ESSAY ON THE SACRED FIRE

which each contained one hundred skins of vellum. This number appears exorbitant at first glance; but if one considers that the characters of the ancient Persians took up much space, and that Zerdust The author's spelling of Zoroaster, the founder of Zoroastrianism. wrote the principles of his belief, those of most of the Sciences, and his own history, it will have nothing very extraordinary about it.

It is in this work that one can see if the accusation of imposture is well-founded; what does Zerdust teach? The reality and the unity of a Being existing by himself, author of light and darkness, and of the whole of nature—admirable in all his works, as great in the creation of the insect imperceptible to our senses as in that of the universe. Man must adore him in spirit and heart, and without thinking of making an image of him, raise his gaze to the most brilliant of known creatures, seeking the Symbol of Divinity where it has placed the most striking imprint of its grandeur A reference to the sun or fire as a symbol of God in Persian thought., and merit its favors through temperance, justice, beneficence, and piety; until it pleased Him to enlighten him further by means of the great Prophet whom He was to send one day.

These last words announce clearly enough the coming of the Messiah; and it is this which has given cause for some to regard Zerdust as a Prophet; it would certainly take less than this to earn him the name of Philosopher; one cannot refuse it to him without injustice.

AND ON THE VESTALS

It is difficult, when examining these Dogmas, to believe them the work of imposture. The Orientals report an infinity of traits regarding this man which do not indicate an ambitious person; for he would have had to be so if he were a fraud. He lived in the greatest frugality, dressed in coarse clothing, fleeing tumult, appearing rarely at the King's Court, and never flattering him when he was called there. The Magi The priestly class of ancient Persia. would not have supported him; they knew virtue and respected it; otherwise, would they have submitted to the Laws imposed on them by Zerdust? He corrected the worship, and only touched the customs to make their purity lasting.

There were three hierarchical degrees in the order of the Magi. The first was composed of ordinary Priests, subject to Inspectors, who formed the second, and who were themselves subordinate to the Arch-Mage The high priest or head of the religious order., who was the head of the Religion. Among the precepts that Zerdust had given them, these were noted:

They were to desire nothing that belonged to others: to envy what one does not have is to appear dissatisfied with the order established by Providence; as Ministers of a God of truth, they could not open their mouths to a lie; satisfied with his office, each Mage was obliged to fix all his care upon it, without occupying himself with temporal matters, being content with what is necessary and having no superfluity; the study of the book of the Law was essentially...