at they are made so by smoke and incense, but, we may ask, if they
became black by smoke, why is it that the _white_ drapery, _white_
teeth, and the _white_ of the eyes have not changed in color? Why are
the lips of a bright red color? Why, we may also ask, are the black
images crowned and adorned with jewels, just as the images of the Hindoo
and Egyptian virgins are represented?

When we find that the Virgin Devaki, and the Virgin Isis were
represented just as these so-called _ancient Christian_ idols represent
Mary, we are led to the conclusion that they are Pagan idols adopted by
the Christians.

We may say, in the words of Mr. Lundy, "what jewels are doing on the
neck of this poor and lowly maid, it is not easy to say."[337:1] The
_crown_ is also foreign to early representations of the Madonna and
Child, but not so to Devaki and Crishna,[337:2] and Isis and Horus. The
_coronation_ of the Virgin Mary is unknown to primitive Christian art,
but is common in Pagan art.[337:3] "It may be well," says Mr. Lundy, "to
compare some of the oldest _Hindoo_ representations of the subject with
the Romish, and see how complete the resemblance is;"[337:4] and Dr.
Inman says that, "the head-dress, as put on the head of the Virgin Mary,
is of Grecian, Egyptian, and Indian origin."[337:5]

The whole secret of the fact of these early representations of the
Virgin Mary and Jesus--so-called--being _black_, crowned, and covered
with jewels, is that they are of pre-Christian origin; they are _Isis_
and _Horus_, and perhaps, in some cases, Devaki and Crishna, baptized
anew.

The Egyptian "Queen of Heaven" was worshiped in Europe for centuries
before and after the Christian Era.[337:6] Temples and statues were also
erected in honor of Isis, one of which was at Bologna, in Italy.

Mr. King tells us that the Emperor Hadrian zealously strove to reanimate
the forms of that old religion, whose spirit had long since passed away,
and it was under his patronage that the creed of the Pharaohs blazed up
for a moment with a bright but fictitious lustre.[337:7] To this period
belongs a beautiful sard, in Mr. King's collection, representing
Serapis[337:8] and Isis, with the legend: "Immaculate is Our Lady
Isis."[337:9]

Mr. King further tells us that:

"The '_Black Virgins_' so highly reverenced in certain French
cathedrals during the long night of the middle ages, proved,
when at last examined critically, basalt figures of
I