t4'i t)i fcnptiofis brought from'E^jpt 



of wliich is the mod intercQihg, is mutilated in every part j 

 and what remains of it is not above half what it ought to be. 



The infcription in the vulgar language of the country, 

 which dcfervcs alfo to engage the attention of learned ori- 

 eiUaliftSj is the leaft effaced. 



The Greek infcription has fuffered 'nmch more than the 

 preceding. Of the fifty-four lines it contains, twenty-four 

 have been more or lefs altered : fome of them have loli: above 

 a fourth of their length, which disfigures the text fo as to 

 render it fometimcs altogether unintelligible. 



But, however defeftive this infcription may be, we will 

 venture to aflfert that there is nothing hazardous in what we 

 are going to fay refpefting it. 



This infcription attefts that it was a monument ere6ied in 

 honour of Ptolemy Epiphanes, the fon of Ptolemy Philo- 

 pater and Ariinoe,, Ptolemy Epiphanes was the" fifth of the 

 fourteen fovereigns who reigned over Egypt after the death of 

 Alexander, from Ptolemy the fon of Lagus, furnamed Soter, 

 or the faviour, to the famous Cleopatra. This monument 

 was cre6led in confequence of a decree iflucd by the autho- 

 rity of the priefts, who had aflemblcd at Memphis from all 

 the diftriiSls of Egypt to celebrate the inauguration of the 

 new king, the fon of Ptolemy-Epiphanes, The name of the 

 Ptolemy who is the object of the infcription is fcarcely ever 

 repeated in \i without being acconipanied with the epithets 

 fihvaj's-li'vijig or wi7nortal, the heh'ved fon of the god Ptha 

 or Vulcan, the god Ep'iphaues, moji gr.acious. Pie is there 

 compared to Vulcan, the great Ilermes, Orus the fon of Ifis 

 and Ofiris. Plis father, his grandfather, and the other Pto- 

 lemys his anceftors participate with him in the honours of 

 this pompous preamble; after which comes the firft part of 

 the decree. 



The prieds explain there the motives on which it is 

 founded. Thefe motives, in general, are the piety of the 

 prince towards the gods and his beneficence towards men. 

 The infcription fays that Ptolemy Epiphanes had given to 

 the teniples," and the priefts v;ho ferved in them, large dona- 

 tions in money, and corn, and other largefles of every kind; 

 that by the force of his arms he Ijad reitorcd tranquillity to 



