A certain Author relates a Discourse between Midas the Phrygian, and Silenus who was the Son of a Nymph, inferior by Nature to the Gods, superior to Men and Death, thus:
SILENUS told Midas, that Europe, Asia, and Africa were Islands, surrounded by Water: that there was but one Continent only, which was beyond this World, in which, among other Rarities, were two great Rivers, whose Banks were cover’d with Trees, one of them was called the River of Pleasure, and the other the River of Grief....
He who eat the Fruit of the Trees along the River of Pleasure, was eased from all his former Desires, and in a short time became younger, and lived over again his former Years, cast off Old-Age, and became first a Young Man, then a Child, and lastly an Infant, and so died.
On the other hand, he who eat the Fruit from the Trees by the River of Grief, spent all his Days in Tears and Troubles, and after many Years of Vexation, dies.
How romantick soever this Relation may be, it seems to allude to the Trees and Rivers of Paradise, and to give some Hints about the Introduction of Death.
The Indians account for the Fall of Man after this manner:—Brama, one of their subaltern Deities, form’d Man out of the Slime of the Earth that was then just created, and placed him in a certain Situation, which they call Chorcham, which was a Garden of Delights, abounding with all manner of pleasant Fruit, in which was a certain Tree, whose Fruit would confer Immortality upon any Persons that were allow’d to eat it.
The Gods, say the Indians, tried all sorts of Means to obtain the Privilege of this Immortality; and after great Difficulties, did at last succeed according to their Wish, and found out the Way to the Tree of Life, which was in the Chorcham, and by feeding on its Fruit for some time, they commenced immortal.
A famous Serpent called Cheieu, (probably Guardian of that Tree) perceiving the Secret was discover’d by the Gods of the second Rank, was so enraged, that it scatter’d a Flood of Poison over the Plain. All the Earth felt the fatal Effects, and no Man escaped the Infection: But the God Chiven, took pity on the human Nature, appear’d in the Shape of Man, and swallow’d all the mortal Poison, wherewith the malicious Serpent had infected the Universe.... This Fable, as ridiculous as it is, must have some regard to the terrestrial Paradise, and can have no other Original but the Doctrine of Moses[[347]].
[347]. Æliani Sophistæ varia Historia, cum Notis, Curante Gronovio. A. D. 1731. Theopompus is quoted for it, whom my Author calls μυθολογος. Et hæc si cui fide dignus videtur, ea narrans Chius, ille credatur, mihi vero egregius esse fabulator. vol. I. cap. xviii. p. 252.
Nor were the more western Pagans more happy in their Conjectures about the first Entrance of moral Evil. Prometheus, say they, having form’d Men out of the Earth and Water, animated them with Fire, which he stole from Heaven. Jupiter, the Chief of the Pagan Gods, enraged at this, commands Vulcan to make a Woman out of Clay, upon whom all the Gods, out of their high Regard[[348]] to the Fair Sex, bestow’d some of their Perfections. Venus gave her Beauty; Pallas, Wisdom; Mercury, Eloquence; Apollo, Musick; and Juno gave her Riches; therefore called Pandora, who was sent by the Gods in revenge to Prometheus, with a Box full of Evils as a Present from them, but he was too cautious to receive it; upon which she was to present it to his Brother Epimetheus, (supposed by some to be her Husband) which he had no sooner open’d, but immediately there flew out all kinds of Evil, that soon scatter’d themselves over all the Earth; and at the bottom of the Box, nothing was left but poor Hope.