1bear, to get the Aſſiſtance and Skill of the beſt
Artiſts for their Purpoſe; they have accord
ingly rivalled the greateſt Kings in fine Deſigns
and noble Compoſitions, ſo as, in my Opinion,
to be very little, if at all, inferior to them. But
thoſe Works are reſerved for the next Book,
in which I dare promiſe the Reader he ſhall
find ſome Entertainment worth his Pains. But
firſt we are here to ſpeak of ſome few Particu
lars neceſſary to our preſent Subject.
Artiſts for their Purpoſe; they have accord
ingly rivalled the greateſt Kings in fine Deſigns
and noble Compoſitions, ſo as, in my Opinion,
to be very little, if at all, inferior to them. But
thoſe Works are reſerved for the next Book,
in which I dare promiſe the Reader he ſhall
find ſome Entertainment worth his Pains. But
firſt we are here to ſpeak of ſome few Particu
lars neceſſary to our preſent Subject.
CHAP. XVII.
Whether Statues ought to be placed in Temples, and what Materials are the
moſt proper for making them.
moſt proper for making them.
Some are againſt placing any Statues in
Temples; and we are told that Numa,
being a Diſciple of Pythagoras, would allow of
none: And Seneca rallies himſelf and his Coun
trymen upon this Account; we play with Ba
bies, ſays he, like Children. The Ancients,
who were of this Opinion, uſed to argue con
cerning the Gods in the following Manner:
Who can be ſo weak as not to know, that every
Thing relating to the Gods is to be conſidered
with the Mind, and not with the Eyes, ſince it
is impoſſible to give them any Form that can
be in the leaſt Degree anſwerable to the Ex
cellence of their Nature? And indeed they
thought that the having no viſible Repreſenta
tions of them made by Hands, muſt have a
very good Effect, as it would put every Man
upon forming ſuch an Idea of the firſt Mover,
and of the ſupreme Intelligence, as beſt ſuited
his own Capacity and Way of Thinking: By
which he would be the more induced to revere
the Majeſty of the Divine Name. Others
thought quite differently, holding, that the
Gods were repreſented under human Forms to
a very wiſe End, and that they had a very good
Influence upon the Minds and Morals of the
Vulgar, who when they approached thoſe Sta
tues, imagined they were in the Preſence of
the Gods themſelves. Others eſpecially were
for ſetting up to publick View in conſecrated
Places, the Effigies of ſuch as had deſerved well
of Mankind, and were therefore ſuppoſed to be
admitted among the Gods, believing it muſt
inſpire Poſterity, when they came to worſhip
them, with a Love of Glory, and an Emulati
on of their Virtue. It is certainly a Point of
great Importance what Statues we ſet up, eſ
pecially in Temples, as alſo whereabouts, in
what Number, and of what Materials: For no
ridiculous Figures are to be admitted here, as
of the God Priapus, that is uſually ſet up in
Gardens to ſcare away the Birds; nor of fight
ing Soldiers, as in Porticoes, or the like; nei
ther do I think they ſhould be placed in cloſe
Nooks and mean Corners. But firſt let us treat
of the Materials with which they ſhould be
made, and then proceed to the other Points.
