air is altogether so pure and salubrious, that a more healthful and agreeable cannot be found in the universe.

The Egyptian husbandman has not the laborious task of ploughing, digging, or breaking the clods; nor has he any occasion for manure, as the Nile, by bringing with it a profusion of mud or slime, fattens the earth, and renders it exceedingly fruitful. When, therefore, the river has subsided, he mingles a little sand with the earth to abate its strength, and then sows the seed with little trouble, and at an inconsiderable expence. The time of sowing is generally in October and November; within two months the ground is covered with a rich variety of grain and pulse; and in March and April the harvest is gathered.

Lower Egypt extends from Heptanomis to the Mediterranean, and contains, besides the Delta, Mareotis and Alexandria to the west, and Casiotis and Augustamnica, with some other territories, towards the east. That part which, from its triangular figure, has obtained the name of the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet, or the Delta, is encompassed by the arms of the Nile, and lies between the Canopic branch to the west, and the Pelusian to the east.

The name Mizraim, by which Egypt is designated in Scripture, renders it probable, that the aboriginal inhabitants of this country were descended from the son of Ham, the second son of Noah.

In Egypt, the royal dignity was hereditary; but the sovereign was obliged to model his actions after the established laws of the realm, as well in matters of a private nature, as in the management of state affairs. His education was not intrusted to his parents, but to the priests, who were grave personages well instructed in religion and the laws. No person was admitted into his immediate service, who had not received an honourable birth and a liberal education. By religious exercises, by example, and by the daily recital of the consequences of noble or base actions, the prince was taught, that God would reward virtue and punish vice. His employments were appointed for every hour of the day; the form of his dress was prescribed; the times for the repetition of his exercises were fixed; and the dishes of his table regulated. Whilst the monarch lived, he was reverenced as a god; but, at his death, he submitted to the lot of other mortals.

I the people sat in judgment over him; and, if his good d not exceed his evil actions, he was, in some cases, disacefully refused the usual honours of sepulture.

Each nome or province had its respective governor; and e lands were divided between the king, the priests, and e soldiers. The priests, whose rank was next to that of sovereign, were greatly esteemed and venerated by the ole body of the people, not only for their attendance the worship of the gods, but also for their prudence, ill, and erudition. They enjoyed several peculiar adntages, being exempt from all taxes, free from domestic res, and receiving a daily allowance of consecrated bread, ef, geese, and wine.

The Egyptian husbandmen have always been very Iful in tillage, and in the management and breeding of Etle. They still practise their ancient method of hatcheggs in ovens, and thus raise prodigious numbers of vls.

Their judges were to be men of irreproachable morals. e members of the first tribunal of the nation, whose mber was thirty, were taken from the principal cities; cause they were supposed to possess more knowledge d information. They elected a president from their n number, who, as a mark of his dignity, wore about neck a chain of gold, from which was suspended the age of Truth, composed of precious stones. The parpleaded their causes in person. The plaintiff presented complaint in writing, a copy of which was given to the endant, who delivered an answer to it. The court then ing the two writings into consideration, passed judgnt, the president, without speaking a word, turning his liant image of Truth towards the party, in whose favour trial was decided.

The laws and institutions of the Egyptians seemed to cel those of all other nations; but when we contemplate objects, modes, and consequences, of their religion, are insensibly led to deplore the blindness and ignorance their hearts, which were enveloped in the dark clouds of otry and superstition.

The principal gods of the Egyptians were Osiris* and

Osiris was sometimes represented by a sceptre and an eye, to signify power and providence; sometimes by a hawk, and in latter ages a disgusting human figure; but the bull was his chief living repretative.

Isis, which are supposed to have been the sun and moon, whose influences preserved and governed the world. The Egyptians also bestowed divine honours on animals, insects, birds, and even vegetables, as leeks and onions. They were the first people that assigned each month and day to a particular deity, and observed the time of each man's nativity, by which they pretended to judge of his future actions and success. They registered all prodigies, and their consequences, with the greatest care.

The oracles in Egypt were those of Hercules, Apollo, Minerva, Diana, Mars, and Jupiter; but those of Latona in the city of Butus, and of Serapis at Alexandria, were in the highest veneration.

Education was confided to the priests, who taught the children religion, geometry, arithmetic, reading, and writing. Fathers, or near relations, instructed them in their paternal art or profession, that they might be enabled to provide for their own maintenance, and become useful members of the commonwealth.

