Note 1334 — AN ESSAY ON MAN, IN FOUR EPISTLES (continued 3)
Reading edition
MS.:
Unstained with gore the grassy altar grew, Priests yet were temperate, yet no passions knew; Nor yet would glutton zeal devoutly eat, Nor faithful av'rice hugged his god in plate.
The pagans feasted upon the meat they offered to idols, which is what we are to understand by the "glutton zeal" that "devoutly eats."