among the Cretans, for encouraging that sort of unnatural love.* It appears from some passages of Plutarch, that he was willing to have it thought that the love of boys in use among the Greeks was a pure and generous affection: but at other times he makes acknowledgments which plainly show the contrary. In his life of Pelopidas, he tells us that the legislators encouraged the love of boys, to temper the manners of their youth, and that it produced excellent effects, and particularly among the Thebans. But the same great philosopher, who undoubtedly was inclined to give a favourable account of the Thebans, whose countryman he was, in his treatise De Liberis Educandis, expressly declares, that such masculine loves were to be avoided, as were in use at Thebes and Elis. And his joining Thebes with Elis shows that it is a very criminal passion he speaks of. For we have the testimony of Maximus Tyrius in that dissertation, in which he endeavours to vindicate some of the Grecian states from the charge, that the Elians encouraged that licentiousness, as he calls it, by a law. Nothing can be more evident than it is from Plutarch's treatise called 'Egwrinòs or Amatorius, that this abominable vice had made a great progress among the Greeks, and was openly countenanced and pleaded for. One of his dialogists there argues for it at large, and highly commends it. He represents the Lacedemonians, Baotians, Cretans, and Chalcidians, as much addicted to it. And another of his dialogists, who it is to be supposed, expresses Plutarch's own sentiments, condems it in very strong terms, and shows its pernicious effects. Athenæus tells us, that it was not only practised, but encouraged and promoted in many of the cities of Greece. At Athens, indeed, there was a law against it. And Plutarch seems to recommend the love * Arist. Politic. lib. ii. cap. 10. Oper. tom. II. p. 333. A. edit. Pars. 1629. + Plutarch. ubi supra, p. 11. Max. Tyr. Dissert. 10. p. 128. Oxon. 1677 § Deipnosoph. lib. xiii. p. 602. edit. Lugd. of boys in use at Sparta and Athens as virtuous, and worthy to be emulated, though he condemns that at Thebes and Elis. As to Sparta, the accounts given of it by ancient authors, and by Plutarch himself, seem to vary. But, whatever might have been the original design of the constitution established by Lycurgus with respect to it, there is too much reason to think, that, as it was generally practised among the Lacedemonians, it was not very innocent. With re gard to the Athenians, Plutarch tells us concerning their great lawgiver Solon, that it appears from his poems that he was not proof against beautiful boys, and had not courage enough to resist the force of love. He observes, that he was in love with Pisistratus, because of his extraordinary handsomeness and that by a law he forbade pæderasty or the love of boys to slaves; making that, as Plutarch observes, an honourable and reputable action; and as it were inviting the worthy to the practice of that which he commanded the unworthy to forbear.+ And in his Amatorius above referred to, he introduces Protogenes, one of his dialogists, arguing in favour of that practice, from this constitution of Solon.‡ Maximus Tyrius, who takes a great deal of pains to vindicate Socrates from that charge, owns, that at the time when this philosopher flourished, this vicious passion had arrived at the greatest height, both in the other parts of Greece, and particularly at Athens; and that all places were full of unjust or wicked lovers, and boys that were enticed and deluded.§ So that if there was a law against it at Athens, it seems to have been little regarded. To the testimonies which have been produced may be added that of Cicero, who represents that practice as very common among the Greeks: and that what helped to introduce and spread it, was the custom of the youths appearing naked * Plutarch. ubi supra. + Plutarch. See Plutarch's Life of Solon, at the beginning. Plutarch. Oper. tom. H. p. 751. edit. Xyland. § Max. Tyr. dissert. 10. initio. in the public excrcises. And he observes, that their poets, great men, and even their learned men and philosophers, not only practised, but gloried in it.* And accordingly, he elsewhere represents it as the custom, not of particular cities only, but of Greece in general. Speaking of the things that might be thought to contribute to Dionysius' happiness, he mentions his having paramours of that kind "according to the custom of Greece." Habebat, more Græciæ, quosdam "adolescentes amore conjunctos."+ And in a passage cited by Lactantius, he mentions it as a bold and hazardous thing in the Greeks, that they consecrated the images of the Loves and Cupids in the places of their public exercises.