Thedeitiesofthevulgararesolittlesuperiortohumancreatures，that，wheremenareaffectedwithstrongsentimentsofvenerationorgratitudeforanyheroorpublicbenefactor，nothingcanbemorenaturalthantoconverthimintoagod，andfilltheheavens，afterthismanner，withcontinualrecruitsfromamongmankind。Mostofthedivinitiesoftheancientworldaresupposedtohaveoncebeenmen，andtohavebeenbeholdenfortheirapotheosistotheadmirationandaffectionofthepeople。Therealhistoryoftheiradventures，corruptedbytradition，andelevatedbythemarvellous，becomeaplentifulsourceoffable；especiallyinpassingthroughthehandsofpoets，allegorists，andpriests，whosuccessivelyimproveduponthewonderandastonishmentoftheignorantmultitude。
Painterstooandsculptorscameinfortheirshareofprofitinthesacredmysteries；andfurnishingmenwithsensiblerepresentationsoftheirdivinities，whomtheycloathedinhumanfigures，gavegreatencreasetothepublicdevotion，anddetermineditsobject。Itwasprobablyforwantoftheseartsinrudeandbarbarousages，thatmendeifiedplants，animals，andevenbrute，unorganizedmatter；andratherthanbewithoutasensibleobjectofworship，affixeddivinitytosuchungainlyforms。CouldanystatuaryofSYRIA，inearlytimes，haveformedajustfigureofAPOLLO，theconicstone，HELIOGABALUS，hadneverbecometheobjectofsuchprofoundadoration，andbeenreceivedasarepresentationofthesolardeity。35
STILPOwasbanishedbythecouncilofAREOPAGUS，foraffirmingthattheMINERVAinthecitadelwasnodivinity；buttheworkmanshipofPHIDIAS，thesculptor。36Whatdegreeofreasonmustweexpectinthereligiousbeliefofthevulgarinothernations；whenATHENIANSandAREOPAGITES
couldentertainsuchgrossconceptions？
Thesethenarethegeneralprinciplesofpolytheism，foundedinhumannature，andlittleornothingdependentoncapriceandaccident。Asthecauses，whichbestowhappinessormisery，are，ingeneral，verylittleknownandveryuncertain，ouranxiousconcernendeavourstoattainadeterminateideaofthem；andfindsnobetterexpedientthantorepresentthemasintelligentvoluntaryagents，likeourselves；