Letters Concerning MythologyNineteen letters published anonymously. A person who remains unidentified started the series but died before completing the 8th letter. "The additions to the seventh and eighth, and all the rest, were written by the author of the Enquiry into the life and writings of Homer [Thomas Blackwell]"--Page iv. The 2nd ed. (London : Printed for E. Dilly, 1757; Cf. BLC 18th cent. STC) on its t.p. names Thomas Blackwell as author, as do various authorities (BLC, DNB, Halkett & Laing; but cf. BLC under Blackwell). |
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Popular passages
Page 76 - Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us. And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow : and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.
Page 115 - And God said, Behold I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed ; to you it shall be for meat.
Page 57 - What tho' nor real voice nor sound, Amid their radiant orbs be found! In reason's ear they all rejoice, And utter forth a glorious voice : For ever singing as they shine, "•• The hand that made us is Divine.
Page 394 - From old Eternity's mysterious orb, Was Time cut off, and cast beneath the skies : The skies, which watch him in his new abode, Measuring his motions by revolving spheres ; That horologe machinery divine.
Page 75 - The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them ; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us. But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour GOD and man, and go to be promoted over the trees ? And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us.
Page 76 - Come thou, and reign over us. But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees ? Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us.
Page 145 - The extremely small seeds of fern, mosses, mushrooms, and some other plants are concealed and wafted about in the air, every part whereof seems replete with seeds of one kind or other. The whole atmosphere seems alive. There is everywhere acid to corrode, and seed to engender. Iron will rust, and mould...
Page 173 - The most ancient theology," says Plutarch, " both of the Greeks and barbarians, was natural philosophy involved in fables, that physically and mystically conveyed the truth to the learned ; — as appears from the poems of Orpheus, the Egyptian rites, and the Phrygian traditions.
Page 90 - of the posterity of Chus, addicted to the contemplation of the stars. They worship the sun as a god, and the whole country, for half-a-mile round their town, is filled with great altars dedicated to him. By the dawn of morn they get up and run out of town, to wait the rising sun, to whom, on every altar, there is a consecrated image, not in the likeness of a man, but of the solar orb, framed by magic art. These orbs, as soon as the sun rises, take fire, and resound with a great noise, while everybody...
Bibliographic information
| Title | Letters Concerning Mythology Eighteenth century collections online |
| Author | Thomas Blackwell |
| Publisher | J. Oswald, 1748 |
| Original from | the University of Michigan |
| Digitized | 1 Apr 2008 |
| Length | 408 pages |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |