Taylor - Eleusianian and Bacchic Mysteries.pdf - Platonic Philosophy

"Bacchic Mysteries. 175at the indecency as he conceives, in the story,and because it composedEleusinian rites.with the usual ignorance*the arcana of theIndeed as the simple father,of a Christianpriest, considered the fable literally, and asdesigned to promote indecency and lust, wecan not wonder at his ill-timed abuse. Butthe fact is, this narration belonged to theaTCoppYjTa, aporrheta, or arcane discourses, onaccount of its mystical meaning, and to prevent it from becoming the object of ignorantdeclamation, licentious perversion, and impious contempt. For the purity and excellence of these institutions is perpetuallyacknowledged even byDr. Warburton himself, who, in this instance, has dispersed, for amoment,zeal.fserves^the mists of delusion and intolerantBesides, as lamblichus beautifully obexhibitions of this kind in theMysteries were designed to free us from licen-* Uncandidness was more probably the fault of which Clementwas guilty.t Divine Legation of Moses, book ii.t The wisest and best men in the Pagan world are unanimous"in this, that the Mysteries were instituted pure, and proposed thenoblest ends by the worthiest means.