seat. Others represent him as a philosopher of great wisdom, who accompanied Bacchus to India.

PRIAPUS.

Priapus, said to be the son of Venus and Bacchus, was the God of gardens, where his

hideous figure was placed to frighten birds.

He

was worshipped in the eastern nations under the name of Baal-Peor.

ADONIS.

Adonis was the son of Cinyras king of Cyprus, and the nymph Myrrha, who was metamorphosed into a tree before Adonis was born. At the time of his birth the tree opened, and he was received and educated by the Naiades : he delighted in rural sport and hunting. Venus, the object of his devoted affections, used to accompany him. Mars, jealous of the preference shown to him by this Goddess, excited an enormous boar to tear him to pieces. Venus, disconsolate at his loss, metamorphosed him into an Anemone. A magnificent temple was raised to his honor in the Island of Cyprus.