Of old, ſays Plutarch, they uſed to make their
Images of Wood; as was that of Apollo at De
los; and at Popolonia, near Piombino, was one
of Jupiter of Vine-tree, which many affirmed
to have remained perfectly clear of the leaſt
Corruption. Of the ſame Sort was that of the
Epheſian Diana, which ſome ſaid was of Ebony,
but Muſianus tells us it was of Vine-tree. Peras,
who built the Temple of Juno the Argive, and
dedicated his Daughter to be Prieſteſs of it,
made a Jupiter out of the Trunk of a Pear
tree. Some would not allow the Statues of the
Gods to be made of Stone, as thinking that
Material had ſomething in it too rugged and
cruel. They alſo diſapproved of Gold and
Silver for this Uſe, becauſe thoſe Metals are
produced of a barren ungrateful Soil, and have
a wan ſickly Hue. The Poet ſays:
Temples; and we are told that Numa,
being a Diſciple of Pythagoras, would allow of
none: And Seneca rallies himſelf and his Coun
trymen upon this Account; we play with Ba
bies, ſays he, like Children. The Ancients,
who were of this Opinion, uſed to argue con
cerning the Gods in the following Manner:
Who can be ſo weak as not to know, that every
Thing relating to the Gods is to be conſidered
with the Mind, and not with the Eyes, ſince it
is impoſſible to give them any Form that can
be in the leaſt Degree anſwerable to the Ex
cellence of their Nature? And indeed they
thought that the having no viſible Repreſenta
tions of them made by Hands, muſt have a
very good Effect, as it would put every Man
upon forming ſuch an Idea of the firſt Mover,
and of the ſupreme Intelligence, as beſt ſuited
his own Capacity and Way of Thinking: By
which he would be the more induced to revere
the Majeſty of the Divine Name. Others
thought quite differently, holding, that the
Gods were repreſented under human Forms to
a very wiſe End, and that they had a very good
Influence upon the Minds and Morals of the
Vulgar, who when they approached thoſe Sta
tues, imagined they were in the Preſence of
the Gods themſelves. Others eſpecially were
for ſetting up to publick View in conſecrated
Places, the Effigies of ſuch as had deſerved well
of Mankind, and were therefore ſuppoſed to be
admitted among the Gods, believing it muſt
inſpire Poſterity, when they came to worſhip
them, with a Love of Glory, and an Emulati
on of their Virtue. It is certainly a Point of
great Importance what Statues we ſet up, eſ
pecially in Temples, as alſo whereabouts, in
what Number, and of what Materials: For no
ridiculous Figures are to be admitted here, as
of the God Priapus, that is uſually ſet up in
Gardens to ſcare away the Birds; nor of fight
ing Soldiers, as in Porticoes, or the like; nei
ther do I think they ſhould be placed in cloſe
Nooks and mean Corners. But firſt let us treat
of the Materials with which they ſhould be
made, and then proceed to the other Points.
Of old, ſays Plutarch, they uſed to make their
Images of Wood; as was that of Apollo at De
los; and at Popolonia, near Piombino, was one
of Jupiter of Vine-tree, which many affirmed
to have remained perfectly clear of the leaſt
Corruption. Of the ſame Sort was that of the
Epheſian Diana, which ſome ſaid was of Ebony,
but Muſianus tells us it was of Vine-tree. Peras,
who built the Temple of Juno the Argive, and
dedicated his Daughter to be Prieſteſs of it,
made a Jupiter out of the Trunk of a Pear
tree. Some would not allow the Statues of the
Gods to be made of Stone, as thinking that
Material had ſomething in it too rugged and
cruel. They alſo diſapproved of Gold and
Silver for this Uſe, becauſe thoſe Metals are
produced of a barren ungrateful Soil, and have
a wan ſickly Hue. The Poet ſays:
Great Jove ſtood crampt beneath the lowly Roof,
Scarce full erect; and in his mighty Hand
Brandiſh'd aloft a Thunderbolt of Clay.
Scarce full erect; and in his mighty Hand
Brandiſh'd aloft a Thunderbolt of Clay.
SOME among the Ægyptians were of Opini
on, that the Subſtance of God was Fire, and
that he dwelt in the elemental Flame, and
could not be conceived by the Senſes of Man
kind: For which Reaſon they made their
Gods of Chriſtal. Others thought the Gods
ought to be made of black Stone, in the Sup
poſition of that Colour being incomprehenſi
ble; and others laſtly of Gold, in Conformity
with the Colour of the Stars. I own for my
Part, I have been very much in Suſpenſe what
Materials was moſt proper for making Images
that are to be the Objects of Worſhip. You
will ſay, no doubt, that whatever is to be made
on, that the Subſtance of God was Fire, and
that he dwelt in the elemental Flame, and
could not be conceived by the Senſes of Man
kind: For which Reaſon they made their
Gods of Chriſtal. Others thought the Gods
ought to be made of black Stone, in the Sup
poſition of that Colour being incomprehenſi
ble; and others laſtly of Gold, in Conformity
with the Colour of the Stars. I own for my
Part, I have been very much in Suſpenſe what
Materials was moſt proper for making Images
that are to be the Objects of Worſhip. You
will ſay, no doubt, that whatever is to be made
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