tial
divinities disappeared or were obscured from observation, men had
recourse to symbols of a temporary nature that produced fire. Altars
of stone were built and consecrated in the name of the divinity whom
it was intended to represent. Such altars were called animated or
living stones, from a belief that a portion of divine spirit resided
in them, and the prayers and praises offered up before them were
thought to be as acceptable as if addressed to the gods themselves.
That those altars or stones might be as near as possible to the
objects of worship represented, they were generally placed on the tops
of mountains, or, in flat countries like Egypt, on high structures,
the works of men's hands. Many have attributed the building of the
pyramids to the worship of gods; but whether that was the purpose to
which those majestic structures, that have puzzled learned men, were
devoted, we shall not venture to say. This, however, is certain that,
throughout the East, altars, statues, and pillars were erected for
superstitious purposes upon mountains and other high places.

Herodotus informs us that the ancient Egyptians were the first people
who gave names to their gods. Of Osiris, Isis, and the many other gods
and sacred animals that were worshipped in Egypt, we shall say little
at this part of our subject. The bull, it is well known, was one of
the most sacred animals. The priests affirmed that Apis was of divine
origin, the cow that produced him having been impregnated with holy
fire. Dogs, the Egyptians said, deserved homage because they guided
Isis when she searched for the body of Osiris. She, it may be
remembered, sought for the precious remains with true pertinacity till
she found them. To accomplish her purpose, she found it necessary to
transform herself into a swallow, to dry up the river Ph[oe]drus, and
to kill with her glances the eldest son of a king. Her tears were
supposed to cause the inundation of the Nile. At times she had the
head of a cow, which identified her with the cow of whom the sun was
born. The hawk was deified because one of these birds brought to the
priests of Thebes a book, tied round with a scarlet thread, containing
the rites and ceremonies to be observed in the worship of the gods.
The wolf was adored because Osiris arose in the shape of that animal
from the infernal regions, and assisted Isis and her son Horus to
battle against Typhon. The cat was revered as an emblem of the moon,
for its