Zoroaster, having assumed the character of a divine prophet and reformer of religion, retired into a cave, devoting himself to prayer and meditation, where he composed the book called the Zend, in which his pretended revelations were contained. From Media he removed into Bactria; and he went also into India among the Brachmans, and having acquired all their knowledge in mathematics, philosophy and astronomy, returned and communicated the knowledge to his Magians; and thus they became famous for their skill in these sciences; so that a learned man and a Magian were equivalent terms. The vulgar conceived of them as persons actuated and inspired by supernatural powers; and hence those who pretended to wicked and diabolical acts, assumed the name of Magians; and the term Magician acquired its evil meaning. However, this distinguished knowledge was confined to those who were by way of eminence, the Magi, or the priests; who, like those of the Jews, being of the same tribe, appropriated their learning to their own families. These priests were distributed into three orders, viz.: the inferior priests, who conducted the ordinary ceremonies of religion; the superintendents who governed them and presided over the sacred fire; and the archimagus, or high-priest, who possessed supreme authority over the whole order; and their churches or temples were also of three sorts, parochial or oratories, in which the people performed their devotions, and where the sacred fire was kept only in lamps; fire-temples, in which fire was kept continually burning on a sacred altar, where the higher order of the Magi directed the public devotions, and the people assembled to perform magical incantations, hear interpretations of dreams, and practise other superstitions; and lastly, the fire-temple in which the archimagus resided, which was visited by the people at certain seasons with peculiar solemnity, and to which it was deemed an indispensable duty for every one to repair at least once in his life. Zoroaster at length carried his religious system to the royal court at Susa, and made Darius a proselyte, together with most of the great men of the kingdom. THE END. FOOTNOTES: [1] Moule's Heraldry. [2] Maitland's Church in the Catacombs. [3] Forlong. [4] Moule's Heraldry. [5] Northern Tour. [6] Gorham, Hist. S. Neots. [7] Rivers of Life. [8] Ancient Faiths, vol. i. [9] Rivers of Life. [10] Riv. Life, Forlong. [11] Nineveh, &c. [12] Selden's Syrian Deities. [13] Forlong. [14] Rivers of Life. [15] Leslie's Early Races of Scotland. [16] Rivers of Life. [17] Forlong, Riv. Life. [18] Rivers of Life. [19] See Pop. Science Rev., vol. x. [20] Hindu Pantheon. [21] See Asiat. Res., vol. iii. [22] For a somewhat longer account of this and other Myths, see Rev. W. Gill's Book. [23] Chardin's Voyages, vol. ii. [24] Thalia, 16, Rawlinson. [25] Pennant, vol. I., p. 111. [26] Pennant, vol. III. [27] Selden's Syrian Deities. Hauser's Translation.