[ tot ] 



former times. They cultivated their lanls with 

 great affiduity, and feem to have found out fome 

 means of rcftoring fertility to an exhaufted foil, 

 by having plentiful harvefts in fucceflion; on this 

 mm they were not obliged, as their prede- 

 ceffors had been, to change their lituations, in 

 oaler to obtain a fufficiency for themfelves and 

 their numerous flocks and herds of cattle. 



The F.gyptiahs, who, from the natural fertility 

 of their country by the overflowing of the Nile, 

 raifed every year vaft quantities of corn, were fo 

 fenlible of the bleflings refulting from agricul- 

 ture, that they afcribed the invention of that art 

 to Ofiris. 



They alfo regarded Ilis^* their fecond deity, a9 

 the difcoverer of the ufe of wheat and barley, 

 which before grew wild in the fields, and were not 

 applied by that people to the purpofes of food. 



Their fuperilkious gratitude was carried fo far, 

 as to worfhip thofe animalsf which were employed 



* Ills difcovered the method of making flour from wheat and 

 barley. DiODOJU Sic. 



f " Trach the dull ox why now he breaks the clod, 

 w a vi^im, ano^now Egypt's God." 



Popi. 



in 



