Our fathers set up an image in honor of
liberty, to strengthen the influence of the love of liberty on the
popular mind. It is possible that AEneas looked upon the subject in the
same light, in erecting a public fireside in honor of domestic peace
and happiness, and in designating maidens to guard it with constant
vigilance and with spotless purity. At all events, the institution
exercised a vast and an incalculable power, in impressing the minds of
men, in those rude ages, with a sense of the sacredness of the
domestic tie, and in keeping before their minds a high standard, in
theory at least, of domestic honor and purity. We must remember that
they had not then the word of God, nor any means of communicating to
the minds of the people any general enlightenment and instruction.
They were obliged, therefore, to resort to the next best method which
their ingenuity could devise.

There were a great many very extraordinary rites and ceremonies
connected with the service of the vestal altar, and many singular
regulations for the conduct of it, the origin and design of which it
would now be very difficult to ascertain. As has already been
remarked, the virgins were chosen when very young, being, when
designated to the office, not under six nor over ten years of age.
They were chosen by the king, and it was necessary that the candidate,
besides the above-named requisite in regard to age, should be in a
perfect condition of soundness and health in respect to all her bodily
limbs and members, and also to the faculties of her mind. It was
required too that she should be the daughter of free and freeborn
parents, who had never been in slavery, and had never followed any
menial or degrading occupation; and also that both her parents should
be living. To be an orphan was considered, it seems, in some sense an
imperfection.

The service of the vestal virgins continued for thirty years; and when
this period had expired, the maidens were discharged from their vows,
and were allowed, if they chose, to lay aside their vestal robes, and
the other emblems of their office, and return to the world, with the
privilege even of marrying, if they chose to do so. Though the laws
however permitted this, there was a public sentiment against it, and
it was seldom that any of the vestal priestesses availed themselves of
the privilege. They generally remained after their term of service had
expired, in attendance at the temple, and died as they ha