The Egyptians spared neither labour nor expence in the construction of their sepulchres, which they denominated eternal abodes; whilst the most sumptuous palaces were named only inns. After the death of a person of consequence, they sent for an embalmer, who, according to the price allowed him, employed spices of greater or less value, and executed his work with more or less exactness. The art of embalming was carried to such perfection in Egypt, that the body was not in the least disfigured; the hair even of the eye-brows and eye-lids suffered no alteration, and the form of the features was perfectly preserved.

When the body was properly prepared, public notice was given, that on such a day it was to pass the lake, previously to its interment. At the time appointed, about forty judges assembled, and every person was at liberty to accuse the deceased, before the coffin was suffered to embark. If an accuser appeared and established his assertions, the judges refused to grant the customary burial; but if no accusation was brought forward, the body was enclosed in the tomb with eulogies, hymns, thanksgivings,

The image of Isis was commonly carved or painted as a woman, with cow's horns on her head, a cymbal in her right hand, and a pitcher in her left; designed to represent the appearance of the moon in her wane or increase, the perpetual motion which exists in nature, and the fecundity of the Nile.

and prayers to the gods, that he might be admitted into the abodes of happiness.

Geometry is universally believed to have been first found out in Egypt, and is supposed to have resulted from the frequent setting out and admeasurement of those lands which were annually disturbed by the inundation of the Nile. Arithmetic was diligently cultivated in this country; and it is probable, that a kind of algebra was known to its inhabitants. Astronomy is generally considered as an invention of the Egyptians, who observed the places and motions of the stars and planets, and who pretended to prognosticate future events, as famines, earthquakes, pestilential diseases, appearance of comets, and other things of a similar nature. The limits which the Egyptians prescribed to medicine, prevented the progress of that science. No physician was allowed to extend his practice to more than one species of disease; and if he treated that disease in a different manner from that prescribed by the Dispensary, and the patient died, he was condemned to suffer death.

From the most early ages commerce flourished in this country. The Nile assisted inland trade: and the canals which communicate with the Red Sea and the Mediterranean, promoted foreign commerce.

The Egyptian language is one of the most ancient in the world, and in all probability an original tongue. It s, however, in a considerable degree, preserved to the present time in the Coptic; though a great part of it has navoidably been lost since the conquest of Egypt by Cambyses, and it has also been mingled with several Greek, Persian, Latin, and Arabic words. Arabic, indeed s so universally spoken at present in Egypt, that the Copts, or native Egyptians, rarely use any other.

All historians agree, that Menes was the first king that wayed the Egyptian sceptre. Before his time, the counry was a morass; but he diverted the course of the Nile, nd founded the city of Memphis, within the ancient bed f that river. He also instructed the Egyptians in theogy; instituted solemn festivals; and was succeeded by fty kings of the same race.

During this long succession, Egypt was enriched and mbellished; but a people, who came from the west, inaded and enslaved this beautiful kingdom. They are presented as a horde of savages, and their kings as ty

rants, who pillaged, massacred, and destroyed, and who were called Hycsos, or shepherd kings, from their employing themselves in pasturage. They held all Lower Egypt in subjection during two hundred and fifty-nine years, at the expiration of which, they were expelled by Amosis, king of Upper Egypt.

After a succession of several Egyptian princes, one of whom named Busiris founded Thebes, the sceptre devolved to Osymandyas. This prince raised, against the Ethiopians an army of four hundred thousand foot, and twenty thousand horse. He valued himself for the buildings which he erected, and said, "Let him who envies my greatness, equal me in my works." This king of kings, as he called himself, adorned Memphis with porticoes, temples, his own tomb, and other monuments. He also built a library, over which he placed this inscription, "The medicine of the soul."

Uchoreus, the last descendant of Osymandyas, enlarged and adorned Memphis, and translated the royal seat from Thebes to that city.

Nitocris succeeded her brother, an Ethiopian, whom the Egyptians had put to death. She commenced her reign by imprisoning and destroying the grandees who had deposed her brother and raised her to the throne. Her person was extremely beautiful, but her disposition was tinctured with cruelty. Some authors say, that she erected the third great pyramid.

After twelve generations, the throne of Egypt was filled by Moris, who dug the celebrated lake which bore his name, built a sumptuous portico on the north side of Vulcan's temple at Memphis, and some other structures.

Sesostris was intended by his father for a great warrior. In his childhood and youth, he was attended by all the male Egyptians of his own age, who, together with the prince, were inured to a hard and laborious life, that they might one day be able to sustain the toils of war without repining. He was first sent against the Arabs, who had never been conquered, and whom, after surmounting innumerable difficulties and dangers, he finally compelled to bow to his resistless arms. He was next sent by his father to try his fortune westward; and he subdued the greatest part of the African continent.

Sesostris now formed the design of conquering the whole world; but before he set out on this expedition,