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HIBERNIAN MAGAZINE:

OR,

Compendium of Entertaining Knowledge.

FOR DECEMBER, 1808.

Defcription of the TEMPLE OF ISIS. Accompanied with an Engraving. From a recent account of Herculaneum and Pompeii.

TH

the fimplex munditiis, until it falls a prey to the all deftroying hand of time,

HE most remarkable object in the ruins of Pompeii is THE TEMPLE OF ISIS, reprefented in the accompanying engraving: in this The worship of the goddess Ifis, fo auguft fpecimen of ancient architec- long enveloped in mystery and invi ture and mystical worship, the co- olable fecrecy, was originally peculumns of the body of the edifice re- liar to Egypt, but being brought main entire, but half of those which from thence into Italy, was adopted fupported the periftyle have fallen by the Romans as a fashionable nodown, as well as the capitals and en- velty: the time, however, in which tablature. The front of the periftyle, this worship was carried into Greece which was first cleared away, is en- and Italy, is ftill uncertain, though tire, and forms the principal object Diodorus Siculus, fays it was introin the plate, being reckoned by con- duced into Greece in the time of noiffeurs a morceau of architectural Alexander the Great; and Apuleius elegance. This temple is alinoft en- afferts that in the time of Sylla, the tirely built of brick, but coated with College of Ifis and her facred myfa kind of hard ftucco, or artificial teries were first established at Rome; ftone, much in ufe amongst the an- the accounts of it, however, by, cients, and the knowledge and ufe of other writers, clafh with these statewhich has lately been revived amongft ments, fo that we may rather con the moderns. The ftyle of the archi- clude that it was first introduced by tecture is lightly elegant, and free private individuals, by means of af from that maffy itrength which alone, fociations, in which they celebrated perhaps, has given durability to thofe myfteries in fecret, a practice thofe edifices at Rome or Athens, which would naturally excire curiowhich have been expofed to the peit- fity, and give rife to many fabulous ing of the pitilefs form for fo many conjectures. In thefe myfterious ages; and the different orders of meetings they received neophytes, or which it is compofed being of fmall candidates for initiation, and from proportions, it preferves a character what little is known of their ceremoof fimplicity, which, though lefs nies, and of the different gradations impofing than fome other remains, of the initiated, the myfteries of Ilis as the difference of the impreffion, feem to have borne a strong affinity more or less great, which architecture to thofe of freemafonry at the prefent makes on the imagination as well as day. The ceremonies, and the nocthe judgment, depends principally turnal meetings of the worthippers on its greatnefs and elevation, yet will of the Egyptian goddefs, foon became ftill be dear to the eye of tafte, and objects of fufpicion to thofe who be confidered as a rare fpecimen of wore the imperial purple, and were December, 1808,

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