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made upon the heart, in these respects, have been moregeneral than they were, at least in Europe , anterior to itsappearance, we are also ready to concede. Believing thisanticipation will be established by what is to follow, we,accordingly, find no establishments of the nature of thosewhich head this article, in Europe, or that portion of Asia with which we are acquainted, anterior to the establishmentof the Christian system; unless, indeed, those hospitalssacred to Ksculapius, among the Greeks and Romans are tobe so considered ; but we submit they will not bear thisconstruction to be put upon them.
Under our previous general head we have considered thefirst hospitable receptacles for pilgrims, travellers, and stran-gers, subject to the Christian system; but with this idea, weconceive the feelings of superior antiquity should be con-sulted. We have, in many places in the previous pages,discovered traits of this benevolent spirit, which we nowpresume to notice was also generally encouraged by thedoctrine of Pagan mythology, as one of the most ancientof the Grecian poets informs us:
“-The gods, also, like strangers come from far,
“ In various shapes, within your towns appear;
“ Viewing men’s good and evil acts.” Hesiod .
Nay, we may discover how much hospitality was appreci-ated, by the punishment which it is recorded certain Boeo-tians experienced who refused to entertain Jupiter andMercury, when upon their travels.
The first regular establishment for benevolent purposesof which we can find a record, occurs not till since theestablishment of the Christian religion ; and we believe itfirst appears in those hospitable mansions, erected for thereception of pilgrims and travellers.
Notwithstanding how much reproach Christianity andits friends in the earliest ages have suffered, from theuntrue and impotent malice of its enemies, in every direc-tion, as well avowed as concealed ; and although it is ad-mitted that the Christian system certainly may have in adegree, at various periods, increased mendicity, one groundof Pagan reproach, yet its principles encourage foibear-ance to demand our own, or to preserve it; to do' to othersas we would expect a like return from them; and as thefundamental basis to every other virtue, it enforceth charity.It is presumed at first to have been distressing to theEmperor Julian , to confess this superiority ; and in orderto render his own religion equally specious, he commanded