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298 ‘GENERAL REMARKS °
banifhed, and here they remained without thofe hopes held out
to the fojourners in the Jabme-Abimo, juft mentioned, of one day
enjoying the fight of Radien, and dwelling with him evermore in
the manfions of blifs. To Rofa the Laplanders made application
as their laft refort, when their fupplications appeared not to have
been attended to by the other divinities. They moreover be-
lieved that all difeafes with which men or beafts were afflicted,
originated with Rota, and that, as he was equal in power with
the other gods, no rehef could be expected unlefs this malignant
deity was inclined to become propitious.
Thus we obferve among this people, what I believe may be
found in every early ftage of fociety, the acknowledgment of fe-
veral limited and imperfect deities. Little reflection feems necef-
fary to convince us that polytheifm muft have been the moft an-
cient religion among mankind. What religion fo natural to con=_
fined and obfcure minds, as that which afcribes particular caufes
for health and ficknefs, plenty and want, profperity and adverfity ?
They moft eafily fuppofe that ftorms and tempefts, peftilence and
famine come from malignant powers; profperous affairs from the
contrary. To them good and ill appear univerfally intermingled
and confounded; happinefs and mifery, wickednefs and beneyo-
lence, all advantages attended with difadvantages.
In fuch a ftage of fociety, no paffions but the ordinary affec-
tions of human life can operate. We may as well fuppofe that
the Laplanders inhabited houfes and palaces before caves and huts,
as that they fhould have had a belief in that perfect Being, who
has
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