was at least a comedy well worthy of a royal audience, and which might
sometimes imprint a salutary lesson on the mind of a young prince.

[Footnote 1401: See, on Zoroaster's encouragement of agriculture, the
ingenious remarks of Heeren, Ideen, vol. i. p. 449, &c., and Rhode,
Heilige Sage, p. 517--M.]

[Footnote 15: Zendavesta, tom. i. p. 224, and Precis du Systeme de
Zoroastre, tom. iii.]

[Footnote 16: Hyde de Religione Persarum, c. 19.]

Had Zoroaster, in all his institutions, invariably supported this
exalted character, his name would deserve a place with those of Numa and
Confucius, and his system would be justly entitled to all the applause,
which it has pleased some of our divines, and even some of our
philosophers, to bestow on it. But in that motley composition, dictated
by reason and passion, by enthusiasm and by selfish motives, some useful
and sublime truths were disgraced by a mixture of the most abject and
dangerous superstition. The Magi, or sacerdotal order, were extremely
numerous, since, as we have already seen, fourscore thousand of them
were convened in a general council. Their forces were multiplied by
discipline. A regular hierarchy was diffused through all the provinces
of Persia; and the Archimagus, who resided at Balch, was respected as
the visible head of the church, and the lawful successor of Zoroaster.
[17] The property of the Magi was very considerable. Besides the less
invidious possession of a large tract of the most fertile lands of
Media, [18] they levied a general tax on the fortunes and the industry of
the Persians. [19] "Though your good works," says the interested prophet,
"exceed in number the leaves of the trees, the drops of rain, the
stars in the heaven, or the sands on the sea-shore, they will all be
unprofitable to you, unless they are accepted by the destour, or
priest. To obtain the acceptation of this guide to salvation, you must
faithfully pay him tithes of all you possess, of your goods, of your
lands, and of your money. If the destour be satisfied, your soul will
escape hell tortures; you will secure praise in this world and happiness
in the next. For the destours are the teachers of religion; they know
all things, and they deliver all men." [20] [201]

[Footnote 17: Hyde de Religione Persarum, c. 28. Both Hyde and Prideaux
affect to apply to the Magian the terms consecrated to the Christian
hierarchy.]

[Footnote 18: Ammian. Marcellin. xxiii. 6. He informs us (as