ind of a young prince.

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.
The property of the Magi was very considerable. Besides the less
invidious possession of a large tract of the most fertile lands of
Media, they levied a general tax on the fortunes and the industry of the
Persians. "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." *

These convenient maxims of reverence and implicit were doubtless
imprinted with care on the tender minds of youth; since the Magi were
the masters of education in Persia, and to their hands the children even
of the royal family were intrusted. The Persian priests, who were of a
speculative genius, preserved and investigated the secrets of Oriental
philosophy; and acquired, either by superior knowledge, or superior art,
the reputation of being well versed in some occult sciences, which
have derived their appellation from the Magi. Those of more active
dispositions mixed with the world in courts and cities; and it is
observed, that the administration of Artax