INTRODUCTION.

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snatched from the jaws of death, were not the work of Paganhands. The legislators and philosophers of the heathen worldpreached no such doctrine ; for the gods worshipped by idolatersbreathed nothing but battle and vengeance, and delivered them-selves up to all the disorderly passions of men. For one simplealtar raised to Benevolence, more than a hundred magnificent;temples were erected in honour of Venus.

Rome, whilst plunged in the dark abyss of idolatry—nay,even Greece herself, so renowned for wise laws and sublime institu-tions—could never boast of either law or institution dedicated to therelief of miserable humanity. And ye, pious Numa! wise Solon!virtuous Lycurgus ! why, O why did ye forget, in the midst of somany religious establishments, that which, doubtless, must ever bethe most pleasing to the Divinity—an asylum for the sick anddying !

How glorious would it be for the academies, lyceums, andporticoes, of Pagan philosophy, w'hich have given to the world somany illustrious personages worthy of admiration, could I presentto my reader only one of the disciples of that philosophy, who,on quitting its schools, had given freedom to his slaves, or com-manded them to stretch out a pitying hand to relieve the distress