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the same necessity which has made him imperfect now must cover all grades of finite being, now and evermore.

It will be interesting to us to trace the speculations of the ancients, through their fables, upon this subject of the fall by knowledge of the human race. The fables of Prometheus, Tantalus, and the Fall of Man in the Brahmin Shastah, and in the Old Testament, are all very nearly similar in their doctrine and purpose. Let us look first at the story of Prometheus.

The story goes that Prometheus, a man, stole fire from heaven to inform and enlighten a man of clay whom he had made. As a retribution for this theft, Jove ordered Vulcan to forge a box, which he filled with all evils, first putting hope in the bottom, and sent it by the hands of Pandora to Prometheus. The latter, suspicious of the contents, handed it to his brother Epimetheus, who opened it. Hereupon the evils flew out of the box abroad into the world; and Epimetheus closed timely the cover over hope, which alone remained in the box. Prometheus was then chained upon a rocky mountain, where an eagle daily came and feasted on his vitals, which daily grew again. Time passed, and ultimately Jupiter sent Hercules to slay the eagle, and set Prometheus at liberty.

The name, Prometheus, is derived from a Greek word, signifying foresight, providence, or speculation. He is represented as man exalting man to the possession of more heavenly powers, by means of effort, or foresight, or speculation, as you please. The man of clay receiving the heavenly light through the agency