father, and the physicians embalmed Israel."(1)

In another place, Asa, as beforementioned, is blamed for not having sought the Lord, but relying on physicians. (3) This negative censure, together with that other which Scripture affords, "Physician heal thyself," becomes of a more positive nature when, in unambiguous terms, we are told that "" a certain woman had an issue of blood, and had suffered many things of

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many physicians, and had spent all that "she had, and was nothing bettered, but "rather grew worse." (3)

Bryant has given, in his Observations on the Plagues of Egypt, some history of the state of medical matters amongst these people in the early ages.

(1) Genesis 1. 2.

(2) 2 Chronicles xvi. 12.

(3) Mark v. 25, 26.

It appears, from every thing we see of this nation, that they were peculiarly addicted to idolatry: any thing, and every thing, that was presented to them, under peculiar circumstances, became an object of worship; and some of their gods, of highest rank, were supposed to preside over pharmacy and medicine, and to these they generally applied themselves when suffering under maladies. It was from the Egyptians, it appears very evident, that the Greeks derived their mythology; in fact, the early settlers in the Grecian states were Egyptians, wherefore much stress is to be laid upon the authority of the ancient Greek writers where Egyptian matters are concerned.

"

According to some, the art of medicine has its origin from Isis: “ Την Ισιν-φαρμακων πολλων τρος ὑγιειαν ευρετην. (*) But there can be

(1) Diodorus, lib. i.

no doubt that Esculapius taught the art in Egypt; according to Pliny,(')" Medicinam Ægyptii apud ipsos volunt repertam.— Esculapius Memphitis inter primos hominum numeratur, qui opinione humanâ dii facti sunt"--and the teaching of Esculapius is referred by some authors to Osiris, whose son he was supposed to be.(2) Others assert that he learned it from Apis.(3)

Besides Esculapius, there were many others of repute in Egypt, whose works were much esteemed. Sesorthrus, and King Athoth, son of Menis, who was thought to have been the second king of Egypt, were, according to Eusebius, greatly

(1) Pliny, lib. i. c. 36.

(2) Πολλα παρα τε πατρος των εις ιατρικην μαθοντα προσεξευρειν, την τε χειρεργίαν και τας των φαρμακων σκευασίας, και ριζων δυνάμεις.—Diod. lib. 5.

(3) Ιατρικήν Απιν, Αιγυπτιον αυτοχθονα, (επινοησαι), μετα δε ταυτα Ασκληπιον την τεχνην αυξησαι λεγεσιν.

skilled in all branches of physic, and the latter left behind him treatises upon the structure of the human body. (')

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Syncellus speaks of these medical books of Athoth: "But what are styled books "and treatises, are supposed to have been originally hieroglyphical writings upon obelisks, or else in the syringes or sacred fountains, which were formed in rocks of Upper Egypt. That this learning was

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originally consigned to the cryptæ, or "sacred camps of Egypt, and to obelisks, "is mentioned by Manetho of Sebennys, which shews its great antiquity."

The repute, in consequence of the skill of the Egyptian physicians, was very great, and spread their fame into distant countries,

(1) Ιατρικην τε εξήσκησεν, και βιβλες ανατομικας ovveypayev.—Euseb. Chron. p. 14. For fuller notes upon the above, I must refer the reader to Bryant's own work.

and which character they maintained long after the kingdom lost its influence amongst the Eastern nations.

They were in great numbers; and it would appear that each physician had, as his peculiar province, the treatment of some particular disorder entrusted to him.

The author of the Observations on the Plagues of Egypt, thus concludes his account of the physicians : "The Egyptians "were continually providing against dis"orders; and they had persons who pre"tended to fortel their coming, both upon "man and beast. In the time of Moses, "we read of a particular distemper called "the botch of Egypt; and the diseases of

the country are mentioned in more places "than one of Scripture. In consequence "of this the people were in a continual "state of purgation, and reposed a great "confidence in their physicians, who were