‡ I have insisted the more largely upon this, because there cannot be a more convincing proof, that the laws and customs, even in the most learned and civilized nations, are not to be depended upon as proper guides in matters of morality. The Greeks are regarded and admired as the most eminent of the Pagan nations, for their knowledge in philosophy, and especially in morals, and as having cultivated their reason in an extraordinary degree. They valued themselves mightily upon their wisdom, and the excellency of their laws; and yet their laws or generally allowed customs, showed that they were become amazingly corrupt, both in their notions and practices, with regard to morals; and that in instances, as to which one would have thought the light of nature would have given them a sufficient direction. I say, they were become very corrupt in their notions as well as practices. For though some of them acknowledge the evil and turpitude of that unnatural vice, yet, in the general opinion, it seems to have passed among them for no fault at all, or a very light one. And many of their philosophers and moralists, as I shall have occasion to show afterwards, represented it as a * Tuscul. Disput. lib. iv. cap. 33. † Ibid. lib. v. cap. 20. p. 385. edit. Davis. ‡ “ Magnum Cicero adaxque consilium suscepisse Græciam dicit, quod Cu"pidinum et Amorum simulachra in gymnasiis consecrasset." Lactant. Divin. Instit. lib. i. cap. 20. p. 106. Lugd. Bat. 1660. matter perfectly indifferent. Barolesanes, an ancient and learned writer, in a large extract quoted from him by Euse bius, after having mentioned some barbarous nations, which were much addicted to that vice, and others who had it in abhorrence, observes that in Greece such kind of masculine loves were not accounted disgraceful, even to the wise.* St. Paul, therefore, in drawing up the charge of an amazing corruption of morals in the heathen world, very justly puts this in the first place, as being both of the highest enormity, and very common not only among the people, but the philosophers themselves. Nor is it probable, that any thing less than a divine law, enforced by the authority of God himself, and by the most express denunciations of the divine wrath and vengeance against such crimes, could have overruled the force of such inveterate custom and example, countenanced by the maxims and practice of those who made high pretences to wisdom and reason. * Euseb. Præp. Evangel. lib. vi. cap. 10. p. 276. D. VOL. II. G CHAP. IV. Those of This con Farther instances of civil laws and customs among the Pagan nations. the ancient Romans considered. The laws of the twelve tables, though mightily extolled, were far from exhibiting a complete rule of morals. The law of Romulus concerning the exposing of diseased and deformed children. tinued to be practised among the Romans. Their cruel treatment of their slaves. Their gladiatory shows contrary to humanity. Unnatural lusts common among them as well as the Greeks. Observations on the Chinese laws and customs. Other laws and customs of nations mentioned, which are contrary to good morals. FROM ROM the Greeks let us pass to the Romans, whose good policy and government has been greatly admired, and who have been regarded as the most virtuous of all the Pagan nations. And it must be owned, that, in the most ancient times of the Roman state, they were free from those vices which luxury and effeminacy are apt to produce. There were shining examples among them of probity, justice, fidelity, fortitude, a contempt of pleasures and riches, and love to their country; but the body of the people were rude and ignorant to a great degree, sunk in an idolatry and superstition, than which nothing could be more gross and stupid. Their virtue was rough and savage: they made glory to consist chiefly in military bravery: and their love to their country was, for the most part, only a strong passion for rendering it the mistress of all others. To this they made every thing give way; and often broke through the rules of justice and equity, to promote what they thought the interest of the state; jealous of any people, that were for preserving themselves in a state of liberty and independency. To which it may be added, that they were for a long time without a written code of laws. And the people suffered so much by the injustice, insolence, and arbitrary oppression of their magistrates and great men, even in what are accounted the most virtuous times of the republic, that they insisted very justly upon having a written body of laws, which should be the standing rule of judgment. This was accordingly accomplished. Select persons were |