and plain, and written upon a
flat table and hanging to the doors of the temple, that is between
the columns. And on single columns can be seen the essences of things
described in the very terse style of Metaphysic--viz., the essences
of God, of the angels, of the world, of the stars, of man, of fate, of
virtue, all done with great wisdom. The definitions of all the virtues
are also delineated here, and here is the tribunal, where the judges of
all the virtues have their seat. The definition of a certain virtue is
written under that column where the judges for the aforesaid virtue sit,
and when a judge gives judgment he sits and speaks thus: O son, thou
hast sinned against this sacred definition of beneficence, or of
magnanimity, or of another virtue, as the case may be. And after
discussion the judge legally condemns him to the punishment for the
crime of which he is accused--viz., for injury, for despondency, for
pride, for ingratitude, for sloth, etc. But the sentences are certain
and true correctives, savoring more of clemency than of actual
punishment.

G.M. Now you ought to tell me about their priests, their sacrifices,
their religion, and their belief.

Capt. The chief priest is Hoh, and it is the duty of all the superior
magistrates to pardon sins. Therefore the whole State by secret
confession, which we also use, tell their sins to the magistrates,
who at once purge their souls and teach those that are inimical to
the people. Then the sacred magistrates themselves confess their own
sinfulness to the three supreme chiefs, and together they confess the
faults of one another, though no special one is named, and they confess
especially the heavier faults and those harmful to the State. At length
the triumvirs confess their sinfulness to Hoh himself, who forthwith
recognizes the kinds of sins that are harmful to the State, and succors
with timely remedies. Then he offers sacrifices and prayers to God. And
before this he confesses the sins of the whole people, in the presence
of God, and publicly in the temple, above the altar, as often as it
had been necessary that the fault should be corrected. Nevertheless, no
transgressor is spoken of by his name. In this manner he absolves the
people by advising them that they should beware of sins of the aforesaid
kind. Afterward he offers sacrifice to God, that he should pardon the
State and absolve it of its sins, and to teach and defend it. Once in
every year the chief